R.A.D. Camp Guides
R.A.D. Guides come from diverse backgrounds and have a ton of wisdom and passion about the outdoors to share with R.A.D. Campers. All R.A.D. Camps guides must complete a background check and attend "Mandatory Child Abuse Reporting" training.
Each trip is led by a Wilderness First Responder (or higher) and is accompanied by both male and female guides. As naturalists and outdoor enthusiasts, our guides teach experientially through free play and exploration and are well versed in "Leave No Trace" principles. You can rest assured knowing your children will be well cared for while they are having a blast in the wilderness with us! Learn more about each guide in their short biography below.
Each trip is led by a Wilderness First Responder (or higher) and is accompanied by both male and female guides. As naturalists and outdoor enthusiasts, our guides teach experientially through free play and exploration and are well versed in "Leave No Trace" principles. You can rest assured knowing your children will be well cared for while they are having a blast in the wilderness with us! Learn more about each guide in their short biography below.
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Chance - Owner and Camp DirectorChance became a R.A.D. Camps guide in the summer of 2020 and has since become the owner and director.
Chance was born and raised right here in Bend, Oregon and knows the wilderness around central Oregon like the back of his hand. He grew up in the outdoors of Central Oregon doing activities such as skiing, biking, hiking, and just about every other outdoor activity Bend has to offer. He also grew up going to R.A.D. Camps as a camper with Eric and Adam as his guides. |
He loves teaching kids all about the wilderness and everything they need to know on how to be environmental stewards of their own. During the winter season, Chance can be found ski patrolling at Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Utah. Spending every season of the year outside in some way is what makes him happiest. He is looking forward to running and guiding R.A.D. Camps this coming summer and can't wait to see all the R.A.D. families again!
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Hannah
Hannah became a R.A.D. Camps guide in the summer of 2021 and is now the camp’s General Manager. She is an avid outdoors person and a certified Wilderness First Responder. Growing up in Northern Idaho, Hannah has first-hand experience playing on rivers and mountains very similar to Central Oregon. She loves to find new places to hike and explore! After college in Michigan and Boston, and lots of overseas travel, she settled in Bend in 2019. During the summer you’ll find her kayaking the Cascade Lakes or backpacking into the Three Sisters Wilderness. In the winter, Hannah is a PSIA Level 3 alpine ski instructor at Mt. Bachelor, and loves to see R.A.D. Campers on the slopes. |
Hannah has a passion for getting kids outside and wants to make the outdoors a more inclusive place for everybody. Teaching Leave No Trace along with the free play of a typical camp day is the perfect setting to share the fun of the outdoors! She’s looking forward to another adventure-filled summer.
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Meghan
Meghan started her adventure with R.A.D Camps this summer and can’t wait to see where the adventure takes her. She has loved the outdoors since she was a kid, especially after moving from one mountain town to another. She grew up working in her family’s businesses and in multiple industries but has always loved the outdoors. When Meghan moved from Truckee, Tahoe, California, to Bend, Oregon, she automatically knew that the outdoors was her home and wanted to be outside as much as possible. Meghan is a local at heart; she has lived in Bend for 17 years. She grew up in town, going to High Lakes Elementary, Cascade Middle School, and Summit High School. For college, she moved down to Sherman, Texas, for a year to play NCAA DIII Water Polo for Austin College and to be a part of the 1st of 18 NCAA Water Polo teams in Texas. |
After her first year in Texas, she realized she missed the mountains and lakes that central Oregon had too much to offer and moved back home to finish her education at Oregon State. While finishing her undergraduate degree Meghan spends her time adventuring, exploring, rock climbing, skiing, and working with kids as much as she possibly can. Her favorite thing is to coach kids on how to swim and play water polo.
