Our Team

Everyone who knows Outward Bound, knows that there is something special about Outward Bound field crew! They are highly qualified outdoor education practitioners and skilled facilitators. Our crew is focused 100% on creating positive, impactful and safe experiences for participants.

Few people leave an Outward Bound program without a sense of awe and gratitude to the Group Leaders that have guided their Outward Bound journey.

Josh
Group Leader
Josh grew up in Newcastle, studied outdoor recreation as a teenager before starting work as an instructor. He loves exposing people to the outdoors and helping them push their comfort zone. On his time off, Josh is always up for an adventure of any kind as long as the vibes are good.
Simon
Group Leader
Simon comes to us from Voyageur Outward Bound in the United States. With the woods in his backyard, he grew up with a passion for the transformative power of wilderness immersion. When he finds time, Simon likes to climb, cook, fish, and read. This is his first time out of his home country and he is excited for the full Australian experience. Crikey!
Charlotte
Group Leader
Charlotte is from Ontario, Canada. Her love of the outdoors started on family canoe trips and at summer camp. In Canada, Charlotte works as an Outdoor Education teacher, where she loves to connect with students through adventure. In her free time she loves to explore new places and find good swimming spots!
Ellie
Group Leader
Ellie grew up on Sydney’s northern beaches. After school she travelled to the USA to compete her degree in outdoor education in Colorado, where she learnt many unique skills like white water paddling and ice climbing. She is passionate for the water and can’t wait to explore bush crafts.
Oscar
Group Leader
Oscar is from South Australia where he completed a Diploma in Outdoor Leadership. He loves engaging in the outdoors with people who may not otherwise get to experience it. In his down time, Oscar can be found tinkering away on a project.
Melissa
Group Leader
Melissa grew up in Christchurch, NZ and has worked in the outdoors in various countries. She aspires to work in adventure therapy, and has been studying towards a Master of Counselling. Like most outdoor people, Melissa has too many hobbies and really struggles to choose favourites, but if she had to she would probably say bouldering, tramping, yoga, and relaxing in a hammock with a good book and a slight breeze.
Lauren
Group Leader
Lauren has joined us from OBUK. Lauren was inspired by her very own instructors when she completed an Outward Bound course aged 9 on her home turf of the Lake District, UK. Since then she studied a Geography degree, worked in the environmental sector and enjoyed snowboarding and mountain biking in Whistler, Canada. She thinks everyone deserves to experience the power of nature.
Yanni
Group Leader
Yanni is a North Canberra local and is a keen rock climber and snowboarder. His love for the outdoors developed at school through his year 11 and 12 outdoor education teachers, where he later returned to complete his Outdoor education traineeship. Yanni worked a snow season at Thredbo and is now loving his role as a Group Leader with Outward Bound!
Lily
Group Leader
Lily joined Outward Bound at the start of 2023. She grew up in Canberra and found herself back home after having spent some time away working the snow season. On her time off, Lily loves to snowboard, climb and had recently taken up mountain biking!
Ewan
Group Leader
Ewan grew up in Canberra, and this is his first job as an outdoor instructor. He studied Outdoor Leadership at Wodonga TAFE and is enthusiastic about sharing his passion for the outdoors with everyone that steps out of the bus. You will find Ewan on the weekends climbing rocks, hiking in the bush around Namadgi or hurtling down Mt Stromlo on his mountain bike.
Thao
Group Leader
(she/her)
Coming from Vietnam, Thao started her outdoor journey with Outward Bound 8 year ago as a trainee. Since then, she has built up her skills and knowledge as an outdoor educator. She feels passionate about helping others and wants to create the best experience possible for her participants. She loves sport climbing and abseiling in her spare time
Gus
Senior Group Leader
(he/him)
Gus grew up around the bush and finds it to be a fantastic teacher for nearly any life skill. He loves both the thrill and peace of being out in the wild. He has worked as a guide in many places across Australia, but always comes back to Tharwa. When he's not out with a group, he enjoys easy-going mountain scrambles and rock climbs.
Catherine
Assist Group Leader
Catherine is a trying new things enthusiast. With a particular penchant for all things aquatic, you can be sure she'll always be up for a swim, dive or kayak. Having done a degree in natural sciences, she's keen to share her passion for the outdoors with others and inspire them to find their inner adventurer.
Taylor
Group Leader
Taylor is a local from the bush capital. She is an animal lover at heart who loves traveling, abseiling, high ropes and playing sport. Studying outdoor education throughout high school and college opened her eyes to the endless adventures to be found in the great outdoors.
Lauren
Group Leader
Lauren grew up on the Gold Coast, recently working as a paramedic. She loves bouldering, reading and exploring the Queensland rainforests. She has a passion for self-development and is super excited to help others grow through the great outdoors. On her days off, Lauren can be found under a tree tucking into a bowl of potato salad.
Mike
Logistics Coordinator
(he/him)
Mike grew up in the Southeastern United States and enjoys hiking, rock climbing and running. After completing a bachelor’s degree, he’s spent time working and traveling through parts of Asia, Europe and South America. Mike’s background includes work in conservation and land management, via ferrata guiding and teaching.
