Meet Our Instructors

One of the first things I did after moving to Missoula to study wildlife at UM was sign up for Aerie’s W-EMT course. Not only was the course rewarding, the certification helped make me more competitive for wildlife technician jobs that have taken me all across the Rocky Mountains. Additionally, the course introduced me to Missoula County Search and Rescue and I have spent the last seven years volunteering with them. I currently work as Aerie’s equipment manager, planning and preparing course materials for all of our courses, events, and safety standbys.

A current member of the US Coast Guard, I’m proud to call Montana home and look forward to further delving into the medical community. Growing up exploring the White Mountains of New Hampshire and beyond, the West has become my gateway to further adventures and practice of my favorite hobbies, including rock climbing, backpacking, mountain biking, and fishing.

Originally from Bombay, India, I grew up without much separation from the outdoors – swimming oceans, running along hills, loitering in forests. I worked for 7 years in Boston as an environmental consultant to the US Environmental Protection Agency. Following this, I returned to India, splitting her time between agriculture (producing fruits and herbs) and backpacking (working as an Instructor with the National Outdoor Leadership School).

I began working with Aerie in 2006 and have taught across the full spectrum of Aerie’s courses. In addition to my instructional background, I oversee Aerie’s day-to-day operations, supporting both our educational programs and field deployments. I currently serve as the Chief of Missoula County Search and Rescue, where I lead a volunteer team in backcountry and wilderness response in Missoula County.

I have taught pre-hospital emergency medicine and leadership courses at the University of Montana. I hold a master’s degree in Emergency Management and Homeland Security, and my broader experience includes disaster and incident response in both hospital systems and field operations. My work continues to focus on building responsive systems, strong teams, and effective emergency care in austere environments.

I continue to actively teach and consult on emergency response management, crisis leadership, and systems coordination. This work includes advising teams on leadership structure, interagency collaboration, and building resilient response systems in high-consequence environments.

I moved to Maine to attend the University of Maine, Augusta for my Nursing Degree. While in Maine I fell in love with the ocean and first began exploring nutrition and herbalism as alternatives and complements to western medicine. Currently I am working in Home Health as a nurse.

After receiving my degrees in Education, I participated as an AmeriCorps member, teaching at Northwest Youth Corps Outdoor School in OR. I also worked at an Outdoor Education Center in the Adirondacks of NY. Through work with the Student Conservation Association (SCA), I helped plan trainings with Aerie to ensure my members felt prepared to go into the field. I spent almost nine years going through Aerie trainings myself, which only amplified my desire to teach others the importance of wilderness medicine. When I had the opportunity to start teaching for Aerie in February of 2018, I was excited to join this staff.

I am originally from France, where I served in an alpine military unit. I have called Montana home for several years, and currently work at St Patrick’s Hospital, where I am an RN in the Intensive Care Unit. In addition to teaching with Aerie, I work as a ski patroller and am a member of Missoula County Search and Rescue. I am happy to contribute to Aerie’s mission, and grateful for the opportunities to keep learning.

In 2013, I left the south shores of Lake Superior with a degree in Sociology and Outdoor Education and settled in Montana shortly after. In the summer months, if not in a classroom environment you may find me on a river or sea kayaking the Pacific Ocean. When the frost arrives, I work as a ski patroller and avalanche dog handler at Big Sky Ski Resort.

My first medical experience came through an Aerie WFR course which lead to a ski patrol job at Montana Snowbowl. My fire career began at the Forest Service’s Ninemile Ranger Station in 2005 and continued with the Lolo Hotshots and Missoula Ranger District until 2014. In 2013, I became an EMT and began working for the Missoula Fire Department in 2015. I have been afforded the opportunity to learn from, and teach with, many seasoned firefighters over the years.

I have worked in the outdoor industry since 2006 doing trail work, wilderness therapy, leadership consulting, remote cooking, and running a variety of programs for The Student Conservation Association. My first class with Aerie was in 2007 and I have attended trainings every year since. In 2018, I joined Aerie’s teaching staff. Teaching courses pairs my love of the more-than-human world with my desire to inspire others to feel confident and capable in outdoor settings.

