All our staff and instructors are well qualified and experienced professionals that do their best to make sure course participants have the best possible experience. They also come packed with personality and energy; we think you will agree when you read some of these bios.
Directors
	Jim Rowe, Ph.D - Executive Director In 1992, after having traveled to over 25 countries searching for the ideal place to establish a nature-centered adventure program, Jim Rowe settled in Costa Rica. With one monolithic raft and some scuba diving equipment, Jim began what would become an International Adventure School employing over 30 staffers and delivering courses to over 400 students annually. He holds a BA in Business Management with Minor in Spanish from Brigham Young University in Hawaii, and a Ph.D. in Applied Eco-Psychology and Integrated Ecology. A leader in experiential cross-curricular learning, Jim has facilitated seminars and lectures in areas of sustainable development, ecotourism and adventure programming worldwide. He has guest lectured at the University of Utah, University of Calgary and University of Alberta, Edmonton, Calvin College and a plethora of High Schools and Jr. High Schools. In addition to lecturing Jim serves on the International Board of Advisors for Radio for Peace International and the Institute for Global Education. email: jimrowe@crrobs.org
	Kathleen Sullivan - Communications Director email: Kathleen@crrobs.org
	Cristian Lopez Miranda - Program Director An employee of CRROBS since 2002, Cristian reigns from the town of Ciudad Neilly in the south of Costa Rica. After receiving a degree in computer engineering, Cristian decided to pass up the concrete jungles of an office position and move into the outdoor field where his true passion lies. He has experience as an instructor and counselor in Youth challenge international and summer camps, he is the Ace of Base fan club president - Costa Rica chapter, and has been trained as a rafting guide and field instructor. Cristian has been extensively involved in operations and now enjoys a more intimate relationship with CRROBS by living on base with his family. email: cristian@crrobs.org
Program Coordinators
	Felipe López Salazar - Whitewater Coordinator Felipe is an energy-abundant instructor that has mastered the mountains and whitewater of Costa Rica through numerous multi-element and semester courses. This bilingual leader, affectionately known as Flippy, has a keen eye and a reputation for spotting wildlife. He leads students from coast to coast and ensures their learning of Spanish and rainforest wildlife. When he is not in the jungle he plays fútbol (soccer) with his many brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, cousins, neighbors, friends, pets, co-workers, sons, daughters, teachers, priests, and all of the other inhabitants of the Piedras Blancas area who Flippy is related to.
	Carlos Castro Montero - Surf Program Coordinator Twelve years ago, Carlos was a kid that pretty much had tried it all. Mountain biking, skateboarding, and a variety of other physically demanding sports. After several injuries and a big hernia, he ventured to the beach of Javilla and was introduced to the art of the boogie boarding. He practiced the sport for a couple of years and adopted the beach as his new playground. There was something missing though. He needed more speed, he needed to rip the waves with more power, he needed to go down the line like a raging bull. He knew the surfboard was calling his name. His first day on a surfboard was love at first ride. Carlos and his board have been inseperable ever since. They have traveled all around Costa Rica, and have had incredible experiences. They are ready to pass their energy to anyone who wants to give surfing a try and have a great time.
Instructors
Each course is accompanied by at least two instructors, a Lead and Assistant Instructor, equaling a minimum student to instructor ratio of 6 to 1. In most cases our Assistant Instructors are Costa Rican Nationals who bring a vital cultural and linguistic element to the overall experience. They are well versed in the identification of local flora and fauna, and in most cases literally grew up in the course area. The Assistant Instructors have CPR and Wilderness First Aid training. CRROBS Lead Instructors are a mix of highly qualified national and foreign national outdoor educators. All of our lead instructors have a minimum of CPR, First Aid and Wilderness First Responder training, extensive experience in leading expeditions and outdoor education, proficiency in the back-country, expert level technical skills in at least one of the areas incorporated into our course offerings i.e. climbing, kayaking, sailing, surfing, river raft captaining, etc., conversational Spanish, extensive experience with leading group meetings and debriefings, & exceptional character and communication skills. All CRROBS instructors must successfully complete a one month intensive field training which focuses on safety awareness particular to the activities of the courses, evacuation routes and procedures, local history and biology, meeting formats, student and instructor policies, activity briefings, logistics related to all course aspects, field communications, meal planning, and initiative activities. Furthermore, when participating in a certain technical activity such as rafting, kayaking, SCUBA or surfing, a CRROBS area specialist is present to insure the highest level of safety and expertise.  These people are considered local experts in their sport and CRROBS is grateful for their presence as they add immense insight for our students, who in turn, gain much more from these instructors than from any other Outward Bound program.
