cellphone:  

Since his arrival in Charlottesville in the fall of 2000, Matt has spent nearly every weekend exploring and discovering little-known areas of spectacular natural scenery in Shenandoah National Park, the Blue Ridge Mountains, Dolly Sods Wilderness Area, Virginia Beach, and other beautiful regions in Virginia and West Virginia.  He has been leading / facilitating numerous adventures including hiking, backpacking, caving, white water rafting, horseback trail riding, high ropes course, hot air ballooning, volunteer trail building and tree planting, skiing / snowboarding, snow tubing, frozen waterfall hiking, backpacking, and social activities.  In addition, he is a certified Leave No Trace Outdoor Ethics Instructor.  Matt is excited to teach you the basics as well as advanced tips for all of the activities above, to show you what he has discovered (he took many of the pictures on this website), and to explore new areas and activities. 

First Aid:  Matt is certified as a Wilderness EMT (NREMT-B) and in Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers (CPR & AED).  He also is an *Instructor* in Advanced Wilderness First Aid with SOLO.  In addition, he completed a 21-hour Cave Rescue orientation course.

Other tidbits:  Matt loves to learn; he has the following degrees:

     > MBA (UVa Darden),

     > Master of Arts in East Asian Studies (UVa)

     > Master of Mechanical Engineering (Cornell)

     > Bachelor of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering (Cornell)

Matt also has a great passion for traveling and exploring foreign cultures.  He has traveled throughout Western Europe, backpacked through many East Asian countries, and lived in Paris for 4 months and Tokyo for 5 months.  He would love to share with you his pictures and travelogues from Cambodia, Thailand, Singapore, Climbing Mt. Fuji, Japan, Peru, Egypt and other countries.  Aside from club activity, Matt serves as volunteer Board Member for Rivanna Trails Foundation and volunteer Treasurer for Earth Week Charlottesville.

(OASC Members:  see Member Directory for contact info.)

In the fall of 2006, Jere completed a long-term goal of hiking the entire VA section of the Appalachian Trail (a total of 550 miles). He has also backpacked across the Grand Canyon from North to South Rim and spent 10 days backpacking at elevations ranging from 9000’ to 12000’ in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range just north of Mt Whitney. Jere also enjoys attending music festivals, such as MerleFest, Floyd Fest, and Rhythm & Roots. In Sept ‘82, he attended his 1st Grateful Dead show at University Hall in Ch’ville, seeing this band perform about 25 times. On a cultural note, Jere looks forward to the Charlottesville Festival of the Book, enjoys catching the summer-time Shakespeare play at the Barboursville Ruins, and will on occasion travel to D.C. for art exhibits/shows at the Smithsonian.

First Aid:  Jere is certified in Standard First Aid and Adult CPR & AED.

Other tidbits:  Jere is a long-time resident of Charlottesville, VA. He is a 1981 graduate of The Tandem School (now called Tandem Friends School). After high school, Jere attended Emory & Henry College where he attained a B.A. degree with an emphasis in Accounting in 1985. While attending E&H, Jere was introduced to the magnificent Mount Rogers High Country. Ever since his graduation, he has made every effort to spend at least one to two weekends per year camping and hiking in this spectacular region of VA. Currently, Jere is working 4-days/week as a bookkeeper for the International Rescue Committee, a non-profit organization that has a Resettlement Office in Charlottesville, and whose main objective is to provide immediate support for refugees who are resettled in Charlottesville. On a part-time basis, you will also find Jere working as a sales associate at Blue Ridge Mountain Sports.

(OASC Members:  see Member Directory for contact info.)

Originally from Maryland, Steph grew up on the Severn River and enjoys swimming, sailing and rowing, and now that she lives on a different kind of river, is learning about canoeing and kayaking. Steph spent 1994-1995 as an AmeriCorps participant in St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands, where she worked with domestic violence survivors. In her free time there, she snorkeled, explored the island, swam in the Caribbean Sea and played in a regular poker game. Steph loves to cook and to scour the internet for new recipes to try with the cooking club. A self-described music addict, Steph is always looking to see what concerts are coming to Charlottesville or to where she will road trip next in order to see her favorite bands. A lifelong Baltimore Orioles fan, she likes to attend baseball games at all levels of play. Steph enjoys community service and she has volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, community radio and domestic violence prevention groups.

First Aid:  Steph is certified in Standard First Aid and First Aid When Help Is Delayed.

Other tidbits:  Steph has an undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice/Sociology from the University of Delaware and a law degree from the Marshall-Wythe School of Law at the College of William & Mary. Additionally she studied at the University of Exeter in England. Steph is conversational in American Sign Language and loves to play volleyball.  Steph moved to Charlottesville in the spring of 2004 when she accepted a job transfer from southwestern Virginia.

(OASC Members:  see Member Directory for contact info.)

Dave grew up beside a river just north of the Adirondack State Park in northern NY. Though he always loved playing in the water, around the trees and on rocks while growing up, he didn’t get involved in outdoor recreational activities until he moved to Virginia. Over the past four years he has become an avid runner, mountain biker, white water kayaker, snowboarder, and also enjoys hiking/backpacking and rock climbing. Dave is a member of the Charlottesville Area Mountain Bike Club (CAMBC), Coastal Canoeists, and the Outdoors Club at UVA where he has served as a volunteer kayak instructor for the past 2 years.

