Our Faculty

Sarah Acuff

Sarah Acuff

WEMT, NOLS Wilderness Medicine Instructor

Sarah has worked in outdoor education since 2010, entering the field as a climbing instructor, and picking up whitewater canoeing and backpacking along the way. She’s passionate about teaching wilderness medicine within the context of broader decision-making frameworks and as a skillset that empowers any lover of outdoor adventure in whatever environment they may find themselves in. You’ll find her revisiting the AT, crafting the perfect trip for the southeast forests, or dreaming of snow and rocks out west.

Josh Albritton

Josh Albritton

AEMT, GRSM Park Medic, WEMT, NOLS Wilderness Medicine Instructor, EMT Intensive Instructor

Josh has been involved in search and rescue, technical rope rescue, and wilderness EMS in the backcountry of the Southern Appalachian Mountains since 2014. He took his first NOLS WFR course with Landmark Learning in 2010, which ultimately was a springboard for his career. Teaching wilderness medicine and outdoor leadership skills, spending time with his family, trail running, yoga, and good coffee are among his passions.

Jason Carter

Jason Carter

WEMT, Paramedic, NOLS Wilderness Medicine Instructor, SAI Wilderness Lifeguard Instructor

Recreational backcountry guiding and instruction since 2006 and Rescue and Emergency Medical Services since 2009. He likes trail or road running and whitewater kayaking, but dabbles in anything outdoors.

Adam Davies

Adam Davies

Paramedic, WEMT, NOLS Wilderness Medicine Instructor, EMT Intensive Instructor

Currently employed as a Flight Paramedic (rotor wing) overseas in addition to working with Landmark Learning. Adam loves adaptive nature of wilderness medicine. He has been in Rescue and Emergency Medical Services since 2001.

Grayson Dill

Grayson Dill

WEMT, NOLS Wilderness Medicine Instructor

Grayson is an avid hiker and high altitude mountaineer with notable summits in both Americas, Africa, Europe, and Asia. He is an active member of the American Alpine Club. Grayson currently leads analytics strategy for Bank of America’s Consumer and Small Business Anti-Money Laundering compliance program. As a Wilderness Medicine Instructor, he enjoys sharing a body of knowledge rich in both technical competencies and in softer leadership skills like expedition behavior and tolerance for adversity and uncertainty.

 Justin Doroshenko

Justin Doroshenko

WEMT, Paramedic, NOLS Wilderness Medicine Instructor, EMT Intensive Instructor, SAI Wilderness Lifeguard Instructor, Leave No Trace Master Educator Instructor

Justin is a medical student at the University of New England near Portland, Maine. An outdoor educator and guide since 2003, Justin spends his time mountain biking, studying cardiac dysrhythmias, and exploring the Maine coast.

Andy Glas

Andy Glas

WEMT, NOLS Wilderness Medicine Instructor, Leave No Trace Master Educator Instructor, ACA Swiftwater Rescue Instructor

When not helping build tomorrow’s crop of outdoor professionals for Landmark Learning, Andy has been a faculty member at North Greenville University where he taught in their Outdoor Education and Leadership department. Andy loves getting deep into the forest of Western North Carolina where you will likely find him climbing, biking or paddling with his favorite two and four legged friends.

Phil Hart

Phil Hart

Paramedic, WEMT, NOLS Wilderness Medicine Instructor

With backcountry guiding and instruction experience since 1985, Phil has always had a passion for the outdoors. He also has been involved in Rescue and Emergency Medical Services since 1985 and loves teaching because it expands his understanding of different types of people and improves his medical skills.

Seth Collings Hawkins

Seth Collings Hawkins

Medical Director, MD, FACEP, FAEMS, MFAWM

Having been a backcountry instructor since 1993, Seth is one of the most experienced members of the Landmark Learning team. He also happens to be the medical director and says that the reason he joined Landmark was because he believes in the mission and for the wickedly good-looking hats.

Eli Helbert

Eli Helbert

WEMT, NOLS Wilderness Medicine Instructor

Eli Helbert has been an outdoor educator since 1987. A reformed raft guide and international competitor, he is currently an open canoe IT for the ACA, a lead instructor for NOLS Wilderness Medicine, and a swiftwater rescue instructor. He considers himself fortunate to be aligned with Landmark Learning.

