About

Created in 2017, Pasadena Outdoor Education works in partnership with NOLS Wilderness Medicine to sponsor courses in the L.A. area as well as provide outdoor education and risk management expertise to schools, camps and non-profits nearby.

After growing up in Salt Lake City, and attending college in Colorado, Liz’s love for wild places, working with young people and teaching culminated in a career in outdoor education.  She spent many seasons in the field as an instructor and guide for Outward Bound, Big City Mountaineers, Alaska Crossings and Soltreks, leading backpacking, ocean and river canoeing, hiking and climbing courses ranging from 2-46 days, before joining the NOLS Wilderness Medicine faculty in 2012.    These days, her outdoor pursuits include exploring with her toddler, Henry and partner, Woody.  Ideally you’ll find her fly fishing in Yellowstone, hiking in the San Gabriel mountains, skiing in the Wasatch mountains of Utah and exploring the beaches and marine environment of SoCal, not far from her home in Pasadena.  Since 1999, Liz has maintained a National Registry EMT certification, and her Wilderness EMT since taking her first Wilderness Medicine Institute course in 2000.

In addition to her field work, she has also held positions in staffing, training, admissions, and program management.  She has been on the outdoor education Risk Advisory Board for Polytechnic School since 2011, and has participated in trips for Poly middle and high school students.  She continues to hone her skills and keep up with the latest in the risk management industry having attended the Wilderness Risk Management Conference in 2012, 2013, 2016 and 2018.