First Aid:  Dave is certified in Standard First Aid and Adult, Child and Infant CPR.

Other tidbits:  In his “spare time,” Dave works in a biomedical research laboratory at the University of Virginia as a research technician trying to find a cure for breast and prostate cancer. He also likes to read, watch movies, play games, eat ice cream, and meet new people.

(OASC Members:  see Member Directory for contact info.)

Ari, a Leader since January, 2007, has lived in Charlottesville since
August of 1996, and considers it the best of Virginia in every way.
He enjoys motorcycle riding, hiking the trails in the area, rock
climbing, trying all the fabulous cuisines, soaking up the sights,
sunsets, and stars, people-watching, and above all, laughing and
making others laugh. He enjoys meeting a great range of different
personalities in the club, while delving into the outdoor activities
he used to enjoy while in the Boy Scouts. Remember, "Be prepared,"
and "Do a good turn, daily."

First Aid:  Ari is certified in Standard First Aid and Adult CPR. He's thankful he's never had to use either of these while leading any
adventures!. Ari also notes, "I have a Jewish mother, so I know to
PUT ICE ON IT!"

Other tidbits:  Ari's interests are many and various, and include
mechanical engineering, physics, massage therapy (professional),
nutrition, alternative/complimentary healing modalities, etc. Not
quite MacGyver, but close, he has been known to do R&D work dreaming up inventions to save the world, or just save himself a headache! He enjoys sharing his knowledge and ideas with any and all, and truly enjoys teaching. Among Ari's primary interests and hobbies are health and the healing arts, humor, music, movies, autos (he has a
truck that runs on vegetable oil) / motorcycles (ATGATT - "All the
gear, all the time"), amateur photography, alternative energy,
alternative thinking, alliterative assonance, and problem solving.

(OASC Members:  see Member Directory for contact info.)

Margie likes adventure, loves seeing new places, and enjoys meeting people of all ages.  She enjoys hiking, and cooking has been an interest of hers since childhood.  She says she's not a gourmet chef, but the cuisine in her OASC cooking classes has been delicious, and she enjoys trying new recipes & cooking styles.  Dancing is another one of Margie's passions, and she has found that Charlottesville to have some great dancing groups. 

First Aid:  Margie is a Registered Nurse certified in Basic Life Support and CPR / AED.

Other tidbits:  After raising a family and spending 29 years in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Margie decided to fulfill her dream of exploring the Eastern U.S.  She moved to Charlottesville in November 2003 to start a new phase of her life, while continuing to be an avid Parrot Head.

(OASC Members:  see Member Directory for contact info.)

John likes to mix work with pleasure and involve scientific research his outdoor activities. Hiking, backpacking, orienteering, and caving are his favorite activities. He has turned a life long passion for the sciences, particularly astronomy into a profession. Having been a research and public program assistant at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, AZ, John conducted site test surveys of the night sky for the future Discovery Channel Telescope; he also conducted stargazing workshops, lectures, and telescope viewing sessions with the historic 24" Lowell refractor. He participated in an extensive vegetation survey of the Pinaleno Mountains in the southeastern Arizona sky islands, which entailed backcountry orienteering and getting stabbed repeatedly by cacti in the name of science. While in Arizona John made sure to go backpacking nearly everywhere on the Colorado Plateau, and considers southern Utah to be utterly surreal. In addition to extensive travels and backpacking in the West, John's research has taken him to the Atacama Desert in Chile, and a side trip to trek 50 miles in the Andes to Machu Picchu.. 

First Aid:  John is certified in Standard First Aid and Adult CPR / AED.

Other tidbits:  John is co-creator, cartographer, and expedition artist with the Earth-Mars Cave Detection Project. This project focuses on the thermal detection of caves from orbital platforms on Earth, Mars, and other Solar System bodies. His main interest is finding evidence of life elsewhere in the Solar System or galaxy; as such he is pursuing degrees in Biochemistry and Astrophysics. John places an emphasis on field research, and plans on exploring as many extreme locations on Earth as possible. He is currently the Vice President of the Charlottesville Astronomical Society, and is actively engaged in educational outreach concerning the sciences. He is also a member of the Explorers Club, an organization committed to excellence in scientific exploration of our planet and beyond.

(OASC Members:  see Member Directory for contact info.)

Sergei is originally from Russia; he has been traveling and working abroad after graduating from St. Petersburg University. Before settling in the US, he lived and worked in England and in France. Sergei's favorite outdoors activities are hiking, backpacking, skiing, and tennis. He also enjoys classical music and good food.

First Aid:  Sergei is certified in Standard First Aid and Adult CPR.

Other tidbits:  Sergei works for the University of Virginia.

(OASC Members:  see Member Directory for contact info.)

Fred waited 18 years to live in Virginia and finally made it when he began studying in Blacksburg. While there, he took advantage of exploring the mountains of southwest Virginia. His walkabouts continue to lead him to waterfalls and panoramic views allowing him to continually refine his photographic skills. Fred enjoys day hiking in Shenandoah and along the Blue Ridge Parkway and has hiked in Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Wyoming, Hawaii, and parts of Europe. He enjoys leading photography hiking adventures, tours to local battlefields and historic sites, and various cultural activities to D.C., the Middle Peninsula, Richmond, and Southwest Virginia.

First Aid:  Fred is certified in Standard First Aid and Adult CPR.

