Meet Our Instructors

I am a retired 18D (Special Forces Medic) and Special Operations Physician Assistant now working, teaching and playing in Montana. I love chasing elk, skiing, hiking and exploring the great outdoors either solo, or accompanied by my dog, horses or donkeys (and occasionally family and friends). I am passionate about sharing ways to do this safely and how to take care of yourself and others in the event of an emergency.

I moved to Bozeman, Montana from Northern New Mexico in 2017 to pursue a degree in environmental science. During my undergraduate degree, I found an interest in snow science and continued my education with a master’s of science in Earth Science in 2023. My research focused on quantifying mountainous snow-water storage in under-studied terrain. I am now a full-time ski patroller at Bridger Bowl Ski Area, and I work as an EMT at Bozeman Health Hospital. I have always had a passion for teaching, whether it be GIS courses during my studies or EMT classes, and I can’t wait to teach with Aerie.

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, she grew up without much separation from the outdoors – swimming oceans, running hills, loitering forests. She consulted with the USEPA for 7 years while living in Boston. Following a return to India, she worked as an Instructor and Wilderness Medicine Educator with the National Outdoor Leadership School and the Hanifl Centre. She is currently a regenerative farmer and forest grower in the heartland of Maharashtra. 

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 finishing undergrad in 2016, I knew I wanted to work outdoors and help people. I started working in wilderness therapy, where I completed my first medical training as a WFR. After about a year and a half, I transitioned to wildland fire, working on two different crews over five seasons. I got my EMT-B through Aerie in 2020 in order to be more competitive as an applicant for Hotshot crews, which worked, and I got to do three seasons as a Hotshot. I left fire to pursue a career in mental health counseling and now work as a therapist in Missoula. Through ongoing training with Aerie, I’ve maintained my certifications and am excited to share my experiences and continue to learn.

Growing up playing in the mountains of Montana led me to an early career in the mountains. I worked as a backpacking guide in Glacier National Park for several years and then went on to work as a backcountry ranger on the Chugach National Forest in Alaska. Through this work in wild places, I found my way to an Aerie course and fell in love with wilderness medicine. I worked in Montana and Alaska as an EMT, volunteered for search and rescue, went on to paramedic school at the University of Alaska, and received additional training in disaster response.

I served as the EMS Manager and a lead EMS instructor for a remote Alaskan Tribal health organization where we provided emergency care in an austere and remote environment, managed disaster response for the state of Montana, and now work as an EMS researcher and manage the clinical training program for a national non-profit focused on reducing overdose deaths. When I am not teaching for Aerie or working my other job, you can find me trail running, mountain biking, backpacking, hiking, rafting, or baking huckleberry pies with my retired sled dogs.

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.

I started working with Aerie in 2016 after sea kayaking the Inside Passage. My professional background includes nine seasons as an EMT ski patroller at Big Sky Resort, sea kayak guiding on Lake Superior, whitewater kayak instruction, as well as a patient care tech with Bozeman Health Emergency Department and B2 Urgent Cares. 
I earned a degree in Sociology and Outdoor Education and am currently pursuing a bachelor’s of nursing in hopes of working in palliative care. My other passions include beekeeping, canoeing, and bike packing. 

I first came to the mountains and large landscapes of the West, from the rolling hills, rivers and rocks of Appalachia in 2014. With over a decade of engaged field work in wilderness guiding, environmental education and trail stewardship, I have managed an adventure travel company in Alaska and conservation corps program in Northwest Colorado. I am certified as a Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician and CPR/First Aid Instructor. I have learned so much about clinical care working in resource pool as a Certified Nursing Aide (CNA) at our local hospital, here in Missoula, MT. Now, I bring those years of experience to the classroom, as an instructor and operations manager.

I enjoy getting off grid, finding peace in wild remote areas, hiking, biking, and skiing. When I’m not exploring the outdoors, I will be wielding an exacto knife or paintbrush in an artistic project. 

 I was born and raised in Missoula and have a deep-rooted love for the outdoors and everything that comes with it. After spending a year exploring Denver, I traveled to New Zealand for four months, where I gained valuable leadership experience through NOLS. When I returned home to Missoula, I enrolled at the University of Montana to pursue a degree in Multidisciplinary Studies with focuses in Outdoor Education, Environmental Studies, and Medicine. As part of that path, I earned my WEMT with Aerie.

I currently work on the ambulance with Missoula Emergency Services and teach through the Outdoor Adventure Program at UM. I love trail running and exploring Missoula’s extensive trail systems with my dog, Rica. When the weather turns cold, you’ll find me either cozied up with a good book or out on the slopes, freezing on skis.

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.

Originally from South Carolina, I moved to Washington with the military and was enamoured by the PNW.  I come from a family of healthcare providers and fell in love with medicine. After leaving the service, I started to practice medicine full time, in hospital, rural, metro and austere conditions.  I’m stoked to pass along the knowledge I have gained over the past 12 years and learn from students in one of the most beautiful backdrops in the states.

When not teaching or working an ambulance, you can find me deep in the backcountry, or skimming mountain peaks on my paraglider.

