Today's Lesson: Keeping Your Head Above Water
Water Bottles

Expedition Survival Tip

The key to a perfectly gooey s’more is all in how you toast the marshmallow. For best results, position yours an inch or so above the flames.

Management Team

Headquarters Staff

Executive Director – Lisa Mattis

Lisa joins BCM from New York, where she started most days sea kayaking on the Hudson before trotting to work fundraising and running scholarship programs for Outward Bound. She’s excited to get back to Colorado, to work with BCM’s under-resourced urban youth, and to scale mountains with a big smile. And, this winter, as her Columbia grad school diploma hangs collecting dust, you’ll find Lisa ripping up Vail’s double-black diamonds on shiny new K2s.

Director of Operations & Safety – Mitsu Iwasaki

Mitsu joined BCM with 15 years of experience in the Outdoor Programming industry in multiple capacities as an instructor and program manger. Having earned degrees in Environmental Engineering and in Non-Profit Management, he feels he has been exceptionally fortunate to have had opportunities to combine his studies, passions, and values and beliefs into roles that he sees as doing “good” and affecting real and useful change. His last 4 years have been spent dedicated to urban youth working in both public and private schools in Boston, Massachusetts. Outside of his career, he has traveled around the globe, coupling his curiosity of the world and its cultures and climbing big mountains. Some of his greatest adventures to date include eating monkeys with an indigenous group deep in the Amazon jungle, passing out in an alley in Chamonix after an excruciatingly long climb in the French Alps, and feeling sorry for himself at the moment he realized getting on a grade V 5.11 A2+ after three years away from climbing was a really bad idea.

Director of Marketing and Communications – Heather Metivier

Heather joined BCM in June of 2011 and brings a wealth of experience in tactical and strategic planning, systems analysis, and resource development to her new role. Prior to joining BCM Heather led Alumni Relations and Annual Giving at Outward Bound where she launched the organization’s first alumni expedition and benefits program, along with developing strategic communications to increase annual giving by 20% in her first year.  Previous to her Alumni and Annual Giving role, Heather ran Advancement Operations for Outward Bound where she streamlined fundraising systems and managed a team of fundraising professionals to raise $10m annually.

While Heather’s not raising awareness and funding for her favorite causes, Heather continues her quest to find the best taco in Denver, spends time perfecting her homemade Kimchi recipe and enjoys her time exploring Colorado’s mountains with her fiancé Tim.

Summit for Someone Manager – Darin Fearday

Darin has been a team leader for BCM since 2008, leading trips in both California and Colorado.  He joined BCM full time as the Summit for Someone Manager in January of 2011 after four years working as the Lead Admissions Advisor for Outward Bound.  Originally from Effingham, Illinois, he began climbing and backpacking in college before working as a crew leader in New Hampshire for the Student Conservation Association and as a lead instructor for Second Nature Wilderness Therapy in Southern Utah.  He is passionate about working with teens and helping them realize their potential through wilderness experiences. He is also passionate about breakfast burritos and live music, having spent thousands of dollars on each in the past couple years.

Accountant/HR – Joy Walsh

Originally from New Hampshire (Go Red Sox!), Joy joined BCM in February 2010 with over 10 years experience working with Denver area non-profit organizations.  During her first 10 years “in the business” she successfully ran the fundraising operations for Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado, Up with People and Leaders Challenge, but eventually realized that she is a numbers geek at heart!  Gleefully throwing herself into spreadsheets, Joy now does the books for several local organizations – BCM being her favorite, of course!  Joy holds a Master’s in Non-Profit Management and is currently working on an Accounting/Finance degree.   Joy is thrilled to be a part of the BCM team.

CPA – Dana Miller

Dana Miller, CPA, is our newest addition as our outsourced CFO.  She has 10 years experience in non-profit financial management as both interim CFO and as treasurer for several state and local organizations. She works at both the board and staff level focusing on incorporating best business practices to help organizations improve their margins to successfully meet their missions. When not whipping finances into shape Dana can be found playing drums, listening to heavy metal music, running, biking, hiking  and ice climbing.

Staffing and Volunteer Manager- Amy Blum

After graduating from the University of Michigan in 2006, Amy grabbed her copy of On The Road and headed west for a her own big adventure; in the Bay Area, she has worked tirelessly developing programs for under-resourced youth across the region. Amy first hopped on the BCM train in 2007 serving BCM as a youth agency leader on summer expeditions. Since then, she has worn many colorful hats within the organization as the manager for a 2009 pilot program that took out 800 Bay Area teens and families on local outdoor adventures, as well as the CA Regional Director. She feels incredibly privileged to combine her love for the outdoors with her skills and studies in youth development. When she’s not working, she enjoys writing and people watching in San Francisco, climbing rocks, sleeping in tents, and dreaming of becoming a huge rock star/model/actress. She has quite an imagination.

Development Coordinator – Alex Kaney

bio coming soon!

Executive Assistant – Ciel Lawrence

bio coming soon!

Regional Staff

Midwest Program Director – Bernie Rupe

Bernie started with BCM as a volunteer in 2002. Having more than 10 years experience taking at-risk youth on outdoor adventures and professional work with a whitewater river outfitter, BCM was a natural fit for him — combining his love of the outdoors with his commitment to building youth. Bernie recently left the corporate world and got his Master’s in Community Counseling to focus on youth work. He joined BCM part time as the Chicago Regional Program Manager in 2007 and holds down the Midwest fort and BCM’s paddling program. When not working for BCM, Bernie runs an experiential education program for a local youth agency and counsels kids. In his free time he explores the great outdoors by boat and foot.

Rocky Mountain Program Director – Elizabeth Williams

Elizabeth joined the BCM team in October of 2008 as the resident Marketing and Development Intern. In June of 2009, after receiving the “Intern of the Month” award for six months straight, she took over the Regional Program Manager position. Prior to BCM, Elizabeth spent  10 weeks exploring India and Nepal before teaching English in the Himalayas for 5 months. However, Colorado called her home and she now spends as much time as possible bouldering. Elizabeth loves working at BCM, especially when they eat ice cream for lunch, and she can’t wait to see kids’ faces as they head off for their first week in the wilderness.

CA Program Director – Anders Fristedt

bio coming soon!

PNW Program Director – Chris Lowry

bio coming soon!