Susan Herndon-Powell

Susan Herndon-Powell

WEMT, NOLS Wilderness Medicine Instructor, Leave No Trace Master Educator Instructor

Susan has been an outdoor instructor since 2000, and has been working at Landmark since 2017. She loves all things outdoors, but especially long backpack trips, biking, and trail maintenance. She is passionate about helping people feel knowledgeable and prepared for spending time outdoors.

Deane Hodde

Deane Hodde

Retired Paramedic, EMT Intensive Instructor

Deane served a 33 year career as a paramedic working in urban, flight and rural EMS in Central Florida and North Carolina. He has been teaching with Landmark since 2004 with most of his time spent as an EMS Instructor with Landmark.

Maury Hudson

Maury Hudson

Program Coordinator, WFR, Leave No Trace Master Educator Instructor

Maury has been an outdoor educator since 2013, where she started as a wilderness therapy field instructor. She is a former A.T. thru-hiker and ATC Ridgerunner, and is passionate about Leave No Trace. Her personal and professional outdoor experience helps her be prepared for anything as the Program Coordinator at Landmark.

Priscilla Hunt

Priscilla Hunt

WEMT, NOLS Wilderness Medicine Instructor, Leave No Trace Master Educator Instructor

Priscilla loves long backpacking trips and during the summer and fall, she instructs backpacking and mountaineering courses in Colorado and Alaska. She plays the fiddle and enjoys playing the music of the Appalachians, the British Isles, and from the contra dance tradition.

Felipe Jacome

Felipe Jacome

WEMT, NOLS Wilderness Medicine Instructor

Felipe has been a mountain guide since 2000 and a wilderness medicine instructor since 2006. After spending a lot of time in the outdoors, he decided to start sharing his knowledge and experience. He is also the founder of Mingai, providing training and care in remote settings of Ecuador.

Suzie Jacques

Suzie Jacques

WEMT, NOLS Wilderness Medicine Instructor

Suzie currently works as an RN in the neuro-trauma ICU in Asheville, NC. She loves multi-day river trips and backcountry hot springs. She believes in intentional education and considers herself a lifetime learner—she looks forward to teaching, as well as learning from, her wilderness medicine students.

Steven Koster

Steven Koster

WFR, NOLS Wilderness Medicine Instructor

Originally from the rolling mountains outside Pittsburgh, PA Steven now considers himself a Floridian, and calls Tampa Bay home. After starting to lead adventure trips at the University of South Florida, Steven took his first Landmark Learning course in 2013, becoming an instructor in 2020. Steven is an avid sea kayaker and paddle boarder, enjoys getting his hands greasy repairing his many road bikes, and would spend too much time playing board games if you let him.

Scott Lipscomb

Scott Lipscomb

WEMT, NOLS Wilderness Medicine Instructor, EMT Intensive Instructor, Leave No Trace Master Educator Instructor, Community Relief Medic Instructor

Scott has been backcountry guiding and instructing since 2007 and enjoys rock climbing, whitewater canoeing, trail running, snowboarding, slack lining, and generally being better at things than Jason Carter. He loves empowering other outdoor leaders with medical skills and judgement. When he is not teaching he enjoys playing in the Mountains of WNC, PNW and the Rockies!

Brenda Lo-Griffin

Brenda Lo-Griffin

WFR, NOLS Wilderness Medicine Instructor

Brenda has spent 6 years as a guide and outdoor ed instructor for REI. As a WFA instructor, she loves to help students think outside the box, improvise, and feel more comfortable recreating outdoors. She grew up in West Virginia, but now you can find her walking her dogs in Raleigh, NC and escaping to the mountains to snowboard during the winter.

Jon Lowrance

Jon Lowrance

MSN, CRNA, NOLS Wilderness Medicine Instructor, Leave No Trace Master Educator Instructor, ACA L4 Swiftwater Rescue Instructor

Jon has worked as an outdoor educator since 2005 teaching a range of courses with Landmark Learning and NOLS Wilderness Medicine. His student experience on a Wilderness First Responder course in 2003 served as the spark for a career in both outdoor education and medicine. Jon’s passion for emergency medicine and critical care led him to become a Wilderness EMT, a critical care Registered Nurse and ultimately a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). He currently practices anesthesia at Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine. He remains an educator at heart and loves to help others gain the skills, knowledge and attitude needed to become competent wilderness medicine providers and anesthesia providers. He enjoys traveling, whitewater canoeing, trail running, snowboarding and ocean SUP/surfing.