Andrew
Senior Group Leader
(he/him)
Andrew is a PE and Science teacher by trade. He loves to see people pushing themselves outside of their comfort zone to achieve amazing things in the outdoors while having a fun time doing so. He loves games, running, climbing, and dancing a bit of salsa whenever he gets a chance.
Helene de Lagillardaie
Head of Operations
(she/her)
Our program operations and field crew are managed by Helene. Helene brings a breadth of international expertise and has established a reputation as one of OBs most respected, hard-working leaders, inspiring and mentoring a dedicated field crew.
Zali
Group Leader
(she/her)
Zali grew up living in a rural town called Coober Pedy in South Australia, and experienced living underground. She spent time working as an aquatic’s instructor, teaching a variety of activities including kayaking, canoeing, sailing, windsurfing, and snorkelling. When Zali is not in the outdoors she loves to draw or expand her knowledge through books and study, and believes that kindness is everything.
Adele
Program Coordinator (Campus)
(she/her)
Adele has a love for mountain biking, hiking and skiing. She grew up in New Zealand but travelled and worked in America, Canada and Japan before settling in Jindabyne Australia seven years ago. Studied a Bachelor of Physical Education (Hons) majoring in teaching as well as a cert IV in Outdoor Recreation, so she is excited to bring her skills and experience to Outward Bound.
Dakota
Program Coordinator (Bush Craft)
(she/her)
Dakota is from the United States, Florida to be specific. She loves hiking and trying any new outdoor activities. She has spent the last four years travelling around the world, after completing her bachelors degree in fine art. Settling in Australia to become her home and create a career sharing her passion for the outdoors.
Sam
Project Manager
(he/him)
Sam was one of the Whiskey interns in 2015. He had been working in the outdoors prior and has got over 10 years of experience in the industry. Sam has both led groups and coordinated in all of Outward Bound’s operational areas. His technical skills in roping, paddling and navigation and his knowledge of the industry are an asset in his coordinating and leading the team in the field.
Marita
Senior Group Leader
(she/her)
Marita grew up in Queensland and is a trained high school teacher. Her love of the outdoors encompasses solo hiking and snow sports. With her sister, Marita took part in a long-distance winter snowshoe expedition across the Australian Alps. Together they have completed the Larapinta Trail and Overland Track both in winter. Marita also loves to capture beautiful scenery through her camera lens.
Lucas
Senior Program Coordinator
(he/him)
Lucas is a Canberra local. His outdoor passions are varied but you can always find him riding his skateboard or surfing down the coast. Lucas likes starting his days with a run up the local hills and a strong coffee.
Jess Bulger
Co-Chair, Board of Directors
(she/her)
Jess Bulger is Wiradjuri from Tumut and Brungle in Country NSW and is Director, Engagement at CareerTrackers Indigenous Internship Program. Jess began her career as a teacher and has worked in the Higher Education and Non-Profit sectors for the past 12 years. Jess focuses on her passion to empower young people to build rewarding careers, leading fulfilling lives and enable change for their families and communities. Jess comes from a long line of strong Wiradjuri women and is driven by the belief that as Indigenous peoples we have the solutions for our communities and that our work must be informed by the teachings of our Elders.
Campbell Hudson
Deputy Chair, Board of Directors
(he/him)
In more than 30 years of legal practice, Campbell has acquired significant experience in insolvency, commercial litigation and restructuring. Through a number of initiatives, Campbell has worked to reduce the socio-economic gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians and in 2014 was awarded the CareerTrackers Business Supervisor of the Year. In 2016 Campbell participated in an Outward Bound program with CareerTracker interns, that led him to join the Outward Bound Australia Board in 2019.
Dr Simon Crisp
Board of Directors
(he/him)
Dr. Simon Crisp describes his OBA Standard Course in 1980 (aged 17), as the single most formative experience of his life. Working as an OBA instructor provided the foundation to his career in psychology in wilderness adventure therapy and hospital mental health settings. With over 30 years of practicing psychology, Simon brings critical expertise to Outward Bound, supporting the Board and the training and development of our crew.
Simon Lewis
Chair AOBDF
(he/him)
From the vantage of his advisory firm, GoodWolf Partners, Simon helps clients such as family and corporate Foundations and NFPs to co-design strategy and develop innovative 'for purpose' models of service and capital towards social value. Simon has been involved with Outward Bound in both Zimbabwe and Australia, and he believes there has never been a more important and exciting time to reimagine the possibilities to make a difference, to leave the world a better place, to leave a legacy
Jon Bradshaw
Director AOBDF
(he/him)
Jon Bradshaw comes to OBA with over 25 years of global sales, marketing, strategy and organisational development experience gained with the Mars Group, Diageo PLC, Virgin Group, Lion Pty and D roga S. Nowadays he runs a successful marketing and strategy consultancy, Brand Traction. With an alarming lack of grace and skill he has spent his life outside work mountaineering, kayaking, diving, climbing and snowboarding his way around the world's adventure capitals . Over 40 years of experience in the field has given Jon an unshakeable belief that time spent being challenged in the outdoors should be an integral part of everyone's personal growth journey.
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