Sean Altman

Bay Area Associate Program Director

Sean (he/him) supports the Bay Area program through several avenues: he manages staff training and development, provides program leadership and strategic planning, oversees the safety and inspection of all equipment and infrastructure on the Ropes Course, and directs the beloved Youth Leadership Corps program. Sean came to OBCA in 2016 and has consistently been developing curriculum-rich programs for our program partners all over California.

Sean grew up along the California coast and has worked in the Outdoor Education industry since 2003, cutting his teeth on Challenge Courses and working as a river guide. He has always been passionate about providing life-changing experiences in nature and navigating ways to create meaning for all types of learners. When he realized he could make this a career, he was hooked.

Lindsay Blake

Director of Student Services

Lindsay (she/her) has been at OBCA since 2017 when she started in a part-time role and lived around the corner from our old San Francisco office in the Presidio. She now works remotely and leads the Student Services team. Lindsay remains grateful to have found such collaborative and amazing people to work with at Outward Bound!

Lindsay’s love of the outdoors began when she challenged herself to try something new and signed up for a 10-day backpacking trip as part of freshman orientation to college - without ever having camped before. She was pushed way out of her comfort zone, made lifelong friends, and loved the whole experience! While she is now more of a day hiker and car camper rather than a backpacker, Lindsay enjoys getting outside and unplugging as much as possible. She particularly enjoys witnessing her child’s curiosity and awe in nature, and loves that her team gets to support so many people of all ages on their own adventures in the great outdoors.

Han Bourne

Staffing Manager

Han (they/them) joined Outward Bound California in 2018 as an instructor in the Bay Area. Since then, they have worked across both our High Sierra and Joshua Tree basecamps. Year after year, the transformative power of intentional community in the outdoors brings them back for a new round of adventures. 

Han grew up in San Diego, where they developed a love for open-water swimming. Outside of work and the water, you can find them backpacking, knitting, or climbing.

Eric Cabunoc

Donor Engagement Manager

Eric Cabunoc (he/him) is a creative and strategic thinker with nearly a decade of experience helping mission-driven organizations reach their goals through fundraising and development. His unconventional background, which began with a degree in ceramic arts and work experience in everything from film production to logistics, has one throughline: a passion for fostering connection.

Eric is impassioned by the thought of making sure that the California landscapes are accessible and equitable for all to experience and enjoy. In his free time, Eric keeps busy by teaching his old dog—named Chonies—new tricks, cycling or fishing with friends. His love language is cooking and feels inspired by the industrious beaver.

Elena Chin

High Sierra Program Director

Elena Chin (she/her) is the High Sierra Program Director in the High Sierra. Elena identifies as a cis, straight, half first-generation, US woman of color. At 16 she took an Outward Bound course in Sabah, Borneo, that changed her life. Thanks to that course, Elena has been working in the outdoor education field for 10+ years, including as a field instructor for OBCA in the Bay Area, with NOLS, and at UC San Diego, often spending more nights outside than not every year.

Elena is also an AMGA Apprentice Rock Guide and uses her deep technical background and educational experience daily to support the High Sierra admin team.

Outside of work Elena loves rock climbing, cat GIFs, and spending quality time with people.

Erika Enomoto

High Sierra Program Manager

Emily Ford

Development Operations Manager

A decade ago, Emily (she/her) was a participant on an Outward Bound climbing course that ignited her career in the outdoors. Since then, she has guided multi-day river trips through southwest canyons, instructed thousands of students in the rugged North Cascades mountains, and supported international community-based conservation programs.

She believes that people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities have a fundamental right to access outdoor spaces, where they can grow a deeper connection to nature, to themselves, and to their communities. Outside of the office, Emily enjoys birdwatching, climbing, biking, and volunteering at Point Blue Conservation Science.