D'vorah Nadel

D'vorah Nadel

Paramedic, NOLS Wilderness Medicine Instructor

D’vorah has worked in wilderness therapy and volunteer firefighting before becoming an EMT and then Paramedic. She began teaching Wilderness Medicine to combine her medical knowledge with her passion for being outdoors. Along with Wilderness Medicine, she is also passionate about mental health and worked for multiple years with at-risk youth. She enjoys empowering others to build confidence in their decision-making process and patient assessment knowledge to respond to needs as they arise. In her free time, she enjoys mountain biking and learning how to whitewater kayak.

Graham Neville

Graham Neville

Paramedic, EMT Intensive Instructor, SAI Wilderness Lifeguard Instructor

Graham keeps out of trouble by working as a Respiratory Therapist and a Paramedic. He fully blames his interest in the medical field on Landmark Learning, starting when he took his EMT course with us in 2012. Graham knows more about Star Wars than the rest of the Landmark staff combined. Aside from binge watching Star Wars, Graham also likes to go hiking and climbing, and recently got into mountaineering.

Fritz Orr

Fritz Orr

WFR, ACA Canoe Instructor Trainer

Fritz’s canoeing career began 50 plus years ago at a local summer camp his family owned and operated. Besides instructing at a young age at camp, Fritz has shaped several boats in Dagger’s and Perception’s R&D and competed internationally on the US Wildwater C-1 Team. Fritz is an ACA Level-5 IT Canoe Instructor and today focuses his time at Camp High Rocks, Landmark Learning, and multi-day wilderness river trips. During the winter months, Fritz is in his studio handcrafting wooden canoe paddles. “ Working for Landmark is a treasured experience, genuine leadership, inspired students and positive fun atmosphere!”

Justin Padgett

Justin Padgett

Executive Director, M.S., WEMT, Paramedic, I teach most courses at Landmark Learning

I love teaching! I really enjoy the interaction with students and helping them grow and develop as individuals. Teaching with Landmark Learning allows me to teach swiftwater rescue, then wilderness medicine, then EMT, then wilderness lifeguard….I grow in the presence of students!

Mairi Padgett

Mairi Padgett

Administrative Director, MA.Ed., WFR, NOLS Wilderness Medicine Instructor, Leave No Trace Master Educator Instructor

Mairi has been guiding and instructing since 1989 and founded Landmark Learning with her husband, Justin Padgett. It took a long time for her to realize there is NO wrong way to enjoy the outdoors, and she enjoys anything she can do with their two kids in the wilderness.

Dan Payton

Dan Payton

WEMT, NRP, PA-C , NOLS Wilderness Medicine Instructor providing instruction for WUMP, WMPP, WFR/WFR-R, and EMT Intensive programs

Dan is retired military and has been involved with lower mountaineering and backcountry instruction since 1985. He has been an EMT since 1983 and involved in rescue and Emergency Medical Services since 2011. He loves to boulder, backpack and ski deep powder!

Julia "Pieps" Pieper

Julia "Pieps" Pieper

WEMT, NOLS Wilderness Medicine Instructor

Julia “Pieps” Pieper has worked as an outdoor educator since 2012, teaching Wilderness Medicine courses and working as a NOLS Expedition Instructor in the backpacking, canyoneering, canoeing, and winter programs. Pieps enjoys packrafting, backpacking, and playing ultimate frisbee when not in the classroom.

 Ron Ramsey

Ron Ramsey

WEMT, NOLS Wilderness Medicine Instructor, SAI Wilderness Lifeguard Instructor, Community Relief Medic Instructor

Ron has been leading trips and teaching in the backcountry since 1999 and volunteering with search and rescue since 2001. He joined Landmark Learning in 2014. As a high school teacher, he has a passion for helping his students develop a sense of place while exploring Southern Appalachia. When he is not teaching he loves spending time with his family and seeing the world through his daughter’s eyes.

