meet our leadership team

Avid4 Adventure is committed to creating and maintaining a diverse, inclusive, welcoming, and equitable environment for all. Our team has a broad diversity of lived experiences. However, we are working hard to achieve more racial and ethnic diversity for our team, and our broader Outdoor Industry community. To read more about our justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion commitments and work, please visit our culture of inclusivity page.

Man bouldering above ground

dave secunda

Founder

David has spent his career as a national advocate for outdoor recreation and its positive effects. After gaining his degree in recreation, he worked for Outward Bound in the UK and US before becoming the Director of Outdoor Education at the University of Colorado. During his tenure, he helped found the Association for Outdoor Recreation and Education, as well as the Outdoor Network, a leading outdoor trade publication. Subsequently, he became the executive director of the Outdoor Industry Association, where his accomplishments included launching a DC lobbying operation, creating the first industry census of sales, pioneering the first accreditation program for climbing gyms and designing some of the first comprehensive outdoor recreation participation studies. Additionally, he served as a founding board member for the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, as well as a board member for the American Hiking Society, American Camp Association RMS and the Student Conservation Association (SCA). Later, David founded PlanetOutdoors, an online retailer of outdoor recreation products, and was awarded the designation of Small Business CEO of the Year by the Denver Post. After selling the company in 2001, he switched tracks and began working with Sequel Venture Partners and Mobius Venture Capital as an Entrepreneur in Residence. David felt distant from his outdoor roots, so he moved on to found Avid4 Adventure in 2004. He is the recipient of the Jim Rennee Outdoor Industry Leadership Award as well as the Woodchuck Award. He has served as the Governor Appointed Chairman of the Licensing Advisory Committee of the Colorado Department of Human Services which focuses on licensing and standards for youth programs in Colorado. After being away from Avid4 Adventure for a decade leading another company, he returned as CEO in 2023.

sandy chio

Chief Operations Officer

Shaped by the ski industry, outdoor education and youth sports development, Sandy Chio brings over two decades of management, leadership and partnership experience. Her professional path provided Sandy and her family a chance to live (and play) in some amazing mountain communities from Girdwood, Alaska to Taos, New Mexico. Sandy believes in the power of place-based education and the impact of time spent outdoors. Sandy comes to Avid4 Adventures bringing direct experience from Teton Science Schools and NOLS where she led business operations, revenue strategy, marketing and admissions. Sandy and her family call the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem home. With two labradoodles in tow, you can find Sandy, her husband (Steve), and fifth grader (Rye) adventuring on skis, with a backpack or in their camper.

Camp staff member smiling in ski gear surrounded by snow

sarah pekala

Chief Program Officer

Sarah has been teaching in the outdoors since 2002. She attended school at the University of North Carolina at Asheville and graduated with a degree in Natural Resource Management. Much of her experience began during college, where she was actively involved in her university’s outdoor program, UNCA Outdoors. After graduating, Sarah went in search of bigger mountains and found herself in Colorado. She has played in the woods with different organizations, including time spent as an instructor for the National Outdoor Leadership School. Sarah found Avid4 Adventure as an instructor in 2007 and never looked back- she’s since been a Camp Director, Regional Manager and now serves as our Chief Program Officer. It’s safe to say she has a passion for creation, management and execution of quality outdoor programming. What drew Sarah to Avid4 way back when remains the same to this day- to inspire kids to find an appreciation of the outdoors and the transformations that can come from spending time outside. While she still loves making those individual connections with our campers and staff, she also finds joy in her current role by supporting the program team. When not with Avid4, Sarah can be found cooking, traveling and adventuring with her husband, daughter and their two ridiculous labs.