Other tidbits:  Fred has a B.Arch. from Virginia Tech and, as of summer 2007, is in the final months of his architecture internship before taking his licensing exams. He is "always willing to talk about architecture, even if you are not." He also has done extensive travel – having visited 33 states (with hopefully 3 more to add in the fall of 2007) along with over 60 sites within the National Park Service and 10 countries including Canada and Liechtenstein.

(OASC Members:  see Member Directory for contact info.)

A native Californian, James spent a lot of time in California's beautiful national and state parks. Some of James' fondest memories are of living in Yosemite National Park, hiking and climbing many of its beautiful granite monoliths and spending time among the huge sequoias. He was active in swimming and water polo in high school and college and loves watersports of all kinds. James recently found the new sport of geocaching which adds a new dimension to his hikes.

First Aid:  James is certified in Standard First Aid and Adult & Child CPR.

Other tidbits:  James has lived in Charlottesville since 2006. He has been a software engineer for 15 years and is currently with SNL Financial in Charlottesville. He is an avid videogamer and high definition theater enthusiast. He has enjoyed many "alternative" sports such as paintball, go-kart racing, and underwater hockey. He has a 3 year old son, CJ, who loves to hike and is often seen with CJ in his toddler-carry backpack while geocaching.

(OASC Members:  see Member Directory for contact info.)

Summers spent outdoors in the NC mountains instilled in Jenny a love of the outdoors, and she can’t imagine a better outlet than OASC for enjoying this area’s natural beauty. Particular favorites include any of the rafting or water-based adventures (she’s paddled the Lower New at least 10 times, and hasn’t tired of it yet!), night hikes, and stargazing. 

     Jenny adores films and all their associated trivia, and will discuss movies at length with any takers. She also likes working with her hands on all sorts of crafts projects and cooking, and is always open to trying new things (including Mopane worms in Zimbabwe). She also likes the spicy, so bring it! Last but not least, Jenny likes to laugh and be comfortable with people, so she looks forward to some raucous good times ahead!

First Aid:  Jenny is certified in Wilderness First Aid and Adult CPR & AED.

Other tidbits:  Although she was born in Bryn Mawr, PA, Jenny considers herself a true Southern girl – she grew up all over North Carolina, bookended by stints in Durham. Moving here in September of 2006 was intended to establish VA residency for (eventual) grad school, and it’s the best move she ever made! Jenny absolutely loves it here, whether she’s hanging out with some of her local family, having fun with the club in the wilderness or Downtown, or informing people about the wonders of Virginia wine at work in beautiful Oakencroft Vineyard and Winery.
     An anthropologist by training, Jenny earned her bachelor of arts from Duke University, and is now a rabid college hoops fan. She’ll cheer for UVa though, as long as her alma mater’s not involved! History has always been her first love, particularly the hands-on aspects of archaeology. She’s participated in digs in South Africa, China, and Western NC, and looks forward to continuing her passion in further studies. She loves to learn and travel, and she’s always up for a Jeopardy!-watching session or a game of Trivial Pursuit. Jenny is also an occasional adrenaline junkie: her travels to Costa Rica, Australia, France, New Zealand, China, South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, and Zimbabwe, as well as Stateside, have privileged her to sample some truly spectacular outdoor ventures. Scuba diving the Great Barrier Reef and abseiling in Australia’s Blue Mountains have come near the top of the list, but jumping the Nevis Bungy in New Zealand pretty much takes the cake so far.
    Jenny has family and friends all over the country, so if she’s ever out of town and not leading adventures, she’s probably visiting kin somewhere.

Having joined OASC as a member in September 2004, Angela has found herself to be a very active participant in the club. It was this involvement that inspired her to become a Leader and share some of her interests and talents with other OASC’ers.  As a born and raised Virginian, Angela enjoys the outdoors, especially hiking, camping, fishing, and biking. After having spent four years serving in the United States Marine Corps where backpacking was less enticing, she saw the club as an opportunity to discover the beauty behind backpacking and hiking. Angela is always looking for new adventures and so far through the club she has discovered a love of backpacking, climbing, and cross-country skiing.  Most importantly, Angela loves to be social; her move to Charlottesville last summer left her searching for friends and after only a few weeks in the club she was overjoyed to find so many new ones. Her favorite social activities include dinners out, ice-skating, cooking clubs, happy hours, and all types of arts and crafts.

First Aid:  Angela is certified in Standard First Aid, First Aid When Help Is Delayed, and Adult / Child CPR & AED.

Other tidbits:  Angela received her B.S. in Biology with a minor in Chemistry at James Madison University. She currently works as a Research and Laboratory Specialist in the Cardiovascular Research Center at the University of Virginia. She hopes that her efforts will help fight heart disease and diabetes.  Angela also loves international travel, especially to her favorite city (other than Charlottesville!) Edinburgh, Scotland. While serving in the USMC, Angela was able to travel to several places, including Okinawa and Norway. She hopes to find some new favorite cities around the world.

(OASC Members:  see Member Directory for contact info.)

Cara made the move to Charlottesville in 2007. She grew up playing in the Catskills and Shawangunk mountains of upstate NY, then spent several years in the Green Mountain state (Vermont) so living somewhere pretty with lots of things to climb is very important to her! She also loves being on the water, whether in a crew shell, canoe or kayak, and in a previous life was a marine science instructor in the Florida Keys. The best thing about moving to the South (besides the excuse to use "ya'll" in conversation) has been the ability to go hiking, rock climbing, and camping all year long. 