Mike Smith

Mike Smith

WFR, ACA Swiftwater Rescue Instructor, ACA Whitewater Kayak Instructor Trainer

Mike is a native of Northern Maine and has worked professionally in the outdoors since 2001. He is an avid paddler, skier, and mountain biker, whose passion for teaching and exploring keeps him traveling across North and South America. In his full time capacity Mike serves as the director of the Outdoor Sport Institute, a 501c3 non-profit that seeks to strengthen communities through outdoor sport. Mike is also a registered Maine Guide, registered Maine Sea Kayak Guide, and BICP L1 Mountain Bike Ride Guide.

Ryan Smith

Ryan Smith

WFR, ACA Swiftwater Rescue and Canoe Instructor, Leave No Trace Master Educator Instructor

Ryan loves the outdoors and has a passion for program design. As a whitewater canoeist, he has experience with outdoor medicine and the unpredictability of the wilderness. Ryan also remodels houses while managing his growing family.

Eric Strickler

Eric Strickler

WEMT; NOLS Wilderness Medicine Instructor; ACA Whitewater Canoe Instructor

Eric’s three primary interests are teaching, watersports and farm living. Medicine comes in a
close fourth. Eric’s work resume includes teaching marine science on a sailboat, ecological
restoration in national parks, starting up two community paddling programs and working as an Outward Bound Instructor. Presently a student of nursing Eric still attempts to find time to
forage for ramps, trim apple trees, teach wilderness medicine courses and of course, paddle.

Deb Sweeney

Deb Sweeney

WFR, Leave No Trace Master Educator Instructor, ACA L4 Open Canoe Instructor, ACA Swift Water Rescue

Deb works full time as Director of Wilderness Operations for North Carolina Outward Bound School. An outdoor educator and guide since 1996. Deb spends her time racing bicycles, hunting with her two weimaraners and home renovation projects.

John Vogler

John Vogler

NREMT-Paramedic, Level 4 Swiftwater Rescue Instructor, BS Forest Resources Management- WCU, AS Emergency Medical Science- Southwestern CC, EMT Intensive Instructor, Swiftwater Rescue Instructor

My full time gig is as a paramedic at the local service here in WNC. I teach the EMT Intensive at Landmark because we get students from all over the country and from all walks of life. The students are fired up and I have to work hard to be prepared… it makes me a better paramedic. When I’m not involved with EMS, I’m kayaking and getting out in the woods with my wife and dogs. Teaching the ACA Swiftwater Rescue curriculum is fun, and also hopefully giving something back to a sport that I love.

Thomas "Wags" Wagner

Thomas "Wags" Wagner

WEMT, NOLS Wilderness Medicine Instructor

Thomas worked for Outward Bound for 15 years, leading canoe expeditions in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in Minnesota, backpacking trips in Big Bend National Park in Texas, and sea kayaking expeditions in the Bahamas. He received a degree in Outdoor Experiential Education from Prescott College in Prescott, AZ. “Wags” currently lives in Asheville, NC and when he’s not teaching classes in wilderness medicine or outdoor leadership, he spends his summers as a commercial whitewater guide on the French Broad River.

Bart Walker

Bart Walker

Paramedic, Wildland Fires Incident Management, NOLS Wilderness Medicine Instructor

Bart has a long career in EMS and Search and Rescue, including working as a firefighter, flight medic, K9 handler, and Medical Unit Leader for wildfire and natural disaster Incident Mangement. He has witnessed many situations where a first responder made significant contribution to successful patient outcomes, and he hopes to teach people to become that “significant contribution” in someone’s life. He enjoys getting outside to hike and whitewater raft with his three kids.

Katie Wall

Katie Wall

Ed.D, WEMT, NOLS Wilderness Medicine Instructor, Leave No Trace Master Educator Instructor

Having been involved in backcountry guiding since 2006 and Rescue and Emergency Medical Services since 2008, Katie has tons of experience in the field. She currently works as a professor at Lees-McRae College teaching Outdoor Recreation Management. She enjoys hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, and snowboarding.

Kevin Williams

Kevin Williams

WEMT, NOLS Wilderness Medicine Instructor, ACA Swiftwater Rescue Instructor

Kevin did his BS at Western Carolina University and enjoys playing in whitewater, downhill mountain biking, underground exploration (aka caving) and yard art.