Leadership

Jim Rowe, PhD.: Executive Director & Instructor

Time with OBCR: 21 years
Hometown: Colorado
Education/Certifications:
In 1992, after having traveled to over 25 countries searching for the ideal place to establish a nature-centered adventure program, Jim Rowe settled in Costa Rica. With one monolithic raft and some scuba diving equipment, Jim began what would become an international adventure school employing over 30 staffers and delivering courses to over 400 students annually.
A leader in experiential cross-cultural learning, Jim has facilitated seminars and lectures in areas of sustainable development, ecotourism and adventure programming worldwide.
Jim serves as our lead Scuba instructor in addition to his many other duties, and loves to introduce students to one of his favorite pastimes.

Phil Perez: Board Member & Instructor

Time with OBCR: 16 years
Hometown: Sacramento, CA USA, Dominical, Costa Rica
Phil Perez is a lead instructor for Outward Bound Costa Rica’s Leadership semester course. His love of being on the river has instilled in him a strong dedication to safety. His extensive training as both a river guide and emergency care professional began in the 1970s when he worked for the rafting company, American River Recreation and Life Assist Inc. in the Sierra Mountain Range.
Phil came to Costa Rica in 1995. With his company Aventura Seguridad y Rescate, he serves as Rescue 3 International’s authorized Agent for education, training and safety whitewater for Central America.
Phil’s role with Outward Bound Costa Rica has been both in the field and in the management of OBCR ever since he joined the organization in 1997. Currently, Phil leads many of the outdoor certification phases for our Leadership Semester course. He also trains our instructors in these same technical skills as well as provides instructor Judgment Training. In addition to being a member of OBCR’s Governing Board, Phil is also the head of Outward Bound Costa Rica’s Safety Board and is in charge of our routine, organization-wide safety reviews.

Lead Instructors

Antonio Lopez

Time with OBCR: 14 years
Hometown: Piedras Blancas, Costa Rica
Education/Certifications: Wilderness First Responder, First Aid, CPR, and AED for the Professional Rescuer, Whitewater Rescue Technician
Technical Rope Rescue: Operations, International Rafting Federation Instructor, International Rafting Federation Guide Class I-IV, Instructor Judgment Training, Land Instructor Training, Waterfront Lifeguard, Whitewater Kayak Training, Emergency Responder
Antonio is a hardcore kayaker who enjoys adventure and loves the outdoors in his great country of Costa Rica. He began raft captaining in 2002 and became a certified kayak instructor shortly thereafter. Antonio moves fast both by land and by sea; rumor has it that he can complete the trek between Domer’s Hill and Piedras Blancas (usually 2 days of hiking on course) in 8 hours flat – carrying both of his kids and his kayak. Antonio is the son of one of Outward Bound’s homestay families in the countryside of Piedras Blancas.

Orlando Zamora

Time with OBCR: 11 years
Hometown: Piedras Blancas, Costa Rica
Education/Certifications: Wilderness First Responder, First Aid, CPR, and AED for the Professional Rescuer, Whitewater Rescue Technician
Technical Rope Rescue: Operations, International Rafting Federation Guide Class I-IV, Instructor Judgment Training, Land Instructor Training
This grandpapi of Costa Rica Outward Bound has been challenging students through the rugged outback of Costa Rica for over a decade. Orlando’s ability to stop every five feet in the rainforest and point out different medicinal plants used by Costa Rica’s indigenous groups is only outdone by the remarkable fact that he can do it without boring our students. He finds every course to be a cultural exchange – for Orlando, the learning never stops.

Diego Chinchilla

Time with OBCR: 4.5 years
Hometown: Santa Maria de Dota, Costa Rica
Education/Certifications: Wilderness First Responder, First Aid, CPR, and AED for the Professional Rescuer, Technical Rope Rescue: Operations, Instructor Judgment Training, Land Instructor Training, Emergency Responder
Diego was born and raised in Copey de Dota, Costa Rica. He studied Natural Resource Management at the Universidad Estatal. Before joining Costa Rica Outward Bound, Diego volunteered at the Pacuare Biological Reserve working to conserve and protect sea turtles. He enjoys spending time in nature, hiking, dancing and reading. When he’s not working with us, Diego works as a guide for local tourist companies and spends time on his small blackberry farm.

