BOARD OF DIRECTORS
CHRIS BUNTING, President
Chris is a social entrepreneur. In 2001, along with his wife, Rebekah, he co-founded Beyond Boundaries Institute, a non-profit entity utilizing hatha yoga to help people enhance their physical and inner well-being. He directed Bikram Yoga Bozeman for 10 years under the umbrella of Beyond Boundaries and continues to teach yoga and meditation. Chris also co-founded and directs the Northern Kenya Fund, which provides scholarships to underserved high school students in northern Kenya’s Chalbi Desert region. Additionally, Chris serves on the advisory board for Earth Justice. Chris graduated with honors from St. Lawrence University with a degree in Environmental Studies and Sociology. He currently lives in Bozeman, MT. with his wife Rebekah and two children.
ERICA RENSLOW, Vice President & Treasurer
Erica has been blessed to call Bozeman home for the past 28 years. Having moved from Northern Michigan to attend Montana State University it became clear that this was her place to call home. Graduating with a degree in Business Management, Erica spent 21 years working in the banking industry and in 2020 she opened an office with Cherry Creek Mortgage a Division of Guild Mortgage where she and her incredible team work to assist buyers and sellers with their mortgage financing needs. Having two children, Erica recognizes the incredible value that Montana Wilderness School along with other non-profits in the community have an immediate and direct impact on youth in and around the community and State.
Throughout his life, Jeff has been driven to make a positive impact in the community and has held leadership positions in a variety of non-profit organizations, including Big Sky Youth Empowerment Project, Montana Outdoor Science School, and the Ocean Media Institute. Jeff is passionate about outdoor education and fostering stewardship of the natural world and he is eager to help the Montana Wilderness School achieve its goals. Jeff is the founder and co-owner of Altitude Real Estate, a boutique brokerage providing residential, commercial and recreational real estate services to buyers, sellers and investors throughout Bozeman and its surrounding areas. Altitude Real Estate is a proud member of the 1% For The Planet organization. Outside of work and volunteer commitments, Jeff enjoys exploring Montana and the world beyond with his family and friends.
JEFF ESHBAUGH, Board Member
Audrey has called Southwest Montana home since 2003, when she moved from Florida to attend Montana State University, and quickly knew this was where she wanted to settle. Audrey currently works as the Northern Rockies Territory Manager for Arc’teryx where she gets to blend her love for the outdoors with her everyday role. Working for an outdoor brand allows her to connect with great accounts throughout the Northern Rockies while exploring diverse landscapes. Audrey loves connecting with family and friends, and her Boston Terrier Roux, creating memories in Bozeman and beyond. This is Audrey’s first board experience, and she is inspired by the impact MWS has on Montana’s youth. She is looking forward to seeing how she can contribute.
AUDREY GIGER, Board Member
Andrew grew up in the Adirondack Park in upstate New York, where he was first exposed to wilderness-based recreation on family hunting trips, rock climbing adventures with his brother, and as a raft guide on the upper Hudson River. Andrew has spent the past 15 years working with youth in a variety of outdoor settings, including as a teacher for World Class Academy, Program Supervisor and Instructor for NOLS, Assistant Director for the St. Lawrence University Outdoor Program, and Expedition Wrangler for Montana Wilderness School. He also spent four years working for the US Ski Team and is currently the Nordic Program Director for the Bridger Ski Foundation. Andrew is passionate about holistic youth development and connecting people to the outdoors, and is excited to bring his enthusiasm for adventure back to the MWS team!
ANDREW MOREHOUSE, Board Member
Dash began his Montana adventure as a teenage participant in a wilderness therapy program in 1990, which sparked a lifelong love of outdoor pursuits, and his heart has been tethered to Montana ever since. After college, Dash wanted to give back to the same demographic he'd been a part of, and began working as a wilderness therapy instructor in Boulder, MT. Dash’s passionate spirit has led him down a variety of career paths including big game hunting guide; backcountry guide in Grand Teton, Yellowstone, and Glacier National Parks; ER nurse; wilderness medical director; brewery owner; and most recently owner/operator of a forestry company specializing in wildfire mitigation. Dash is a seasonal recreational opportunist and has too many passions to keep his life simple. Luckily, his wife Deb and his daughters Delia and Sadie keep him grounded and content. He lives in Bozeman and has a dog.
