Whitney (she/her) started her outdoor adventuring in the woods behind her home in Massachusetts as a young child, continued on to Smith College in Western Mass studying Environmental Science and Psychology, and then continued much further west to Portland, Oregon where she lives with her wife, two kids, two kittens, and lots of trees. She is the Deputy Director at Friends of Trees, a non-profit organization that brings people together to plant, care for, and learn about trees and the importance of healthy urban tree canopy and green spaces in Pacific Northwest communities. Whitney thrives working at the intersection of nature and people and is thrilled to support the Hike it Baby board. Accessing nature and green spaces is an important source of both physical and mental health benefits for communities throughout the world and Whitney is passionate about creating opportunities for individuals to experience the awe that nature can bring. Whitney loves spending time in the garden, crafting, and staring at one of her favorite trees, the Dawn Redwood.

Jake Chesnutt has a professional and personal passion for the outdoors, having worked in parks and recreation over the past twenty years in the greater Washington, DC area. He grew up with a family enthralled with the outdoors, spending time in the mountains and on the various bodies of water in West Virginia, Virginia, and Maryland—and he and his wife are doing their best to instill this love in their toddler. Core to OutGrown's mission, vision, and values, he believes that time spent outdoors and in nature has life-altering impacts and that everyone should have the opportunity to experience the benefits of getting outside. It is easy for those with the means, ability, and appreciation to make time to be outside. Still, it is essential to advocate for and support efforts to share the wealth of knowledge about positive outcomes, which includes breaking down barriers (financial, physical, social, language, etc.) to participation. We know that early childhood experiences have lifelong impacts, so encouraging parents and caregivers to take intentional steps to be outside and in nature is hugely important in positively impacting our children and communities that have traditionally been denied the access that others have enjoyed.

Blaine Miller-McFeeley recently relocated from Washington, D.C. to the Twin Cities in Minnesota on historical Lakota lands. In his personal life, Blaine spends his time with his wife and two young sons, hiking, camping, and running marathons in any spare time. In his professional capacity, Blaine is a Senior Legislative Representative with Earthjustice, an organization focused on protecting people’s health, preserving magnificent places and wildlife, advancing clean energy, and combating climate change. He is based in the Policy & Legislation office and specifically works to protect public lands and sustainable access to those lands. Prior to joining Earthjustice, Blaine served as a Senior Legislative Assistant for Congressman Jared Polis of Colorado where he covered public lands and environmental issues, among others. Prior to that, he served as Chief of Staff for Colorado State Senator Andy Kerr. Blaine was raised in Idaho before attending college in Pennsylvania, followed by working in a variety of capacities on politics and policy in Maine, Colorado, and D.C. (with a year-long detour climbing volcanoes in Guatemala).

In her childhood dreams, Brenna wanted to be the female Jacques Cousteau, an astronaut, or a World Cup ski racer. Growing up in Rhode Island and New Hampshire, she explored the best of both worlds: the ocean and mountains. After almost two decades of living in New York City, Brenna returned to New England a few years ago.

She is a Community Development Officer with the Island Institute, helping island and coastal residents develop their leadership skills to thrive in a rapidly changing social, economic, and environmental climate.

Before moving to Maine, she was the District Environmental Coordinator for Patagonia NYCT, managing environmental activism, advocacy for staff and customers, grantmaking, and capacity assistance for more than 100 environmental non-profits in NY, NJ, and CT. She and her husband also hosted Rivergigs, an intimate concert and dinner series with jazz, Latin, African, folk, and indie musicians.

Brenna started her career on Capitol Hill and served in Americorps with the Capital Area Food Bank. She turned a winter stint in Colorado into four years, coaching ski racing, teaching outdoor education, and helping to run the Telluride Historical Museum. The allure of medicine drew her to NYC, where she pursued post-baccalaureate pre-medical studies and worked as a research assistant in emergency medicine and various medical labs. She became certified in holistic health coaching on the way to medical school and pivoted to a master's in public health and environmental studies. 

She and her husband live, hike, ski, and bike on Wabanaki land in South Portland, Maine.  She is excited to serve the families and staff of Hike it Baby. 

Catalina Romo Paxcle (Santa Ana, California) is a queer adult adoptee passionate about placed based growth and learning. Especially that which prioritizes the historically disenfranchised people, plants, and animals of a geographic area. This can include supporting the development of curriculum, community-based organizations, and people-led policy. Currently, Catalina works to support housing justice and eviction prevention with the most vulnerable residents throughout Los Angeles County, California. Cata has worked on climate Justice campaigns across the states of New York and California at the forefront of bridging community to policy. Catalina and her wife Alejandra also love hiking and biking. They completed the AIDS Lifecycle bike tour from SF to LA, California in 2021 and look forward to bringing their baby on many future outdoor adventures.

Rebecca is a graphic designer and marketing professional with a passion for creating purposeful, beautiful designs. Her journey into design began early, working on my school’s yearbook in fifth grade and continuing through college. That passion led her to specialize in impactful marketing and communications that help businesses stand out.

In 2021, she officially launched my business to focus full-time on helping businesses grow through strategic design and marketing solutions. Prior to this, she built a strong foundation working in a variety of industries such as finance and higher education. Her last full-time role was as Senior Manager of Membership and Marketing at the Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC), where she honed my skills in communication and organizational growth.

With a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications, a Master of Business Administration, and certifications in Digital Marketing, Social Marketing, and SEO, Rebecca brings a unique blend of creativity and strategic thinking to every project. While she is focused on the outdoor industry, she offers graphic design, business management, marketing, and web support to small businesses of all kinds. Her work balances aesthetics with intention—designs that are not only beautiful but serve a purpose.

She's had the opportunity to work with leading organizations like the Society of Outdoor Recreation Professionals (SORP) since September 2023 and the Association of Outdoor Recreation and Education (AORE) since January 2022. She also loves supporting other small businesses, especially in the La Veta / Cuchara area of Colorado. 

On a personal note, Rebecca is a wife, mom of two little adventurers and two pups, and a proud nature lover. She grew up in Georgia and now call Colorado home, where her family spends as much time outdoors as possible—camping, hiking, and enjoying the mountains. When she's not working, you’ll find her snapping photos, sketching flowers, or wandering trails with her kids and dogs.