Peak 7 Alumni Staff

Matt Setliff

Matt is one of our junior guides going through our Leadership Training Program. He is a big ol' boy with a big ol' heart for the Lord. Matt grew up with a tough background, but one day God changed his life and he started living for Him. He was first introduced to Peak 7 on a backpacking trip to the Olympic coast with Youth For Christ (YFC). Matt instantly showed great leadership potential on the trip as well as a heart that was striving to please the Lord. In May of 08, Peak 7 offered him a position as a Junior Guide in the Leadership Training Program to train him to lead and guide raft and ascent trips. Matt quickly jumped on the opportunity and has been a terrific asset to the team at Peak 7.

Catalina Andaluz

Catalina hails from the sticks of Whatcom County Bellingham Washington. Currently studying Cross-Cultural Studies, Spanish, and Japanese at Whitworth University in Spokane, she also has an intense love of the outdoors and adventure. Catalina has worked on the Trail Crew for the Department of Forestry as a Forestry Technician and has been involved in a variety of youth programs both with churches and Whitworth University. When not working as a Peak 7 Ascent Guide reveling in God's Creation or traveling to distant countries, Catalina can be found baking, devouring food as well as God's word, biking, smiling at clouds, and waiting to see you on a trip!

Ryan Brown

Ryan is the oldest of four boys who grew up mostly in the Spokane, WA area. Ever since he was a little kid Ryan has been interested in the outdoors and spent time camping and fishing with his family. More recently Ryan has been pursuing a degree in outdoor recreation at Eastern Washington University. He is married to his beautiful and incredibly supporting wife Theresa, and was just recently blessed with the birth of his first daughter Ellie. When not at home with his family, working at Starbucks, or in class, Ryan loves spending time in God’s creation fly-fishing, bowhunting, backpacking, and snowboarding.

Melissa Nelson

Maybe Melissa baked too long in the desert sun...Or maybe it was the effect of the high altitude rockies...Maybe it was the brain-freeze on Alaskan glaciers... Or those renegade ice-climbing chunks... Or maybe it was too many 40-hour shifts during medical school at Wake Forest University .... BUT for some reason, Melissa likes unique outdoor epics. Her favorite involved a newly-discovered red sandstone slot-canyon, a green cess pool, a zip-line, a 600-foot rappel, the Colorado River, and headlamps. However, as an ACLS-certified M.D., an OEC-certified ski patroller, and a candidate for a wilderness medicine fellowship (WMS), Melissa understands serious consequences. She loves to help others and to encourage them to learn. Melissa has taught in Central Asia and led university students in the mountains. She has worked with at-risk youth and adults in Russia and Ukraine, and she been involved in remote medicine in Asia. Melissa appreciates rocks, rock-climbing, mountaineering, backcountry skiing and snowboarding, mountain biking, trekking, ethnobotany, acupuncture, rushing rivers, jumping, playing harp, photography/art, and eating sheep eyeballs.

Heather Nelson

Heather enjoys pretty much everything. Whether reading, playing an instrument, dancing, cooking, knitting, drawing, backpacking, rafting, climbing, canoeing, or any other random assortment of activities, she loves it. More than doing an activity herself, Heather enjoys introducing others, specifically youth, to those pastimes. After graduating high school, Heather spent some time in New Zealand as a missionary. While there, God called her to outdoor youth ministry. In pursuit of that goal, she is currently attending Columbia Bible College to achieve a BA in Outdoor Leadership.

Trey Nichols

Trey comes to us from the sticks of Chapin, SC. He graduated from Clemson University in 2004 with a Business Management degree. Since graduation, Trey worked as a youth pastor for a couple of years where he won cricket spitting contests and too many ping pong matches to count. He has been fortunate enough to raft through the Grand Canyon with some incredible friends. He has backpacked in some of the most beautiful mountains in Alaska, Montana, and up and down the east coast. He is also bilingual - speaking English and Southern. When not on the water or with a pack on his back, Trey loves mountain biking, eating good cookies, and talking about Jesus.

Katie Kimball

Katie is a native of good 'ol Spokane, Washington, and has a passion for the Northwest and all it's adventures. She’s a graduate from Eastern Washington University and has a BA in Outdoor Recreation with an emphasis on ‘having tons of fun in God’s incredible creation’. If you spend the afternoon with her prepare for anything from hiking, snowshoeing, rock climbing, trail running, mountain biking, wrestling with her little brothers, or just hanging out and baking cookies (the world's best ever!). Katie loves to travel and has backpacked in unbelievable places like Hawaii and New Zealand. She has a heart for ministry and has been blessed with opportunities to serve oversees in Venezuela and Indonesia. One of her passions is helping youth experience God by introducing them to His awesome creation. She is excited to continue to grow in the Lord and is looking forward to being used by God to help further the ministry of Peak 7.

