INSIGHTS :: A Division of Broadreach

The strength and success of any educational program lies primarily with the instructional staff. Our instructors are top-notch - energetic, friendly, genuine, fun, well educated and well traveled - with solid experience and a love for working with young people. All of our course instructors are hired for an area or areas of expertise, and most have had years of experience in outdoor experiential adventure or the academic topics we pursue.

The Insights course design requires us to use several instructors for each program. Most important, the Course Lead Instructor accompanies the group throughout the entire trip. "Phase" instructors accompany the group for particular segments of the program and are hired for their expertise in a given area. Course Lead Instructors provide focus and continuity, and assist the other phase instructors to make certain that the participant and program goals are being met. Ultimately, the Course Lead Instructor is responsible for the group dynamics and the course objectives. All of our Course Lead Instructors are certified Wilderness First Responders (WFR), Wilderness Emergency Medical Technicians (WEMT) or Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT).

In-country outfitters are used to provide the local knowledge and expertise for most expedition phases. These guides are more familiar with local contacts and they add a local perspective, revealing many of the well-kept secrets in the areas we travel. For the more formal academic segment of our trips we employ professional educators with experience teaching young adults through experiential and project-based learning. These teachers are often from the area, providing a depth of knowledge and access to resources that could not be obtained otherwise. Depending on the program itinerary our student to staff ratio could be anywhere from 6:1 to 2:1.

	Jim Sibthorp has been with Broadreach since 1997 in various roles including Program Director and Director of Insights. Jim has a Ph.D in Human Performance with a focus on adventure education from Indiana University and he currently spends his winters teaching at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. Jim's passion for teaching has taken him all over the world, instructing young adults and managing biological, geological and archaeological research projects. Jim created the Insights program design.
	Avery E. Sloan, M.Ed., Director of Insights, has extensive experience in both experiential education and working with teenagers. She has a Masters of Education from Auburn University and has taught Spanish at both the college and secondary school levels. Avery has also worked with the youth volunteer program Amigos de las Americas in Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Honduras, supervising teenagers serving as public health volunteers. Most recently, Avery worked as an educational planner, helping families find appropriate educational opportunities for their children. In her free time Avery enjoys fly-fishing, traveling and serving as a mentor in the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program.
	Mark Thurber, author of Climbing and Hiking in Ecuador, is our in-country guide providing local knowledge on our Immersion Ecuador Program. He has hiked or climbed all of the mountains, glaciers and trails featured in his book including many technical climbing routes. This experience, combined with his Masters in geology, gives him considerable firsthand knowledge of the beautiful Ecuadorian backcountry. When not hiking, Mark manages an environmental consulting company that is focused on reducing the impact of petroleum companies' operations in the Amazon. Mark has led wilderness expeditions in Ecuador for the past seven years, including two month-long Outward Bound programs. He has a contagious passion for the natural history and local culture of Ecuador, which allows students to see well beyond the typical tourist experience.
	Morgan Black, a native of British Columbia, heads up our Marine Mammals program along Canada's Inside Passage. Morgan has been working with teenagers on adventure education programs since 1995. She has spent the last five summers instructing with Broadreach, most recently as the Course Director on the Marine Biology Accredited program. She graduated from Simon Fraser University in British Columbia with a degree in Marine Biology and has worked in the field for several years. Known for her outgoing personality, boundless energy and eclectic style, she is popular with both participants and staff.
	Jennie Wagner has been working with teenagers since 1994 as an outdoor wilderness instructor, teacher and coach. After studying in Spain and graduating from Davidson College, Jennie received her first teaching experience as a volunteer teacher in Ecuador. She came to Broadreach in 1996 to help develop and lead programs in Costa Rica and Ecuador, and she was instrumental in designing Insights' Immersion Ecuador program. In her free time, Jennie enjoys playing co-ed soccer and salsa dancing.
	Stacy Fernim heads our Costa Rica program. She has been an outdoor educator since graduating from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1993. Over the years, Stacy has been a professional ski patroller, a whitewater rafting guide and a ropes course facilitator. She was an Outward Bound instructor for four years and a Broadreach Course Director for five years. She has also taught Wilderness First Responder (WFR) courses for Solo. Her work has taken her to the mountains of California, Utah, Colorado and Maine, as well as Canada, Australia, Egypt and Central and South America. Her wealth of experience, leadership style, passion for outdoor adventure, enthusiasm and dedicated approach to teaching make her a tremendous asset to Insights.