Northland College     Outdoor Education Home     Outdoor Education Pre-2009    
Outer Island Sunset, Apostle Islands, Lake Superior

                                                                                                                                                                    From a Ryan Brady Photo

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Northland Outdoor Education Graduates in the Work Force
The following is a sampling of the positions and graduate opportunities that have been held, or pursued by our graduates

Amy Von Diest
Outdoor Education/ Adventure Education/
Secondary Education (teaching Certification)/ Environmental Education Minor
Rural Development Director
Girl Scouts Susitna Council
Anchorage/ Western Alaska villages

I have been living and working here in Alaska for 8 years now. Nearly 5 years in my current position. I work with 45 villages in western Alaska supporting local volunteers as well as identifying potential volunteers with Girl Scouts. The program is village-based (not led by teachers who tend to not be from the region and turn over quickly) and rooted in traditional
skills and subsistence living. I am pretty sure Kongiganak Girl Scouts are the only group who have ever made fermented fish heads as a Girl Scout activity!

I have really developed my skills in grassroots community development and am proud of the approach I have slowly taken building strong relationships with each community I work with. A highlight for many villages is the free day camp we offer in 24 communities. Last year we had over 1200 girls involved during summer camps and over 30% were teens.

Josh Carlson "00 and I got married this past October on the Buffalo National River. We have been together for 13 years. We canoed into the gravel bar ceremony, conducted by my brother. We built a campfire as part of the ceremony, had 130 people canoe the river afterwards, I sewed my dress out of Carhartts we had worn out over the years......it was wonderful. Lots of Northland Alumni there.......maybe 10 or so.

Amy von Diest '01
OE Adventure Education/Secondary Education Environmental Studies
Rural Development Director
Girl Scouts Susitna Council
Anchorage/ Western Alaska villages

Amy von Diest
Rural Outreach Manager
Girl Scouts Susitna Council
3911 Turnagain Blvd
Anchorage, Ak 99517
1-800-478-7448 (toll free)
1-907-248-2250 (local)
1-907-243-4819 (fax)
avondiest@gsscak.org
 

Amy Von Diest and Friends

 

Tina Allahverdian
Outdoor Education/Natural History
Program Director
Hunt Hill Audubon Center
Allison Smith
Outdoor Education/Adventure Education
Master of Arts in Education Degree Candidate
University of Alaska
Lindsay Struve
Outdoor Education/Recreation Management
Recreation Coordinator
The University of Michigan
 
Deb Collison
Outdoor Education/Therapeutic and Universal Design
New Horizons (Community support for people with
chronic mental illness and developmental disabilities)
Ashland, WI
http://www.new-horizons.org/
Jesse Beightol
Outdoor Education/Adventure Education
Eagle Rock School,
Estes Park, CO
http://www.eaglerockschool.org/
Northland College Outdoor Education students work on a group initiative problem on the low challenge course Shirley Swenson
Outdoor Education/Therapeutic and Universal Design
Counselor with the Ashland Day Treatment Center
Ashland, WI
Amanda Sigrist
Outdoor Education/Therapeutic and Universal Design
Alternative Education Teacher
Mellen School District
Mellen, WI
Jason Bisonette
Outdoor Education/Therapeutic and Universal Design
Wilderness Endeavors, Thistledew Camp
http://www.thistledewcamp.com/
Cortni Sedgwick
Outdoor Education/Therapeutic and Universal Design
St. Croix Camp for Girls
http://www.wilder.org/programs/CombatingViolence/
StCroixCamps.html
Joleen Ross
Outdoor Education/Therapeutic and Universal Design
Wilder Foundation
St. Paul, MN
http://www.wilder.org/index.html
Angelica Hemmer
Outdoor Education/Therapeutic and Universal Design
Challenge Center,
Superior, WI

 

 

 

 

A Northland College Winter Block student works with a sit-skier at the Breckenridge Outdoor Learning Center, Breckenridge, Colorado
Tim McGough
Outdoor Education/Adventure Education
Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center
http://www.boec.org/

As of September 28, 2009:

