Hello, I’m Ryan Smith.  I grew up in Atlanta, Georgia and I studied Outdoor Education and Leadership at Toccoa Falls College.  I am a second-year Naturalist at Mission Springs Outdoor Ed. and I am so excited to share in discovering nature and the outdoors through science and hands-on learning.   When I’m not naturalizing in my spare time l love surfing, hiking, and taking naps.

Born and raised in Eastern Iowa, Adam spent much of his time outdoors exploring the woodlands and prairies of the Midwest. He grew up heavily involved in the local Covenant church. After working at summer camps in the northeast Iowa for 3 consecutive years Adam decided to go into camp ministry full-time with a growing passion of providing safe spaces for youth, adults, and families to step out of their routines & reset spiritually, physically, emotionally, and relationally with others. After graduating from Iowa State University with a Communication Studies B.A., Adam came to California excited to join the Mission Springs team.

I grew up in Illinois and attended North Park University, which introduced me to Mission Springs. I came to work on summer staff after graduating, and fell in love with the Santa Cruz area. Since that time, I have lived in Michigan and Arizona, but returned to Mission Springs because of the redwoods, ocean, and community. I have worked in the kitchen, adventure department, maintenance, and now Outdoor Education. I love the outdoors and have a passion for teaching others about the environment. I enjoy rock climbing, hiking, gardening, listening to podcasts, and identifying plants on our trails. I love being near the ocean, exploring tide pools, and SCUBA diving. I am constantly in awe of the underwater world that is so close to us. I am grateful to work with a great Outdoor Education team, and to promote stewardship of our environment to students, teachers, chaperones, and fellow staff!