Ashley comes to Bold Earth with a tremendous passion for leadership and an overflowing resume of outdoor experience. Ashley currently serves as a teambuilding facilitator with Odyssey Teams, one of the world's leading philanthropic organizations. She's worked with youth in numerous roles as a coach, mentor and camp counselor around the United States and as far away as Japan and New Zealand. Ashley has been a ski and snowboard instructor and worked with beginners, alpine race teams and adaptive programs for disabled athletes. She's been a team captain in every sport she's ever played (yes, even the boys wrestling team in 8th grade), coordinated anti-drunk driving programs for high schools, and was a member of the Collegiate All-American rugby team while studying at Chico State. This year Ashley was named the Director of Programs for the Chico Rugby Foundation, a local non-profit dedicated to the development of rugby and sportsmanship in Chico. Her proudest highlight of the new position was helping in the creation of five new youth rugby teams that supported nearly one-hundred student-athletes in getting outside, being active, and learning the importance of teamwork, dedication, and (most importantly) FUN in sports!
Last summer Ashley led two Ultimate Hawaii trips and had an incredible time exploring the Big Island with a group of fantastically fun (and funny) BE students! Just prior to joining Bold Earth this summer, Ashley will be discovering her thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth countries as she travels in Central America on a month-long adventure!
Ashley is excited to bring her rich leadership tradition to Bold Earth for the summer of 2012!
What Bold Earth means to me: BOLD EARTH embodies everything I want from life. Aside from providing challenging experiences that create personal growth and lead to independence, our trips enable participants to develop life-long friendships, learn every day, feel free to laugh out loud and share incredible, life-changing moments with amazing friends from around the world.
Favorite Quote: "Love life and life will love you back." -Unknown
What I do when I'm not at Bold Earth: I spend a lot of time trying to go as fast as I can riding single-track and downhill on my mountain bike, trail running, rock climbing, and perfecting my hammer throw on the disc golf course. I love being active and outdoors whenever I can… I even do my homework outside! Last summer in Hawaii a BE student taught me the basics to playing the ukulele and now I play everyday and write my own songs! I am in the process of recording a children’s album with epic hits like “Wash Your Hands”, “This is How We Cross the Street”, “Jedi Knights are Cool”, and “I’m a Big T-Rex”!
