Our Team
Passionate volunteers and partners, from the local community and the greater Cascadia geographic scope (ranging from Southern Oregon - all the way to Southeast Alaska) bring Basecamp Cascadia to life.
KATIE STRAHL – EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Katie is the founder of Basecamp Cascadia. This organization was born in the wilds of southeast Alaska's Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, where she worked as an Environmental Protection Specialist. Her vision was to create an organization that could provide a space that offers tools and community to enable more folks to cultivate their own wilderness connection. Katie spent close to a decade working directly and indirectly for our public lands. She carries a MPA in Environmental Policy from the University of Washington Evans School of Public Policy, is a Wilderness Management Scholar through University of Montana, and is currently completing the Avalanche Educator Track through the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education. She has found that her true spark comes to life when she connects people to the backcountry through adventure and self-discovery. When she is not building (physically or figuratively) Basecamp Cascadia, you will likely find her exploring her own backyard in some human-powered way accompanied with her adventure crew - Jon + Pondo!
JON STRAHL – TREASURER & GROUNDSKEEPER
Jon is Katie’s partner in adventure and life. He is recovering from a career as a financial analyst in the renewable energy industry. One of his creative outlets is fantasizing about novel packrafting, climbing, and skiing lines on Google Earth. At Basecamp, you will often find him happily choring-around, and perhaps cooking a pizza behind the scenes to bring out to guests on a tray—accompanied by bubbly water. He is 2007 class valedictorian from Claremont McKenna College, a Fulbright Scholar, and holds a Masters Degree in Environmental Policy from Stanford University. He is Wilderness First Responder, ACA Whitewater Level 4 Instructor, AIARE Pro 1, and swiftwater rescue certified.
ELLA NUTTLEMAN - BOARD PRESIDENT; OUTDOOR EDUCATOR & PROGRAM COORDINATOR
Ella joined Katie to host the 2019 Women in the Wild Retreat at Basecamp Cascadia where Run into the Wild was born. She helped establish key partners for Run into the Wild and supported the organization in program development. Her background is in therapeutic and outdoor recreation. She has a degree from Western Washington University in Recreation and Leisure Studies, and over 10 years of experience working for various outdoor education programs. She seeks to inspire curiosity and passion, strives to empower individuals to develop the necessary skills to feel competent in an outdoor setting, and aims to transfer the lessons and experiences they have outside to their everyday lives. Currently residing in Boulder, CO, she dedicates most of her time towards building a cabin in the woods with her husband Charlie, that brings her closer to the mountains and her natural habitat!
CHELSEA BEHYMER - BOARD SECRETARY; OUTDOOR EDUCATOR & PROGRAM COORDINATOR
A former marine biologist with a background in environmental education, Chelsea is a Naturalist and informal science education researcher. After experiencing the leadership and resilience that is at the heart of Basecamp Cascadia while co-leading its first-ever program, Run Into the Wild, Chelsea knew she wanted to be a part of their mission for the long-haul and is very excited to be jumping on board to help develop and coordinate future programs, as well as continue to lead program activities when she can. Chelsea is passionate about science communication and fostering understanding of our connections to natural systems, from a vast mountain wilderness to a microscopic ocean world of wonder. She is pursing her PhD in Environmental Sciences with a focus on Free-Choice Learning. When she's not exploring or playing in the salty sea, she's be-bopping around the Pacific Northwest in a camper with her favorite white-water kayaker, pit-stopping along the way to survey the landscape by mountain bike.
Our Commitment.
Our backgrounds and social identities affect how we serve this mission. We believe it is our responsibility as an outdoor organization that serves people to recognize the impact our positionalities have on both our environment and our community.
NAOMI LIEBHOLD - BOARD VICE PRESIDENT; PARTNERSHIPS & COMMUNITY CHAIR
Since 2015, Naomi has been teaching environmental education to children, youth, and adults throughout the West. She has a master's degree in environmental education from Western Washington University, where her research informed efforts toward ensuring all children and families have opportunities to gain the benefits nature immersion offers. Naomi is most passionate about increasing access to the outdoors through inclusive outdoor learning environments. A former resident of the Wenatchee River Valley, Naomi now resides in Boulder, CO where she continues to teach and learn outdoors in forests, fields, and urban spaces.
To expand who we serve and overcome our limitations we seek to do the following:
ESTABLISH PARTNERSHIPS WITH ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT ARE LED AND SERVE HISTORICALLY underrepresented COMMUNITIES
CREATE AN INCLUSIVE AND WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS, PARTNERS AND VOLUNTEERS
RECOGNIZE OUR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AND COMMIT TO ENGAGE IN OPERATIONS AND SOLUTIONS TO COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE
CONTINUE TO FURTHER OUR OWN KNOWLEDGE ON HOW WE CAN PROMOTE SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IN THE OUTDOORs