Meet the Summer 2008 Trip Leaders and Adventure WV staff!
"Leaders don't force people to follow, they invite them on a journey ."
-Charles S. Lauer
Name: Josh Adams
Class year: Sophomore
Major: Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Resources
Hometown: Newburg, WV
Bio: The great outdoors is the place I like to spend my time. Anytime outdoors is time well spent. Other interests are music and keeping things simple. After I spend the summer working and guiding for Adventure WV, I will be hiking around Europe for a couple of weeks prior to studying abroad for a semester in Morocco.
Name: Michael Auciello
Class year: Junior
Major: Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Resources
Hometown: Cincinnati, OH (WHODEY!!)
Bio: Michael Auciello is originally from Cincinnati Ohio and chose to go to West Virginia University because of the great outdoor opportunities the school and the state provides its residents. He graduated from Moeller High School in 2006 and is presently a Jr. in college studying Parks, Recreation, and Tourism. He participated in the Explore trip in 2006 and is going to lead the Paddle and Backpacking trips during the summer of 2008. His favorite outdoor activities include backpacking and rafting in the warm months and skiing in the winter. Other hobbies he enjoys during his off times include painting & drawing, traveling, and going to (Classic Rock) concerts.
Quote: "Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow"
Name: Kevin Beck
Class year: Sophomore
Major: Business Marketing with a minor in Philosophy
Hometown: Fairport, NY
Bio: Kevin's been traveling around the nation in search of the best adventure state and found it here at WV. He enjoys boating activites, reading, hanging out with friends and snowboarding. While leading the Backpack and Paddle trips this summer he'll be looking for the same excitement that he got from his own 2007 Explore experience.
Quote: " And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years."
-Abraham Lincoln
Name: Jess Berdine (aka Princess Snowbird, aka Lil B)
Class year: Junior
Major: Speech Pathology and Audiology
Hometown: Ritchie County, WV
Quote: "Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
Name: Barbara 'Barbs' Bragg
Class year: Senior
Major: Nursing
Hometown: Charleston, WV
Name: Greg Corio, Director, Mountaineer Adventure Program
Class year: WVU Alumni
Major: Masters from WVU in Recreation, Parks and Tourism Resources
Hometown: Morgantown, WV
Bio: Greg has both his BA and MS degree from WVU's Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Resources Program. He has been teaching in the field of Experiential Education for eight years. When not leading trips he can be found sea kayaking, ice climbing, backpacking, and just about any other outdoor activity you can think of.
Quote: "Adventure means risking something, and only when we are doing that, that we know what a splendid thing life is and how well it can be lived. The person who never dares, never does; the person who never risks, never wins. Only fools laugh at failure: wise people laugh at the lazy and the too contented and at those who are so timid that they dare undertake nothing."
-Alain Gerboult
Name: Michael Criste
Class year: Senior
Major: International Studies
Hometown: Point Pleasant, WV
Bio: Michael, a West Virginia native, grew up loving the outdoors but just didn't know what all his home state had to offer until he landed onto the Adventure WV program. Now Michael can be found throughout the Appalachians and different places around the country backpacking, climbing, horseback riding, snowboarding, whitewater boating and just livin' life to the fullest. An avid explorer, Michael dreams of one day being able to explore uncharted territory and recording a documentary about it.
Name: Chris Drescher (aka Big Dresch)
Class year: Senior
Major: Psychology
Hometown: Charleston, WV
Bio: Chris is president of the WVU Habitat for Humanity chapter and has been working with Habitat for over 2 years. He enjoys music, the outdoors, and kickin' it old school with friends.
Quote: "OK, Great!! "
-Chris Drescher
Name: Erik Edwards
Class year: Junior
Major: Engineering
Hometown: Morgantown, WV
Name: Rachel Everly
Class year: Sophomore
Major: Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Resources
Hometown: Morgantown, WV
Bio: Rach enjoys rock climbing, rafting, backpacking, cooking, eating sleeping, reading novels, watching movies, riding her bike, fishing, meeting new people and making new friends. She also really loved carbohydrates and eats them whenever in site. Her favorite vacation spot is in the Florida Keys and she love to listen to the Pulse radio station. She dislikes eating chicken very much but fish makes up most of her diet, along with carbs. Rach also works at the Student Recreation Center’s front desk. Yeah, she scans your ID’s.
Quote: " When the eyes say one thing, and the tongue another, a practiced man relies on the language of the first."