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.

My name is Roman Hacker and I am a lead instructor for the Aerie Backcountry Medicine family. I retired from the Army after 21 years as an Infantryman and immediately went on to earn my Paramedic certification and went to work for urban EMS systems and hospital ED’s in Texas, Minnesota, Montana, and most recently in Dutch Harbor, AK. I have taught numerous courses for the military and have ran courses in remote Alaska. I love spending time in the woods and on the water either hunting, fishing, or camping.

I completed a Wilderness EMT with Aerie in 2004 and attained my paramedic in 2009. I have worked as an ambulance based EMT and paramedic, as a flight medic, a paramedic-ranger for the National Park Service, and volunteered with Search and Rescue. I have been privileged to teach and provide care throughout the United States, Haiti, Costa Rica, India, Bhutan, and Mongolia. I spend summers deploying as a paramedic with Aerie’s Wildland Fire Division, September chasing elk, and fall into spring teaching for Aerie and at Missoula College where I am the lab manager for the Missoula Paramedic Program.

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’m a Marine Corps veteran and a dirty kid at heart who’s happiest bobbing and weaving through the woods chasing elk, ripping a snow machine across fresh powder, or standing knee-deep in a river with a fly rod in my hand. If it’s outside, I’m in it.

My path shifted when I earned my Wilderness EMT. That course cracked open the world of austere medicine for me. Medicine that demands grit, judgment, and calm when you’re far from comfort or backup. Since then, I’ve been leaning hard into that direction, building the skills to work where terrain, weather, and chaos shape the job as much as the patient does.

Whether it’s in the field, on the fireline, or training for the next step, I’m driven by service, challenge, and a deep love for the mountains and the people I get to come home to.

I’m based in Livingston, Montana, where I spend my winters working as a ski patroller at Bridger Bowl Ski Area. After many years guiding rivers across California, Idaho, and Oregon, I now spend my summers closer to home, enjoying my free time in the mountains and on the water—whether in a kayak or on a raft. My background working and playing in the mountains has fueled a passion for teamwork, safety, and effective decision-making in the backcountry. I look forward to sharing these experiences to help others build confidence and competence in staying safe in remote environments.

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.

 I have a deep and diverse background in public safety.  I began my rescue career in 1997 as an ocean lifeguard at Huntington State Beach in Southern California. In 2002, I earned my EMT license and worked in Los Angeles before heading to Mammoth Mountain, where I served as a ski patroller and gained experience in avalanche control and winter search and rescue.

Since 2007, I have worked in law enforcement in Sonoma County. I also teach at Santa Rosa Junior College’s Public Safety Training Center, instructing in both the Emergency Medicine and Law Enforcement academies.
Outside of work, I am the proud mom of a tween and a teen who keep me on my toes—and who both agree that my jokes are definitely cringey.

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 grew up in New Hampshire hiking and skiing all that the northeast had to offer. Since then, I have been around the world a few times both as a visitor and in various work capacities, enjoying the amazing people and landscapes they had to offer. I have done everything from teaching basic medical to Peshmerga and South African counter-poaching personnel, EMT and Paramedic courses here in the US, and other non-standard prehospital care classes.

I began becoming more and more interested in wilderness and extreme/ expeditionary medicine while attending the College of Remote and Offshore Medicine (based in Malta) Master of Austere Critical Care course. There, I started my journey as a FAWM candidate, attending my first few WMS conferences and WLS certification soon there after. Recently, I have started working with my snow dogs in the backcountry for skiing and trail running, trying to harness their genetic gifts!

When I am not out flying critically-ill patients around the Americas or teaching tac med classes, I am probably on some adventure with my wife and two Huskies in the backcountry or out discovering new places around the globe.

Born in Iowa, I began guiding backcountry trips for high schoolers in the Crown of the Continent Ecosystem while pursuing my undergraduate degree, and have guided and managed outdoor recreation operations in the same area since. I completed a WFA course my first summer as a guide, followed by a WFR and eventually WEMT (both with Aerie). Each step of this progression has strengthened my passion for wilderness medicine, and I am thrilled to support others in their own journeys!

I grew up on a ranch outside of Billings, MT and first connected with Aerie during the Semester in Wilderness Medicine in Costa Rica, where I received a concussion swing dancing, became a licensed W-EMT and fell in love with medicine’s blend of pathophysiology and problem-solving. Since then, I have worked as a Pediatric ICU nurse, Pediatric Oncology nurse, travel nurse, and currently an ER nurse- always drawn to teamwork and critical care environments. When not in the hospital, you will find me recreating by bike, ski or packfraft; from biking the Continental Divide, trekking solo in Nepal, to pedaling across Kyrgyzstan. I live in Anchorage, Alaska year round, and I love seeing folks gain the knowledge and confidence to take on big adventures boldly and safely!

