ONWARD AND UPWARD - Key Persons
Amanda has over 20 years of experience coaching and inspiring others to further improve the quality of their health and wellbeing. She has worked in the fitness industry as a USA Swimming swim coach, American Council on Exercise personal trainer and group fitness instructor. She has also worked in mental health as a wilderness guide/behavioral health technician, activity therapist and as a yoga therapist.
Her Bachelor of Arts is in Outdoor Studies in which she focused on the therapeutic benefits of outdoor recreation. For her Masters of Arts Program, she studied holistic health, and her thesis was on developing holistic teaching methods; fully supporting others along their own unique path of personal growth.
Amanda is an avid outdoor recreation enthusiast and passionate about health and wellness. She holds professional certifications in both of these fields:
Adventure Based Counseling through Project Adventure
Level II Challenge Course Facilitator through the Association of Challenge Course Technology
Top Rope Rock Climbing Guide through Professional Climbing Guides Institute (PCGI)
Risk Management Training with the National Outdoor Leadership School
Wilderness First Responder
Youth Mental Health First Aid
Substance Abuse Prevention Training
Ayurveda (Holistic Health) Practitioner with the National Ayurveda Medical Association
E-RYT 500 Registered Yoga Teacher with the Yoga Alliance
Avalanche Assessment and Rescue, Level ll
American Canoe Association, Flat Water Instructor
As the Founder and Executive Director, Dr. Randy Dowd leads the organization's mission to establish a culture of One Health by promoting positive learning through the integration of meaningful connections and experiential education.
Prior to Onward & Upward, Randy spent over a decade in other youth-serving capacities including counseling troubled youth and families and providing outdoor environmental education. Many years of social work and teaching taught him that, in order to be successful, most youth need exposure to more than just traditional academic subjects in school. They need experiential opportunities that are designed to strengthen, inspire, empower, and connect.
To create a solution for this gap in education, after receiving a BA in Psychology and MA in Therapeutic Adventure Programming, Randy completed his Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) in Counseling Psychology program at Alaska Pacific University, where he focused his research and dissertation on developing a positive childhood behavioral health and development curriculum. He also holds certifications in:
Challenge Course Manager/Faciliator through the Association for Challenge Course Technology
Level l & ll Challenge Course Facilitator through the Association of Challenge Course Technology
Wilderness First Responder
Nonprofit Leadership
Science Based Innovation Training for Child Development
Social and Emotional Learning through Adventure from Project Adventure
With help from an amazing, passionate, and committed board of directors, he founded Onward & Upward with the aim of fundamentally improving, advocating for, and promoting interventions that foster positive youth development and wellbeing. Randy is married, has three boys and enjoys spending time with family and friends doing anything and everything outside.
Job Titles:
- Field Instructor / Guide
- Seasonal Field Instructor & Guide
Joshua was born and raised in the mitten state of Wisconsin. His first memories are of frequent hunting, camping, fishing, and hiking trips with his parents. At 17, Joshua was determined to see the world and set off on a three-month expedition in Baja Mexico learning how to be a professional in the outdoors through the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). Following his NOLS course, he took a road trip up to Alaska to continue his education in Outdoor Leadership.
Joshua's greatest passions are being in the outdoors and helping others, and so it was an easy decision to study Outdoor Studies and Psychology at Alaska Pacific University. He graduated with a B.A. in May of 2015 and moved to Utah to work as a guide and mentor in a wilderness therapy program. Missing Alaska, he came back in 2016 and continued working in his field as a recreational therapist. He is currently enrolled in the Masters of Science for Outdoor and Environmental Education. He assists Onward & Upward in program and curriculum development along with instructing courses. He loves getting outdoors with students and sharing his love for well-being, nature, and adventure
Accompanying his formal education Joshua also holds certifications for:
Leave No Trace Master Educator
Wilderness First Responder
E-200 Registered Yoga Teacher with the Yoga Alliance
Avalanche Assessment and Rescue Level 1
Interpretive Guide
Snowmobile and Boaters' Safety
Job Titles:
- Lead Field Instructor & Logistics Manager
- Lead Instructor and Logistics Manager
Kevin started snowboarding and skating as soon as he could walk. Always seeking adventure and living in Billerica, Massachusetts his passion for the outdoors continued to grow when he started going on hiking excursions with his cousin throughout the east coast as well as exploring other outdoor activities.
