About JHOLI

As an undergraduate professor, mountain guide, program director, television personality & host, corporate, instructor & SAR trainer, I have been teaching, training and leading people in the outdoors for the past 23 years. I founded, own and operate the Jackson Hole Outdoor Leadership Institute, Inc. An educational think tank devoted to developing and delivering curriculum in the areas of avalanche education and prehospital emergency medical training in the urban and wilderness environment. 

I was born and raised in the great state of Wyoming and am a life-long resident of Jackson Hole. Growing up having the Tetons and the Absaroka’s as a playground gave me a huge passion for remote wilderness locations. At a young age I knew that whatever I decided to do in life it had be based in the wilderness.

I was born in Japan to a military family, and by the time I entered school I was already living in my third country. This may have planted the seed for my love of travel.

I initially moved to Jackson the day after graduating high school to work in Grand Teton National Park. I then began splitting my time between Alaska and Jackson for the summers and winter, while going to university during the spring and fall seasons.  My friends finally convinced me to try Jackson year round. Other than the temporary relocating to the French Alps twice and Canada once (remember that travel bug?) Jackson has truly been my home for my adult life.

I have worked as a commercial fisherman in Alaska, a volunteer climbing ranger on Denali, as an Urban and Wilderness EMT, a ski patroller, ski instructor, and as a ski, backpacking and wildlife tour guide. I am also a 20 year volunteer on Teton County Search and Rescue. In the summer you can find me climbing, hiking, biking, and the occasionally backpack trip.

I was born and raised in Dirty Durham, North Carolina.  I moved to Jackson for the winter of 2005-06 and decided this was home.  I’ve been a guide at Mad River Boat Trips since 2007 and working full-time for Jackson Hole Fire/EMS as a Firefighter/Paramedic. I am also a volunteer for Teton County Search and Rescue since 2015. My most recent adventure had been starting my own company Page and Company Collection based here in Jackson.

I enjoys skiing, snowboarding, biking, fly fishing, river sports, and just about anything outside with friends!

Dr. Smith practices Emergency Medicine in Jackson Hole, Wyoming and is Clinical Assistant Professor for the University of Washington School of Medicine, as well as the Medical Director for the US National Park Service.  Locally, he serves as the Co-Medical Director for Grand Teton National Park, Teton County Search & Rescue, Bridger Teton National Forest, and Jackson Hole Fire/EMS.

Dr. Smith also serves as a Lt. Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve Medical Corps.  LTC Smith has practiced medicine around the world on 6 continents, from the ‘Baghdad ER’ to Easter Island.  His combat experience combined with his pre-hospital EMS experience as a Paramedic, and his technical Search and Rescue skills have lead to numerous speaking engagements at Wilderness and EMS conferences/seminars around the world.

Dr. Smith has also been appointed to several national committees (American Heart Association), authored numerous book chapters and consensus guidelines on Wilderness and Rescue Medicine, and serves as a Subject Matter Expert for DARPA. He has founded and runs Wilderness and Emergency Medicine Consulting (WEMC), LLC. More information can be found at www.wildernessdoc.com

AJ Wheeler, MD, FAWM, DiMM  is an Emergency Physician in Jackson Hole Wyoming and trail runner who enjoys all types of outdoor pursuits.  

Nancy Bockino grew up in the mountains of Idaho, Montana and Washington.  She began climbing, backcountry skiing and working as a field ecologist in the early 1990’s.  Nancy moved from the Cascades to Jackson Hole Wyoming in 2000 and fell in love with the mountains, whitebark pine trees and the local community.  

Ben got his start in the hills of the Midwest and became enthralled with the Tetons during his first visit in 2010. He visited regularly until planting roots in 2013. Since completing his undergraduate studies in Anthropology and Environmental Studies he has continued to further his education in pursuit of a career in the outdoors. He is a Wilderness First Responder, AIARE instructor and holds a Level 3 Avalanche Certification through AIARE. His exploration into snowboard-mountaineering has allowed for great introspection towards how he views the mountains. He strives to balance safety and ability to further his progress as a leader in the backcountry. 

I’d call myself a full-time part-timer. I work as a mountain guide for OutdoorGearLab.com and as an educator in various outdoor contexts. I grew up in the Northeast. Lived most of my adult life in the Eastern Sierra of California. I’ve most recently put down roots in “Wydaho’s” Tetons and try to get to Alaska or South America for big mountains and to the Northeast for family at least once a year.

Kailey Mckenna grew up in the mountains, rivers and lakes of Maine, where she cultivated a life long passion for skiing. After participating in the NOLS outdoor educator semester in the Rocky Mountains she relocated to Durango Colorado to complete a degree in Adventure Education from Fort Lewis College. During this time she grew a deep passion for mountain travel including backcountry skiing, mountaineering, rock climbing and kayaking.