Staff 2012

Administrative Staff

Amanda has been around Journeys for 12 years, leading summer trips, serving on the board of trustees and generally volunteering. Through past jobs teaching at a Waldorf high school and directing youth programs at a Unitarian Universalist Church, she has taken many teenagers through rites of passage experiences and on wilderness and international trips. Amanda holds a Master of Science in Chemical Engineering, but realized through her involvement with Journeys that her true calling is to serve as a guardian of the soul space for youth.

Emily discovered Journeys in 2007 as she searched for the perfect Americorps placement. The position turned out to be SO perfect that she has remained an essential part of the office team ever since! Now stepping fully into a leadership role as a Co-Director, she is excited to help navigate Journeys into the future. She is especially interested in continuing to be the story-holder and –teller for Journeys; taking the heart of each of Journeys’ programs and communicating the stories through Marketing and Fundraising projects. Emily will also continue to offer extensive experience in youth mentorship during youth summer programs --- where else would she get all the great stories!? If she isn't hard at work, you can probably find her tending to one of her addictions: Herbalism, Travel and Photography (you may have seen a number of her photos on our website and in our Brochures).

Jackie’s introduction to Journeys began as a volunteer for a Solo Quest participant’s Eagle Scout project at Songaia.  A native of the Pacific Northwest, born & raised in Montana and former resident of Amherst, MA and Portland, OR, now in Seattle, Peterson has been active in the outdoors, camping, hiking, fly fishing and cycling since she was a child.  Professionally, she’s worked in the marketing & media industries, is also a freelance writer and event planner and has worked for Camp Fire USA.  She has held leadership, administrative or board positions for other 501 (c ) 3 and (c ) 6 non-profit organizations for many years as well as worked for adult personal development organizations as a sales rep, volunteer, team assistant, team captain and program training leader in the for-profit sector.  Enigmatic creativity is part of her core and she is intrinsically driven to bring people together in ways that illuminate, educate and soar.  On top of that…she can juggle many balls at once and play well with others.

Program Staff

Randy has been a faculty member in the Liberal Studies Program at Antioch University Seattle since 1987. Prior to that, he taught kids, K-12, in Atlanta and Hiroshima, Japan for ten years. Currently, he teaches adult classes in dreamwork, archetypal and spiritual psychology, history and philosophy of science, ritual process and ceremonial design. Randy has been doing vision quest work since 1990 and has successfully created and facilitated Journeys first Ritual Leadership program. 

Journeys has been part of every major transition in Darcy’s life, since her Coming of Age program when she was 13.  She was the Executive Director of Journeys from 2006 - 2011, after serving as a program manager at Outward Bound Wilderness and spending ten years as a guide and instructor for a variety of wilderness programs. She holds an MA in Environment & Community from Antioch University Seattle. Darcy recalls her early experiences with Journeys as the time when her passion for the natural world and community coalesced. Darcy brings to her job a strong belief that it is through the intersection of personal reflection, community, and the natural world that we can heal our psychological, social, and environmental problems. Darcy enjoys gardening and playing in the mountains with her husband, Dave.

As a former participant of Journeys programs, Tour de Cultures ‘94 and Wilderness Quest ‘07, Julie has returned to journeys for her second year in a leadership position. Committed to helping youth have profound life-altering experiences through these programs, just as she did as a youth, Julie loves to ask the deep questions and to really know people full-heartedly. Greeting everyone with a genuine smile, she likes to laugh at herself and life while maintaining authenticity in sharing the human experience. She is passionate about the power of reconnecting with nature and what it is that is sacred to an individual. Julie is a Ritual Leader and brings forth her gifts and talents as a Shamanic Practitioner in training. She holds a Wilderness First Responder certification and has extensive experience maintaining clarity and being grounded during emergency situations.

Edith has been working in alternative, adult and community education for over thirty years. She began her career as founder of an alternative community school in Tacoma. Edith then went on to spend a number of years at Antioch University where her work focused on helping returning adult students clarify their personal and professional goals. For the past ten years, she has been building her own business, LearningWorks, and works with individuals and organizations to enhance their ability to be effective in their chosen endeavors. Edith has an MA in Educational Philosophy and Design. She joined Rite of Passage Journeys in 1999 and has completed her own vision quest, served as an Adult Vision Quest Guide and helped guide and build Journeys.