	Antonio López Salazar - Land and Whitewater Instructor Antonio began his work with CRROBS as an assistant land instructor but quickly developed a passion for the big whitewater. He began raft captaining in 2002 and then became certified as a kayak instructor shortly thereafter. Thanks to days and days of teaching kayak to students each course, Antonio is famous for his abs, which students whisper to their land instructors “will I look like that after our kayaking element?” We think Antonio moves fast both by land and sea ; as rumor has it he can complete the trek between Domer's Hill and Piedras Blancas (usually 2 course days) in 8 hours flat - carrying both of his kids and his kayak.
	Orlando Zamora Fallas - Land Instructor This grandpapi of CRROBS has been challenging students through the rugged outback of Costa Rica for over a decade. Orlando’s ability to stop every five feet in the rainforest to point out different plants used for medicine, food, or some other use around his farm is only outdone by the remarkable fact that he can do it without boring our students. He finds every course to be a cultural exchange - whether guiding in Ecuador, Peru, Panama, or through any part of Costa Rica, for Orlando, the learning never stops. More than just a few students have walked away from a conversation where Orlando spoke only in Spanish, - saying “I understood everything he just said! How’d he do that?”
	Ciara Legato – Surf and Whitewater Instructor Coming from the pristine beaches of Minnesota, Ciara was born to be out in the environment. Starting at an early age collecting lily pads and trying to sell them to her neighbors, she has always been in or around water. With intense devotion she follows the intellectual engagements of Professor Orlando, who knows exactly what it is that’s moving below or hanging above you while hiking through the dense rainforest in Costa Rica. Outside of watersports, her passions include pizza, snowboarding, pilates, twister, the 90’s pop sensation New Kids on the Block, and surfing. She’s got the right stuff!
	Mauren Granados Elizondo - Land Instructor Since 2000, Mauren has been leading students through her backyard - the rainforest of western Costa Rica. Her no-nonsense approach to instructing makes her push her students physically and mentally beyond what they ever thought possible – and they love her for it. She is has an abundance of knowledge of the flora and fauna and specializes in climbing and repelling. Her family lives in the mountains of Piedras Blancas and is a homestay for students on course. Her favorite part of instructing for CRROBS is meeting and sharing her knowledge with so many interesting students.
	Maria Fernada Lopez - (soon to be) Land Instructor Although the exact origins are still unknown and some speculation is toward the webmaster, Maria Fernada is then newest addition to the CRROBS team and is reponsible for keeping people in line with her sinister looks that only speak the truth.  She is not only the cutest baby in the world, but will grow up strong as much of her family.  She will no doubt understand computers and marketing when she grows up, just like her father.   Look forward to speaking to Maria as she now understands better than some of her big brothers the slang used around here on base.
	Abraham Lopez Salazar – Land Instructor Also known as “Dimples”, this Lopez brother is the newest addition to the CRROBS crew from the family of 18 siblings. Both skilled on land and in the water, it isn’t known just yet where his passion actually lies, possibly in teaching Spanish. Too timid to speak English, his smile is always a comforting sign when you are in the middle of the wet jungle. Abraham is definitely coming out of his shell and as he gains more experience with every group that he leads, he becomes more and more like his brothers before him. We are, of course, weary of this, as it is undecided if this is for the good or not.