Santiago Lopez

Time with OBCR: 8 years
Hometown: Piedras Blancas, Costa Rica
Education/Certifications: Wilderness First Responder, First Aid, CPR, and AED for the Professional Rescuer, Whitewater Rescue Technician, Technical Rope Rescue: Operations, International Rafting Federation Guide Class I-IV, International Rafting Federation Instructor, Instructor Judgment Training, Land Instructor Training, Waterfront Lifeguard, Sea Kayak Training, NAUI Advanced Open Water Scuba Diver, Emergency Rescuer
Eight years ago Santiago joined his brothers to work on the rivers and mountain passes that are at the heart of our courses. Although the countryside is his backyard, he spends most of his free time playing soccer, watching and cheering for soccer, or simply talking about soccer. If you are lucky enough to have Santiago as one of your instructors you will benefit from both his detailed knowledge of the backcountry and his soccer skills. Above all else, Santiago loves being able to motivate his students, teach life skills and watch the transformations and development that each student undergoes from being on an OBCR course.

Donna White

Time with OBCR: 6 years
Hometown: New Bern, North Carolina, USA
Education/Certifications: Wilderness First Responder, First Aid, CPR, and AED for the Professional Rescuer, Whitewater Rescue Technician, Technical Rope Rescue: Operations, International Rafting Federation Guide Class I-IV, Instructor Judgment Training, Land Instructor Training, Sea Kayak Training, Whitewater Kayak Training, NAUI Advanced Open Water Scuba Diver
Donna trained to be an instructor in 2007, and then joined Outward Bound Costa Rica as a full-time instructor immediately. Also known as Mama Donna, she has a comforting way about her with her southern drawl and delicious home cooking. Before working with Outward Bound, Donna worked as a kayaking guide with Pirate Queen Paddling in Morehead City, North Carolina and also has years of catering experience. Donna is known to camp, hike, sail, kayak and chase waterfalls in her free time. She is also renowned for her ability to connect with students of all levels, as she shares with them the activities she loves most and brings out the best in each of them.

Zach Mumford

Time with OBCR: 1 year
Hometown: Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
Education/Certifications: Wilderness First Responder, First Aid, CPR, and AED for the Professional Rescuer, Whitewater Rescue Technician, Technical Rope Rescue: Operations, International Rafting Federation Guide Class I-IV, International Rafting Federation – Instructor, Instructor Judgment Training, Land Instructor Training, Waterfront Lifeguard, Sea Kayak Training, Whitewater Kayak Training, NAUI Advanced Open Water Scuba Diver, Scuba Dive Master (NAUI), Scuba Instructor (NAUI)
Raised across the street from a state park containing a lake and thousands of acres of wooded game land, Zach grew up hiking, hunting and fishing in the backcountry of North Carolina. When he was 16, Zach’s whole family moved to Granada, Nicaragua for a summer, where he learned Spanish and fell in love with Latin American culture. After graduating high school, he alternated between working a job to save money and taking extended backpacking trips to Nicaragua and Peru, where he realized his childhood dream of seeing Machu Picchu and the Amazon Jungle. His travels only served to cement his addiction to exploring the outdoors; a passion he now gets to share with students on a daily basis. Zach is a lead instructor for Outward Bound’s Leadership Semester.

Instructors

Lucia Granados: Land

Time with OBCR: 5 years
Education/Certifications: Land Instructor Training
Hometown: Piedras Blancas, Costa Rica
Lucia Granados is a native tica, and the daughter of one of Outward Bound Costa Rica’s home stay families. Although she is an art student studying painting, she loves to share, learn, and teach about the Costa Rican culture. Lucia is a surfer, rafter and enthusiastic hiker. Lucia is a naturally energetic teacher, who is well loved by her girl scout course participants!

