Jeanne Boland

Growing up in the small river town of Washington, Missouri, instilled
my love of family and community along with a desire to see what lay
beyond my corner of the world. Long, lazy summers exploring the woods
surrounding my grandmother's home nurtured my love of nature, and my
parents' dedication to annual family vacations throughout the United
States with my siblings and me planted a travel seed within me.

I attended Stephens College and the University of Missouri-Columbia,
where I received a BA in psychology. Initially, I worked as a
counselor in a wilderness therapy program. Here I discovered the
power of experiential / adventure education, which has influenced my
path ever since: working with chronic runaways, leading road and
mountain bike trips throughout the U.S., teaching in outdoor education
centers in New Hampshire and Texas, and completing a five-month
internship at a Tuscan villa in Italy.

While longing for the academic rigor of a more typical classroom, I
wasn't willing to give up the outdoors and my commitment to
experiential education. Luckily, I discovered schools committed to
combining the two. I received a Masters in Education from Webster
University and taught for six years at The College School in St.
Louis. My professional development exposed me to Expeditionary
Learning and Odyssey. Marcia lured me away from the Midwest to settle
in Colorado in 2005. I live here with my dog Scout, and I don't think
we'll ever be able to move away from the mountains and the sunshine.