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Lee
Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, Lee grew up loving art and nature. Every Summer from age 5 and on, she went to an outdoors day camp with hippy vibes that focused on free choice for children. She later returned as an adult, leading the art area for 5 years. She went to college where she majored in art and Spanish in 2010. In 2014, Lee moved to Bend where she learned her love for guiding in nature. She has worked seven years as a ski and snowboard instructor at Mt. Bachelor and two years as a raft guide on the Deschutes River. She has worked all over Bend, working everything from restaurants, to landscaping, to construction, and worked out of town when she taught English in Mexico for a year. Most recently, Lee has begun her new career as a tattoo artist. She works in town and loves having two jobs: one indoors and a R.A.D. one outdoors. |
When not working, Lee has a very active sports life. She is a rugby player, swimmer, rock climber, mountain biker and runner who loves movement games and exploring the outdoors.
Lee is stoked about the R.A.D. Camps style of free play; Kids are incredible inventors in nature, and this is the best way to get outside!
Lee is stoked about the R.A.D. Camps style of free play; Kids are incredible inventors in nature, and this is the best way to get outside!
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Kristin
Kristin grew up in New England. After graduating from college in Maine, she lived in the Lake Tahoe area for many years. She recently moved to Bend, and is excited to explore the mountains, rivers, and lakes of Central Oregon. Kristin has worked with children in both outdoor and classroom settings. She has taught outdoor education, worked at several summer camps, and coached skiing, snowboarding, and soccer. Last winter, she taught skiing at Mt. Bachelor. Kristin has a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education and Special Education. She is currently working towards another Master’s Degree in Educational Policy and Social Justice Leadership. Kristin loves to travel, and spend time outside. She enjoys helping others to appreciate the outdoors and recreational activities. Kristin is excited for a fun and adventurous summer with R.A.D. Camps! |
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Quin
Quin was born in a small town in Yamhill County. He grew up always playing in the forest and learning how to use nature to have fun! His favorite things about being outside are the first breath you take in the middle of the forest and hearing all of nature's beautiful sounds. He’s excited to be working at R.A.D. Camps this summer! |
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Mandy
Mandy became a R.A.D. Camps guide during the summer of 2020. She was born and raised in Oregon, and in 2003 packed up her car and moved to Bend. In Bend, she became a river guide and youth recreation leader while she finished her undergraduate degree at OSU Cascades. She completed a degree in Outdoor Recreation Leadership with a focus on Experiential Education. She has been a certified Wilderness First Responder for 13 years and has been working with children for over 22 years. Over the years, you would find Mandy outside working or playing as a river guide, at outdoor school, leading therapeutic recreation, facilitating ropes courses and team building games, mountain biking, canoeing, kayaking, climbing, backpacking, camping, Nordic skiing, backcountry skiing, and instructing archery. |
In 2012 Mandy earned her master's degree in Early Childhood Development and Elementary Education.
She taught at a local K-8 school and coached middle school volleyball and basketball until she had the first of her two sons in 2015. She has since been a stay-at-home mom, a regular substitute teacher, and a leader of team-building games and adventure activities.
When Mandy is not teaching or at R.A.D. Camps, she can be found spending time with her boys, family, and friends camping, rafting, or simply enjoying life. She is passionate about facilitating a connection between humans and the outdoors and values providing a naturally engaging and inclusive environment for all children.
Being outside accelerates personal reflection and growth, “there needs to be downtime, time to let your mind wander, unstructured play. R.A.D. Camp does exactly this! R.A.D. Camps recharge Mandy`s passions in life and keep her active. She wishes that one day, when these humans go off on their own, they will have fun outside, make informed and safe decisions, love our wild areas, and share their love and knowledge with others they bring along on their adventures.
She taught at a local K-8 school and coached middle school volleyball and basketball until she had the first of her two sons in 2015. She has since been a stay-at-home mom, a regular substitute teacher, and a leader of team-building games and adventure activities.
When Mandy is not teaching or at R.A.D. Camps, she can be found spending time with her boys, family, and friends camping, rafting, or simply enjoying life. She is passionate about facilitating a connection between humans and the outdoors and values providing a naturally engaging and inclusive environment for all children.
Being outside accelerates personal reflection and growth, “there needs to be downtime, time to let your mind wander, unstructured play. R.A.D. Camp does exactly this! R.A.D. Camps recharge Mandy`s passions in life and keep her active. She wishes that one day, when these humans go off on their own, they will have fun outside, make informed and safe decisions, love our wild areas, and share their love and knowledge with others they bring along on their adventures.
