Heather West Email and Phone Number

I am a New Orleans native with a career in the experiential education industry. I have over 12 years experience working with children, teens, and adults to improve teamwork and communication skills. I have experience working with a diverse population to build community and partnerships toward a common purpose. I first stepped into experiential education during college. After Katrina, I headed to Appalachia for something new. As a youth ministry and psychology major, I learned a bit about youth development and working with people. The real kicker was getting to spend time in the outdoors. During a May-term Adventure Based Learning class, I got my first taste of outdoor education, and I was hooked. Camping, climbing, and paddling whitewater needed to be in my future. I always wanted to work with kids, but the typical urban indoor model of youth development didn't fit. There had to be something different. That pivotal May-term class opened the door. So I develed into outdoor experiential education head first. In 2009, I started an internship with Outward Bound. I spent 5 years leading and supervising 20-28 day canoeing and backpacking expeditions with teens and young adults. Along with the technical skills that come with that sort of job, I also learned a lot of "soft skills." • Group facilitation• Leadership• Risk management• Conflict resolution• Mission building• Goal setting• Child, adolescent, & adult teaching stylesIn 2014 though, it was time to move back home. New Orleans is not known for its outdoor education opportunities. It took some time, but the right job appeared. In 2016, I was lucky to find the perfect job: Program Director with LOOP NOLA. LOOP NOLA is a small nonprofit with a long history serving the children and youth of New Orleans with high quality outdoor experiences. I couldn't wait to get started. It's been over 6 years since beginning with LOOP NOLA, and I've since moved into the Executive Director role. Since 2016, we've grown exponentially in the number of children and youth we serve annually. We've expanded our corporate team-building programs. We've started an Outdoor Adventure Club that serves New Orleans area public school teens and brings them on their own life-changing trip to Appalachia. We've made countless partnerships and connections across the city, and we're continuing to grow as an organization. If you would like to learn more about LOOP NOLA or the benefits of outdoor experiential education, please reach out. Hwest@loopnola.orgwww.loopnola.org