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Back for year number three as the Subaru / Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers, JD and Emily are originally from the Southern Illinois and Southeast Missouri areas. They have spent last two years traveling for the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics and have been to all of the lower 48 states in that time. They have visited almost 40 National Parks, countless State Parks, and have slept in their tent about 250 nights a year. JD and Emily met on the Appalachian Trail in 2003 and have been inseparable ever since. Together they have climbed 14,000 ft mountains, canoed and kayaked rivers and lakes, rock-climbed all over the U.S., backpacked hundreds of miles on the AT, and the list goes on. With over eight years of experiential education experience under their belts, JD and Emily have taught college courses together as well as numerous workshops and clinics to boy scouts, girl scouts, youth groups, land managers, guides, outfitters, and community members. Their shared interests in outdoor education and environmental ethics have provided them with the opportunity to work with a very wide range of people from all walks of life. Both have developed the hard and soft skills to effectively lead and teach others in the outdoors. When the two are not off teaching a course or further developing their own skills you might find them searching for state highpoints, having their lives run by their two dogs Arnie and Aspen, or planning their next big adventure.
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Growing up in the flat lands of Southern Illinois, JD spent much of his youth riding bikes and exploring the woods surrounding his grandparent’s farm. After high school, JD moved to Breckenridge, Colorado, where he developed a love for the mountains and the outdoors. Backpacking, hiking, mountain biking and mountaineering soon became a part of JD’s everyday life. These activities, along with his love of nature and education, encouraged him return to the Midwest and attend school at Southeast Missouri State University. While at Southeast, JD not only earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Outdoor Recreation, he also had the opportunity to lead many outdoor adventure trips with the recreation department. After graduation he continued to lead adventure trips and teach outdoor recreation courses for Southeast Missouri State, while pursuing his M.S. Ed in Recreation degree at Southern Illinois University. As an educator, JD felt compelled to share his commitment to the environment with his students during their rock climbing, backpacking, mountaineering, and leadership theory courses. He has further developed his outdoor leadership skills by becoming a Wilderness First Responder in 2003, a Leave No Trace Master Educator in 2004, a Wilderness Education Association Certifying Instructor in 2006, and a Certified Park and Recreation Professional in 2007. In his free time JD enjoys many of the same activities that first drew him to the field of outdoor recreation. He has hiked over 350 miles on the Appalachian Trail, climbed numerous mountains throughout the U.S., and has visited 39 of the 50 United States high points. He is currently attempting to learn the art of fly-fishing, and considering returning to school to work on a doctorate degree in outdoor recreation or adventure education.
Before the age of five, Emily Ressler had lived in Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Utah. Some of her earliest memories are of hiking, camping and fishing with her parents and grandparents. Summers were spent trout fishing in the Big Hole River in Montana, camping in the Wasatch Mountains in Utah, and exploring Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks in Wyoming. Eventually, her family would settle in southeast Missouri, but not before she had fallen in love with the mountains and rivers of the west. After high school, Emily returned to Idaho, where she was able to rediscover the west while backpacking, mountaineering, rock-climbing and whitewater rafting with friends. In 2003, she graduated from Southeast Missouri State University, where she studied education, biology, and outdoor recreation. After graduation she stayed involved in Southeast’s recreation program by leading outdoor adventure trips and teaching rock climbing clinics and courses. Emily continued her education by attending Southern Illinois University, where she majored in Recreation Resource Administration and worked as a graduate assistant for the Adaptive Student Recreation program. During her time as a graduate assistant she had the opportunity to coordinate and develop many outdoor adventure programs and trips, including whitewater rafting, camping, and adaptive skiing. While at Southern Illinois University, she continued to develop her outdoor leadership skills by becoming a Wilderness First Responder, a Leave No Trace Master Educator, and a Wilderness Education Association Certified Outdoor Leader. Recently, Emily has been exploring trail running opportunities wherever the Traveling Trainer schedule takes her. She also enjoys taking pictures of wildflowers, listening to music, traveling, and meeting interesting people.
