The Founders of Girls Go Outside

Jeanna Ozyck

Over the last 20 years Jeanna has worked with kids of all shapes and sizes in all kinds of settings. Teaching pre-school and kindergarten was the beginning of her career as an educator and over the years Jeanna has spent time educating all ages in a huge array of environments. She has the unique ability to kindle fires of learning for students in just about any setting. Some of the high lights of her career as an educator have been sailing tall ships with "at risk" boys, leading student programs at Hawkwatch International raptor banding sites in the southwest, creating programs and teaching at Bend's Expeditionary Learning middle school - REALMS, mentoring girls rock climbing in the "Girls Rock" program in Seattle, and leading outdoor adventure programs for middle school girls in Canada and throughout the northwest. Jeanna founded "Girls Go Outside" in hopes of providing opportunities for middle school girls that she wishes she had during those long ago middle school years. The combination of mixing adventure with time to reflect and hanging out with good friends are not only the foundation of a GGO program, but what Jeanna basis her own life on as well.

Amy Anderson

I began leading rock climbing and river rafting adventures for adolescent and disabled adult populations at Humboldt State University. After I graduated, I was determined to find a job doing what I love which was teaching and sharing the outdoors with others. Fortunately, I found a teaching job at a private boarding school in northern California (NAWA Academy) where I taught academic content during the year and led eight-week summer adventure programs caving, rafting, rock climbing, and backpacking to middle school and high school-aged students. It was at this school that I created and implemented two all girl programs where I had the opportunity to combine girl research and theory with practical experiences of being outdoors. In addition, I have worked as a class III river guide on the Kings River and Trinity River in California and I am currently certified as a Wilderness First Responder(2005). I am currently a teacher at REALMS middle school in Bend and enjoy kayaking, rock climbing, gardening, and being outside on my days off.

Michelle Gail

I have been involved with girls’ adventure-based programs for the past six years and have enjoyed my experiences as a rock climbing instructor and course leader. For the past three years I have served on the board of directors for a Seattle-based non-profit that uses adventure based programming to inspire courage in girls and women. When I am not working with girls’ organizations or having adventures of my own, I am a practicing attorney. I am passionate about adventure-based programming and the profound impact that it has on building girls’ confidence, and I am excited to be working with Jeanna and Amy and the Girls Go Outside organization.