Meet Our Transformation Partners

At DEI Outdoors, we are Transformation Partners, working alongside you as a trusted ally to co-create solutions tailored to your unique needs. Our approach involves collaborative brainstorming, shared ownership, and active support through every step of your transformation journey. We empower you with the necessary tools and guidance to drive and sustain progress beyond our engagement without dictating change. Our partnership fosters a shared responsibility and commitment to achieving your goals, ensuring true and lasting change takes root within your organization.

  • Rachel is committed to creating an industry where anyone can experience, thrive, and lead the outdoors no matter their circumstances, and focuses on underserved and underrepresented communities. She has served and inspired over 100 organizations in the creation of actionable systems aligned with creating diversity, equity, and inclusion in outdoor spaces. Outside of her endeavor to bridge the gap between racial and ethnic diversity in the outdoors and social justice, Rachel can be found ice-climbing in New Hampshire and hunting magical creatures in the woods with her daughter and German Shepherd.

Headshot of Jordan Marino. Jordan has short brown hair, clear glasses, and is wearing a button down shirt with jellyfish

  • Jordan has a background in marine conservation and experience in education and animal care. Through their MA in Integrative Conservation, Jordan has researched the intersections between culture, social justice, and community dynamics within conservation. Jordan strives to use their problem-solving and analytical skills to contribute to more equitable and accessible careers in conservation. Jordan’s favorite outdoor activity is scuba diving, and their favorite animal is an Octopus. Jordan is currently based out of Central Florida, where they can often be found hanging out with their cats.

Sam is standing in a field with people in the background. They have long brown hair, facial hair, and are wearing earrings, a brown jacket, and grey pants with blue stripes. Sam is smiling.

  • Sam (they/them) is a passionate person of the outdoors who loves learning and sharing knowledge with everyone they meet. Sam has been working full-time in the outdoor industry for the past 4 years. Sam can be found guiding class IV rapids, skiing down the slopes, or foraging and hiking. Sam has worked to help enhance the voices of queer, trans and non-binary people during their career in outdoor education and recreation. When not outside, Sam can be found juggling and folk dancing! 

Kenjah is sitting in a canoe wearing a green sweatshirt, sunglasses, and a bandana. Kenjah has dark brown curly hair.

  • Kenjah (they/them), pronounced Ken-yah, currently resides in the beautiful Berkshires with their partner, two dogs, and cat. They were born in coastal New Hampshire, grew up in New Jersey, and recently relocated out of Albany, New York. During the winter, they are often on the ski slopes teaching adaptive snow sports or snowshoeing, and during the non frozen months, they wander around the woods or find new spots to go kayaking with friends.

Headshot of Dave Edson. He has a bald head, some facial hair, and is wearing a red t-shirt

  • Dave Edson is a proud father and loving husband who has decades of experience as a performing artist and educator. He has taught many subjects in many schools to many ages. He loves working creatively and collaboratively while fighting for equity and systemic changes. Dave loves to be outside where he and his family regularly explore the great outdoors. Over the last few years, he has enjoyed tracking wildlife in the winters of western Massachusetts while he regularly checks his trail cameras throughout the year. Dave loves gardening, exercising, playing guitar, making theatre, helping others, and learning new things.

  • justin adkins is a trans-man committed to inclusion for all in all spaces. justin’s masters degree is in management of mission driven orgaizations with a focus on non-profit management. He worked in higher education for 14 years as a diversity, equity and inclusion professional and most recently as Associate VP for Student Affairs at The College of Wooster. Currently, justin and his partner run Wild Soul River, an abolitionist healing space.

Selfie of Alison, she has brown curly hair and is smiling

  • Alison is an experienced educator and passionate advocate with a focus on special education, emotional regulation, behavioral supports, instructional interventions, and outdoor access for youth. She also has experience as an elected member of a local school board and in magazine journalism and local nonprofit leadership and planning. Alison loves being outdoors, whether for familiar activities like mountain and gravel biking, trail running and hiking, camping, paddling, skiing and snowshoeing, and rock climbing, or for trying out new adventures and activities and exploring the ways to experience the outdoors and share those experiences with others.

Headshot of Rohan. Rohan has short hair and is wearing a blue and white baseball cap. He is also wearing a plaid grey button down shirt.

  • Rohan J. Shahani is an experienced outdoor education and recreational industry professional with demonstrated leadership roles in the educational and recreational camps, challenge courses, and aerial adventure sectors. His diverse background in program management, client-and-operational-facing roles, and focus on facilitation and training gives him a unique perspective on the outdoor recreation industry as both a vendor and service provider. Shahani is currently the Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of the ACCT and an Institutional Member of The Alliance Collaborative, an aerial adventure and challenge course industry trade association.

  • Bobby is a skilled outdoor education and recreation facilitator with 15+ years in providing purposeful experiences for people of all ages and many backgrounds. With a focus on group programming in the challenge course and aerial adventure industry, he has found a passion in encouraging others (and himself) to embrace challenges and to seek out opportunities for growth and learning. When he is not swinging from a ropes course, you’ll find him hiking a trail with his wife and son, out on a disc golf course, or enjoying a craft brewery. Bobby is currently the Outdoor Adventures Group Programs Coordinator at Penn State University.