Leadership Team

Austin Dannen

Executive Director
Austin is from Spokane, Washington and joined Peak 7 in 2009. He has been a committed member of the team ever since, serving as a guide, coordinator, program manager, and director. He is passionate about communicating the love of God, and sharing his enjoyment of the outdoors with youth. He loves spending time with his family, traveling and exploring the world, and having fun with friends. Austin lives in the Spokane area with his wife, Anna, and their son, Isaac.

Jenny Weddle

Operations Director 
Jenny is a Washington State native, growing up hiking, fishing and spending countless hours outdoors. After meeting her husband of 27 years, Ken, at Moody Northwest, they served together in camping ministry for 18 years, welcoming 3 sons along the way. Now living in Newport, Washington, Jenny is passionate about youth advocacy and outdoor recreation, making Peak 7 the perfect fit. In her spare hours, Jenny can be found adventuring with Ken, solo hiking in the great PNW or introverting with an excellent book.

Shelley Allen

Finance Manager
Shelley was born and raised in Spokane, where she met her husband Peter while in High School. Along with Washington, she’s lived in Arizona and Indiana all while raising 4 children. Her first real outdoor adventure was a spring break trip with Outward Bound Adventure in Canada. Shelley and her family enjoy camping and boating wherever they currently call home.



Taylor King

Program Director
I was born and raised in Birmingham, AL. I really connected with God in the woods of Alabama and the Appalachia region and believe it is a powerful tool for ministry. Growing up in a low elevation state only intensified my fascination with mountains. They are a place where I feel God's delight. While living in Chicago, a church mentor flew me out to climb Mt. Rainier with him and I knew I'd be back. I was greatly encouraged by one of my guides on that trip and she stayed in touch to help me navigate all the obstacles to overcome in becoming a guide. When I found Peak 7 I could barely believe something like it existed. Nine months later I moved to Spokane to be an Ascent guide. I had a powerful summer watching God work and met some of my greatest friends. I love the community that Peak 7 serves, I love to ski, I love big dinners with lots of people and I also love to read and have quiet moments. I feel so blessed to rejoin the team and to be an instrument in the hands of our Creator.

Michelle Heistuman

Administrative Assistant
Michelle is from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho and grew up exploring the surrounding region. Graduated from North Idaho College, she has a passion for serving people and found the perfect place to do that here at Peak 7. She loves to laugh and can find her spending free time with her fiancé hiking, biking, playing volleyball, going for drives, camping, and spending quality time with friends and family.

Connor Lee

Assistant Program Director
Connor grew up in Oklahoma and Indiana before moving to Spokane in 2017 to go to school. After his first year of school, the institution he had been attending unexpectedly closed leaving Connor with a decision to either stay in Spokane, or move again to continue his education. After much deliberation, he decided to stay in Spokane in large part due to the friendships he had made here, as well as his deep love for the outdoors. Spokane, in Connors eyes, presented a unique opportunity to explore the outdoors through adventure sports he had never had access to growing up in the Midwest, all while remaining close to a relatively large city. The last five years he has explored the region in a variety of ways. Now an avid skier, backpacker, gravel cyclist, and camper, he has grown a real passion for introducing others to these activities he loves. Connor has recently returned to school in order to become a licensed mental health counselor. 

Wilderness Medicine Team

Daniel Klassen

Wilderness Medicine Instructor
Daniel grew up as a missionary kid in Peru and Ecuador. He started climbing mountains at the age of 15 with his high school’s mountain climbing club. He attended Nordfjord Folkehøgskule in Norway, majoring in Glacier and Mountain Climbing. He served as a missionary in Ecuador for 10 years, creating a backpacking program for an outdoors ministry called El Refugio. His passions include mountaineering, photography, medicine, and mentoring.

Michael Douglas, MD

Medical Director
Dr. Douglas is a board-eligible physician who has completed training in both Internal Medicine and Anesthesiology (a rigorous combined residency program at Loma Linda University). He has also received additional training in global and expeditionary medicine through the University of Minnesota. Beyond medical training, he has had over 7 years experience in the outdoor industry as a backpacking guide, climbing guide and WFR instructor. Wilderness specific certifications include PCGI top-rope guide, WEMT, and Wilderness Emergency Medical Professional (WEM-Pro).

Kevin Kerrigan, MD

Wilderness Medicine Course Director
Dr. Kerrigan is Director of Wilderness Medicine. He is a board-certified general surgeon and former Instructor of the U. S. military’s Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) course. He has practiced in underserved areas around the world and has published research articles on tropical diseases and venomous snake bite. He is a recipient of the American Medical Association’s prestigious Nathan Davis Award for “outstanding contributions to promote the art and science of medicine and the betterment of the public health.”

Kyle Pettit

Wilderness Medicine Instructor
Kyle has been a key member of the Peak 7 team for several years now, contributing heavily to our wilderness medicine and rafting programs. As a veteran, and current volunteer Firefighter and EMT, Kyle lives in the Priest Lake area with his beautiful family. He has volunteered a massive amount of hours over the last seven years to further the mission of Peak 7 and positively impact the lives of countless young people in our region. In his off time, Kyle also serves at his local church as a youth pastor.

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