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
Name: Simon Grout
Class year: Graduate
Major: Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Resources
Hometown: Kentucky
Name: Margy Grow
Class year: Sophomore
Major: Adventure Sports Leadership
Hometown: Northern VA
Name: Brett Hagerty
Class year: N/A
Major: M.S Recreation
Hometown: Morgantown, WV
Bio: Brett is the manager of the WVU Outdoor Recreation Center and Climbing wall.
Quote: "May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, and leading to the most amazing view."
-Edward Abbey
Name: Natahan Harlan, Program Coordinator - WVU Challenge Course
Class year: N/A
Major: B.S. Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Resources, M.S. College Student Development
Hometown: Mechanicsburg, PA
Name: Chris Heim
Class year: Sophomore
Major: Engineering
Hometown: Maryland
Name: Corey Hinkle
Class year: Junior
Major: Engineering
Hometown: Morgantown, WV
Name: Maddy Hoden
Class year: Graduate
Major: Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Resources
Hometown: Scranton, PA
Name: Adam Johnson
Class year: Junior
Major: Grahic Design
Hometown: Viginia
Name: Jamie Johnston
Class year: Graduate
Major: Education
Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA
Name: Chelsea Kearns
Class year: Sophomore
Major: Nursing
Hometown: Cross Lanes, WV
Bio: Chelsea likes screwing and nailing with Habitat for Humanity, which she describes as the perfect experience to learn some man skills and contribute to an excellent cause. She enjoys movies, music, soccer, reading, racquetball, laughing, and being outside. She can always be found seriously joking.
Name: Lynnmarie Kuntz, Adventure WV Administrative Associate
Class year: N/A
Major: N/A
Hometown: Pennsylvania
Bio: Lynn has been employed at WVU for 21 years and has been with Adventure WV for just under a year now. She has 2 children. When she is not in the Adventure WV office you may find her visiting her grandson Austin in Maryland, or spending time with Sniffy her grand-dog. Her hobbies include traveling, bowling, walking, jet-skiing on the river, painting, and sewing. Lynn is the glue that holds us together! We don't know how we ever did it without her!
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Name: Julie Kagler
Class year: Junior
Major: Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Resources with a Minor in Leadership Studies
Hometown: Wheeling, WV
Bio: Julie was a 2006 Explore WV participant. You can usually find her at
the Student Recreation Center either climbing at the wall, working at the equipment cage or taking a Zumba class. Aproud member of the Mountaineer Maniacs, Julie can be found at all of the WVU football games and most of the basketball games. She loves being outdoors especially when she is backpacking or climbing with friends. She loves to travel and hopes to go backpacking through Europe after graduating. She spent her spring break this past year in Moab, Utah on an Outdoor Recreation Center trip. She also hopes to attend a winter break trip to the Patagonia Region of Chile with WVU. She hopes to graduate in May of 2010 and go on graduate school for her Masters.
Quote: "It is only in adventure that some people succeed in knowing themselves-in finding themselves?? "
-Andre Gide
Name: Steph Kainec
Class year: Senior
Major: Nursing
Hometown: Cuyahoga Falls, OH
Bio: Steph attended Explore WV in the summer of 2005. She loves
being outdoors especially if it involves hiking to scenic areas.
Other than being outdoors she enjoys working out at the Rec,
traveling, cheering for the mountaineers as well as Cleveland, and
playing sports. She is currently the public relations person for the
WVU Red Cross Club.
Name: Ian Kellems, Ph.D.
Class year: Psychologist at WVU's Carruth Center for Counseling
Major: B.A. in Psychology from Brigham Young University; M.A. and Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Maryland
Hometown: Orem, UT
Bio: Ian’s formal education is in Psychology, but his professional outdoor experience includes four years as a raft guide on the Colorado River (Cataract Canyon) and working as a kayak instructor. He is an Eagle Scout, and grew up playing in the deserts and mountains of Utah. Ian serves as a course director for AWV, and leads the SOAR program. When Ian isn’t working he enjoys fixing up his old house, whitewater kayaking, and doing anything outside with his wife and three rambunctious kids. During the academic year you can find Ian working as a psychologist at WVU’s Carruth Center for Counseling and Psychological Services.
Quote: "Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors for you where there were only walls"
-Joseph Campbell
Name: Marco Laiti
Class year: Sophomore
Major: Wildlife Management
Hometown: Virginia
Name: Katherine Long
Class year: Sophomore
Major: Fashion Design
Hometown: Hollywood, CA
Name: Eric Lovell
(aka E-Luv)
Class year: Junior
Major: Geography
Hometown: Sistersville, WV
Bio: While not leading trips for Adventure Wv Eric can be found traveling the country putting his best foot forward in the competitive eating circuit. Eric is pictured here towards the end of a ramp eating contest, it is still being disputed if there was a winner...it is arguable that there are never any winners in a ramp eating contest.
