Passionate & Dedicated
Meet Our Staff
Our staff members are well-educated, highly trained and share a passion for outdoor education. Pali instructors come from all over the United States and the world, year after year bringing their high energy and a strong commitment to making a difference in the lives of students.
Leadership Team
Director
Emily ‘Bauder’ Balcome
Director
Emily ‘Bauder’ Balcome
Hometown West Chester PA
Education Gordon College, B.S Recreation and Leisure; Concentration in Outdoor Education; Business Minor
Emily has over a decade of camp and outdoor education and camp experience. She is passionate and excited about supporting a team of amazing educators to facilitate a safe, fun and hands on experience for students of all ages. She has been with Pali since 2014.
Assistant Director
Kalee ‘Spinelli’ Chapman
Assistant Director
Kalee ‘Spinelli’ Chapman
Hometown Townsend, MA
Kalee has always been passionate about working with children their whole life, and combining that with the whimsy of outdoor education it is just a win all around. She is loving her time at Pali and hopes to be here for at least a little while. They started as an instructor in August 2019.
Assistant Director
Luis ‘Crush’ Bonilla
Assistant Director
Luis ‘Crush’ Bonilla
Hometown Aguada, PR
Education Eckerd College, B.S. Biology, minor in Environmental Studies
After graduating, Luis decided to pursue Outdoor education and joined our team in 2018. He has worked in the camping industry for many years and enjoys teaching while sharing his passion for the outdoors with the students. Luis is excited for this new season and cannot wait to welcome all the students who will be joining us.
Staff Supervisor
Natalie ‘Babushka’ Hart
Staff Supervisor
Natalie ‘Babushka’ Hart
Hometown Lowell, Ohio
Education Wingate University, B.S. Environmental Biology
Natalie found her passion for experiential learning and outdoor stewardship through camps she attended in her youth. Like the majority of Pali staff, she loves to travel and spend most of her time outside. Natalie started as an instructor in Spring 2020 and is excited to continue her time at Pali on the leadership team!
Relationship Director
Bridgette Janes
Relationship Director
Bridgette Janes
Billing Coordinator
Arlene Marquez
Billing Coordinator
Arlene Marquez
Sales Specialist
Anaih Rogers
Sales Specialist
Anaih Rogers
Sales Associate
Jamie Hoopes
Sales Associate
Jamie Hoopes
Nurse
Lindsay Stinner
Nurse
Lindsay Stinner
Challenge Course Director
Dan ‘TBD’ Harbuck
Challenge Course Director
Dan ‘TBD’ Harbuck
Hometown Lufkin, TX
Dan started in the outdoor adventure field in the early 2000’s. His 20+ year career in outdoor recreation has taken him to programs across the US, leading outdoor adventure trips as well as training, inspecting, and building ropes courses. Dan started at Pali in January 2023 as the Challenge Course Director.
Assistant Ropes Director
Taylor ‘Treelo’ Munson
Assistant Ropes Director
Taylor ‘Treelo’ Munson
Hometown Lindenhurst, IL
Education University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: B.S. Environmental Science
Taylor grew up camping and exploring with her Girl Scout troop and discovered Outdoor Education during her college years. She started working at Pali as an Instructor in the Fall of 2023 and has held the positions of both Visiting School Coordinator and Assistant Ropes Director. Taylor loves growing and learning with the rest of the team here and looks forward to each new season.
Assistant Ropes Director
Kyra ‘Kestrel’ Steenbock
Assistant Ropes Director
Kyra ‘Kestrel’ Steenbock
Hometown Appleton, WI
Education University of Wisconsin, Madison: B.S. Evolutionary Biology & Environmental Studies
Kyra came to work at Pali in Fall 2024 to combine her love of the outdoors and camp. She loves sharing her passion for nature and science with children. She has been working in ropes since 2019 because of the leadership and confidence that it can give people.
Education Coordinator
Brendon ‘Honcho’ Golin
Education Coordinator
Brendon ‘Honcho’ Golin
Hometown Thousand Oaks, CA
Education University of Oklahoma, BA and BS in History and Anthropology
Brendon used to be a 6th-grade Geography teacher, so he’s always loved helping students explore the world. He’s very passionate about nature and the outdoors and loves getting to share that excitement with all the students who visit us here at Pali.
Education Coordinator
Justin ‘Moose’ Rivers
Education Coordinator
Justin ‘Moose’ Rivers
Hometown Bronx, NY
Education SUNY Oswego: B.A Graphic Design, M.A Graphic Design
Justin is a wildlife enthusiast with a heart for reptiles and diving deep into outdoor education to inspire future generations. Moose graduated with a degree in graphic design but chose a different path: the natural environment around us. Justin joined the Pali team in 2023, with hopes of kickstarting his career as a wildlife/outdoor educator, hoping to foster a love of nature in our students.
Logistics Supervisor
Jon ‘Pepto’ Kane
Logistics Supervisor
Jon ‘Pepto’ Kane
Hometown Traverse City, MI
Education Northern Michigan University, B.S. Outdoor Recreation Leadership and Management
Jon has been involved with Boy Scout camps since his mid-teenage years. During college, he started getting involved in outdoor education and after graduating college, Jon journeyed out to Pali Institute. He has worked at Pali for a number of seasons now and is excited for yet another great season.