Penjor Ngudup

Penjor is a passionate outdoor enthusiast, who enjoys introducing people to the great outdoors. He loves scrambling around the Cascade Mountains, and snowshoeing in the winter. His other passions include whitewater rafting and trekking the Himalayas in his native Nepal. Penjor also enjoys soccer and cooking for friends. He has an MBA from Gonzaga University and also is fluent in 3 languages.

Pat McLaughlin

Pat is a down home country boy, born and raised. He is currently living in the Spokane area and attending Washington State University, just south of Spokane. He is earning a degree in Construction Management. Pat is always looking toward adventure and adds young blood to Peak 7 Adventures. He has been kayaking for about two years, and has fallen in love with it. He recently became an ACA Certified Whitewater Raft Guide. Along with kayaking he loves skiing, camping, mountain biking, hunting, dirt biking, and wake boarding. Basically he is an adrenaline junky, but always keeps safety in mind. "God gave us this awesome place to have fun, get out there."

Bobby Rockefeller

I grew up in Santa Rosa, California. I moved up to Washington when I met my wife, Lindsay, while she was attending college at Whitworth University. We decided to make Spokane our new home because of our love for the outdoors and the opportunities that Washington had to offer. I am excited to spend time with the kids and help the youth see the beauty that God has provided us, and in the process improve my relationship with Him. I am currently a student, working towards a degree in Nursing and healthcare and a full-time dad. I have two daughters, 11 yr old and an 11 month old. My favorite outdoor hobbies include camping, fishing, hiking, boating, water skiing, snowboarding and am interested learning to kayak, mountain climb and hunt.
Can't wait to see you out there!

Russ Estes

Russ grew up in Ecuador (one of the most environmentally diverse countries in the world) and that is where his passion for being outside was born. He has worked as a whitewater rafting guide in NY thru college and since then has worked or volunteered at camps in NY and PA. He has climbed peaks up to 18,000 feet in Ecuador and a number of smaller peaks in Alaska, and on the west and east coasts. Russ has a BA in Biology. Russ spent time at the Galapagos Islands and up past the Arctic Circle in Alaska while working towards his degree. Having studied to be a biology teacher gives Russ a unique perspective on nature and how it affects our lives; mentally, physically, and spiritually.

Ryan McCrary

Ryan is from Chapin, South Carolina and graduated from Clemson University with a degree in Graphic Communications. When not backpacking or bouldering, Ryan enjoys fishing, trail running and canoeing. Deathly afraid of heights, Ryan tries to overcome this fear by trad-climbing anyway. Ryan also enjoys anything chocolate and talking about Jesus, and hopes to find a way to be involved with mission work in his future.

Mills Snell

Mills is from Columbia South Carolina and is a Student at the University of South Carolina. He is spending his summer here serving youth with Peak 7. Mills enjoys rock climbing and backpacking and long walks on the beach.

Chapman Fairey

Chapman comes from South Carolina in hopes to find cool weather. He is going to school at Clemson University studying mechanical engineering, but he hopes the Lord won’t stick him in an office after college. Chapman loves spending time outside, and when he isn’t backpacking in the Cascades he is up for inner-city adventures; skateboarding, hanging out with friends, and chilling in DixieLand. Chapman is stoked about Jesus and Peak 7, and he loves flowers.

Ethan Gray

Ethan is a good ole southern boy from Chapin, South Carolina. He is getting ready to head off to college at the University of Montana where he will be majoring in Forestry management. Ethan loves backpacking, mountain biking, fishing, and fellowship with his friends. When he is not outside enjoying God’s creations he is usually eating or sleeping.

Heidi Neddo

Heidi was born and raised in Colorado, which fostered her love for the outdoors and outdoor pursuits. She grew up skiing, camping, hiking, biking and involved in sports, and added rock climbing, backpacking, canoeing and snow boarding to her outdoor activities while in college and beyond. She is a NOLS graduate (Trip Leader Course). Both parents being immigrants from foreign countries allowed her many opportunities to travel, extensively in Europe but also in parts of Asia, North Africa, and Central America. Heidi holds a Masters in Counseling and has worked as a youth and family therapist since 1996. Her dream is to incorporate Biblical and adventure-based counseling and adventure programs for the purpose of helping others renew relationships and rejuvenate their walks with Christ.

Jordan Kilgore

Jordan is an EMT and wildlands firefighter. I is a superb raft guide with lots of energy. His interactions with youth is exactly what we desire from our guides. When he is not guiding for us, he can be found skydiving, base jumping, kayaking or fighting fires.