First Aid:  Cara has a License to Practice as an Intern / Resident Physician in Pediatrics, and is certified in Basic and Pediatric Advanced Life Support for Health Care Providers (including CPR).

Other tidbits:  Cara has a BS in Biology from Cornell University and got her MD at Dartmouth Medical School. She is currently a pediatric resident at UVA and has a special interest in empowering young people with chronic illness or disability. During the 3.4 hours a week she is not actually in the hospital, she can be found playing guitar, singing for anyone who will listen, practicing yoga, climbing things, cooking things, and planning her next big adventure.

(OASC Members:  see Member Directory for contact info.)

Keith has a wide variety of interests ranging from “Black Tie Affairs to Semi-Extreme Activities”. He strives to put the “ing” into living and will leading trips in some of favorite activities such as hiking, backpacking, camping, biking among others, and he also leads trips in "this, that and the other." 

First Aid:  Keith is certified in Standard First Aid and CPR -- Adult and Child.

Other tidbits:  Keith was born and raised in West Virginia where a love of the outdoors was developed at an early age through family camping trips and time spent with his grandfather. After graduating college, he spent 3 years living in Miami, Fl before settling in Richmond 1990. Keith had been a member of several outdoor organizations including volunteering for 5 years as a Field Team Member in Piedmont Search and Rescue Group and 3 years as an Associate Member of Search and Rescue Tracking Institute. In 2009, his goal of backpacking the Appalachian Trail through Virginia will finally be completed with an Appalachian Trail through-hike scheduled to begin on April 10, 2018, but he is not counting the days.

     Keith graduated from Marshall University with a BBA in Accounting. He is a trained Forensic Accountant and is currently working as a CPA for an international manufacturing company.

(OASC Members:  see Member Directory for contact info.)

Erin grew up hiking the mountains in Nelson County, just south of Charlottesville. She was fortunate to hike with an unlikely group of women in their 60s, 70s and 80s (including Dave's Matthew's mom Val), who taught her about local native plants. As a result, Erin knows the name and folk history of a few plants, and would like to know many more.

     Since graduating from the great books program at St. John's College in Annapolis and coordinating an oral history program in Nelson County, Erin moved to C'ville and became an avid biker around town. She enjoys swimming and hiking, and most other outdoor activities. Other interests include conversational Spanish, harmony singing, and swing dancing.

First Aid:  Erin is certified in Wilderness First Aid and, soon, Adult CPR.

Karin-Anne , Leader and

Kudos & Complaints Catcher

Karin-Anne is a Richmond native. Born and raised in the capitol city, her parents traveled east to the beaches, but never west to the mountains. It was love at first sight when Karin-Anne crossed Afton mountain for the first time during her freshman year of college. She can be found on the Parkway driving, hiking, picnicking, and camping. All those years at the beaches brought about a love for the water and swimming. She also has a passion for animals and can be found hanging out with man's best friend (also known as Griff, her Cane Corso Mastiff) or grooming and riding horses for pleasure. Around town, Karin-Anne's favorite activities include listening to live music, shopping, dining out, going to movies, wine tastings, festivals, entertaining at her house and laughing with friends.

First Aid:  Karin-Anne is certified in First Aid Basics and Adult and Child CPR.

Other tidbits:  Karin-Anne graduated Longwood College with a Bachelor's of Science degree in Therapeutic Recreation and now works as a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist. She has volunteered as well as developed and implemented therapeutic horseback riding programs. Although she no longer works full-time in the field, she applies her skills to her leadership role in OASC and hopes to help the club continue to grow. She strives to bring the joy of recreation to people of all abilities and one day hopes to own and operate a therapeutic farm. Other experience includes two summers as a camp counselor in Deep Creek, Maryland, at an adventure camp where she was first exposed to white water rafting, rock climbing, rappelling, water skiing, and mountain biking.

Ashley , Leader

(OASC Members:  see Member Directory for contact info.)

Having grown up around the Northeast, Ashley moved to Charlottesville from Vermont in August 2006 to begin studying for a PhD in Spanish Literature at the University of Virginia. When she’s not trapped inside reading, Ashley tries to spend as much time as possible outside. She enjoys tennis, volleyball, hiking, biking, camping, skiing, and pretty much any other activity that allows her to be outside, learning something new, or meeting people. When forced indoors, Ashley also enjoys pretending to be fully domesticated – cooking, baking, sewing and crafting. There’s a reason she’s been called Martha Stewart II!

First Aid:  Ashley is certified in Standard First Aid and Adult CPR.

Other tidbits:  Ashley has spent almost two years living in South America: first, over a year in the port of Valparaiso, Chile and later another 8 months in a very small, very windy town in Argentine Patagonia.  She loves to travel and has already covered Western Europe and much of South America, all the way from Ushuaia, the southernmost town in the world, to the waterfalls of Iguazú and the Atacama Desert.  One of the greatest challenges has been figuring out how to be a vegetarian in places where the whole town smells like barbecue on weekends and most people consider chicken to be vegetarian-friendly!  She considers her greatest achievement so far to be having needed more pages added to her passport and can usually be found planning her next trip or talking about the last one.

(OASC Members:  see Member Directory for contact info.)

