Meet the Ambassadors
The Six-Pack of Peaks Challenge Ambassadors walk the talk.
They know the Six-Pack first-hand, and are inspiring others to take the challenge and put more adventure in their lives.
Arizona
To me, hiking is a way to see the country in ways many people don’t. Road trips and collecting high points are my main motive. I grew up in New Jersey, discovered hiking while living in North Carolina, and have been based in Southern California since 2012. I love everything from hiking well maintained, popular trails in the Southwest to mountaineering less accessible peaks.
My day job is teaching at a school where I’m lucky enough to have a small hiking club for students who I take on small excursions once a month.
Central Oregon
Hi! My name is Janaya and I live in Bend, Oregon. I love playing outside. Nature is the best medicine. And there is something special about trudging up a steep mountain, willing to suffer and work hard, to summit and gain new perspectives! I am strength trainer and often share with my clients that we train so we can play; we don’t cultivate fitness just for the sake of fitness, but for the strength in the body, mind, and sprit to persevere and gain new insights into our selves and life.
I am so stoked to be an ambassador for Central Oregon Six-Pack of Peaks Challenge! I’ve summited three on the list before— looking forward to journeying up all six this season. See you out there!
Julie started hiking four years ago, and in that time has left 240 excess pounds on the trail! With two adult children, two teens, and a grandchild, she likes nothing more than getting children enthused about nature and being outside. You might find Julie with a crew of kids and pups hiking up the summit along side you.
Julie completed the Central Oregon Six Pack of Peaks Challenge in 2018, and is looking forward to completing it again in 2019, adding in extra peaks in her free time. Julie recently took a volunteer administrative assistant position with the Pacific Crest Trail Association, and proudly picks up hiker trash on her travels over-the-pass-to-hike-more-trails! Julie says, "Be a groundskeeper and help keep our natural areas beautiful!"
Rebecca's favorite outdoor activity is peak bagging and she’ll go out of her way to stand on top of any named peak along any hike. She has been sharing her outdoor adventures on her blog, calipidder.com, since 2004 and is still shocked that anyone other than her mom reads it.
Software product manager by day, Rebecca appreciates working for a company with a strong work-life balance and generous vacation allowance. This gives her the ability to travel and explore, although since moving to Bend, Oregon in 2016 she hasn’t felt the need to stray too far from home for adventure.
Colorado
I love being outside whenever I can and I especially enjoy doing anything outdoors with my friends. You can usually find me climbing at my local crag or hiking around Colorado. I recently got into climbing 14ers and I make it a goal to climb a new one every year!
I am also an advocate for protecting our beautiful land that we play on and believe in leaving it better than we found it (pack it in, pack it out!). I enjoy meeting new people who share a similar love for the outdoors and am always happy to meet up and make a new hiking buddy!
Moved to Colorado Springs three years ago to be with my wife back in her hometown. I work up in Denver as a Highway Construction Project Manager and try to be somewhere out of the cities and into the mountains every weekend I can, hopefully summiting a 14er.
New England
While Kate Hamm has always been a city girl, she discovered a love for the outdoors while living in Hawaii that was cemented as a NOLS student in Chile. She spent several years working as a hiking guide in Southern California and is now enjoying the challenge of hiking around New England.
As the owner of AnamBliss, Kate combines her passion of self-discovery using movement, food, and adventure.
My name is Sasa (pronounced as Sasha). Hiking became my passion after I moved to New Hampshire from Europe. I enjoy being outdoors whenever possible and living in the heart of the beautiful White Mountains makes being outdoors really special.
I am currently a member of Appalachian Mountain Club. Besides participating in New England Six-Pack of Peaks Challenge my goal is to hike all New England 4000 footers (67 of them). As an ambassador, I will try to motivate as many people as possible to join this challenge and enjoy the great outdoors. Happy trails!
Craig is an avid hiker, endurance athlete and native New Englander. He has hiked all over the country and around the world and is certified in high altitude operations, cold weather survival, first aid, navigation, lead climbing, glacier travel and crevasse rescue.
Northern California
I remember my first hike with my dad at Alum Rock Park in East San Jose CA, when I was 6 years old. Fast forward 36 years later and now I'm obsessed with the outdoors. I started this journey at 268 pounds 10 years ago and now I'm 50 pounds lighter, thanks to the great outdoors.
I'm excited to be an ambassador for the Six-Pack of Peaks Challenge and I hope to meet all of on the trail or at an Oakland Raiders or Athletics game.
Karl has been hiking and backpacking since he was a wee little Boy Scout, many years ago in the Adirondack mountains. Today, he can be found all over the NorCal's Bay Area hills, hiking, cycling and backpacking.
He works at a big tech company in Silicon Valley, and has a wife and a college-age daughter. Karl's favorite local park is the immense Henry W. Coe State Park in the cooler seasons, and anywhere in redwoods of the Santa Cruz Mountains in the summer.
Tara loves the outdoors and lives for adventures. She love to try new things, meet new people and challenge herself on the trail. She found the Six-Pack of Peaks when she was looking to get ready for JMT Summer ’19.
Tara is involved with her local hiking community leading large group hikes all over the Santa Cruz Mountains and Bay Area with Brewtrails and she is a member of many hiking groups. Tara is a Certified Health Coach and Massage Therapist who hosts her own podcast called She Hikes Healthy where she discusses her adventures of bringing wellness into the Back Country (and Front Country) and hopes to inspire others to bring wellness into their outdoor adventures.
Hi! I'm Emma, known as Pepper on the trails! Ever since I was little, I've loved being outside! I discovered the six pack of peaks challenge in Southern California a few years ago, and am so excited to be joining the NorCal ambassador team! I love meeting other hikers, backpackers and climbers so feel free to reach out and say hi!
Southern California
I’ve always loved hiking and backpacking since I was a kid, but I’d only go on a few trips a year. Taking the Six-Pack of Peaks Challenge, my passion truly evolved. Now, when I’m not working as an Registered Nurse, I spend all of my time hiking, climbing, and inspiring others to do the same.
Founder and lead hiker for the Heritage Hiking Club. Red Cross Certified First Aid/CPR Instructor, NOLS Wilderness First Aid trained. Bill lives in Placentia with his wife and two children.
l started hiking five years ago to de-stress and find my inner strength. Founder of Trail Fanatix, a trail running club. When not hiking and exploring the outdoors, works as a Nurse Practitioner and is certified in ACLS and BLS. Lives in San Bernardino County.
CeCe is the founder and leader of Hike Beyond the Hills. Her mission as a hike leader strives to build and support a community of responsible hikers who prioritize safety. CeCe is a RN, certified in CPR, BCLS and Wilderness First Aid. She lives in Orange County with her husband and daughter.
I started hiking in 2008 and helped start up LA Trail Hikers. I joined the Six-Pack Of Peaks Challenge in 2016 and found that it was a great challenge for me and others. I continue to push my limits, including recently signing up for my first 50 mile race. I always look forward to meeting other hikers on the trails and sharing stories.
Kristin Seiler is an avid hiker and an organizer for Lazy Ass Hiking. She is the founder of Hike Inland Empire which features hikes in San Bernardino and Riverside counties. Her favorite peak is San Jacinto.
I started hiking local San Diego trails in the Spring of 2014. It wasn't until I found out about the Six-Pack of Peaks Challenge that I really start to push myself. I continue to try and challenge myself further, learn more, and explore more of what is out there.
Passionate about peaks?
We are actively looking for ambassadors in the Pacific Northwest, Utah, and Arizona. Learn more.