Camp staff member smiling in a snowy forest

Garrett Schilling

Resident Camp Manager: Camp Blue Sky

Garrett’s first camp experience was in 2014, when he went out on a whim to work at a summer camp outside of his home city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. That decision led to falling in love with camp and a five-year progression from a group counselor to the Program Director for YMCA Camp Edwards. After earning his B.A. in Secondary English Education from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, he felt compelled to reenter the outdoor education space, leading Garrett back to camp to serve a program for individuals with disabilities and chronic illnesses in the heart of Texas, then to leading an experiential education backpacking program in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and ultimately to Avid4 Adventure to join the leadership at Mt. Evans in 2019. While planning to return in 2020, the pandemic led him to pivot into the privilege to help lead at TGHTR, a youth homeless shelter program in Boulder County. Through all of these experiences and more, Garrett has been in awe at the resilience and empowerment that young folks discover in themselves while overcoming challenges in collaboration with others in the outdoors. These transformative lessons has led Garrett back to Avid4 where he is excited to lead and learn alongside our campers and continue this work at Mt. Evans. When Garrett isn’t working, you can find Garrett exploring with friends, hiking the backcountry with his dog Marvin, cheering for his beloved Packers, and engaging in life talks around a campfire​

Tyler Keyes

Senior Operations Manager

Tyler spent his childhood in Southeastern Pennsylvania and loved spending as much time as he could outside. He went on plenty of hikes and camping trips with his family at a young age. Throughout high school, his focus turned from soccer, to trails. Daily trail runs and mountain bike rides through the muddy and rocky trails tested his bike handling skills. He pursued his passions through college by attending Garrett County’s Adventure Sports Institute in Maryland. Surrounded by West Virginia, Tyler had a wonderful backyard to rock climb, mountain bike, whitewater raft, and learn the skills necessary to be an outdoor professional. Tyler then went on to earn his B.S. at Slippery Rock University. If you had to sum up the adventures that Tyler enjoys the most, it would be categorized as “Type 2 Fun.” From completing Leadville’s Leadman Challenge, to commuting to work by bike on the icy streets, Tyler is always up for a challenge. Currently he is raising 2 sons which is a whole new challenge. After being hired as a mountain bike instructor in 2013, Tyler has now worked with Avid4 for over 10 years and has watched the number of van, trailer, & bike wheels to manage grow exponentially. He enjoys figuring out the logistical puzzle to ensure our camps have the equipment to operate.

Amy Diiullo

Head of Marketing

Ohio born and Colorado grown, Amy has the friendly laugh of a Midwesterner and the grit of a high alpine adventurer. She received a Bachelor of Science from Indiana University and moved to Colorado to live and teach at a Buddhist center in the Never Summer mountains. Leveraging her innate drive for growth, Amy landed in a fast paced career leading sales and marketing for hemp industry start-ups which saw her managing national revenue and brand strategy for large multi-state operators. She is passionate about women moving forward in both professional and personal arenas, and is a co-founder of the Badass Lady Hikers, a women’s adventure group based in central Colorado. She joined the Avid4 Adventure team in 2021 and has enjoyed aligning her personal and professional passions with people who are just as avid for adventure as her.

Cynthia podrouzek

Senior Manager Talent Aquisition

Originally from Canada, Cynthia has had the opportunity to live and travel across beautiful North America and abroad; gaining an appreciation for the wonders the great outdoors has to offer. After a few years in Japan, she and her partner, Tim, had truly found their calling in realizing that getting outside could be a lifestyle AND a career! She returned to Penn State University and graduated with High Distinction with a BS in Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Management, receiving multiple scholarships and awards. Shortly after, she packed her bags and headed west in search of bigger mountains and deeper snow. Cynthia has been fortunate to have many outdoor adventures both personally and professionally. She has been a whitewater raft guide (and rafted the Grand Canyon), a backpacking guide, a backcountry ski guide, a naturalist, a program manager, and much, much more. She has facilitated programs from coast to coast and in multiple countries in Asia. After working for the Army guiding soldiers on high adventure activities post deployment, for a NGO based in Bangkok, Thailand, and as a naturalist educator in Washington’s Cascade Mountains, she finally grew roots in Colorado and now enjoys a slightly less adventurous life with her partner, son, and lab mix. Cynthia has been with Avid4 Adventure full time since 2017 and after spending her first 6 years as part of the Colorado Day Camp Team, she transitioned to the role of Senior Manager of Talent Acquisition in 2023. She gets fulfillment from seeing the confidence kids gain from Avid4 camps, and now gets to focus that energy on providing that same experience for staff!