Chance grew up on a dairy farm in Louisa County, VA. He played as many sports as possible throughout high school and even wrestled for a semester in college at Virginia Tech. A rabid VT fan, Chance never misses a football game or the opportunity to go mountain biking, rock climbing, kayaking or any other outdoor activity.

First Aid:  Chance is an Emergency Medical Technician (Basic) and is certified in Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers (CPR & AED).

Other tidbits:  Chance has been a firefighter for many years, and has taken numerous technical rescue courses and thus is skilled in "getting people out of crazy situations."

Peter , Leader

(OASC Members:  see Member Directory for contact info.)

Peter grew up Birmingham England, the second largest city in the United Kingdom. Throughout his early years he spent most weekends with his family fishing and hiking in the Welsh Mountains. During his years at Aston University in Birmingham (UK) he became an even more avid outdoors person and became a leader in several university clubs, scuba diving (instructor), kayaking (slalom and down river racing). He was also an active member of the climbing, backpacking and sailing clubs. He organized and led trips for the kayak club to Switzerland and Austria to enjoy the spectacular whitewater those countries offer. He came to the USA in 1978 and his first stop was Charlottesville where he learned downhill skiing in addition to the many outdoor activities that the Blue Ridge Mountains offer. After moving up and down the East Coast Peter and his family (wife Susan and two daughters) came back to Charlottesville in 1993. He worked with the Henley Middle school’s outdoor club as a parent chaperone and helped supervise canoeing, hiking, backpacking and cross country skiing trips (2000-2002). Peter and his family left Charlottesville in 2002 for Connecticut only to return in 2005. Peter has been a club member since February 2006.

First Aid:  Peter is certified in Wilderness First Aid and Adult CPR / AED.

Other tidbits:  In his “spare time,” Peter works in a small pharmaceutical instrument manufacturing company as Engineer Manager. He also likes to work with his hands, read, watch movies, play games, and meet new people.

(OASC Members:  see Member Directory for contact info.)

While Virginia is home for Vinnie right now, he grew up as a Jersey boy, headed for the shore and boating every summer when younger, then off to the “deep south” to UVa for college. He loved all types of sports in high school having captained and achieved all-state in both soccer and fencing. He wound up coaching the men’s varsity team here in Charlottesville while an undergraduate student (All-ACC in sabre). More recently, Vinnie was called back onto the football field during a half time program honoring UVa’s best athletes of 50 years. He also did some traveling early on as a D.C United’s soccer team field dentist, trying to patch them back together during half-time melees.

     Vinnie enjoys horsing around, boating, advanced scuba diving, wine and dining experiences while sharing travel experiences (32 countries!) and is always looking to find new adventures both for himself and for the club. His favorite trip to date has been a month in Kenya horseback riding while living in tents under the watchful eye of the Masai. In England as an MBA student, Vinnie formed a film company to create feature films -- so theater and movies are always some of his favorite adventures.

First Aid:  Vinnie is certified in Wilderness First Aid and Adult CPR.

Other tidbits:  Somewhat of a school junkie, Vinnie has the equivalent of a DDS and three masters (orthodontics, MBA, MPH) and enjoys teaching at Columbia University. Healthcare policy had him in Washington helping to create new bills for improving healthcare access for the underserved, and he enjoys staying grounded with third world charity trips to places like Haiti, Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Mexico.

Kiara , Leader

(OASC Members:  see Member Directory for contact info.)

Kiara (pronounced "kee-uh-ruh") is an artist, teacher, and translator. She loves developing her senses and leadership skills in Nature, helping prepare her to direct her own theatre company someday. She is a proud Snail of an Adventurer, preferring a leisurely meander through life. She is a devotee of Community. In addition to slow hikes away from the sights and sounds of the Industrial Revolution, she can't resist ice skating, countryside bike rides, dance of any structured kind, music that gets you on your feet or singing along, theatre that rocks the world, potlucks, picnics, campfire storytelling, stargazing, mountain horseback riding, and uniquely local attractions & festivals. Her Canine Co-Leaders, Honey & Seamus Michael, are avid hunters of deer, squirrels, birdies, and delivery-persons, though sadly the last hide REALLY well in the woods! All three love lake-effect snow storms.

First Aid:  Kiara is certified in Wilderness First Aid and Adult, Child & Infant CPR.

Other tidbits:  Kiara is a true Jill-of-All-Trades, having been a theatre Director and Performer, Nanny, comparative Literature-ist, cultural Anthropologist, university language Instructor, theatre box office- and development department-Serf, house- and stage-Manager, SPCA Dog Trainer & retail shop Salesperson, and overnight-shift Baker, not to mention enrichment program Teacher of preschoolers - high schoolers in performing arts, creative writing, and cultural geography! She lived in Ireland and Northern India, and loves Canada deeply. She has yet to see the Atlantic or Pacific from the Americas, though she has been to the Gulf of Mexico and Indian Ocean and behind the mighty Niagara Falls.

     Her dance studies include folk and/or classical of the US, Ireland, Ghana, India, Spain, South America, and the Afro-Caribbean. Physical theatre training includes Stage Combat, Commedia dell' Arte, Clowning, Viewpoints, Contact Improv, and Chekov-, Alexander-, & Skinner Releasing-Techniques. She runs Honey Pie Pet Care listed on OASC discount page, is becoming certified for animal-assisted therapy with her "firstborn" Chicago mutt Honey, teaching Virginian countryboy Seamus a few city manners, enjoying new kitties Wyn and Izzy, and apprenticing in animal communication.