	Carlos Granados Flores - Land Instructor Carlos lives the Outward Bound Adventure 365 days a year. Moving from the city of San Isidro to the backcountry with his family, he has completed and led numerous Outward Bound courses, kayaked and braved several rivers and beaches across the country, climbed volcanoes, rappelled down waterfalls, taught Spanish, Natural History and Rainforest Ecology, yet still asks his boss, "What else you got?" Carlos challenges all students to grab their gear and give it their all. When he is not on course, he is spending time with his wife and three children deep in the heart of the jungle.
	Santiago Lopez Salazar - Land Instructor After he was injured playing soccer for Saprissa, Santiago decided to join his brothers and work on the rivers and mountain passes that are at the heart of our courses. Although the countryside is his backyard, you wouldn’t think that this heartbreaker was a country boy - until you saw him using that machete, easily finding his way through the jungles. He spends most of his free time playing soccer, watching soccer, cheering for soccer, or simply just talking about soccer, and is a die hard La Liga fan. If you are lucky enough to have Santiago as one of your instructors you will definitely benefit both from his detailed knowledge of the back country and his fashion sense.
	Diego Lopez Salazar - Land Instructor “Check this!” Diego has developed a new way of learning English, by repeatedly saying the same incorrect slang terms over and over. Diego has grown up around the CRROBS environment, making him the epitome of an outward bound instructor both in build and in stamina. Moon-walking around base, Diego can be heard singing to Michael Jackson, and sometimes breaking windows with his high pitched “ee-heee”. Never too far away from his machete or his mom, Diego is always willing to work and play. Like all other Ticos his true passions are soccer, reggeton, and karaoke, which he enjoys in those precious few moments when he is not working.
Administrative
	Courtney "Birkenstock" Hazleton - Student Administrator Costa Rica is the eighth country this chica has called home. Originally from Ohio, she spent her youth exploring the cornfields for crop circles, which ignited her interest to step outside of the world she called the United States. Drawn to the excitement of circles as a child, Corny’s primary motivations to venture down to Costa Rica were to participate in drum circles from Senegal and to dance in circular patterns to Latin music. While speaking Flemish to the marketing staff and English to the Tico staff, this traveler will be found on the weekends trying to perfect the spherical surfboard and the round raft, which she is designing out of recycled paper, hemp, soy by-product, and used Birkenstocks.
	Jessica Falla - Custom Course Manager After graduating from The Evergreen State College in tree planting development and bark coloration patterns, Jessica spent a few months living in the San Juan Islands searching for the endangered Chaco Whale and digging holes to various depths testing her recently uncovered talents while in college. She moved to Colorado still looking for the Chaco Whale but gave up on that after a year abroad in Chile where the Latino way of life replaced her Cousteau-esque desires of specie discovery. Her love of Latinos still persists and the opportunity of living in Costa Rica was too promising to pass up, especially with the abundance of culture in San Jose including (limited to) literature (graffiti), music (reaggeton), and salsa dancing (reaggeton). She is now happy to be living at the CRROBS base where there have been no Chaco Whale sightings and you will find her taking advantage of everything this country has to offer, or at least an occasional outing with SWP.
Logistics
	Daniel Jiménez Fallas - Field Logistician Danny was born in San José but grew up in the city of San Isidro, 3 hours south of the capital. He has been working at CRROBS for two and a half years and during his time here he has been able to practice many types of sports such as rafting, kayaking, climbing, surfing, and scuba diving, of which he prefers and truly enjoys rafting and scuba. In CRROBS, this monkey has been able to every day encounter new challenges and learn to overcome them. In addition, one of the best things about Danny’s time at CRROBS is that he met, dated, and married his wife Laura, who works as a Land Instructor.
	Mauricio Strauss Lopez - Warehouse Coordinator Escaping the hectic life of working 3 days a week from noon to 4pm at Levi’s Clothing store in the mall, Mauricio decided to join our crew and work full time at our base. Diligent at work and at dressing in the latest fashions, this monkey is always up for the task. Living at base without his wife and son can some times be a downer, but you wouldn’t know it was a bother to him since there is always a smile on his face. Get in good with Mauricio and it will definitely make your experience at CRROBS that much better, as one of his duties is being in charge of the food. Trust us - his model-like figure has already increased two jeans sizes.