Emily Katz

B.A. Geography, University of Colorado

M.A.Ed Urban Environmental Education, Antioch University

Emily, known as ‘Katz’ to her friends, wholeheartedly believes that each of us has the extraordinary within them. Her passion is human growth. Her mediums are education, community, and environment. She finds immense joy in cultivating vibrant and equitable communities – the kind where no one is expected to be anyone but themselves.

Although born and raised in a land of sunflowers and barbeque of Kansas City, Emily spent her formative years in the Rocky Mountains. She earned a degree in Geography, fascinated by human geography, ecology, and water rights. Since then, she has continued west, following the path of the Colorado River.

In 2018, Emily moved to the old growth forests of the PNW to complete her M.A.Ed of Urban Environmental Education at Antioch University in Seattle, ever in pursuit of her goal of becoming a more just and equity-driven educator. Here, she focused on the dynamic intersection of social justice and environmental education, actively engaging in community, advancing race and culture through equity and leadership. While in Seattle, Emily worked with City Fruit, where she helped the non-profit incorporate multicultural ways of knowing and promote community food security in educational and volunteer programming.

Her role as an educator has taken many shapes, each one found far outside the walls of a classroom. Most recently, Emily works as Course Director and Lead Instructor for Outward Bound’s Southwest and Northwest programs, leading multi-day whitewater rafting, backpacking, and canyoneering trips.

Whether it’s the mountains of Nepal, or the jungle rivers of Ecuador, Emily loves to explore new lands through movement, people and, of course, food. In her free time, she is probably on a river, making dad-jokes with friends, and eating mangos. Ideally, wearing a banana costume.