Sara Grimmer

Finance and Operations Manager

Sara (she/her) is the Finance and Operations Coordinator of OBCA. In 2017, Sara started as a Logistics Coordinator in the Bay. After learning the nuts and bolts of Bay Area programming, she has transitioned into the role of Finance and Operations Coordinator to better understand how the organization operates in the nonprofit world.

Sara's first introduction to Outward Bound was through her mother, whom completed a month long backpacking and rock climbing course through Colorado’s San Juan mountains in 1974. Growing up with a family that loved backpacking and camping, Sara fell into outdoor education where she led outing trips throughout high school and college. The positive impact the outdoors has had in her life, and seeing how the outdoors brings people together, has driven her to work towards making the outdoors more accessible for all. 

Jessica Haist

Staffing Director

Jessica (she/her) started as an Instructor at our High Sierra Basecamp in 2006 and has worked her way through many positions over the years including course director and staff trainer. She currently oversees the overall staffing and staff development needs for OBCA working closely with the program and human resources departments.

Originally hailing from Ontario, Canada, Jessica was called to the mountains of Western Canada to pursue her passion for rock climbing and being outside. She then worked her way south, working with youth and adults in the Sierra and receiving her Master's Degree in Adventure Education from Prescott College. She has now settled down in Mammoth Lakes, in her beloved Sierra Nevada mountain range with her husband and young son where she enjoys climbing, skiing, and biking in the mountains year-round.

Chelsea Knoren

Marketing and Communications Manager

I'm the Marketing and Communications Manager at OBCA. I started in Student Services, and then slowly inched my way into communications. I took a break when I had my son, but kept coming back. I don't even get a farewell email if I leave anymore, because my colleagues just say "she'll be back." And it's true because I LOVE this org so much.

The first time Chelsea (she/her) realized there was more in her than she knew, she was biking in Point Reyes to the lighthouse and completed 40 miles. It was a strenuous ride and highlighted how far she had come. It all felt so out of reach, but hill by hill, she did it. Since then, she has done tons of long bike rides and bike camping around the Bay Area. Her favorite Bike Hike Site is at Half Moon Bay, where for $7 and no reservation you can get a prime spot on the dunes.

Patricia Lynn

Southern California Program Director

Patricia (she/they) was working in the outdoor recreation and education field for the past decade before coming to OBCA as the Southern California Program Director.

After working for her undergraduate college’s outdoor program, Patricia provided nonprofit programming for youth before realizing the missing ingredient in fulfillment: lack of the outdoors. She returned to graduate school where she received a master’s degree in Creative and Innovative Education, focusing on outdoor education. She believes in the outdoor setting’s ability to facilitate complex problem solving, adaptability, resiliency, and the freedom to make mistakes in a world of standardized testing. She also loves that the outdoors can allow folks to exist as their authentic selves and form deep, lasting bonds with others. Since then, Patricia has worked as an outdoor program administrator, backcountry instructor, frontcountry educator, climbing gym employee, wilderness medicine instructor, and teambuilding facilitator. She most recently comes from the higher education sector, serving as the director for college outdoor and campus recreation programs. She was drawn to OBCA’s intentionality, community, and demonstrated dedication to its students. 

When not working for OBCA, Patricia enjoys backpacking, aerial arts, being a Trail Angel for PCT hikers, and instructing wilderness medicine courses.

Matt Patchell

Development Officer

I'm the Development Officer. I connect OB alumni, parents and community members to our mission to sustain our work. I met my predecessor at OB five years before I started work here: I followed her on LinkedIn until the opportunity arose, and now I feel privileged to be immersed in the amazing staff culture here.

Matt's (he/him) passion for the out of doors comes from an early childhood in the Sierra Foothills, exploring and experiencing things his mother still doesn't know about. Most of his prior nonprofit and volunteer experiences centered around youth self-efficacy, so Outward Bound was a natural. His favorite hiking and cycling locations include the coasts, oak woodlands and redwood forests of the Bay Area. Matt likes to hike and backpack, but only with his ridiculously plush Therm-a-Rest sleeping pad.