Ormidas Lopez: Land

Time with OBCR: 6 years
Hometown: Piedras Blancas, Costa Rica
Education/Certifications: Wilderness First Responder, First Aid, CPR, and AED for the Professional Rescuer, Whitewater Rescue Technician
Technical Rope Rescue: Operations, International Rafting Federation Guide Class I-IV, Instructor Judgment Training, Land Instructor Training
Ormidas is a well loved instructor as well as the son of the Lopez homestay family in Piedras Blancas. He knows the backcountry hiking trails like the back of his hand. On course, Ormidas enjoys sharing his culture and learning about other cultures, teaching about the forest and animals, rafting, backpacking in the mountains, spending time with his family, fishing and playing soccer.

Irene Corrales: Land

Time with OBCR: 1 year
Hometown: Heredia, Costa Rica
Education: Bachelors of Science in Forest Engineering and Tourism
Certifications: First Aid, CPR, and AED for the Professional Rescuer, Instructor Judgment Training, Land Instructor Training
Irene is one of our primary girl scout instructors, with a passion for sharing and teaching about Costa Rica, Tico Culture, and the Environment. After completing her degree in Forest Engineering, Irene decided to pursue a career in sustainable tourism. After completing many exams, Irene came to Outward Bound as an energetic and incredibly knowledgeable instructor. Irene enjoys surfing, backpacking and creating art. She often teaches students on course how to create intricate tico jewelry and is famous for her hair wraps.

Jesus Zamora: Land & River

Time with OBCR: 7 years
Piedras Blancas, Costa Rica
Education/Certifications: Wilderness First Responder, First Aid, CPR, and AED for the Professional Rescuer, Whitewater Rescue Technician, Technical Rope Rescue: Operations, International Rafting Federation Guide Class I-IV, Instructor Judgment Training, Land Instructor Training, Waterfront Lifeguard, Whitewater Kayak Training
Jesus enjoys the river above all adventure locations in Costa Rica. As he teaches students to navigate the rapids on their rafts, he feels at home. Originally from the Piedras Blancas countryside, Jesus grew up on the Outward Bound trails. While others may struggle to hike the Piedras Blancas mountain rainforest passageway over three days, Jesus can run the length of it in half a day. Jesus also loves playing soccer with the students and spending time with OBCR students in the Costa Rican countryside.

Carlos Zamora: Land & River

Time with OBCR: 3.5 years
Hometown: Piedras Blancas, Costa Rica
Education/Certifications: Wilderness First Responder, First Aid, CPR, and AED for the Professional Rescuer, Whitewater Rescue Technician, Technical Rope Rescue: Operations, International Rafting Federation Guide Class I-IV, Instructor Judgment Training, Land Instructor Training, Waterfront Lifeguard
Carlos, affectionately known as “Carlitos”, is both long time instructor Orlando Zamora’s son and a Piedras Blancas native. Carlos’s technical skills partnered with his fun loving attitude makes him a favorite instructor at OBCR. He thrives on river rapids and enjoys being able to share his country with OBCR students from around the world.

Luis Lopez: Land

Time with OBCR: .5 years
Hometown: Piedras Blancas, Costa Rica
Education/Certifications: Technical Rope Rescue: Operations
En the mountains
Backpacking and rafting
Being with my family

Emma Zamora: Land

Time with OBCR: 4.5 years
Hometown: Piedras Blancas, Costa Rica
Education/Certifications: Wilderness First Responder, First Aid, CPR, and AED for the Professional Rescuer, Whitewater Rescue Technician, Technical Rope Rescue: Operations, Land Instructor Training
As one of our girl scout instructors, Emma is known for her high energy and excitement for sharing tico culture with OBCR students. She is an excellent Spanish teacher and enjoys being with her family, swimming, fishing and observing wildlife.

Angerline Alfaro: Land

Time with OBCR: 7 years
Hometown: Montecillos, Alajuela, Costa Rica
Education/Certifications: Tourism Management, Natural Forest Management, Marine Biology, Technical Rope Rescue: Operations, Land Instructor Training, NAUI Scuba Diver
Angie shares her passion for the environment with all of her students. Graduating from the University of Costa Rica with a degree in ecotourism, Angie applies her degree working as a project director for the environmental nonprofit Asociación Preservacionista de Flora y Fauna Silvestre (APREFLOFAS). She also teaches an Ecotourism class at the University of Costa Rica. When Angie needs a break from the office and wants to get back in touch with nature, she spends her time leading Outward Bound Costa Rica students and teaching them about conservation. Angie loves to find and break her own limits, backpack, raft and dive. She is also an avid mountain biker and world traveler.