Originally from Missoula, MT, I first dipped my toes into EMS after moving to Oregon and joining the Portland Fire Academy Cadet program. This sparked an early interest in emergency response. After earning my WFR and then WEMT, I started working on trail crews and then transitioned to responding to 911 calls with Missoula’s ambulance services. Getting my WEMT was a turning point, I’ve had the opportunity to work on everything from train derailments to movie sets, in jails, hospitals, front-line during Covid, and along the US-Mexico border with humanitarian aid groups. I’ve worked as a Fireline WEMT with Aerie and taught a wide range of courses for them over the years. I’m drawn to the intersection of medicine and remote environments. I am continually grateful to have the opportunity to share with those who have similar interests.

I graduated from the University of Montana with a degree in forestry in 2023, and got my EMT through Aerie the following winter. Most of my work experience has been with the US Forest Service in wilderness and in fire. Most recently, I have worked in Yosemite National Park as an EMT on the valley ambulance and for Yosemite Search and Rescue. When I’m not working, I’m usually climbing or enjoying a nice swimming hole.

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.

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 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 in various outdoor settings since 1983, including professional trail crew boss, fisheries biologist and backcountry conservation corps crew leader. I received my paramedic license in 1992 and have worked professionally as a field medic since that time. In 1995, I co-founded Aerie, teach all levels of our courses, serve as Training Officer for Missoula’s ALS ambulance service, and direct the University of Montana’s paramedicine program.

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 a rural ambulance, guiding commercially on the Middle Fork Salmon River in the Frank Church Wilderness, working as a Ski Patroller and Avalanche Educator, and working part time as an ICU and ED nurse. 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 grew up in the North Georgia mountains and found my way out West via Bozeman Mt

Moved permanently to Jackson Wy 20 years ago to follow a guide career in skiing and fishing

Ski patrol for 10 years with the NSP both pro and Volunteer 

Very fortunate to have a successful guide career both in the mountains and in the greater Yellowstone area fishing and teaching

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 am from Mumbai, India. I have been teaching for Aerie in India since 2015, and have also worked some India semesters teaching outdoor leadership. I’ve been hiking & climbing since the early eighties. I have run an adventure travel company, been a NOLS instructor, and facilitate experiential learning programmes for business organizations. I also offer consultancy to outdoor organisations in program design, risk management and staff training. My voluntary work with outdoor clubs eventually led me to advocacy where some of us influenced the regulation brought out by our state government. Currently I have started teaching ‘risk management in outdoors’.

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.

I have spent the last many years working as a biological field technician in national parks across the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and South America. As a WEMT, I have been able to care for myself and my team of researchers in remote areas of the mountains and wilderness. In my personal ski mountaineering exploits, I have volunteered with the Mt. Rainier and Denali climbing rangers to assist with SARs. In the winter season I am an avalanche education instructor along with whatever field work I have going on… right now I am tracking wolverines in Southwestern Montana!

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 over 25 years of experience as an RN in rural New Mexico, 18 of which I worked in a hospital on the Nephrology, Cardiology, Pediatrics, Medical, Surgical and ER units. I worked a winter seasonal contract and spent my summers fighting wildland fires (4 years) and doing search and rescue at Grand Canyon National Park (6 years). I was also a volunteer firefighter/medic with San Juan County Fire and Rescue for 20 years.

When I’m not working at the hospital, hiking into the backcountry to help someone or trying to figure out how to get the fire truck into remote locations with questionable descriptions, I can usually be found hiking, biking, kayaking and generally wandering around the Four Corners Area with my dog.

I moved to Montana in 2013 with a fresh EMT cert and a beat-up old truck, banking on a job with a fire crew to see me through to the next big thing. After many seasons of wildland fire, years on the ambulance, and lessons learned the hard way, a dear friend pushed me to come share what I’ve learned with Aerie. I started in 2023, and have come to discover that I really enjoy teaching. When I’m not teaching, I’m a paramedic/training officer at Ruby Valley EMS, Frenchtown Rural Fire, and spend my summers with Aerie’s fire program.

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.

Bio: I am a prior service Marine, a former wildland firefighter, and an EMT. I am currently working towards getting accepted to Nursing school.  I enjoy hunting and being out in the backcountry. I am extremely interested in austere medicine and patient care beyond the golden hour, especially in the wildland fire context.

Originally from India, my journey into the outdoors began as a mountain guide in the Western Himalaya. A field course in outdoor ed—and later a diploma in Germany—opened new paths, including teaching backpacking and canoeing on the U.S. East Coast. I now work full-time at the Hanifl Centre for Outdoor Education and Environmental Studies, where I teach wilderness medicine and backpacking.

Contributing to Aerie’s mission is a privilege, and I remain deeply engaged by the quiet, transformative power of learning and teaching in wild places.

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!

Originally from Colorado, I love being outside both for fun and for work! I took my first WFR in 2015 and have been passionate about the curriculum and education ever since. I have taught a wide range of courses from EMT’s to WFRs over the years with Aerie. I am passionate about giving people the power to feel more prepared and safe when recreating outside. I have spent the last few years working in EMS at an urgent care and on an ambulance in Bozeman, MT. I spend my summers guiding backpacking trips in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and working for NOLS in Wyoming and Alaska. When I am not working, I am likely drinking fancy coffee, playing cribbage, mountain biking or playing pickleball. 

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.