Association for Experiential Education (AEE) - Heartland
Heartland Region Council and Committe

Council Chair - Jason Angione  jasonangione@earthlink.net 

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 Jason attended Eastern Michigan University and earned  an MA in Clinical Psychology in 2001.  Jason is a mental  health therapist at a community mental health agency in  Canton, Ohio.  During the school year, he is a therapist in an  elementary school during the day, and in the evening, he runs  an adventure based therapy group.  During the summer, he  is very fortunate to be able to be outdoors for most of it, as he  and a team of therapists, facilitators, and camp staff takes  children to the beauteous out-of-doors for 5-day camps to work on behavioral and emotional skill building.  He became the Chair of the AEE Heartland region in 2009.

 

Treasurer - Eric Howden erichowden@aurora.edu 

October 09 003.jpg Eric Howden, Director of the Outdoor Wisconsin Leadership  School (OWLS) in Williams Bay, WI has been a member of  the AEE Heartland Region Council since 2007 and has served  at a Heartland region conference convener and site host.  With  a BA in Political Science, Eric made the move to experiential  education in the mid 90s.  Since then he has obtained his MA  in Recreation Administration from Aurora University, spent  five years as an Outward Bound instructor at their Ely, MN  base, was an Education Programs Manager for the Appalachian Mountain Club and has taught for the Recreation Administration graduate degree program at George Williams College.

 

Tom Holman - tholman@semo.edu

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 Tom Holman has been teaching and leading outdoor  adventure trips for 20 years. He has 5 years teaching  experience in the public classroom.  He has an MA from  Minnesota State University, Mankato in experiential education  and PhD from University of Minnesota in outdoor  education/recreation.  He lives in Cape Girardeau, MO with  his wife and kids and teaches outdoor recreation courses at  Southeast MO State University.  His experiential interests are  adventure therapy and outdoor adventure for persons with disabilities. 

 

Evan Coulson - evan.coulson@ondessonk.com 

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 Evan Coulson has been involved in the field of outdoor  education since 2001.  Evan earned a B.S. in Leisure Sciences  from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale with an  emphasis in therapeutic and outdoor recreation.  Evan has  enjoyed several opportunities to become engaged in  experiential education programming throughout the Heartland  Region, having worked for the Touch Of Nature  Environmental Center and Southern Illinois University’s  Wilderness Education Association (W.E.A.) affiliate classes in Carbondale, IL; Cleveland Metro-park’s Institute of the Great Outdoors (I.G.O.) in Cleveland, OH; and Camp Ondessonk in Ozark, IL.  Evan currently lives in Southernmost Illinois with Gabrielle, his partner of 14 years, and serves as the Camping Services Director for Camp Ondessonk and is working on his M.S. in Outdoor Education Resource Management at SIUC.

 

JD Tanner - jd.tanner2@gmail.com 

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 JD Tanner has been leading outdoor recreation and adventure  trips and teaching outdoor recreation courses for over 10  years.  He has a B.S. in Recreation degree from Southeast  Missouri  State University and a M.S. Ed in Recreation from  Southern  Illinois University in Carbondale.  He is currently a  hiking guide writer and photographer for Falcon Guides.  He  recently wrapped up three years as a Leave No Trace  Traveling Trainer for the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor  Ethics and was an instructor at Southeast Missouri State University for two years before that.  JD is also a Certified Park and Recreation Professional, a Wilderness First Responder, and a certifying instructor for the Wilderness Education Association.  JD enjoys bagging peaks, hiking long trails, highpointing, and spending time with his girlfriend and dogs.

 

Danny Frank - desertlightning@gmail.com

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 Danny Frank has been a facilitator of the experiential  learning process for nearly 15 years, in a variety of  expeditionary and site-based settings.  In particular, much  of his work has focused on the therapeutic applications of  EE with youth at risk.  Danny earned a B.A. in Outdoor  Experiential Education and a M.A. in Experiential  Education Program Development, both from Prescott  College.  He is also a certified Wilderness First Responder,  as well as a Red Cross First Aid and CPR instructor.  Danny currently manages Youth Development programming for Woodland Hills, a corrections and mental health residential treatment center in Duluth, MN.  This includes sports and recreation; outdoor adventure; community service and service learning; and cultural and spiritual programming.

 

Maureen Dawson-Hurst - m.dawson-hurst@sbcglobal.net

Maureen's love of the outdoors and adventure started with family trips, expanded with Girl Scout camp opportunities, and grew as she sought jobs that allowed her to work outdoors with all kinds of people.  As a 15 year veteran in the field of Experiential Education, Maureen spends most of her professional time as an Experiential Based Trainer and Facilitator for Adventure Associates, Inc.  Her background includes challenge course trainer and facilitator, kayak instructor & guide, backpack guide, climbing instructor,  and some high school teaching experience.  Maureen has a BA in Geography and History from UW-Milwaukee and a Masters of Arts in Teaching from Aurora University.  In 2004, Maureen added mom to her list of credentials and with her husband works to expand her children's love and knowledge of the natural world. 

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