In Spring 2009, Jason graduated from the LIOS, Leadership Institute of Seattle, Master’s program – after much dedication and many long hours of studying. He has over 20 years of experience in emergency response as an EMT, CPR/First Aid Instructor and ski patroller. Jason draws his inspiration from the wilderness and sees this as his vehicle for overcoming obstacles in the “steep chutes of life.” He shares his enthusiasm with the youth that he mentors. Jason is in his sixth year with Journeys and is the Program Coordinator for the Coming of Age for Boys.

 Michael is an Artist, Educator, Soul Worker and Certified Expressive Arts Therapist. He has been leading men's groups, youth work, wilderness rites of passage, ritual and ceremony in the Pacific Northwest for over thirteen years. He is the founder and director of Insight Art and the Seattle Men's Center.

"Artistic expression is the language of the human soul. It comes from within to inform the life of the individual and has the facility to deliver it's healing medicine directly to the source of any issue. As an alchemical force, art has the power to transmute poisons, turn curses into blessings and transform lead into gold."

Paul Abodeely
Program Mentor

Paul has been working with youth in schools, social service settings, and the outdoors for over 15 years. He has trained with Rites of Passage, Inc. and has guided youth and adult wilderness trips with ROP, Inc, Rite of Passage Journeys, the School of Lost Borders, the YMCA Boys Outdoor Leadership Development program and the Vashon Wilderness Program. He brings authenticity, joy and wholeness to his work. Paul thrives in compassionately supporting young folks as they find that place where revelatory self-awareness meets the world around them. To learn more about Paul, please visit his website.

Drew Middlebrooks first was introduced to Rite of Passage Journeys while he and his wife were living off foraged foods on the coast of Washington in the summer of 2006. Impressed by the nature of the Coming of Age for Boys trip, he decided he would like to spend some of his time in the wilderness doing work of this kind.  He has been leading trips ever since. His passions include honing his wilderness/survival skills, deepening his relationship with the natural world, immersion in Daoist studies and martial arts, and mentoring youth.  These passions continually inform his leadership style and the curriculum he develops for the trips. 

Julie is a therapist and an artist. She has worked with Journeys for over 10 years as a guide and mentor for both youth and adult programs. She designed the current format of the Coming of Age for Girls program. Julie has worked for a number of wilderness programs, including Catherine Freer Expeditions, and is a certified Wilderness First Responder.

Jeremy's experience with Journeys began in 2001 when he participated in the Adult Wilderness Quest (AWQ) as a participant. Since 2004 he has been a guide for the AWQ. Along with his work at Journeys, Jeremy also volunteers for the Mosaic Multicultural Foundation, and assists Michael Meade and the Mosaic team at local Puget Sound events; most notably the Voices of Youth Program. Jeremy has a keen interest in the spiritual and has been training with several native teachers, including completing a three year shamanic training with his mentor Char Sundust. He has also recently completed his training to pour sweat lodges for the Journeys community, and is presently working on his Masters degree in Mental Health Counseling at Antioch University Seattle. 

After completing her own Vision Quest, Cassandra led her first trip for Journeys in 2007 as a Mentor for the Coming of Age for Girls program. Since then, she has been a strong asset on the Adult Wilderness Quest team. Her training in shamanic practices, ritual leadership, herbalism, transpersonal psychology and alternative healing have gifted her with the insight and tools to create a safe and nurturing experience for participants. Her time outside of Journeys is spent gardening, being in nature, learning from her daughter and counseling youth, women and families. 

After being a part of a Wilderness Quest with Journeys, Helen discovered a way of combining her love of wilderness, people and the sacred. She then took Journeys' Art of Ritual Leadership course and served as a guide for adult quests. She has extensive experience in the backcountry and working with people in a variety of settings from Board meetings to hiking groups to intentional communities. She has written a wildflower guide, studied natural history and conflict resolution, worked with youth, been a family planning educator, conference organizer, community organizer and co-founder of the Port Townsend EcoVillage. Hiking in the wilderness, painting and being a grandmother are a few of her passions in life.