I practiced and taught wilderness survival skills as an outdoor educator for 5 years before moving to Montana in 2001. Since then I have worked as a paramedic-ranger for the National Park Service in Yellowstone National Park, volunteered with Missoula Search and Rescue, and have provided medical relief in Haiti and along the US/Mexico border. I have been privileged to travel and practice my medical and survival skills in Central America, India, and most recently Mongolia. I am a full time paramedic for Missoula Emergency Services where I have served as a tactical paramedic and Backcountry Response Team member. I teach all level of courses for Aerie including our WEMT and Semester in Wilderness Medicine programs.

Having spent the better portion of my life exploring the rivers of North and South America, I am a past member of the U.S. Canoe and Kayak Development Team. I have been a kayak slalom coach and an American Canoe Association whitewater instructor since 1994. I co-founded the Whitewater Rescue Institute and teach both Swiftwater Rescue technician as well as Rope Rescue technician courses for Aerie.

I am an emergency room RN by trade, but believe knowing how to heal people without the luxury of resources is the most inspiring form of medicine I have learned. I feel very fortunate to help spread this knowledge as an incredible way to empower people to spend more time outdoors. Outside of medicine, I spend a great deal of time exploring the outdoors, crafting things from wood and various salvaged materials, fixing and riding bicycles, and searching for my next opportunity to return to Central America.

I have been teaching River Rescue since 1995 and am a former ski patroller & backcountry ranger in Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks. In 1994 I founded Montana River Guides, a whitewater rafting company that guides raft, canoe, kayak and riverboard trips on the Alberton Gorge, Blackfoot and Bitterroot Rivers. I teach the swiftwater rescue component of Aerie’s Wilderness EMT and Semester programs.

Growing up, I worked as a ranch hand outside Ennis, Montana during the summers and spent countless hours in the mountains chasing cows and fixing fence. After high school, I pursued a degree in fire science and since then, my passion has always been firefighting. I am currently a captain with Missoula Fire Department and have feverishly pursued the wildland fire arena, working all over the country on wildland fires. I have also helped develop MFD’s technical rescue program. Teaching has been a very rewarding experience and has helped shape me as an emergency provider.

I trained in Emergency Medicine at Oregon Health Sciences University. I worked overseas in Honduras and in Kosovo on disaster relief missions and am a veteran of the National Disaster Medical Service. I now work as an Emergency Physician at Saint Patrick Hospital (Level II Trauma) and am a reserve Deputy for Missoula County Sheriff Department. I am also a member of and Medical Director for Missoula County Search and Rescue, and Missoula County Sheriff Department’s Special Response Team and serve as the Medical Director for Missoula Emergency Services and Missoula City Fire Department. I recently helped author the curriculum for S.T.O.R.M. (Specialized Tactics for Operational Rescue and Medicine) and will be teaching this through the Medical College of Georgia.

I began my wilderness career after taking a first aid class my freshman year in college. My love of the outdoors, medicine, and working with others led me to expand my training and receive my EMT and Wilderness EMT through the National Outdoor Leadership School. Since then I have guided Whitewater Rafting, Kayaking, backpacking, and most recently guiding Ice Cave Glacier tours and canoe trips in Juneau, Alaska. I enjoy the improvisation and creativity needed in wilderness medicine and it has been an honor to be able to share that with others to help them learn.

I was fortunate to take an Aerie class in 2001, which evolved into opportunities to live out some dreams including working for the park service as a paramedic. I discovered the joy of teaching Aerie students for their enthusiasm and dedication to learning. Today, I am part of the ICU and ED as a RN in the Kalispell area. Occasionally, one might find me flying as a nurse with A.L.ER.T., or as a ground paramedic for Bigfork Ambulance.

I have worked outdoors since 1983 and began working as a paramedic in 1991. In 1995, I co-founded Aerie and teach all levels of Aerie courses. I have worked continuously as a medic at Missoula Emergency Services since 1991, currently serving as their Training Officer. I am also the Director of Missoula College’s Paramedicine program, which is a cooperative effort between Missoula Emergency Services’ paramedic ambulance and the University of Montana.

I started with Aerie in 2014 by taking a WEMT class and was hooked. Teaching for Aerie combines my passion for medicine, wild spaces, and outdoor education. I have pursued these passions by leading extended courses for NOLS, Montana Wilderness School, serving as an EMT on the ambulance in Stanley, ID, guiding commercially on the Salmon River in the Frank Church Wilderness, working as a Ski Patroller and Avalanche Educator, and working towards a nursing degree from MSU. Sometimes help is far away, and backcountry decision making is a skill that needs intentional practice.

