Wilderness Camps > Staff Bios

Staff Bios

Hallie Bevan
BS Environmental Engineering
Hallie joins us on rock climbing days where she not only runs a top-notch top rope experience for our students, but also happens to bring a warmth and intelligence that captures her audience. Hallie works for the CU Outdoor Program, has received numerous awards and honors, and volunteer with Engineers Without Borders. She is a recent graduate of CU Boulder in Environmental Engineering.

Zoe Borrell 2nd summer
BA, Sociology and Peace and Conflict Studies. Stanley British Primary Schools' Teacher Training Program. Masters in Educational Psychology, Primary Teacher, Mackintosh Academy.
Zoe has a passionate interest in fostering the development of affective intelligence in children. She has worked extensively with the PassageWorks Institute implementing a comprehensive social and emotional curriculum. She thrives in the outdoor world, loves to hike, backpack, swim, and practice yoga.

Heath Brown, 3rd summer
BS Outdoor Education, Earth Science Teacher, USFS firefighter
Heath is an avid outdoors person and recent masters degree graduate from the University of Wyoming. He loves to explore and find secret passage-ways while practicing his ancient tracking skills. Heath is a Wilderness First Responder and loves teaching middle school science in Wyoming!

Jessica Grojean, 8th summer
Jess was a student with CU Science Discovery Wilderness Camps for 9 summers. She now teaches 5th grade and is a delightful member of our wilderness camp staff. A Boulder native, she graduated from CU Boulder with a B.A. in history and a masters degree in literacy.

Anna Hamlen, 4th summer
Anna holds a masters in educational psychology and teaches 5th grade at Heatherwood Elementary. Her experiences include volunteering for CASA and an educator for at-risk children infected or affected by HIV/AIDS. Anna brings a love for the outdoors and children, an array of outdoor skills and experiences, and passion for fun.

Jamie Johnson, 5th summer
Jamie brings a wealth of amazing energy and fun activities, enthusiasm and plenty of smiles to the program. She is a yoga instructor and teaches in the summer class program for Science Discovery, as well. She loves to mountain bike, snowboard, and hike! Jamie is a 9th grade earth science teacher at Ralston Valley High School in Arvada. She holds both a BS and MS in biological/secondary science and is CPR and first aid certified.

Jason Lawrence, 4th summer
BS Aeronautical Engineering, USAF 2000
Wilderness Guide, Field Instructor, Wingman in the US Air Force. Jason is passionate about living life with integrity. He is comfortable facilitating students on journeys through the wilderness, on the rock, in community and on self-reliance. He and his wife, Lexie, met while volunteering at Mission:Wolf. He is a substitute teacher and dedicated to sustainable living practices.

Samantha McBride, 6th year with CU Science Discovery
BA in Physical Education, Masters in Public Health, Endorsement in Science Education Retired middle level science teacher and lead instructor in Monarch K-8's Outdoor Education Program. Samantha is an avid outdoors person, spending much of her free time mountain climbing, hiking, rafting with her husband or riding her horse. She loves to share her love and knowledge of the outdoors with enthusiastic young people and teaches for Science Discovery year round. Samantha is CPR and First Aid Certified.

Annie Miller 5th summer
While growing up, Annie spent four summers with CU Science Discovery as a camper. She currently holds a B.A in anthropology from CU Boulder with a certificate in the two-year INVST Community Studies Program. Annie spends her time volunteering, traveling to Central America, and studying Spanish. She just returned from working and traveling in Nicaragua and Mexico. Her incredible warmth and summer camp experience is invaluable to our program. Annie is a certified Wilderness First Responder.

Cyndy Miller, 2nd summer
BA Elementary Education, BA in Art History and Humanities
Cyndy's enthusiasm for adventure and for kids brings a huge smile to her students' faces. She loves to hike, garden and teach!

Jeff Wagner, 2nd summer
CU Student in Environmental Science
Jeff spent three summers as a student with Science Discovery, attending Mission:Wolf each time.
Jeff brings humor, warmth and knowledge about the outdoors. He is a NOLS graduate, loves to climb and spend time outdoors with young people. He is a delight to have as a staff member!

Susan Whitehead, 2nd summer
BA, Biology and Environmental Studies. PhD. Anticipated 2011, EBIO
Susan's experience traveling abroad, her research on rainforest ecology, and her outdoor skills position her as a fabulous Science Discovery Instructor. She brings a wealth of knowledge, bright smile and enthusiasm. Her current research at CU translates to content rich trips for our Science Discovery campers. Susan is bilingual and loves to cook!

John Wiley, 3rd summer
BS, Environmental Science, MS Science Education
John's knowledge and passion for science is unmatched. He is a self-proclaimed “science geek”, and proud of it! Hailing from the great state of Kansas, John has embraced Colorado life with incredible gusto. He and his wife love their dogs, people and the journey of learning. John played as well as coached rugby.

DIRECTORS

David and Deb

Deb Kulcsar, M. S. Education
Director, CU Science Discovery Summer Wilderness Camps and Outdoor Classroom. Deb has been in the education field since 1977. Deb's passions include connecting youth with the natural world through wilderness experiences and developing educational programs utilizing experiential models. From her early outdoor education days working with inner city Cleveland, Ohio students in a desegregation program, Deb has broad experience in the many facets associated with developing and implementing quality programs. She also works with corporate and youth groups as a lead facilitator at West Pines Training Center.

David Darst, M. S. Education
Program Supervisor, West Pines Training Center, Wheat Ridge, Colorado
Co-Director, CU Science Discovery Camps, University of Colorado at Boulder.
Since 1977, David has been considered a field-tested educator with successful experience designing, facilitating and supervising outdoor programs and ropes course experiences. Trained as a middle school science teacher, David excels in group process, program design for communities, youth programming and teacher education. David was the initial impetus for starting the CU Science Discovery Wilderness Camps, which have successfully grown into a solid and popular summer wilderness education program for elementary though high school students. He also was on the ground floor development and implementation of the Outdoor Classroom when initial funding from the Denver-based William B. Berger Foundation funded the start-up of this program.