     Kiara shares this quote:  "But you can't/ And you won't/ Ever find your place/ Even in a hundred days/ Until you know/ Why you left home/ In the first place."

Amy , Leader

(OASC Members:  see Member Directory for contact info.)

Amy grew up in the suburbs of Atlanta. In college, she worked at a camp as a Ropes Course Instructor living entire summers outside in a platform tent. She has fought to stay outside as much as possible ever since. To her, the Club has been an adult camp. It was her love of being active in the outdoors that led her to cycling and riding in several long distance bike tours. In addition to cycling, she hopes to continue hiking, backpacking, scuba diving, downhill skiing and exploring new areas for the rest of her life. She often is seen with her loyal dog, Ree.

First Aid:  Amy is certified in Wilderness First Aid and Adult CPR.

Other tidbits:  Amy has a BA in Romances Languages from the University of Georgia and lived in Europe for two years studying languages. While she was a flight attendant for four years, she had the opportunity to explore much of Europe and North and South America.

Helen-Marie , Leader

Having grown up in northern Virginia (Vienna), Helen-Marie much prefers the serenity of country roads and mountain views! She enjoys hiking, camping, backpacking, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, snorkeling, and horseback riding. Her favorite local hike is Old Rag, but her most favorite hiking/backpacking by far was done in Glacier National Park, as she discovered on a club backpacking trip with OASC a couple years ago! Other favorite parks include Redwood National Forest in northern California and Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. In addition to outdoor activities, she enjoys dancing, music, photography, traveling, and volunteering with Habitat for Humanity.

First Aid:  Helen-Marie is a Registered Nurse, an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, an Advanced Cardiac Life Support Provider, and is certified in Wilderness First Aid.

Other tidbits:  Helen-Marie is a double Wahoo, having earned her Bachelors and Masters from UVA. While working as a registered nurse in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, she finished her Masters and Acute Care Nurse Practitioner degrees and now practices in Interventional Cardiology at UVA Hospital. She has decided that one nurse practitioner degree is not enough (yes, she's nuts!), and is taking post-Master's classes part time to be able to also practice as a Family Nurse Practitioner. She is an active member of the St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church community in Charlottesville. She has been playing the flute since 4th grade and still plays at church or for weddings. She also loves to travel and has traveled through 7 countries in Europe, the Caribbean, and Mexico. Her favorite places so far are Alaska and the Swiss and Austrian Alps.

Jason , Leader

(OASC Members:  see Member Directory for contact info.)

Jason grew up on a dairy farm in Midwest Ohio. After living in the DC metro area for a few years, he is excited about the seemingly endless outdoor activities Charlottesville, the surrounding areas, and the club have to offer. He enjoys many team sports such as softball, volleyball, walleyball, tennis, basketball, tennis, and football as well as numerous wilderness and nature activities such as camping, kayaking, canoeing and hiking. In addition to all of the previous activities, Jason is always excited to try out new activities while making new friends.

First Aid:  Jason is certified in Standard First Aid and Adult CPR.

Other tidbits:  Jason’s “daily grind” is as a programmer/analyst for a start-up hedge fund. He loves the investing world. Jason moved to Charlottesville by chance, finding out during the first interview that the position was located in Charlottesville. Cville is growing on him more and more as time goes on.

Katie , Leader

(OASC Members:  see Member Directory for contact info.)

Katie was born and raised in Northern Virginia. She developed a love of the outdoors as a child hiking in the Blue Ridge Mountains with her dad and siblings. Katie has also lived in Pennsylvania and Texas and spent a large amount of time hiking in both those states. In 2005 Katie seized the opportunity to move back to Virginia and settled in Charlottesville close to the Blue Ridge Mountains that are so dear to her heart.

     Katie enjoys a variety of outdoor activities and is always up for trying something new. Some of her favorite activities are: hiking, white water rafting, playing in mountain streams, kickball, wallyball, disc golf, and sand volleyball. Katie also enjoys bowling, miniature golf, and playing Wii! She especially prides herself on her Wii Boxing abilities!

First Aid:  Katie is certified in Standard First Aid and CPR.

Other tidbits:  Katie spends her working hours sitting behind a desk analyzing data and crunching numbers. In order to balance that she spends as much time as she can outside of work being active and having fun. Katie loves to travel. Some of her favorite destinations so far have been Colorado, Yellowstone, Sienna Italy, and Dominica. Katie is an amateur photographer and would love to show you some of her photos. Katie also enjoys spending time volunteering and is a supporter of environmental conservation. She is always seeking out opportunities to carpool to club and non-club events.

Gillian , Leader

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Gillian’s favorite outdoor activity is hiking. Hands down. She has been an avid hiker since she was a tot with her all-time favorite hikes in the Sierras and Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. She has been delighted to find so many hiking opportunities here in Charlottesville and especially wants to explore Shenandoah National Park. Apart from hiking Gillian enjoys running, swimming, water polo, soccer, kayaking, camping, dancing, and yoga. She also likes live music, wine and beer tastings, cooking (especially ethnic food), watching movies (especially foreign films), learning languages, and trying new things.

First Aid:  Gillian is certified in Standard First Aid and Adult CPR.

Other tidbits:  Gillian moved to Charlottesville in August 2008 after graduating from tiny Carleton College in Northfield Minnesota. She is thrilled to be in the south where she doesn’t have to endure negative temperatures and can shamelessly slip into her former southern accent. Gillian is now a graduate student in the Spanish department at UVA and also teaches Spanish to undergraduates.

