The Alpine Tower Family

Fall 2002

Staff Profiles

	Aram Attarian, Ph.D. - Dr. Attarian is an Associate Professor in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management at North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina. His teaching focuses on adventure recreation, outdoor leadership, and park and recreation facility and site management. Dr. Attarian's research interests center on Leave No Trace behavior with a specialized interest on the impacts of rock climbing on the environment, outdoor leadership, and adventure programming. In addition, he has spent over 20 seasons as a Course Director and Instructor with the North Carolina Outward Bound School.
	Robert Barquist - Robert started his work with the California Conservation Corp., then moved to work for Hurricane Island Outward Bound school in Florida and in Maine. Robert now lives in the southeast where he enjoys fly-fishing, building, and outdoor adventure. Working for ATI has been a great way to work with both experiential education and building.
	Jeep Barrett - Jeep is serving as Chief Climbing Instructor for the North Carolina Outward Bound School. He is an avid mountain bike rider and finished first in the 2001 NORBA National Championship Mountain Biking Series in his age group.
	John Berkely - "the detail man", brings an extensive background of facilitating challenge courses, as well as building, inspecting and training to Alpine Towers. John builds, trains, helps with writing technical manuals, sells, and designs courses. Currently John is working with the new Odyssey designs and the auto-belay units to help ATI lead the way towards the next generation in the challenge course industry. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering and lives in a 115 year old house in Statesville, NC. In his free time, John leads adventure travel trips all over the world to places like Galapagos Islands, New Zealand, Tasmania, and Newfoundland.
	Lisa Carter - Lisa Carter has worked with ATI since 1995 as a builder, trainer and safety reviewer. Prior to working for ATI she was the Associate Director for Education and Youth Services, a member of the Quality & Safety Review Team, Program Management Team, and a Course Director and Lead Instructor for the North Carolina Outward Bound School. She brings a breadth of experience as a program manager, experiential educator, commercial guide and camp counselor. She recently moved to Moab, UT to be closer to family and friends and to experience living in the west again.
	Ty Chalmers - Ty is currently working as the Alpine Tower Coordinator for Brevard County School District in Cocoa Fl. He has twenty years experience in Adventure based learning. Ty has worked for both North Carolina and Hurricane Island Outward Bound schools and also as a consultant for other similar organizations. He and his wife completed a three and a half year world bicycle tour both visiting and working at 22 international Outward Bound Schools. Ty is a great adventure traveler and family man. He lives with his wife Marguerite and son and daughter in Mims Florida.
	Sal Clarizio - Sal has worked with ATI as a builder and trainer since 1999. He has been involved in adventure education and challenge courses for over ten years, working and climbing in the American Southwest, Mexico and Argentina. Sal lives with his wife Barbara in Asheville, NC.
	Jerry Clawges - Jerry has directed Camp Woodson Juvenile Offenders outdoor program. He has worked on and off since 1979 for the NC Outward bound School, and currently serves as an Installation foreman and trainer. In 1991, Jerry and his wife Kristi participated in the first complete descent of the Broken Skull River in Canada's Northwest Territories.
	Mike Fischesser - Founded ATI in 1989 and currently serves as Executive Director of Scouting Outward. His early years with Scouting paved the way for his vast skills knowledge and safety awareness. In 1976, Mike became Program Director for the NC Outward Bound School. During his tenure with OBUSA, he established the New York City Outward Bound School. His most recent achievement is the formation of Scouting Outward, Inc., a high-adventure nonprofit program for youth ages 8-18.
	Alan Frye - A builder with Alpine Towers, Alan makes his home at the edge of the woods near Boone, North Carolina in a house he built with the help of many friends. You can find the handprints of the other ATI staff on all our homes. When Alan isn't traveling the country building challenge courses, he enjoys a variety of woodworking projects, including staircases, furniture, timber frames, and cabinets. Alan would earn his living designing homes, if he could sit still that long!
	Janice Gravely - Janice has been drafted into the adventure education world several times. Her talents include communication, a gift for teaching, organization, and humor. She designs and edits the newsletters for Alpine Towers and for the Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT) and helps with various other writing and editing tasks at Alpine Towers. Janice is a talented actress in her spare time. She joins her husband Jim on "fun" wilderness expeditions and has an uncanny sense of which trips to avoid.
	Jim Gravely - Jim Gravely has been working and playing in trees since 1976. He has been working and playing with his ATI cronies since before there was ATI. In his spare time he builds tree houses, rain forest canopy walkways, and custom challenge courses internationally. Jim, with his talented and lovely wife, Janice, designed and built their home in western North Carolina. It will be finished someday.
	Bryan Haslam - Bryan began working with ATI in 1996. He is one of the first tow guides in the southeast to be certified by the American Mountain Guides Association. his many rock, ice and mountaineering ascents throughout the US, Africa and South America attest to his well rounded skills and experience.
	Larry Horrell - A hitchhiker talked Larry into driving to the NC Outward Bound School in 1972. Recognizing Larry's considerable talents, Outward Bound immediately offered him a job as site manager. In addition to being a member of the ATI building team, Larry is a pilot.
	Amp Kearns -
	Joe Lackey - Joe, President of ATI, joined the company full-time in 1995 after working as an instructor for the NC Outward Bound School and then as a professional mountain guide for six years, during which time climbing expeditions took him around the world. These days, he remains closer to the office and home, enjoying the Blue Ridge Mountains with family.
	Dee Martin - Dee has been a member of the ATI family for many years providing leadership to Telluride Teamworks in Colorado. She has a strong passion for Universal programming. She has worked for many years challenging our industry to constantly be creating new tools to help folks with disabilities gain access to adventure environments. She is a member of ATI's Universal Challenge Course Team.