Name: Lemma McLean
Class year: Senior
Major: Human Nutrition and Foods
Hometown: Charleston, WV
Bio: Lemma is returning for her third year with Adventure WV. This year she is heading up the food end of things and has reworked our menus making them better than ever. Thanks Lemma, you rock!!
Quote: “ If we all did the things we are capable of, we would astound ourselves. "
-Thomas Edison
Name: Caitlin Montgomery
Class year: Sophomore
Major: Biochemistry
Hometown: Morgantown, WV
Name: Abby McDonald
Class year: Senior
Major: Sociology and Criminology
Hometown: North Potomac, MD
Bio: Abby McDonald was an explore partcipant in 2004 and an Explore leader in 2006. After being stuck in an office last completing an internship, she decided it was time to be back in the woods leading trips. Abby graduated this May and will be attending graduate school at Ohio University in the Sociology department. She is going to miss WVU, Morgantown, and all the great people she has met there..
Quote: "iggity, iggity, oggity, oooggitty... "
-Abby
Name: Elaine Orso
Class year: Senior
Major: Nursing
Hometown: St Louis, Missouri
Name: Stephen Patton
(aka General);
Adventure WV Graduate Assistant
Class year: 2nd Year Grad Student
Major: Recreation , Parks, and Tourism Resources
Hometown: Morgantown, WV
Bio: I received my B.S. from Toccoa Falls College in northeast Georgia. Although my degree is in Business Administration, I plan on working outside as much as possible. Having spent the last year in California teaching outdoor education, I am now excited about working in outdoor education in the long-term. I love being outside and spend most of my free time climbing, mountain biking, snowboarding, or running. Favorite place to climb: Seneca Rocks, West Virginia. Favorite place to mountain bike: Pisgah, North Carolina. Favorite place to snowboard: Heavenly ski resort, South Lake Tahoe, California.
Quote: “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.”
- Henry David Thoreau, Walden (1854)
Name: Eva Plevich
Class year: Senior
Major: Art Education
Hometown: Morgantown, WV
Bio: Eva loves the outdoors and activites such as hunting, fishing,
backpacking and rock climbing. She has enjoyed living in the Rockies
the last two summers while working in Yellowstone National Park. It
was there where she fell madly in love with Whistle Pigs. On hot
summer days, you can find Eva fishing and swimming on the Tygart River
with friends, at her farm, or out soaking in the sun.
Name: Forrest Schwartz, Program Coordinator - Adventure WV
Class year: N/A
Major: Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Resources
Hometown: Morgantown, WV
Bio: Forrest received a Master's degree from WVU in recreation with an emphasis in Adventure-Based Counseling and Experiential Education. He is passionate about Outdoor and Adventure Education and leadership in the outdoors. He enjoys rock climbing, kayaking, mountain biking, backpacking, and all things snow. When not playing outside Forrest can be found drumming with local bands and eating at the Black Bear restaurant.
Quote: "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler." -Henry David Thoreau
Name: Leeanne Thomas
Class year: Sophomore
Major: Public Relations
Hometown: New Jersey
Name: Jonathan Vickers
Class year: Junior
Major: Journalism Major, Sociology Minor
Hometown: Unknown
Bio: Jonathan works at the WVU climbing wall. He enjoys rock climbing, camping, hiking, snowboarding, and surfing. He hopes to work for a magazine that focuses on the outdoors or extreme sports.
Name: Trace Gale, PhD., Assistant Professor in Community Resource Assessment, Planning & Development; West Virginia University Extension Service
Class year: WVU Alumni
Major: Doctorate from WVU in Recreation, Parks and Tourism Resources; MBA from Villanova University with an Emphasis on Marketing; Bachelor from Middle Tennessee State University in Business Administration
Hometown: Wilmington, DE
Bio: Trace assists communities throughout West Virginia and in the southernmost regions of Chile with Community Resource Assessment, Planning & Development. She has developed undergraduate and graduate level learning adventures which students say are “life changing”! Her courses focus on outdoor adventure, leadership, entrepreneurism, global civic engagement, and community-led sustainable development. “Adventure Patagonia” is her latest collaboration with Adventure West Virginia, and promises to be the best course yet! When not leading trips, Trace can be found exploring rivers, forests, lakes, and mountains; wherever life’s adventures send her.
Quote: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
- Mark Twain