Michelle , Leader

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Michelle hails from North Carolina. She is a science and nature geek who enjoys hiking, backpacking, running, snowshoeing, and travel. Before moving to Virginia in 2005, she spent a number of years working at an environmental education center inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park. As the Citizen Science director, she led youth and adults in activities ranging from snorkeling in search of giant hellbender salamanders to hiking to remote areas of the park to find slime molds. She loves urban trails and gets out at least once a year to day-hike the whole 20-mile Rivanna Trail. She's a doting dog owner and enjoys leading some dog-friendly hikes.

First Aid:  Michelle is a Wilderness First Responder and certified in CPR and AED for the Professional Rescuer.

Other tidbits:  Michelle is a faculty member in the Virginia Tech Department of Forestry and is the state coordinator for the Virginia Master Naturalist program, a program that trains and involves volunteers in natural resource conservation and management. She's learning to play the fiddle, and she is a fan of old-time Appalachian music.

Pete , Leader

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Pete loves being outside.  Born and raised in Charlottesville, he has been on countless trails and rivers in the area.  For the past 10 years, he has organized canoe trips as the District Director for the Virginia Canals & Navigations Society.  Pete's favorite adventures include canoeing, kayaking, running competitively, participating in Batteau reenactments, rafting, skiing, hiking, camping, and swimming.  He also enjoys traveling, especially to the ocean and to the canyon lands out West.  Pete has hiked in Grand Canyon, Zion, Yosemite, and Bryce.

First Aid:  Pete is certified in Standard First Aid and Adult and Child CPR.

Other tidbits:  Pete graduated with a B.S. in Business Administration from PVCC & Longwood College, and he currently works as an accountant for a small business.  He loves history (thanks to his parents being historians at UVa), and has found and documented dozens of historic sites related to our river history.  Pete has written several published articles and a map on these subjects.

Trevor , Leader

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Trevor is a North Dakota native and moved to Virginia in June 2004 "to escape all the hustle and bustle of life on the plains." He was raised in a small town in central ND; right in the middle of some of the best hunting and fishing the Midwest has to offer. Introduced at a young age to the great North Dakota outdoors; he learned all there is to know from one of Underwood’s old pros….his dad. Before Trevor decided to relocate to Virginia he discovered his talent and passion for mountain biking and has been riding/racing for the Bike Stop in Culpeper for the past 3 years. When he’s not riding, Trevor has also been spotted climbing, hiking, skiing, camping, telling war stories, road biking, cooking, playing football, living with the animals, playing in mud puddles…..and well, he’ll try anything at least once!

Other tidbits:  Trevor has an Associates in Power/Nuclear Plant Operations and currently works for Universal Forest Products, Inc. as a CAD designer (Computer Aided Drafting). He was also the 2001 Regional Mechanical Bull Riding Champion (well, maybe not but he could have been), but he still likes breaking out the cowboy boots time to time. Trevor enjoys sharing his knowledge of biking and the outdoors with the club.

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Mary Beth grew up in Western PA where with her brothers and father, she hunted, fished, grew a garden and sorted metals to survive. Mary Beth arrived in Charlottesville, from Columbus, OH, in 1998 with her husband Bill, three children, and two cats. She loves dancing especially folk dancing and leads adventures in folk dancing. Mary Beth is an “ambler” and loves to “stop and smell the flowers while bringing up the rear” in any adventure. She ambles along after her husband and son in road biking. World travel is another love. While leading trips to Europe and traveling with her husband, she has encountered a diverse range of people, seen amazing sites, and eaten great food. Mary Beth especially loves sweets and looks at the dessert menu before ordering the main course. An avid “Doctor Who” fan, Mary Beth enjoys reading sci-fi and fantasy novels.

First Aid:  Mary Beth is a Registered Nurse, and a Certified Instructor of First Aid and Adult, Child & Infant CPR.

Other tidbits:  Mary Beth previously danced with a professional folk dance company and teaches folk dance dressed in “Gypsy” garb. She is a RN and Therapeutic Touch practitioner. She currently teaches Spanish in Stanardsville, VA. Hanging clothes out to dry is another favorite activity. She is addicted to her pedometer and obsessed with walking 10,000 steps in a day.

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Wandering the woods of Albemarle and Greene county since a child, Jim has a special love for the Piedmont and mountain terrain of Virginia. Always fascinated with the idea of complete self dependence in nature, Jim started a long quest for survival and native skills in 1982, mainly under the tutelage of Tom Brown, Jr and the Tracker School. Jim views nature as the ultimate sanctuary and feels that true knowledge of nature includes not only survival skills, knowledge of animals and plants, but also about the great depths of perception and awareness that are possible when away from modern civilization, which is often more a matter of mental distance from modern culture than of physical distance from the nearest road. He feels that native skills are not just about physical facts and techniques, but also about mental, emotional and, for some people, spiritual principles. Jim has given various short lectures on native skills over the years, but most of his experience teaching was from giving a course at LSU while living in Baton Rouge. After chasing a career around the county for 15 years, homesick the entire time, he returned to his old stomping ground of Earlysville in 2002.

First Aid:  Jim is certified in Wilderness First Aid and Adult / Child CPR & AED.