	Matt McCoy - Matt McCoy has a potpourri of experiences in the outdoor adventure field. While majoring in Environmental Studies at the University of North Carolina in Asheville, he was a trips leader for the Outdoor Adventure Program. After that, Matt found himself directing the Explorers outpost, located in Virginia and West Virginia where he set up the climbing, caving, mountain biking, rafting, and canoeing trips. From there, he joined forces with YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly, where he coordinated programs for all 6 challenge courses. In 2001, he joined Alpine Towers as the customer service director helping program managers across the country run there courses smoothly. Today, Matt is the Director of Sales for Adventure Hardware, an adventure equipment provider. He resides in western NC and enjoys spending time exploring the outdoors.
	Frank McNutt - Frank and his wife live in Durham, NC, where he continues to develop McNutt Adventure Program Services. He began his outdoor education in the early 1970's, continued with the NC Outward Bound School, and today trains, review, and inspects for ATI. He is full of energy and fun to be around.
	Matt Moncrief - Matt first became associated with Alpine Towers in 1996 when, under the direction of Jim Gravely, he started making ATI's climbing nets. In the fall of 1998 Matt began his career in adventure construction. Matt's other interests include music, playing in a dart league, speaking French, and recreational outdoor adventures.
	Bill Murray - Bill comes to Alpine Towers with over 12 years experience at the North Carolina and Pacific Crest Outward Bound Schools, including the past 3 years as Director of NCOBS Professional Development Program. Currently, he works as a management training consultant and freelance facilitator when not busy with ATI. Bill has been on numerous whitewater and mountaineering expeditions in Alaska, Canada, Bolivia and Mexico.
	Robbie Oates - ROBBIE OATES: Robbie has been a builder with ATI since 1990. He brings a diverse set of skills whether as a foreman, trainer, or Director of International Operations. When not working with ATI his love of trees and ability to rig in high places finds Robbie working with Jim, Alan, Roger and Canopy Construction Associates building forest canopy access systems worldwide. He lives with his wife Laurie, they have raised two children, Jesse and Austin both of whom work for ATI.
	Jon Pertee - Jon began his woodworking career as a boatbuilder in Olympia, Washington. After settling in Celo, NC, he established Winter Star Woodworks, a construction company specializing in timberframe homes. Tired of the hassles of being a contractor, Jon joined the Alpine Tower family in July of 2000, combining his interests in rock climbing and experiential education with his woodworking skills. More than anything, Jon loves to go kayaking, rock climbing, and scuba diving with his two children.
	Carlton Pendley - After 5 years with Outdoor Therapeutic Programs in Georgia, Carlton went to work for the North Carolina Outward Bound School. For 11 years he served as the site director and physical plant manager for the school. Currently, he is a builder for ATI and runs his own renovation company.
	Cyndi Rapenske - Cyndi lives on her nine acres outside of Boone, NC. Her experiential education work includes six years at Appalachian State University's Camp Broadstone adventure program, and instruction of Earth Skills programs in various adult and child camp settings. Cyndi is a builder and trainer with ATI, working with us since 1996. In her spare time she gardens, attends martial arts classes, and continues her study of primitive peoples' skills.
	Don Rogers - Don is the Director of ATI's Universal Training Program. He is a world renown expert for his staff training workshops that focus on facilitation skills, program design, and including people with disabilities. Don has a Ph.D. in Therapeutic Recreation and is on faculty at Indiana State University. Don helped ATI develop the first accessible tower design.
	Chuck Pagano - Chuck is a retired faculty member from West Chester University with more than 25 years experience in developing curriculums and programs in experiential and adventure education. He, wife Linda, and sons Mathew and Michael reside in southeastern Penna. Chuck was recently appointed an ATI inspector for the northeastern region.
	Shannon Parker - Shannon has been a part of the ATI family since 1994 while leading the challenge course program at YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly. He continued with the YMCA Camp Thunderbird for 2 years as the Adventure Director. Currently, he is the Marketing Director for The Adventure Group focusing his energy into creating marketing and customer service tools that service challenge course programs. He lives in the Boone area with wife Chandra, and children, Harrison, Brooks, and Christine.
	Skip Sickler - Once a National Park Ranger, Skip has spent 20 years creating experiential learning opportunities for groups of all types, including Outward Bound School. Skip, and wife Lisa, have shared numerous adventures - from wilderness travel to climbing and dog sledding. Currently, Skip is a project and equipment manager, builder, trainer, and regional reviewer.
	Roger Stephens - Roger was one of the early pioneers of rock climbing in North Carolina, beginning in the late 60's in the Linville Gorge area. His outdoor experiences include white-water paddling, vertical caving and mountaineering. Roger is a master craftsman of fine woodworking and home building. He a member of an ATI builder.
	Stephen Streufert - Working with small groups in the wilderness has been Stephen's interest for the last 15 years. He has done field work for both NC Outward Bound School and the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). From 1994-1998 he served as the NC Outward Bound School Director of Staffing and Staff Development. Currently Stephen trains, builds, and runs the West Coast ATI office, and is a regional reviewer. He and his wife, Lisa, live in Oregon with their two kids, Stella and Pete.
	Peter White - Peter has built everything from log cabins to geodesic domes. He spent four years working for Camp Woodson, and was an owner/guide for Black Dome Mountain Guides. He has over 12,000 miles sailing and currently builds for ATI.
	Tom Zartman - Tom spent 7 years of instructing and managing the Everglades Programs for the North Carolina Outward Bound School. As Operations Director of ATI, Tom is the heartbeat of the company. He coordinates and manages all installation projects including Alpine Towers, Climbing Walls, Team Development Courses, Ropes Courses, and Low Courses. He and his wife, Kathy, and sons Matthew and Daniel live in a home they built in Montezuma, NC.