Program Manager
Telluride Adaptive Sports Program
(970) 728-7537 winter
(970) 728-3865 summer
programs@tellurideadaptivesports.org
www.tellurideadaptivesports.org 
 

Brian Barch
Outdoor Education/Natural History
Naturalist/Educator
International Crane Foundation
Sarah Gillespie
Outdoor Education/Adventure Education
Senior Activity Instructor
Pioneer Centre
Cleobury Mortimer, Worcestershire
England
 
Amanda Cantal
Outdoor Education/Therapeutic and Universal Design
Wilderness Instructor
Wilderness Endeavors, Camp Thistledew 
Northland College Adventure Education student, Brian Bears, uses a large flip-chart during his on-trail teaching segment Matt Brownlee
Outdoor Education/Therapeutic and Universal Design
Wilderness Instructor
Wilderness Endeavors,  Thistledew Camp
Kristin Wengrow
Outdoor Education/Therapeutic and Universal Design
and Psychology with Teacher's Certification in Alternative Education Public School Teacher, Ashland High School
Off-Campus school for severely emotionally disturbed students, Ashland, WI
Jody Blankenship Miles and Bill Miles
Outdoor Education/Natural History
Co-Founders/Executive Directors
Earth's Classroom 
Recipients of the Young Alumni Achievement Award   '01
Kevin Bergstrom
Outdoor Education/Adventure Education
Instructor
National Outdoor Leadership School
Graduate Student
Master of Science Degree Program in Experiential Education, Minnesota State University, Mankato, MN
 

 

Cynthia DeGesero
Outdoor Education/Natural History
Project Coordinator 
U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum-Survivors Registry
Brian Iselin
Outdoor Education/Adventure Education
Instructor
The Alldredge Academy
Joseph Ventimiglia
Outdoor Education/Therapeutic and Universal Design
Founder and Owner
Education Through Adventure
Jon Flynn
Outdoor Education/Natural History
Public School Teacher, Ashland High School
Off-Campus school for severely emotionally disturbed
students, Ashland, WI
Travis Fountaine
Outdoor Education/Therapeutic and Universal Design
Summer Camp Director
Y.M.C.A. Camp Miller
August Ellshoff Galloway
Outdoor Education (Core) and Biology
Instructor
Outward Bound Wilderness: Minnesota
 
Kealy Gavin
Outdoor Education/Therapeutic and Universal Design and
Native American Studies
Alternative Education Instructor 
Ashland Middle School, Ashland, WI
Jason Hicks
Outdoor Education/Natural History and Biology
Biological Technician
United States Geological Survey
Melinda Hill
Outdoor Education/Natural History
Troop Leader/Caretaker
Northern Pine Girl Scouts
Michael Hocevar
Outdoor Education/Natural History
Weekend Supervisor
Northwest Passage II
Martha Hotchkiss
Outdoor Education/Native American Studies
Learning Coordinator
Valley Community School
Jason Jech
Outdoor Education/Recreation & Leisure Services
Director
Environmental Learning Center, Redwing, MN
 
William Chapman
Outdoor Education/Natural History
Instructor/Counselor
Battle Creek Outdoor Education Center, Dowling, MI
 
Gene Cook
Outdoor Education/Adventure Education
Adventure Counselor
St. Croix Camps
(Youth at risk)
Andrew Kennaly
Outdoor Education/Recreation & Leisure Services
Solo Pastor
First Presbyterian Church of Whitefish
Shawna Smith Kennaly
Outdoor Education/Therapeutic and Universal Design
Ski Instructor
Big Mountain Ski Club
Northland Outdoor Education Graduate, and Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center employee, Eric Kuffner, demonstrates assisted sit-skiing

 

Erik Kuffner
Outdoor Education/Therapeutic and Universal Design
Instructor
Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center
Douglas Lakin
Outdoor Education/Natural History
Environmental Educator
The Chewonki Foundation
Timothy Shaw
Outdoor Education/Therapeutic and Universal Design
Ski School Director
Whitecap Mountains
Dustin Long
Outdoor Education/Natural History
Public School Teacher
Rockford, IL
Jeannie Schall Long
Outdoor Education/Adventure Education
Public School Teacher
Rockford, IL
Mary Manning
Outdoor Education/Therapeutic and Universal Design
Adventure Instructor
St. Croix Camps