Other tidbits:  Jim has degrees in Sociology and Scientific Glass Technology, and good but unaccredited knowledge of real world physics, mechanics and chemistry. He has 3 years experience as a blacksmith and welder, as well as 15 years as a scientific glassblower. He currently owns DFIRM, LLC , a small contractor and handyman business. Some of his many interests include cooking, pool and billiards, playing harmonica, guitar and drums, and listening to blues, progressive rock, fusion, funk and jazz.

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Maritza was born in Bogota, Colombia and moved to New York City in 2004; since September 2008 she is living between Charlottesville and the Big Apple. She is a Certified Kripalu Yoga Teacher with experience of six years as a practitioner.
     Maritza is also a US Coast Guard Captain and a certified American Sailing Association Professional Sailing Instructor; she is the Head Instructor of the Optimist Sailing Program at the Manhattan Sailing School in New York City.

First Aid:  Maritza is certified in Wilderness First Aid and Adult CPR & AED.

Other tidbits: 

     Maritza teaches yoga in a playful and yet profound way. Her practice is non judgmental, full of compassion, respect, knowledge and understanding of her students’ sacred space and needs. She teaches a class that generates clarity, calmness, alertness, self awareness and inquiry as well as the appropriate balance of energies, through conscious breathing. She guides Gentle, Moderate and Vigorous Hatha Yoga, Kundalini Yoga and Yoga Dance practice.
     In Colombia, Maritza co-founded and directed the first sailing school in the country. She was Coach for the Colombian Optimist National Sailing Team and in 2001 was awarded with the "Coach of the Year Prize" given by the Government Sports Authority. Maritza has degrees in graphic design and music. She speaks Spanish, English and German. A big traveler she has lived in Germany, Hungary and France and has sailed the Straits of Malaysia, the South Atlantic in Argentina, the Mediterranean and the Caribbean.
     She loves blues, jazz and classical music.

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Roland has studied edible plants with several wilderness survival instructors, and herbal medicine with herbalist Rosemary Gladstar at Sage Mountain School in Vermont. In addition, he has studied other wilderness survival skills such as shelter-making, tracking animals, and
fire by friction.  Roland enjoys hiking, camping, running, biking, music, good stories and jokes.

First Aid:  Roland is certified in Standard First Aid and Adult / Child CPR & AED.

Other tidbits:  Roland works for the University of Virginia.

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Andrew grew up in Virginia Beach, spending much of his time basking in the sun and taking weekend trips up to the Appalachians. After college and some time living a semi-nomadic lifestyle, he came back to Virginia and in June 2006 found his way to Charlottesville. Andrew spends his free time exploring the myriad of fun opportunities the area has to offer. He loves cooking, backpacking, running, and coffee- coffee is crucial to Andrew's life. In addition, he has traveled through Asia, Europe, and Central America. Andrew spends most of his time working on commercial development projects throughout Virginia.

First Aid:  Andrew is certified in Adult First Aid, Environmental Emergenices, and Adult / Child CPR.

Other tidbits:  Andrew has a Bachelor's degree from Mary Washington College in Fredericksburg, Virginia. He is currently helping to design his first L.E.E.D.-certified green building, which has always been an area of great interest to him.

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CJ grew up in Richmond, Virginia but Charlottesville has been home for almost 20 years. Most of her outdoor activities as a child centered on boating (motor), water skiing, fishing (she got her first fishing pole at age 4!) and swimming on the James River and the occasional Girl Scout camping trip.

     CJ enjoys cooking, wine tastings, festivals, theatre, concerts, gardening, hiking, and travel. CJ has been very fortunate to have traveled to Europe, Asia, Australia and South America as part of her job (and for fun too). She enjoys any kind of water activity such as swimming, tubing, canoeing, kayaking, and snorkeling. She is PADI open water SCUBA certified. She is looking forward to gaining more experience in this area.

First Aid:  CJ is certified in Standard First Aid; Adult, Child and Infant CPR, and Adult AED.

Other tidbits:  CJ has a BS in Early Childhood Education/Child Development from James Madison University and taught kindergarten and preschool for 4 years. She now works for a biotech company developing drugs for people with unmet medical needs. If you are wondering how she got from ankle biters to drug research and development, just ask her. It is a pretty cool story.

     CJ loves animals. Currently she has a cat and a horse (retired).

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Jay strives to take a weeklong trip out West to snowboard once a year, and hopes to visit more national parks he has yet to explore. Between injuries, he enjoys hiking, mountain biking, climbing, running, backpacking, sea kayaking and taking photographs of the scenery.

First Aid:  Jay is a Board-certified Family Physician; and he's certified in Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers (CPR & AED).

Other tidbits:  Jay grew up in flat suburban Michigan, where it was grey skies from October to April. He came to truly appreciate the outdoors in college when he worked for a summer camp and traveled to wild areas in Michigan and Northern Ontario. From there, Jay went with friends to the Mid-east before taking campers out West and to Alaska, camping and hiking throughout those phenomenal areas. he collected great memories, photographs and of course, outdoor gear!

When it was time to move on, Jay looked for another great small city like Ann Arbor, but he wanted someplace a little sunnier and maybe warmer in the winter, and it had to be green with mountains. Despite his travels out West, C-ville was his first choice. It will definitely take a lot to separate Jay from a town where he can play soccer, hike in the mountains with his dog Bristol, drink sweet tea and hear “y’all”. “What more could I ask for?” says he!