This website serves as a platform where I can bring together all the different facets of my life, allowing visitors to gain a deeper understanding of who I am and what I have to offer. From professional accomplishments to personal interests, this website offers a holistic view of my journey and the various experiences that have shaped me. Whether you're exploring my portfolio, reading about my endeavors, or delving into my creative pursuits, I hope you find inspiration and insight in this collective representation of my life.
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A Brief Resume

  • Co-founded Wilderness Personal Growth Expeditions with Navy Commander Brandon Harding for the Marines/Navy. This pioneering program was initially launched in North Carolina and later expanded to Washington under Commander Harding's leadership. Utilizing outdoor education, our initiative aimed to challenge the prevailing military stereotype of "the field." This approach not only allowed participants to appreciate the outdoors but also encourages them to be receptive to mentorship and guidance provided by attending Chaplains.

  • Created the groundwork and concept for what would later become Veterans Outreach Workout with Rob and Dana Bailey.

  • The first veteran in the 50+ year history of the North Carolina Outward Bound School to be awarded a full scholarship for its groundbreaking Instructor Development School. During the 51-day immersion in the wilderness, participants acquired skills in outdoor education, risk mitigation, and the art of guiding others through the wilderness to meaningful wellness experiences.

  • Led expeditions in diverse environments for youth, veterans, active duty, and corporate groups. Each experience emphasized leveraging the outdoors and honing hard skills to enhance group cohesion and foster lasting change in self-confidence and self-reliance. Drawing on skills acquired from Outward Bound and years of personal travel and exploration, I facilitated transformative journeys for participants.

  • Created a wilderness programs with The Kilchers, as featured on the Discovery Channel show "Alaska: The Last Frontier," and the veteran non-profit 23rd Veteran. Along the stunning Kachemak Bay in Alaska, veterans discovered healing through this groundbreaking initiative, marking the first of its kind for the Kilcher family. I'm proud to have played a pivotal role in bringing this project to fruition.

  • As part of Spartan Race Endurance, I served as an instructor for events spanning from moderate (4 hours) to extreme (60 hours). From the chilly farms of Vermont to the remote landscapes of Mongolia, I guided participants through different stages of personal and professional development using a blend of physical fitness and outdoor education.

  • From my early years competing in wrestling to my time in the Marines, and from taking on obstacle course races globally with Spartan Race to completing the 2023 cross-country mountain biking event in Costa Rica, known as "La Ruta," my journey has consistently been about embracing adversity to enhance my mental and physical well-being.

  • Following my feature in Time magazine in 2014 as part of a Veteran Highlight, I continued to share my experiences by speaking at military bases, Marine Corps Balls, and various functions. My focus centered on mental health and the use of the outdoors as a pathway to wellness.

A glimpse into who I am . . .

The norm for a kid born in the 80’s was to spend more time outside than inside. The sound of a screen door slamming behind me as my mother called out, “be home by dark or listen for my whistle”, was the only memory I have that is screen related.

I recall running up New Jersey hillsides to fetch fresh berries and staying out late with the neighborhood kids. Plenty of scoldings and more than my fair share of visits to the principals office. For the most part, I had a great childhood. I had loving parents, protective siblings, a roof over my head, and plenty to eat.

But the time for being a child ended when I was 12. Although I had endured adversity before then, nothing could prepare me for what came next.

On a cold December evening, the world as I knew it was over. My father had committed suicide. With that loss, the light of childhood was gone. For years I mourned the loss of not just my father, but of my friend, my wrestling coach, and my hero. Completely outside of my control, this adversity negatively shaped me for the next 15 years.

After high school there was no doubt that I needed structure and guidance. Thankfully, I felt called to serve. Partially because I wanted to get away from home and partially to follow in the footsteps of my grandfather and my father. On July 24, 2006 I went to Marine Corps basic training and would go on to graduate school of infantry thereafter.

To be honest, the emotional and physical adversity of my time in the Marines failed in comparison to my childhood. Growing up the son of an infantryman that was also your coach was physically more demanding. Losing your guide and life coach in a traumatic way was more emotionally draining.

After the Marines I had to make sense of this new transition while struggling to cope with childhood trauma. That was no easy task. I had not even considered that the two were stacking atop one another until much later in my 20’s. With the help of family, friends, and a new life path, I found peace.

As a result of the extinguished light of my childhood, darkness consumed my adolescent years and into adulthood. It stunted my emotional, intellectual and spiritual growth. I was unable to see the world clearly, I was unable to heal.

I believe all people who seek healing find it, if you haven’t found it, you are not done looking. For me, healing came in the wilderness among like minded individuals over many years of time. I found passion in the wild again, much like my childhood, I found myself smiling while running up hills and fetching berries.

I became captivated by the forms of personal growth one could find while being lead and guiding others in the wilderness. I co-pioneered programs for the same base I was stationed on in the Marines, focusing on helping service members find personal growth in the wilderness.

I spent years dedicated to aiding veterans in their transition from service. Helping them to lead happier and healthier lives.

Along the way I reconnected to the child I was before trauma and we pursued passion and purpose together. It was as if he lead me out of the darkness so I could see what my pain had to offer me. It was strength, intuition and tenacity.

As I write this my story is not incomplete. The pursuit of healing will be a never-ending journey of accomplishing dreams and facing fears. I have faced the reality that no amount of healing will fix the wounds left by suicide, but with confidence I can say, I am prepared for whatever comes next.

“In the face of pain and adversity, to not only endure, but to thrive, is to live limitless.”