Michael Cordero: River

Time with OBCR: 2 years
Hometown: Brujo, Costa Rica
Education/Certifications: Wilderness First Responder, First Aid, CPR, and AED for the Professional Rescuer, Whitewater Rescue Technician, International Rafting Federation Guide Class I-IV, Land Instructor Training, Waterfront Lifeguard, Whitewater Kayak Training
Michael has been described by his students as one of the most caring people around. While his students appreciate his dedication to making the course fun and smooth, Michael enjoys most the river phase because he feels renewed and more knowledgeable every time he goes out on course. Michael loves hiking, fishing and spending time with his family when he is not on course.

Giselle Jiménez Lopez: Land

Time with OBCR: 6 years
Hometown: Piedras Blancas, Costa Rica
Education/Certifications: Wilderness First Responder, First Aid, CPR, and AED for the Professional Rescuer
Giselle loves every facet of the land and earth. Giselle is passionate about interacting with her students and showing them the beauty that her country has. Her favorite phase of course is the hike, but she enjoys surfing and spending time with her family as well. Wherever she is, Outward Bound Costa Rica and her students are always in her heart.

Amelia Garita: Land & Ocean

Time with OBCR: 1 year
Hometown: San Gerardo de Rivas, Costa Rica
Education: Business Management in Sustainable Tourism
Certifications: First Aid, CPR, and AED for the Professional Rescuer, Instructor Judgment Training, Land Instructor Training, Waterfront Lifeguard, Sea Kayak Training
Amelia grew up near the highest mountains of Costa Rica, near the Chirripó National Park. Her passion for the mountains started when she was 11 years old and has since escalated thanks to her proximity to this national park. The magic, peace and tranquility that Amelia received while in the mountains was what led her to become a tour guide- she has been working as a mountain guide for 5 years now. Amelia is a lover of diving, rafting and hiking. She is also a professional dancer to Costa Rican typical tropical music. Her studies focused on sustainable tourism.

Carlos Castro: Surf

Hometown: San Jose, Costa Rica
Time with OBCR: 8 years
Education/Certifications: Wilderness First Responder, First Aid, CPR, and AED for the Professional Rescuer, Technical Rope Rescue: Operations, Instructor Judgment Training, NAUI Advanced Open Water Scuba Diver, Waterfront Lifeguard
Above all else, Carlos loves learning about his students – they make everyday of every course different. To Carlos, the diversity of his students’ backgrounds, interests and goals represent a metaphor for learning about life. Carlos is a lead surf instructor for Outward Bound Costa Rica.

Dunia Vargas: Surf

Time with OBCR: 3 years
Hometown: El Almendro, Nicaragua
Education/Certifications: Wilderness First Responder, First Aid and CPR for the Professional Rescuer, Open Water Lifeguard, Instructor Judgment Training, Land Instructor Training, Emergency Rescuer
Dunia has been motivating Costa Rica Outward Bound’s students to surf for more than three years. She is the epitome of the “chica surf” with her sun-streaked hair and buff body. Always full of energy and jokes, Dunia is not afraid to push students to accomplish what they never thought possible. She lives near San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua and when she’s away from the waves for too long she goes into withdrawal. Dunia is well known for her abilities to create masterpieces of jewelry.

Diego Lopez: Land, River, & Surf

Time with OBCR: 7 years
Hometown: Piedras Blancas, Costa Rica
Education/Certifications: Wilderness First Responder, First Aid and CPR for the Professional Rescuer, Whitewater Rescue Technician, International Rafting Federation Guide, Instructor Judgment Training, NAUI Scuba Diver, Land Instructor Training, Technical Ropes Rescue, Open Water Lifeguard, Emergency Responder
Diego has grown up around the Costa Rica Outward Bound environment, and over the past seven years has become the quintessence of an Outward Bound instructor both in build and in stamina. Known simply as Señor Musculoso, Diego has developed a new way of learning English, by repeatedly saying the same slang terms over and over. He enjoys learning about new cultures and languages from his students, and sharing the Spanish language with others. Never too far away from his machete or his mom, and like many other Ticos, his true passions are soccer, reggaeton and karaoke, which he enjoys in those precious few moments when he is not working.