Wanting to pursue his passion for outdoor recreation & education he moved to Alaska to attend Alaska Pacific University (APU). He recently graduated with a B.A. in Outdoor Studies and a minor in Psychology.
Before working at Onward & Upward, Kevin honed his skills working with youth through many volunteering hours with a recreational therapist organization. It was then that he realized that helping others through outdoor recreation had become his greatest passion and he decided to pursue it further. Along with his classes at APU, Kevin has also acquired professional certifications:
Wilderness First Responder
Avalanche Assessment and Rescue, Level l
Level ll Challenge Course Facilitator through the Association of Challenge Course Technology
Top Rope Rock Climbing Guide through Professional Climbing Guides Institute (PCGI)
American Canoe Association Certification, Level l
Youth Mental Health First Aid
200 Registered Yoga Teacher
Basic Archery Instructor
Job Titles:
- Seasonal Field Instructor & Guide
Louisa first came to Alaska in 2006 as an instructor for an outdoor adventure company called Adventure Treks, where she instantly fell in deeply in love with Alaska and all it that it has to offer. She and her partner were working seasonally as professional ski patrollers at Mammoth Mountain, in California, and she was somehow able to convince him to completely uproot their lives and relocate to Anchorage so she could finish her bachelor's degree in Earth Science at APU.
APU lead her to the Kellogg Farm in Palmer, where she became interested in Agriculture and Conservation. She worked professionally as a Natural Resource Manager for the Palmer Soil and Water Conservation District for the last 10 years. In her spare time, she helped found and grow the nonprofit Hatcher Alpine Xperience, which built the Skeetawk ski area in Hatcher Pass. She and her husband still volunteer much of their time ski patrolling and helping to grow the organization while teaching their 2 young kids to ski and appreciate the outdoors.
Louisa is so humbled and honored at this opportunity to work with this amazing organization and helping to bring their vision and mission to more people in Southcentral Alaska and beyond.
Job Titles:
- Director of Finance and Administration
Megan is proudly born and raised Alaskan. Growing up in the pristine rainforests of Southeast Alaska, Megan developed a passion and deep appreciation for all things nature early in life. Megan completed a Bachelors of Science in Zoology at the University of Western Washington in 2002. After which, she spent about a decade working with animals in various capacities.
Moving to Anchorage in 2003 Megan began working in the non-profit sector at the Alaska Zoo, moving on to Bird TLC and eventually Green Star. In 2010, Megan went back to UAA to complete a Master of Arts in Teaching. She taught high school biology and marine science for four years. Prior to OU, Megan was the Assistant Principal at Anchorage STrEaM Academy, a charter school focusing on outdoor experiential education. Megan's background in both non-profit administration and education align well with the needs of Onward & Upward.
Megan lives an active lifestyle skiing, biking, hiking, packrafting and more. When time allows, she enjoys being at her cabin in the woods with her husband Ben, daughter Olive and their two dogs, Louis & Raven.
Born in the foothills of Appalachia, Ruby grew up in connection to nature in the deciduous forests of Athens Ohio. As a teacher of over 10 years, her passion surrounds creating experiences that empower students to become mindful recreators. With her global experience as an outdoor educator, rock climbing instructor, and wilderness guide, Ruby has developed skills in designing education programs, developing curriculum, assessing & managing risk, and facilitating a wide variety of adventure programs for students of all ages.
Ruby holds a BS in Science in Education from Ohio University and is currently earning her Masters of Outdoor and Environmental Education from Alaska Pacific University. Her thesis surrounds connecting developmental benchmarks to risk management skills in the sport of rock climbing.
In addition to her academic education, she also maintains the following certifications:
AMGA Single Pitch Instructor
Wilderness First Responder & CPR
ACA Swift Water Rescue Certification
ACA Whitewater Raft: Oar and Paddle Guide
Coursework: Introductory Ahtna Language (UAA)
Job Titles:
- Kayak and Packraft Instructor Level Ll