DASH RODMAN, Board Member
Justin Short, MPH, LCSW, is a psychotherapist in private practice and owns Ridgeline Counseling Services, LLC in Bozeman, MT. His comprehensive approach and philosophy toward wellness includes a variety of integrated behavioral-health practices – including therapeutic modalities to help his clients cope with trauma, anxiety and depression. Originally from the South, Justin’s passion for the outdoors began around 8 years old when his family would frequently go camping in the southern Appalachian Mountains in north Georgia. In addition to providing individual counseling, Justin also facilitates fly-fishing retreats for men with cancer in Idaho and Montana. Justin feels most at peace with the world when he is either running long-distances in the Bridger's or skiing in the Gallatin's with his wife and one-eyed Australian shepherd Franklin.
JUSTIN SHORT, Board Member
Laura moved to Bozeman in 2018 and founded her own residential interior design firm, Story Street Studio. Originally from Memphis, TN, Laura attended a summer camp for teenagers outside of Cody, WY. The transformative experiences she had left an indelible mark and continue to inform the way Laura moves through the world. Laura believes in Montana Wilderness School’s ability to instill exceptional values and immeasurable skills in its students, which they will carry with them for a lifetime. To Laura, there is no greater work than to prepare our young people for today's world by instilling confidence and providing each child with the support they need to thrive. When Laura is not at work you can find her trail running, skate skiing or riding her brother’s mule, Peaches.
LAURA STANLEY, Board Member
Mike Wolfe grew up in Bozeman, MT, and has been passionate about outdoor adventures since his youth. He grew up exploring Montana with his family, and after high school went on to share his passion for the outdoors by working in outdoor education with youth and adults for a decade at Camp Manito-wish and The National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). After a career in law including as an Assistant U.S. Attorney where he prosecuted federal crimes in Montana, Mike turned to his true passion; mountain sports. He has since dedicated his life to mountain pursuits and adventures, and the training it takes to perform at the highest level in the mountains. Mike is a professional mountain runner, and has been competing at ultra-distance mountain races around the world for over a decade. He currently lives in Bozeman with his wife, son, and daughter, where he owns and operates The Mountain Project.
MIKE WOLFE, Board Member
ADVISORY BOARD
Shane Doyle, Ed.D, is a Crow tribal member who grew up in Crow Agency, and currently resides in Bozeman, MT. A singer of Northern Plains tribal style music for 30 years, Shane also holds a Doctorate in Curriculum & Instruction, and completed a post-doctoral appointment in genetics with the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, in 2016. With 20 years of teaching experience, Dr. Doyle is a full-time educational and cultural consultant, designing American Indian curriculum for many organizations, including MT public schools, the National Park Service, and Museum of the Rockies. He is current serves on the Board of Directors for the Extreme History Project, Hopa Mountain, and the Archaeological Conservancy, as well as serving on the Montana Arts Council culture and aesthetics committee and the Governors Parks in Focus Committee. He and his wife Megkian are blessed with five children.
SHANE DOYLE
Steve has had the good fortune of integrating interests in wilderness, medicine, travel, and youth development beginning with the outdoor recreation program at UC Berkeley, where he earned a BS in resource economics and a minor in writing. From the University of Montana, he earned a BA in biology with an emphasis in riparian ecology. In between, he served various roles for urban and rural youth corps, taught climbing, and guided river trips in the US and Central America. While a medical student at the University of New Mexico, he initiated research in acute mountain sickness and subsequently volunteered for the Himalayan Rescue Association in Pheriche and with the Everest ER. He is the co-medical director for the Hardrock 100 and serves as physician advisor for youth development groups and wilderness outfitters. He continues to teach wilderness medicine for WMA and other organizations in and outside the US. When not at work, he drafts his son through the varied terrain of the Northern Rockies.
