Ambassadors
Fresh voices, bold ideas, vibrant conversations
Our ambassadors are regular people who embody the Out There ethos: they ask big questions about themselves and the world around them; they find strength, inspiration and healing in nature; and they harness their experience of the world outside to tell stories that make us think.
Current Out There Ambassadors
Stacia Bennett
In 2015, Stacia decided to attempt a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail, having never been camping or backpacking before. Now, she can't get enough of America's long trails and has hiked sections of the Colorado Trail, Continental Divide Trail, Florida Trail, Mountains to Sea Trail, Benton McKaye Trail, Foothills Trail, and Bartram Trail.
Her favorite adventure buddy is her Standard Poodle, Shooter, and her favorite mountains are the southern Appalachians.
Tiffany Duong
Tiff is an adventurer at heart and a lover of all things wild. She endeavors to visit wild people and places to tell their stories, so that others can also experience their magic and take part in their preservation. She is constantly inspired by nature at her purest — in the depths of the jungle and at the bottom of the ocean -- and aims to not only preserve these pristine environments but to also heal degraded ones.
As an environmental activist, conservation journalist, and bold living advocate, she inspires others to live bigger, authentic, sustainable lives. Basically, she's trying to save the world and to have the time of her life doing it.
She loves all things cheesy (romantic and dairy), is constantly on the move, and credits her lack of needing sleep with why it seems like she's lived three lives in the span of her one. She truly believes its never too late to lean into what makes you happy and to find your legacy.
Ashley White
Ashley is a home-grown child of the Midwest. He always knew he wanted to explore remote places but didn’t have the resources to actually start until college. So he spent a ton of time in libraries and reading National Geographic magazines about the world beyond his neighborhood.
In college, when Ashley was introduced to kayaking and backpacking, he knew he’d found his community.
He’s now married with four kids (yes, four), so his outdoor experiences must often be family friendly. But he’s committed to inculcating a love of nature into his children. And he still manages to go on a few trips a year that take him off the grid.
Follow Ashley: Instagram
Former Ambassadors
Ali Shinn
Ali and her pack are currently grounded in Raleigh, North Carolina while they get their last few ducks in a row before they head out on an adventure of a life time. After a long struggle with self love and a feeling of not belonging anywhere, Ali realized the "picket-fence" life wasn't for her. She didn't want a career, a house, a 401k; she wanted less so she would have the freedom to explore. She was different and that was okay.
For now, you can find Ali and her dogs prepping for their big adventure with hikes and camping trips. But soon enough they will be living on the road with the whole world as their backyard.
Follow Ali: Instagram
Max Crooks and Jaye Groves
Max and Jaye live in Monterey, California with their dog and three cats. They have backpacked a lot, including trips through Zion, Yosemite, Bryce Canyon and the Skyline-to-Sea Trail (to name a few). Their future plans include hiking the John Muir Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, finishing the Tahoe Rim Trail and having their wedding in 2019. Their other interests include roller derby, Olympic lifting, Crossfit, reading, running and gardening.
Max has a degree in mass communication with a focus in public relations and a minor in leadership. Jaye is persuing a degree in psychology, has a background in marine biology, and has been a roller derby athlete for five years.
Tess Ley
We were devastated to learn that Tess Ley passed away on April 1, 2019, after a long battle with cancer.
Tess was an Australian adventurer and mother, and she spent the last years of her life working to balance her time in hospitals with her time in nature.
Tess was passionate about parenting children in the wild and helping others with chronic illness get into nature. She was also an ambassador for Born Wild Project and Adventure Mamas.
Follow Tess: Instagram
Alexandra Moritz-Hanson
Alexandra is a mama to three feral kiddos. She’s a lover of the outdoors, and can be found paddle boarding one of Wisconsin’s many lakes, romping around on the family farm or leading hikes with Women Who Explore. She is passionate about advocacy and will be co-leading a hike with Freedom Hikers in August through the Mountains of Utah (to free women and children from sex trafficking). She is happiest when hanging by a campfire with her family and a cup of coffee in hand.