I completed Medical School at Ohio State University and did a dual residency in Emergency Medicine and Family Practice. I have practiced as a Board Certified Emergency Room Physician for over 30 years and now serve in Dillon, Montana as Barrett Hospital’s Chief of Staff and Director of their Emergency Department in addition to working as Medical Director for Saint Patrick Hospital Rural Outreach. I am Fellowship trained in Emergency Medicine and also was among the first Fellows in Wilderness Medicine. I am active in EMS, serving as Medical Director for Missoula Emergency Services Ambulance, Missoula County Airport Authority, Powell County QRU, Beaverhead EMS, Beaverhead Search and Rescue, and Wisdom Ambulance. I am actively involved in instructing all levels of medical professionals; I also instruct Advanced Wilderness Life Support and am passionate about wilderness medicine.

I moved to Missoula in 2006 to attend the University of MT and to be closer to my family in Kalispell. I began volunteering with Missoula Rural Fire Department and later became a resident. Upon graduating from the university, I chose to stray from my law school career path and took my WEMT course from Aerie in 2010, thus beginning my journey in the medical field, which I continue to broaden and expand. I absolutely love helping others and being involved in patient care, as well as instructing for Aerie.

I am the founder and owner of Rancho Mastatal Sustainability Center in rural Costa Rica where I oversee an array of initiatives related to natural building, permaculture, community development and health, and rainforest conservation. I met my wife Robin Nunes while an ecoagribusiness volunteer in the US Peace Corps in Uruguay. Our site has unintentionally become a default medical clinic in the village. We have a bilingual daughter named Soledad and spend most of our days outside working on the farm and teaching guests about our sustainability practices.

A 4th generation Montana native, I began my fire career with the Department of State Lands (now DNRC) in Libby, MT. I fought fire for the Forest Service out of Troy, MT and at Dalton Station on the Angeles NF, then returned to Montana as a Firefighter for the Missoula Fire Department (MFD). During my time with MFD I specialized in wildland fire and incident management. After retiring from MFD in 2017, I joined Aerie to assist in developing the wildland fire program. I currently live in Northern Greece where I am studying Mediterranean fire behavior and European fire management.

Growing up in Western WA provided me many opportunities to be in the outdoors hiking, snowboarding, fly fishing and hunting. This lead me into an incredible career working in the conservation field. I serve as the Risk Management and Field Training Officer for the Northwest Youth Corps, where I am able to use my two decades of conservation experience by training staff, field leaders and members. My interest in wilderness medicine was sparked in 2008 when I took my WEMT course with NOLS; that interest has grown into a passion as I began teaching with Aerie in 2018.

I have been involved with Aerie since 1999 when I took a WFR course for my guide and outfitting business. Moving up to complete Aerie’s W-EMT course helped me land a job with Lost Trail Ski Patrol and then as an instructor for Aerie. Patrolling and instructing for Aerie complement each other very well. When I am not skiing or teaching I can be found pursuing my other passion, fly fishing on Montana’s great trout rivers. I own and operate Fishs Eddy O Fly Fishing Outfiiter and Guide Service, specializing in guided fly fishing trips on the Bitterroot and other western Montana rivers.

I grew up in a suburb of Mumbai, India. I’ve been hiking & rock climbing since college days, and have been part of a few peak climbing expeditions in the Himalaya. From 2000 until 2013, I was a NOLS instructor, working a couple of courses per year, and have also run an adventure travel company. Since 2000 I have been facilitating outdoor management development programs for business organizations and now also offer consultancy to outdoor & experiential education organisations in areas like programme content, risk management and staff training.

I took a W-EMT class with Aerie to bolster my backcountry skills and found I had a passion for rescue and emergency medicine. I worked professionally as a ski patroller for 10 years at Montana Snowbowl and the Yellowstone Club in Big Sky. During that time I taught for Aerie during the summer and worked regularly with our Summer Semester program. I currently live in Kalispell, MT and still instruct for Aerie. I also work as the Semester Coordinator and as the Staffing Manager. I love skiing, running and generally spending time in the mountains.