Christine Popp

High Sierra Associate Logistics Manager

Christine (she/her) is thrilled to join the OBCA community as the High Sierra Associate Logistics Manager, utilizing her past experience in logistics at NWOBS to support and mentor the High Sierra Logistics staff.

Christine's path to OBCA has been long and winding. Her time in Ethiopia as a Peace Corps volunteer sparked her passion for youth empowerment, and a thru hike of the Pacific Crest Trail solidified her love of the backcountry. She has since been driven to combine the two, and thinks she may have found the perfect balance as Associate Logistics Manager. The High Sierra is Christine's happy place, and when she is not working, she spends her time off on solo backpacking trips exploring the surrounding mountains.

Jason Schmidt

Director of Programs and Safety

Jason (he/him) started working for Outward Bound in 2007 at the North Carolina Outward Bound School before heading west in 2009 to instruct in his favorite place on earth, the High Sierra. He then followed the seasons working in Appalachia, Everglades, rivers in North FL and AL, Joshua Tree, Bay Area and always returning to the mountains of California. 

Jason is a proud AmeriCorps alum who was drawn to Outward Bound during that time for OB's commitment to service. His favorite OBCA tasks revolve around service: he participated in the Service Bus, managed a beloved OBCA program, the Youth Leadership Corps, organized staff involvement at the yearly Yosemite Facelift.

Melissa Tang

Bay Area Program Director

Melissa (she/her) is passionate about bringing equity to opportunities that connect all young people to the power of the outdoors.  Her most memorable outdoor experiences growing up were going to the park next to the library, admiring the waves at Ocean Beach, and growing veggies with her grandparents. Being born and raised in SF, Melissa has deep connections to the Bay and a commitment to bring more opportunities to grow & learn outside.  

Melissa brings over 10 years of experience leading youth programs that engage diverse communities in the Bay Area.  Most recently she's lead a collaborative of 10 community partners that represented diverse neighborhoods in SF for the Mayor's Youth Employment and Education Program.  She's also engaged youth with the outdoors at Enterprise for Youth's Environmental Stewards Programs, CommunityGrows, and at the California Academy of Sciences. 

Melissa completed the Youth Outside Rising Leaders Fellowship to deepen her practice in cultural relevancy and social justice. She also holds a BA in Geography and Environmental Studies from UC Santa Barbara and a Master of Nonprofit Administration from the USF.  

During her time off Melissa loves to explore the farmers market to inspire her next dinner menu, connecting with friends and family over food, biking, hiking and gardening. She also loves to travel to off-the-beaten-path locations and always looking for an adventure.

Xander Tartter

Bay Area Program Manager

Xander (he/him) oversees day-to-day operations of OBCA's challenge course in McLaren Park. He divides his time between supporting our amazing team of instructors at the ropes course and working in admin, helping our partners plan and prepare for their programs.

Xander joined OBCA in December 2022 fresh off the trail, following a thru-hike of the PCT that spring/summer season. He has spent the majority of his career working to provide meaningful outdoor experiences for youth - teaching science at outdoor schools and facilitating and managing programming at challenge courses and on wilderness expeditions, Xander strives to do anything within his power to eliminate barriers and increase access to the outdoors for all.

Leslie Velez

Director of Advancement

Leslie (she/her) is the Director of Advancement of OBCA. Based in Ventura, Leslie brings over a decade of experience in nonprofit fundraising and community development in Southern California to her role. She has made it her mission to contribute to the appreciation and conservation of outdoor spaces. Leslie led fundraising and outreach efforts at Ventura Land Trust, which equipped her with insights into creating opportunities for individuals to explore and connect in nature.

"I am so excited to be part of the OBCA team. Working in the environmental education space is a professional commitment, but it is also deeply personal to me. I spent my childhood climbing trees and playing in muddy creek beds in Indiana, so I understand how time in nature can shape a person's character and world view."