Lead Staff
Led by Nadia's infectious enthusiasm,
passion, and high standards, DMM staff are well trained, highly
qualified, charismatic, and committed to what they do. All
lead instructors have a minimum of Wilderness EMT training,
generous experience as an outdoor educator or guide, and clinical
medical experience. Most importantly, they all have a passion
for sharing that knowledge with others.
Nadia
Kimmel - Executive Director
WEMT-IV, B.S in Natural Recources Mgt., M.S. in
Recreation |
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Is
the driving force behind Desert Mountain Medicine.
Frustrated by her initial classroom bound "wilderness
medicine course", Nadia envisioned a more
experiential wilderness medicine curriculum based
in the field, drew up a business plan, and christened
it Desert Mountain Medicine. Outside Magazine voted
her one of "25 Goddesses Who Rule" in
2003 for her inspired vision in starting the business.
Nadia
has worked as an outdoor educator for numerous
organizations since 1991, spent many long nights
working in the ER in Summit County, Colorado, and
has inspired countless Wilderness First Responders
and Wilderness EMT's through her dynamic teaching
since 1996. She has a bachelor's degree in Natural
Resources Management, a Master's Degree in Recreation,
and is currently working towards her Ph.D. in Wilderness
Medicine. She is fluent in French, has borrowed
countless climbing racks to go to Indian Creek,
and has
left graceful telemark tracks all over the western United
States, Canada, and South America. |
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Eric
Riley - River Rescue Coordinator
WEMT, B.S. in Recreation and Outdoor Leadership |
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Or "Riley",
as he is known, is the River Rescue Coordinator for
DMM and an American Canoe Association (ACA) advanced
swiftwater instructor. He teaches swiftwater rescue
professional, open water rescue, and wilderness medicine
courses. He is the Outdoor Studies Coordinator at
Colorado Mountain College and has spent time as a
patroller for Copper Mountain Resort. He is also
a Fire Corp. member for the Leadville Fire Department
and technical rescue team in Lake County, Colorado.
When not traveling around the country in his vintage
VW bus 'Stevie', Eric can generally be found in the
rivers of the West, gainfully employing his former
professional throwing arm rowing dories for OARS
Idaho. He possesses a gift for jerry-rigging anything
mechanical and a wicked dry sense of humor. |
Johann
Aberger - Lead Instructor
WEMT, B.S. in Kinesiology, M.S. Social
Justice |
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Is a lead instructor for DMM's WFR courses. He is a professor of Outdoor Education at Colorado Mountain College. He received his Masters in Social Justice from Prescott College in his spare time. An accomplished mountaineer and rock climber, Johann has left chalk marks and first ascents all over the western United States. |
Sarah Kuhn - Assistant
Instructor
WEMT |
Mattie Paffenbarger
- Assistant Instructor
WEMT |
Lynne Allen - Assistant
Instructor
WEMT |
and finally, our
transport and mascot, stevie, during a little
R&R in Oregon...
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