After completing my Master’s degree, I joined the Peace Corps, teaching in Honduras. I then spent 13 years teaching in a bilingual elementary education program. I’ve taught for Aerie for over a decade and am one of the lead instructors for our Semester program. I work for the Indian Peaks Rural Fire District as a firefighter and EMT/SAR member. I am also an active ski-patroller and volunteer with the Buffalo Field Campaign in the Yellowstone area. I’ve lived off-grid in a straw bale cabin that I built with family and friends at 9200 ft for close to 20 years now.

I direct the Hanifl Centre in Mussoorie, India and teach wilderness first aid courses here for Aerie. I have been involved with NOLS India Chapter, giving slide shows and talks on the environment. During my initiative to save the dying Steppe Eagles in Ranikhet, we managed to successfully save 22 eagles. I have been training people from the Indian Administrative Services (IAS), (IPS), Provincial Civil Services (PCS) & Urban Local Bodies as a visiting faculty at Uttarakhand Academy of Administration, Nainital for the last 7 years.

I am a former guide with Mt. Rainier Alpine Guides and International Mountain Guides and have worked as an EMT/ Swiftwater Rescue Technician for the Whitewater Rescue Institute. I worked as an EMT on the ambulance with Missoula Emergency Services and Madison Fire Department, then as a Paramedic/ ER Tech at Teton Valley Hospital. I currently work as a PA at Northern Rockies Orthopaedics in Missoula. I began teaching with Aerie in 1999 and am constantly inspired by our students to continue learning.

I have worked as a professional outdoor and science educator since 1987 and was an EMT and W-EMT for ten of those. I am the Director of Undergraduate and Field Education for the Wilderness Institute at the University of Montana, where my duties include directing their Wilderness and Civilization program. Prior to that, I lead backcountry trail crews and fisheries field crews, designed and led college field programs (for 17 years). For Aerie, I helped create the Semesters in Wilderness Medicine and for that program teach backcountry navigation and other essential outdoor skills.

As a guide for International Mountain Guides one of the most enjoyable experiences I get is watching people experience the mountains for the first time. Being an Aerie Instructor seemed to be the next step as I pursued a career in the mountains. I have been involved in many search and rescues, and I enjoy teaching others the systematic approach to being a first responder in a wilderness environment. I hope that you as a student can learn from my good and bad judgement, so that you someday will know how to handle an emergency if need be.

I obtained my EMT in 2000 and started work at Missoula Emergency Services ambulance where I completed my training as a Paramedic. I was an integral part of the formation and operations of the ambulance’s Backcountry Emergency Response Team, eventually becoming a member of Missoula County Search and Rescue where I continue to volunteer. My experience and interest in education brought me to Aerie in 2006 where I am a lead instructor. I train and teach for the Whitewater Rescue Institute as well. In the summer I work as a line paramedic for wildland fire.

After taking an Aerie W-EMT class in the fall of 2013, she is now an EMT class lead instructor and coordinates EMT exams. When she’s not working for Aerie she can be found in her laboratory on campus, studying respiratory diseases and putting her Chemistry degree to good use. And those pollen reports you see on the news? Those are from her! The only certified pollen counter in the state of MT!

I began working for a helicopter company in Skagway, AK then became a glacier guide which required me to have medical training. I took a WFR and fell in love with emergency medicine. Soon after, I decided to take a W-EMT course with Aerie. I worked in Alaska as a guide and W-EMT for the next couple years before I returned to Missoula to start teaching with Aerie. In Missoula, I worked for the ambulance service, MESI. Now I teach full time with Aerie. The combination of medicine, teaching, and the outdoors has been the perfect fit for my life and I love what I do!

I began teaching for Aerie Backcountry Medicine in 2011. I spend summers operating Wave Train Kayak Team, a Bozeman-based program for 10 to 18-year-olds. In the fall and winter, I work as an Avalanche Forecaster and Education Coordinator for the Gallatin National Forest Avalanche Center (GNFAC) and as a part-time ski patroller at Bridger Bowl Ski Area. Most recently I have been working with a group to bring wilderness medical training to Tibetans working in tourism and guiding industries. Soon we should have the Aerie Manual available in Mandarin!

My life was forever changed after taking a W-EMT course, where I fell in love with wilderness medicine. Since then, I have cared for patients in hospital ERs and ICUs, on ambulances, with fire crews, and also in austere and hostile environments. I joined Aerie in 2019 to help pass along my passion for patient care, and to continue my own growth as a healthcare provider and student of the medical arts.