nate thoreson

Regaional Manager

Nate grew up in a small village in northern Wisconsin where his backyard was his own personal summer camp. His mom served as the neighborhood ‘Camp Director,’ teaching local kids biking, swimming, and the rule “safety first and always be kind.” This cultivated a love for nature and adventure at an early age and would shape his life’s journey. In his late teens, Nate’s path led him onto the football field at the University of Wisconsin – River Falls, where he embraced the camaraderie and discipline of college sports. However, his pursuit of knowledge pivoted when, with guidance from his Advisor and Mentor, he transferred colleges to chase educational dreams. This transition became the bridge between his love for the outdoors and academic aspirations, marking a significant milestone of his journey. In 2013, Nate received his Bachelors in Adventure Education from Fort Lewis College in Durango and was awarded Major of the Year. Nate loves working with kids outdoors and especially how Mother Nature teaches adaptability. He enjoys helping kids find their natural path of learning and growing. He truly believes in empowering youth to live outdoor, active lifestyles. An Avid4 veteran, Nate has worn many hats over the years—from Instructing to Events to Staffing to Directing Day Camp Programming. He also holds the distinction of being one of two candidates selected for Avid4 Adventure’s inaugural Class V: Management & Outdoor Leadership Practicum. Now serving as a Regional Manager in Colorado, Nate is dedicated to instilling a love for the outdoors with staff and campers each summer. Nate thrives in experiential education, leveraging it to empower, foster growth, and cultivate appreciation for nature, conservation, and adaptability. When not tinkering in his garage or working on a house project, you can find him on a slackline, disc golf course, or cross-country skiing with his wife. As a new father, he looks forward to passing the torch of love for the outdoors to his little one and is excited for his kiddo to be an Avid4 Adventure Camper one day!

rafa rbello

Talen Acquisition Sepcialist

Rafa Rebello is 38 years old, born and raised in Rio de Janeiro – Brazil. Rafa is climber for 20 years and an outdoor guide at Chapada Diamantina National Park area since he moved to the area 8 years ago. Rafa is co-founder of a non-profit that supports BiPOC youth to access climbing at the area where he lives. Rafa has published articles related to diversity, inclusion and anti-racism in the outdoors and in 2023 was invited to be ambassador of the non profit Mountains Beyond Borders. Rafa started working as a Climbing Specialist at Colorado Expeditions in 2023 than joined Avid`s Accelerator program when he joined our talent acquisition team.

Robb Green

rob green

Events Manager

Robb was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest and has had a love for the outdoors his entire life. After being transferred by MicroSoft to Colorado in 2000 he has rearranged his career to better suit his active lifestyle, teaching snowboard lessons in the winter months and working for Open Space during the summer months before joining Avid4 Adventure in 2008. In his free time, Robb has seized the opportunity to pursue his passion for Mountain biking, Hiking, Fishing, Rock Climbing, snowboarding or most anything else you could think to do in the mountains. ’With all of the beautiful days Colorado has to offer I can’t sit still for a moment’.​

tori madson

Talent Aquisition Manager

Tori discovered her love for the outdoors in her own backyard in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. A self-taught naturalist and bushcrafter, Tori spent many years working in youth recreation before transitioning to the tech industry where she received numerous awards and recognitions in her time as an HR Manager and Talent Acquisition leader. She led companies through several Best Place to Work awards, participated in industry panels, and was featured in a Washington Post best selling book on operational excellence. After completing her Masters in Public Administration, she returned to her true calling – finding and empowering recreation professionals to do their best work in changing young lives. You can now find her SUPing & hiking with her family of three, homesteading, sustainably foraging, and thrifting.

Heidi Gordon

Customer Support Manager

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers. Heidi was born and raised in sunny Colorado and grew up in the Evergreen/Conifer area surrounded by the wilderness which initially sparked her love for the environment and adventure. Heidi graduated from the University of Colorado – Denver with a Bachelors Degree in Geography and Earth Sciences that continued her passion for the outdoors. Her love for the outdoors and desire to connect younger generations with their environment brought her to apply to be a Day Camp Instructor in 2017 at the Highlands Ranch and Greenwood Village Day Camps. Heidi joined the team in 2018 and now manages the Avid4 Customer Support Team. In her free time, Heidi likes to ski, SUP, kayak, hike, listen to music and podcasts, travel, and spend time in the mountains with family and friends.