 

 

 

 

Two Winter Block students peek over the edge of the sleeping loft in Breckenridge, Colorado
William Mackin
Outdoor Education/Recreation & Leisure Services
Employment Specialist/Job Developer
New Horizons North, Ashland, WI
 
Melanie Reding McCullough
Outdoor Education/Native American Studies
Lead Naturalist
Wargo Nature Center

Lino Lakes, MN
Kathy McCully
Outdoor Education/Natural History
Instructor
Outward Bound Wilderness: Minnesota
Melinda Mickelsen
Outdoor Education/Therapeutic and Universal Design-Dual Degree Program, Occupational Therapy
Occupational Therapist
Frazier Rehabilitation Center
Steven Metzne
Outdoor Education/Recreation Management
Forestry Technician
U.S.D.A.-Forest Service

 

 

 

 

Kimberly Morrison
Outdoor Education/Therapeutic and Universal Design
Case Manager
Handishop Industries, Inc.
Jacob Nacht
Outdoor Education/Adventure Education
Trip Leader
Deer Hill Expeditions
Michael Nesbitt
Outdoor Education/Adventure Education
Outdoor Educator
Adventures Cross Country
Jennifer Ojala
Outdoor Education/Recreation & Leisure Services
Outdoor Education Coordinator
Y.M.C.A. Camp Carter
Krista Pierson
Outdoor Education/Natural History
Naturalist
Cable Natural History Museum

 

 

 

 

A Northland student ties down a canoe on the canoe trailer
Sonia Smith Pitzi
Outdoor Education/Therapeutic and Universal Design
Education Liaison Director
Homeless Student Initiative Program
Jennifer Power
Outdoor Education/Natural History
School Outreach Logistics Manager
Science Museum of Minnesota
 

Photo of a smiling Michael Riegelman

Michael Riegelman

 

 

 Michael Riegelman
Outdoor Education/Adventure Education
Director, NYC Arabic Language & Culture Club
Personal e-mail: riegelman@un.org

 

Michael Kim 'Jamal' Riegelman
Director, NYC Arabic Language & Culture Club
http://arabic.meetup.com/45/about

Cell Phone (347) 523.3937
e-mail: NYCArabicLanguageClub@gmail.com
Bio: http://wafin.com/articles.phtml?arttype=mom&mid=67

Counselor, al'WaHa Arabic Village
 

Kimberly Prager
Outdoor Education/Adventure Education
Group Program Coordinator
Vertical Endeavors Indoor Rock Climbing Gym
 

 

 

 

Lea Ann Shearer
Therapeutic and Universal Design
Founder/Owner of Paws for Freedom

View a Feature Article on Lea Ann's Business

 

Michelle Melanson Dunham
Outdoor Education/Therapeutic and Universal
Design
Graduate Student
Western Washington University

 

 

 

 

Thomas Rottler
Outdoor Education/Natural History
Outreach Director
Adventure Pursuits
Erin Shafto
Outdoor Education/Adventure Education
Statistician, Peer Counselor, Client Advocate
Wild Iris Women's Services
 
Michael Shaw
Outdoor Education/Adventure Education
Instructor
National Outdoor Leadership School Through summer
2003, now a member of the faculty at the
Albuquerque Academy
http://www.aa.edu/
David Backler
Outdoor Education/Adventure Education
Winter Program Coordinator
Voyageur Outward Bound
Angela Hicks Bishop
Outdoor Education/Recreation and Leisure Services
Independent Living Specialist
Mid-State Independent Living Center
Marcy Pilsner Doud
Outdoor Education/Therapeutic and Universal Design
and Psychology (Masters Degree in Special Education
with Minnesota State Teacher's Licensure)
Special Populations Teacher
South St. Paul Elementary (Lincoln Center), St. Paul, MN