Program Coordinator
Amara ‘Cinnabun’ Johnson Hampton
Program Coordinator
Amara ‘Cinnabun’ Johnson Hampton
Program Coordinator
Anna ‘Bee’ Morrow
Program Coordinator
Anna ‘Bee’ Morrow
Hometown Farmington, MO
Education Saint Louis University, B.A. Communication
Anna’s love of the outdoors and desire to share that with others led her to pursue Outdoor Education, first working in a school garden in Portland, OR, and now here at Pali. She joined Pali in the fall of 2024 and is hoping to continue to grow here in her education career.
Program Coordinator
Daniel ‘BlueBird’ Stobbe
Program Coordinator
Daniel ‘BlueBird’ Stobbe
Hometown St. Louis, MO
Education Masters of Science in Software Engineering, DePaul University
After graduating in 2023, Daniel wanted to work outside for a while and ended up falling in love with outdoor education. He is looking forward to a future in the field and hopes to continue growing.
Staff and Student Coordinator
Britlyn ‘Woozy’ Greenlee
Staff and Student Coordinator
Britlyn ‘Woozy’ Greenlee
Staff and Student Coordinator
Klara ‘Sol” Krumrey
Staff and Student Coordinator
Klara ‘Sol” Krumrey
Staff and Student Coordinator
Matthew ‘WaterBear’ Puls
Staff and Student Coordinator
Matthew ‘WaterBear’ Puls
Hometown Altadena, CA
Education University of California, Los Angeles, B.S in Environmental Science
After finishing multiple ecological research projects in Costa Rica, Matthew wanted to share his love of nature and his educational/research expertise with students of all ages. He started working at Pali in Spring of 2024, and his passion for inspiring students’ love for the outdoors has continued to grow ever since.
Staff and Student Coordinator
Johnny ‘Luz’ Rome
Staff and Student Coordinator
Johnny ‘Luz’ Rome
Staff Development Coordinator
Joey ‘Steely Dan’ Schill
Staff Development Coordinator
Joey ‘Steely Dan’ Schill
Hometown Rochester, NY
Education New York State University in Oswego; B.S. in Zoology
After earning a degree in zoology, Joey started working at various environmental education organizations to provide resources for local schools and communities, igniting the desire to grow in the field of outdoor education. He started as an instructor in the Fall of 2023 and hopes to stay in the education industry for years to come.
Visiting Schools Supervisor
Hannah ‘Skoob’ White
Visiting Schools Supervisor
Hannah ‘Skoob’ White
Hometown Gaylord, MI
Education Michigan State University, B.S. Zoology/Marine Biology, Minor in Environmental Science
Hannah grew up with a passion for the outdoors and earth sciences. After graduating, she found Pali in Spring 2024. She quickly learned that introducing children to outdoor spaces and natural environments was one of the most fulfilling experiences she has had yet! Hannah is loving her time working at Pali and hopes to continue her career in Outdoor Education to help foster the new generation of environmental enthusiasts!
Visiting Schools Coordinator
Zoé ‘Mars’ Acosta
Visiting Schools Coordinator
Zoé ‘Mars’ Acosta
Hometown Monrovia, California
Education University of Hawai’i at Hilo: B.S. Marine Science
Zoé started working at summer camps after graduating college, which inspired her to combine her love for camp with a desire to teach in the outdoors. She started working at Pali as an instructor in Fall 2022 and hopes to build a long-lasting career in outdoor education.
Visiting Schools Coordinator
Carenna ‘Wren’ Cody
Visiting Schools Coordinator
Carenna ‘Wren’ Cody
Hometown Swarthmore, PA
Education Boston University: B.A. Sociology, minor in Theatre Arts
Carenna grew up attending summer camp and has worked at camps since she was 16. She started at Pali as an instructor in the fall of 2024 after graduating from BU, and is enjoying life on the west coast! Camp has been a huge part of her life, so she loves being able to help provide that same experience to students coming to Pali!
Visiting Schools Coordinator
Val ‘Shoresy’ Martinez
Visiting Schools Coordinator
Val ‘Shoresy’ Martinez
Hometown Azusa, CA
Education University of La Verne, B.A. Liberal Studies (Education)
Summer 2014, Val started her camp career with a scholarship program through her University and it ended up changing the trajectory of her whole life. 11 years & 7 wonderful camps across the U.S. later, she’s made camp her career! She’s always had a passion for teaching and the outdoors, so Outdoor Education was the perfect combination. Her first season at Pali was Spring 2025, and she’s stoked to be a part of our leadership team.
Visiting Schools Coordinator
Anna ‘Nanner’ Geismann
Visiting Schools Coordinator
Anna ‘Nanner’ Geismann
Hometown Geneva, IL
Education Iowa State, Bachelors of Elementary Education
With a deep passion for the outdoors and education, Anna found her perfect role at Pali after graduating. While she loved teaching, she wasn’t ready to step into a traditional classroom right away. She Started in Spring 2024 and has enjoyed every moment of it since! In her free time she enjoys being traveling or doing any activity that is outdoors.
100+ Team
Our Instructors
Pali Institute instructors come from all over the United States and the world, sharing a passion for education and the outdoors. Our outdoor instructors have the chance to grow and receive feedback while teaching small groups of students in our outdoor classroom. Located in the San Bernardino Mountains, Pali Institute offers a customizable outdoor education program for grades 4 – 12. Educators choose a three, four or five day program and select from over 30 class modules from three categories: Outdoor Education, Science and Leadership.