STEPHEN HALVORSEN, MD
Dave is co-founder and Director of Aerie Backcountry Medicine. Since 1983 with the Student Conservation Association, he has worked outdoors in various capacities, including trail crew member/boss, fire tower lookout, and as a fisheries biologist while earning a Master’s in Biology at the University of Montana. Dave combines his love for being outdoors with a passion for medicine, working also as a critical care paramedic in Missoula since 1990. In that capacity, he serves as the Training Officer for Missoula's ambulance service and assists with teaching their paramedic courses.
DAVE MCEVOY
KESTREL NEATHAWK
Kestral is a therapist and a huge supporter and advocate for youth, communities, personal development, adventure anchored in a sense of place and a call to conserve and protect remote landscapes and wild places. Originally from Colorado, and currently living in Nederland, CO, she is forever grateful for a childhood of adventure and a deep connection to nature. She remembers exploring hills and bayous with her dog, falconry with her father, and both terrifying and exhilarating outings to climb in The Flatirons, Lumpy Ridge and Vedauwoo. In 1995, Kestral took a three month NOLS course in Patagonia and then returned to do an instructor's course with Colorado Outward Bound. After graduating with a BA in Environmental Studies and Contemplative Psychology from Naropa University, she headed to the Tetons and the American Alpine Club Climber's Ranch. After four summers with Exum Mountain Guides, Kestral climbed in Pakistan before returning to earn a Master’s in Counseling Psychology. She believes that helping youth feel empowered in themselves also inspires them to become positive leaders who conserve the world around them.
DAMIEN POWLEDGE
As a product of a wilderness program himself as a young adolescent, Damien has been a longtime believer in the power of outdoor education. After graduating with a B.S. in Geology, he spent several years working seasonally in wilderness therapy and wilderness medicine. Eventually feeling the need for a break from seasonal work, Damien began working as an Emergency Department EMT as well as in organ donation recovery—all while continuing to teach for Aerie Backcountry Medicine. He later returned to the University of Washington School of Medicine Physician Assistant program, and has since worked in Family Practice, Urgent Care, Trauma, and is currently in the field of Neurosurgery. When not working, you can generally find him trail running, climbing, skiing, taking photos, and spending time with his wife Megan and young son Brooks.
Steve is a risk management consultant specializing in wilderness/experiential programs at Seattle’s Experiential Consulting, LLC. He served as Chair of the Wilderness Risk Management Conference for three years (2014 - 2016) and has been a standing member of the WRMC Education Committee since 2011. His career has included administrative leadership roles with national organizations including Outward Bound and the Student Conservation Assoc. He is currently a board member and serves on the Safety and Executive Committees for the Northwest Outward Bound School. He has a Master's Degree in English, along with eight years of university-level teaching experience, and earned Professional in Human Resources (PHR) certification from the Society for Human Resources Management, all of which help him view outdoor education through a variety of educational and administrative lenses.
STEVE SMITH
ASHTON SNYDER
Ashton grew up in more than one part of south central Montana and is proud to call both the Boulder River and the Yellowstone watershed 'home'. Her first career was in outdoor education teaching forest ecology and marine biology and leading multi-day expedition trips for teenagers. She then began working in wilderness therapy and has since worked with youth struggling with emotional difficulties. She is glad to be back in the mountains of Montana. Her passion is to help connect clients to a sense of place to help create a deeper sense of self. She has her Master's in Social Work, and undergraduate in Environmental Studies from the University of Montana. When she is not in her outpatient therapy office working with youth and families at Youth Dynamics she is in the mountains with her dog Colter finding a patch of snow or a mountain lake.
KATE WRIGHT
An ecologist and writer by training, Kate’s career in conservation and outdoor education has led her from the Pacific northwest to Alaska, Africa, the northern Rockies, and Mongolia. Now a consultant based in Bozeman, she draws from experience at the Wildlife Conservation Society, Sonoran Institute, Gallatin Valley Land Trust, and other non-profits. She has led trips for Outward Bound and National Geographic, directed expeditions for the Wrangell Mountains Center and Montana Yellowstone Expeditions, and served as board member and interim executive director for the Montana Outdoor Science School. She currently serves as chair of Open & Local, a coalition to strengthen the local food economy and conserve open land in the greater Gallatin region. When successfully detached from computers and not Nordic skiing, you’ll find her living/playing/hiking/traveling with her husband Peter and their son.