katie morton

Regional Manager

Born and raised in Colorado, Katie grew up with a healthy dose of play: swimming, family bike rides and imagining the greenspaces in her neighborhood as expansive wild places. She always carried with her a spark of curiosity around beautiful places, leading her to travels to Cambodia, Thailand and Haiti as well as exploring the Colorado backcountry. Her true love of the outdoors ignited after a high school backpacking trip in the Mt. Zirkel Wilderness of Northwestern Colorado. Katie received a Bachelor’s in International Affairs from the University of Colorado Boulder alongside minors in Chinese and Leadership Studies. Her love of experiential education and the role it has had in her personal life led her into international higher education, where she worked with WorldStrides on custom programs around the world. In 2020, the international education landscape shifted, and Katie joined Avid4 Adventure for the first time as a Camp at Home Instructor. In the years that have followed, she has also been an Assistant Camp Director with Avid4 Adventure in Boulder, returned to WorldStrides for a few more travel seasons and empowered young entrepreneurs at the Deming Center for Entrepreneurship at the Leeds School of Business. Katie loves to support young people as they get out of their comfort zone, whether that be traveling to a remote part of the world or learning how to ride a bike for the first time. In her spare time, you can find Katie training for big trail runs, hiking, doing yoga and wildflower spotting. She also enjoys a great podcast or book on her rest days. She splits her time between her home state of Colorado and Montana, where her husband is pursuing a Doctorate degree in Physical Therapy (and “double-majoring” in bikes).

heather Mrozek Novak

Compliance Manager

Heather grew up in the Midwest, studying music intensely from early childhood through college. Her earliest outdoor memories are camping and canoeing with her family in northern MN, and exploring the lake in her rural IL back yard. She now lives in Bailey, CO. Heather studied Music Education at the University of Illinois and spent her college summers working at Isle Royale National Park and Rocky Mountain National Park. She discovered backpacking and kayaking at Isle Royale, then rock climbing and skiing in CO. After graduating from U of I, she made a beeline for the mountains before the ink on her diploma had dried. Heather began working for Avid4 Adventure in 2011, starting as a day camp instructor. By the end of staff training week, she knew she wanted to build a career with Avid4 Adventure. Over the years, Heather has held a variety of roles with Avid4 including 3 summers as Golden Day Camp Director and 2 years as a Staffing & Onboarding Specialist before joining the HQ team as a CO Regional Manager from 2016-2022. Heather now holds the role of Compliance Manager, ensuring that Avid4 Adventure upholds the highest standards in ACA Accreditation, B Corp Certification, and State Childcare Licensing. She is constantly inspired by Avid’s mission to empower kids in the outdoors. Heather is also an Avid4 camp parent, and loves watching her own daughter build skills, gain confidence, and experience the joy of outdoor adventure at camp. Outside of work, Heather loves spending time outside with her husband and daughter: camping, paddling, climbing, skiing, biking and hiking around CO and beyond.

Daniel Fluharty

West Coast Regional Manager

Daniel grew up in Arkansas, spending his days exploring creeks, rivers, and lakes, developing an early love for the outdoors that still shapes his life today. He went on to study Recreation and Leisure Management at Western Kentucky University and Metropolitan State University of Denver, where he fully embraced the “leisure” side of the experience.

In 2008, Daniel moved to Colorado and quickly fell in love with the mountain west.In August 2011, Daniel joined, leading climbing and mountain biking trips and helping campers build confidence and connection in the outdoors. Since then, he’s continued to grow within the organization, driven by a passion for creating meaningful outdoor experiences for campers and families.

When he’s not working, you can find Daniel fly fishing, mountain biking, or spending time outside with his family—usually somewhere near water.

Mikayla Seaman

Expedition Manager

Mikayla spent her childhood in North Carolina, growing up knee deep in creek mud and backyard adventures. While NC fostered her love of the outdoors and recreation, Mikayla wanted to try something completely new. At 18, she moved out west to Colorado and never looked back. She went to CU Boulder and received degrees in Anthropology, Psychology, and Physiology, as well as a Masters in Psychology from Purdue University. In 2019 she joined the Avid team as a day camp instructor and the rest is history. Currently, she loves leading the Expeditions team and watching them grow season to season. Her passion lies in just getting kids to go outside, explore, and play. She loves spending time camping in the backcountry with her wife and dogs!