GUVNAH
I was born and raised in Hooksett, New Hampshire, and spent most of my childhood outdoors playing sports and hanging out with my H-Town friends. I always loved school, and after junior high I attended Governor Dummer Academy in Byfield, MA. It was during these four years as a boarding student that I learned a lot about community, different cultures, and humanitarianism. After graduating from GDA, I spent some time at the University of New Hampshire, living in Boston, and then made my way out to Western Mass where I earned a marketing degree from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst Isenberg School of Business.
After spending the first 27 years of my life in New England, I decided it was time for a change. I really wanted to get away from the cold! So I got in my car with no real plans, drove around the country, and ended up in San Diego, CA, which is where I’ve been since 2004. San Diego is the perfect spot for someone like me; someone who loves the outdoors and a mild climate. It’s also been great for my health. I broke my neck in a diving accident when I was 18, and I have titanium plates and screws in my neck. The cold winters and temperature fluctuations in New England really started taking a toll on me and my well-being. Since I’ve been in San Diego, I have had zero problems with my neck, which is such a blessing.
I have spent most of my time in SD in the hospitality industry working as a restaurant server. I love being around people, and being of service. Being a server also allows me to have an incredible work-life balance. It gives me plenty of time to do all of the things I want to do outside of work, with two of those things being of the utmost importance to me: volunteering and hiking.
In 2014, my life became so much better. I was invited to be a member of a 5k team that was raising money for pediatric cancer. After finishing the 5k I met a guy named Yoda, and after talking for about 5 minutes, he asked me if I wanted to be a volunteer camp counselor at Camp Reach for the Sky, which is a camping program for children and families whose lives have been affected by pediatric cancer. I said sure, and that summer I became a CR4TS family member known as Guvnah.
Being Guvnah is something that I relish. I am surrounded by superhero kids and families whose strength, courage, and zest for life know no bounds. After my first summer volunteering at CR4TS I quickly realized that I wanted to be a part of this family for the rest of my life. After my second summer returning as a veteran, I realized that I needed to make some changes in my life; changes that would eliminate drama and add more happiness. So in August of 2015, I chose to live a sober life, and I am still living a sober life to this day, and it is absolutely amazing!
As far as hiking goes, I am known as a speed hiker, or a peakbagger. I like to cover long distances while moving fast and light. I have had the pleasure of completing many challenging and epic hikes around the USA: Half Dome, Mount Whitney, Kalalau Trail, Mauna Kea, and Angel’s Landing to name a few. And back in 2020 when Covid shut everything down, I found myself in the Northeast US for 2 months. During that time I summited all 48 peaks that make up the NH 48, and I also completed 1-day traverses of the Devil’s Path in the Catskills, the Great Range Traverse in the Adirondacks, and the Presidential Traverse and Pemigewasset Loop in the White Mountains. So I’m hoping that this previous experience with long days of hiking will prepare me for everything that I hope to accomplish with the Mighty 10,000!