Mauren Granados: Land

Time with OBCR: 4 years
Hometown: Piedras Blancas, Costa Rica
Education/Certifications: Wilderness First Responder, First Aid and CPR for the Professional Rescuer, Instructor Judgment Training, Land Instructor Training, Technical Ropes Rescue, Open Water Lifeguard
Mauren has been leading students through her backyard, the Costa Rican countryside, for twelve years. Through her no-nonsense approach to instructing, she pushes students physically and mentally beyond what they ever thought possible – and they love her for it. With an abundance of rainforest knowledge, Mauren specializes in backpacking and hiking. She happily opens up her home and her family to students at her homestay while hiking through Piedras Blancas. Her favorite thing about being a Costa Rica Outward Bound instructor is meeting and sharing her knowledge with an abundance of interesting students.

Kai Lorusso: Surf

Time with OBCR: 1 year
Hometown: Charleston, SC
Education/Certifications: B.S. in Spanish from the College of Charleston, Open Water Lifeguard, First Aid and CPR, Certified by PASA as a Kiteboarding Instructor
With a passion for surfing since a young age, Kai is eager to share his experience and love for the sport with Outward Bound students while improving his Spanish Language skills in the beautiful country of Costa Rica. Before joining the Outward Bound team Kai was pedaling a rickshaw in downtown Charleston while traveling through Latin America every chance that he had in order to surf and kiteboard. Kai spent his first two years out of high school traveling and competing in various kiteboarding competitions before deciding to go back to school and get a B.S. in Spanish from the College of Charleston. In addition to being a surfing and kiteboarding instructor, Kai enjoys sailing, fishing, camping, playing music with friends and being in the outdoors. Kai is very excited to be able to spend time in Costa Rica and share life changing experiences with the students and staff of Outward Bound.

Office Staff

Daniel Jiménez: Programming Director

Time with OBCR: 14 years
Hometown: San Isidro del General, Costa Rica
Education/Certifications: Wilderness First Responder, First Aid, CPR, and AED for the Professional Rescuer, Whitewater Rescue Technician, Technical Rope Rescue: Operations, International Rafting Federation Guide Class I-IV, International Rafting Federation Instructor, Instructor Judgment Training, Land Instructor Training, Waterfront Lifeguard, Sea Kayaking Training, Whitewater Kayak Training, Lay Responder First Aid and CPR/AED Instructor
Danny was born in San José, but grew up in the city of San Isidro, three hours south of the capital. During his years at Outward Bound Costa Rica, Danny has avidly pursued rafting, kayaking, climbing, surfing, and scuba diving, of which rafting and scuba are his deepest passions. After over 14 years of unwavering commitment and dedication to the Outward Bound Costa Rica mission, Danny moved into the Director of Programming position. He currently manages our many course options with the help of the Communications office and programming assistants.

Esther Garcia: Accountant & Human Resources

Time with OBCR: 5 years
Hometown: Tres Ríos, Costa Rica
Education: Universidad San Marcos
Esther, our fashionable accountant loves nature and animals. When not working, she is volunteering with different social groups. She has traveled throughout Europe and speaks Portuguese thanks to a long stint working in Brazil with a rural community. Esther has a big job taking care of all the finances of the organization, so you´ll often see her taking inventory and tracking down staff for their receipts! The Outward Bound Costa Rica staff is lucky to have her.

Jeff Friend: Communications Director

Time with OBCR: 1.5 years
Hometowns: Eugene, OR
Education: MBA & BA in Business Management from University of Phoenix
Before joining Outward Bound in Costa Rica, Jeff oversaw all communications and marketing efforts (Social Media, PR, Advertising, etc.) for a Staffing & Recruiting firm in the U.S. He is thrilled to be able to continue those efforts for Costa Rica Outward Bound, a company that truly cares about improving the lives of its students.
From the rich green forests of Oregon to the massive Redwoods in Northern California, Jeff was introduced to a wide variety of eco systems along the West Coast. After having the opportunity to live in Fiji in 2003, Jeff discovered a true passion for adventure and culture. He has since traveled throughout the U.S. and Europe, and has spent his time so far in Central America discovering various spots off the beaten path.

