Journey to Becoming an Outdoor Educator

Join Narinda Heng to explore the experience of being an outdoor educator. Narinda will use storytelling to debunk myths about who goes outdoors and explore potential career trajectories to becoming an outdoor educator.

Participants will understand the training, certifications, and joys of being an outdoor instructor as well as the potential career trajectories including apprentice/intern, assistant instructor, instructor, lead instructor, course director, program manager, program director, and beyond. Participants will also learn how skills developed as an outdoor educator (such as effective communication, risk assessment, conflict management) bolster future work in any field.

Narinda Heng has worked in experiential education since 2014, starting with GirlVentures as a volunteer climbing mentor and then as a backpacking and rock instructor. She’s also worked with National Outdoor Leadership School, Dunn School, and Eagle Rock School. She is an instructor at the Stanford Adventure Program, where she also works on community engagement.

Prior to 2014, Narinda worked in the nonprofit sector and Asian American arts community in Los Angeles. She joined the Public Allies Los Angeles Class of 2012 and was an S. Mark Taper Fellow, serving low-income and homeless seniors in Downtown Los Angeles. In 2010, she co-created and co-produced a queer Asian American web series called That’s What She Said.

From rock climbing trips to extended wilderness expeditions, she values group outdoor experiences as opportunities to grow self-awareness, learn effective communication, and practice interdependence. As an instructor, she emphasizes reflection and curiosity around the complexities of history, place, and identity. In 2019, Narinda co-created Lonely Together, a zine exploring climbing through the lens of [qt]BIPOC.

This event has a limited capacity to allow for participation from attendees.

For questions about accessibility, please email training@communitynatureconnection.org.

*Must be 18 and over for this training