WOW Instructors
WOW’s instructors do what they teach and are passionate about the outdoor experience. Their staying power is resilient and their proven knowledge exceptional, certified where necessary, their teaching abilities drive home our mission’s authenticity. They are the pillars of the WOW program.
Lori Danielson
Birding
Lori has a degree in Biology, is a past Board President for Eastside Audubon Society, and has a great desire to get outdoors and watch birds with like-minded people.
Camille Speck
Shellfish
Clamzilla is the WDFW Puget Sound Bivalve Manager. She teaches harvest techniques, how to forage shellfish safely and legally, and what to do with your shellfish once you bring it home.
Liz Crain
Survival Skills
Liz has been teaching outdoor wilderness skills for many years, and is also a hunter, butcher, and naturalist with knowledge of edible and medicinal plants, as well as mushroom foraging. Contact Liz at Leafhopper Farms.
MaryPat Sullivan
Fire Building
Outdoor Education Manager at Warm Beach Camp & Conference Center, teaching basic outdoor skills for several years.
Jeanie Murphy
Backpacking, Camp & Tenting Basics
Jeanie works at REI and has thru-hiked several times, including the Pacific Crest Trail twice!”
Jenny Harrington
Wild Edible Plants
For over twenty years Jenny has been gardening both east and west of the Cascades. She earned a degree in biology, with a focus on botany, and is the owner of Jenny Wren Gardening.
Cathy Bell
Knots
Cathy is a creative spirit and experienced teacher and will show you the most useful outdoor knots.
Karin Cook
Archery
Beginning archery, traditional and recurve bow. Target practice and scoring arrows. Karin is a certified level-3 archery coach.
Kris Costello
Shellfish
As a WDFW rep Kris helps to demonstrate how to shuck oysters, clean crab, steam clams and more with shellfish.
Cathy Taflin
Fire Building & Knots
Teaching girls and women basic outdoor skills for years, Cathy demonstrates the magic behind both knot tying and fire making.
Katie Laushman
Navigation
Wildlife Area Manager in South Puget Sound and on the North Olympic Peninsula for WDFW and has lead fieldwork for dryland research projects across the Southwest.
Katie Surbeck
Co-teaches Fly Fishing
Knots, dryland and river casting, equipment and bugs. Katie has also taught Camping Skills and Packing with Horses.
Alicia Stauffer
Outdoor Photography
Alicia is an avid outdoor photographer who also works for the Department of Natural Resources in Skagit County, see some of her photos here.
Dollie Boyd
Basket Weaving
Dollie is the Museum & Art Center Superintendent for the City of Moses Lake and will lead a course on weaving vocab, culture, history, and how to weave using fast-growing renewable resources.
Faith Roland
Fly Fishing
Knots, dryland and river casting, equipment and bugs. Faith is WOW’s longest teaching instructor.
Courtney Sullivan
Garden for Wildlife
Courtney is the Regional Education Director with the National Wildlife Federation.
Jackie McBride
Navigation
Jackie works for the WDFW and has experience as a ski patroller providing search & rescue, a firefighter/EMT, and as medical personal for the Tough Mudder challenge.
Lea Dyga
Native Plant Field ID
Lea Dyga is an ecologist, environmental educator, and community organizer originally from West Michigan. They hold a Bachelors of Environmental Plant Biology and has a passion for plants, restoration, and community education.
Alyssa Magliaro
Co-teaches Wildlife Awareness
A Natural Resource Technician for the Washington Dept of Fish & Wildlife, Alyssa is passionate about wildlife conservation and sustainable wetland restoration.
Ivy Schlegel
Dutch Oven Cooking
Ivy has taught groups of scouts in outdoor cooking and camping, and has successfully competed in Dutch Oven cooking contests with several wins.