Doña Carmen: Grounds & Cook

Time with OBCR: 5.5 years
Hometown: San Jose, Costa Rica
Doña Carmen has been working with Outward Bound Costa Rica for over five years. You know she is around when you hear romantic music whimsically permeating the rainforest base. As head chef, she considers these typical Costa Rican tunes essential to her work productivity! Carmen makes a delicious gallo pinto con juevos for breakfast, and kindly surprises the communications and programming offices with other typical Costa Rican treats. She always has a friendly smile, and is integral to keeping things running smoothly here at base.

Meag Tessmann: Brand & Web Manager

Time with OBCR: 1 year
Hometown: Racine, WI
Education: B.S. in Graphic Design, Information Technology, and Art from University of Minnesota – Twin Cities.
Meag fostered a love for the outdoors early on and has enjoyed backpacking trips around the US, Europe, South America, the Caucasus, and now Central America. While living in the US, she was constantly on her bike going between rock climbing and coding. Before coming to Costa Rica, she lived in Armenia for two years as a US Peace Corps Volunteer, where she helped form her region’s first online newspaper and increased computer literacy. At Outward Bound, she works her magic as web & brand manager. She always has something cooking in the kitchen at night and is always up for yoga or latin dancing anytime of day.

Allison Hodsdon: Marketing Manager

Time with OBCR: 1.5 year
Hometown: Kennebunk, ME
Education: B.S. in International Business/Spanish, Concentrations in Marketing and Accounting from Northeastern University & ICADE Business School
Allison grew up in a small coastal town in Maine but has spent her recent years living and working in major cities. This experience to work in a small community in the rainforest with Costa Rica Outward Bound is a chance to get back to her small town roots! She spends her free time hiking in the rainforest and improving her surfing skills.
Allison’s passion for the Spanish language and traveling led her to a dual-degree program in International Business, which included two years studying and working in Madrid, Spain. Her previous work experience at a start-up company in New York has given her a strong foundation in social media, which she has avidly applied in her position as Marketing Manager at Outward Bound Costa Rica.

Kirbi Rogers: Enrollment Manager

Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Education: B.A. Environmental Studies and Planning (ENSP) with a Concentration in Outdoor Leadership, Sonoma State University
Kirbi grew up just north of Los Angeles car camping and hiking with her family. After moving to Northern California for school, she participated in many outdoor adventure opportunities including backpacking, rock climbing, and kayaking. This led her to pursue a degree in Environmental Studies and Planning and focus on Outdoor Leadership. In college, her passion for horses lead her to found the first Equestrian Team at her university, and a class in school helped her to find her newer love for scuba diving.
Kirbi is thrilled to be working for Outward Bound Costa Rica and is very excited to introduce new students to the excitement and growth of adventure education. She is looking forward to learning Spanish, traveling, exploring the Costa Rican horse community, and scuba diving in warm water!

Michelle Luise Mazzeo: Custom Course and Partnerships Manager

Hometown: Milwaukee, WI
Education: B.A. International Studies and Latin American Studies, University of Wisconsin- Madison
Michelle grew up in the great state of Wisconsin and was one of eleven high school students selected nationally to travel to Costa Rica through the Spanish Honors Society. Thus began her love for the beautiful country of Costa Rica and all that it has to offer. Michelle studied at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she founded an alternative study abroad program known as EDGE Project (now called Tawi). After working with EDGE Project in Uganda in 2009, she moved to Washington D.C. where she transitioned from the field of international development into teaching and coaching high school soccer. Michelle loves working with people, facilitating the learning process, and creating experiential learning opportunities outside of the classroom. Through her accumulated experiences, Michelle has developed a deep passion for international education and travel, recognizing that people stand to gain immeasurable wisdom by pushing their personal comfort levels and learning about our world.