Our Mission

We promote health, community, and independence for people with disabilities and their family and friends through outdoor recreation.

Background

All Out Adventures (AOA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and was founded in 2001 by 2 graduates of the Greenfield Community College Outdoor Leadership Program (Elizabeth Dunaway Smith and Kristy Michalek), Tom McCarthy who is the Director of the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation's Universal Access Program, and Philippe Galaski who is a disability advocate and retired physical therapist.  Philippe Galaski continues to serve on the board of directors.

Since our founding in 2001, we have paddled, hiked, skied, skated, camped, and more with thousands of people throughout Massachusetts. Our programs are open to people of all ages, experience levels, and abilities. Most of our programs are either no cost to participants or are a very nominal fee. As we break down the barriers to participation in outdoor recreation, we strive to ensure that cost is not a barrier.

Funding

All Out Adventures currently has three major contracts or grants that provide for about 50% of our operating costs:

  • Department of Conservation and Recreation's Universal Access Program: Through this contract, we provide low or no cost activities to people with disabilities and their family and friends in state parks and forests throughout Massachusetts.
  • Statewide Head Injury Program: Through this contract, we provide 3 - 4 recreational programs throughout Massachusetts for people with brain injuries and their family and friends.
  • Veterans Adaptive Sports Grant:  Through this partnership with the federal Veterans Administration and the VA Central Western Healthcare System in Leeds, MA, we offer kayaking and cycling programs to Veterans and disabled Members of the Armed Forces.

The rest of our operating costs come from our fundraisers, individual contributions, private program fees, grants, and the profits from recumbent trike sales.

2022 Income by source; pie chart shows income by source (Kayak-a-thon 18%, grants 25%, trike sales 19%, programs 29%, individual contributions 9%)

Meet the Staff

A woman in an orange shirt, sunglasses, and baseball cap smiles while taking a paddle boarding stroke

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Karen Foster

Karen joined the team at All Out Adventures as a Program Leader in 2004 and has been the Executive Director since 2007.  Previously she worked as 9th grade history teacher, as a school-based program administrator, and as a coastal kayaking and road cycling instructor for the REI Outdoor School.  She  is certified as a level 2 Stand Up Paddle Board instructor and as a level 2 Kayak instructor with an adaptive endorsement.  She holds a B.A. in History from The College of Wooster and an M.S. in Educational Administration and Policy from the University at Albany, SUNY.  Karen also serves as the Vice President of Northampton's City Council.  She spends her free time doing many of the same fun outdoor rec opportunities AOA offers with her spouse and 2 young children.

Sue Tracy, Program Director

PROGRAM DIRECTOR

Susan Tracy

Sue is the Program Director for All Out Adventures. In addition to developing and coordinating AOA’s programs, Sue has led hundreds of adaptive recreation programs including paddling, cycling, camping and winter programs since joining AOA in the spring of 2006. Sue holds a degree in Communications/ Media from Fitchburg State College and is a graduate of the North Quabbin Woods guide-training program. Sue is an ACA certified basic coastal kayak instructor with an adaptive endorsement.  Prior to joining All Out Adventures, she worked as a graphic designer.

woman, wearing purble shirt and blue and white ballcap pets a black dog. They are sitting on a rock with a view of a mountain in the distance.

PROGRAM LEADER/
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS COORDINATOR

Patti Dougherty

Patti joined All Out Adventures as a Program Leader in the spring of 2017.  She is an ACA certified kayak and SUP instructor and an avid skiier, trail runner, snowshoer, and paddler.  In addition AOA, Patti owns and operates Indigo Fitness, providing personal training for everyone.  Patti is a Certified Personal Trainer with the following certifications and affiliations:  NASM Personal Trainer, Exercise for Parkinson's Training, Parkinson's Cycling Coach, NFHS Certified Coach, SOLO Wilderness First Aid, AHS CPR, AED, and First AID, Boston university Medical School Parkinson's Fitness Consultant, YMCA Personal Trainer.

A woman in an All Out Adventures t-shirt and a yellow hat.

PROGRAM LEADER

Helen Kahn

After 12 years of running a cafe in Florence, MA, Helen followed her heart to the great outdoors.  She volunteered with AOA in the fall of 2017 and became a program leader in the spring of 2018. She has served on the board of several non-profit organizations, including as President of Northampton Soccer Club. Helen is an ACA certified kayak instructor and enjoys sharing her love of outdoor recreation with participants in the AOA programs.

A woman with sunglasses smiling with a golden retreiver dog

PROGRAM LEADER

Adrienne Phelps

Adrienne joined All Out Adventures volunteering in 2016 with the ice skating programs after playing ice hockey for 16 years. Upon graduating from the Outdoor Leadership Program at Greenfield Community College she worked for an Outdoor Learning Center and a Via Farrata working with a variety of different students including burn victims. Adrienne returned to work for All Out Adventures in 2017 leading winter programs. Now a Registered Nurse (and a Wilderness First Responder), Adrienne continues to lead programs when available.

A person wearing a winter sports helmet smiles at the camera

PROGRAM LEADER

Kate Morey

Kate has worked or volunteered in outdoor recreation for the past eight years. After working for the Mt. Snow ski and ride school for two seasons, she began volunteering with Adaptive Sports at Mt. Snow. She teaches adaptive skiing, snowboarding, and sit-ski lessons there and is also the volunteer recruitment and training program group coordinator. When not on snow, she spends her time cycling or rock climbing. With a background in health policy and health disparities, Kate sees a need to provide recreational experiences to people of all abilities and backgrounds to provide better mental and physical health. She is excited to share her love for outdoor recreation throughout the year.

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OPERATIONS COORDINATOR

Kailean Hubbard

Kailean joined All Out Adventures as a Program Assistant in the fall of 2021 after spending the summer with DCR's Universal Access Program. In March of 2022 she took on the position of Operations Coordinator. She is a Level 1 ACA certified Kayak instructor, certified dementia care specialist, and is certified in first aid/CPR. Kailean graduated from SUNY Brockport in 2018 with a Bachelor's in Kinesiology and a minor in Sociology. Since joining AOA, Kailean has found great joy in interacting with participants and bonding over a mutual appreciation of outdoor recreation. In her free time, she can be found running, baking, or relaxing in her hammock.

Photo is of a man in a brown jacket, smiling, on a hiking trail

PROGRAM ASSISTANT

Fionn Murphy

Fionn Murphy (he/him) started with All Out Adventures in March 2023, supporting the program team and trike shop. Fionn is from Portland, Oregon and recently relocated to Northampton to be closer to family. He brings with him his eight-year-old cat, Maggie, and a love for the great outdoors. His background is in customer service, most recently working at New Seasons Market in Portland, OR for the last twelve years. In his personal life, Fionn grew up exploring the Pacific Northwest with his family on long camping, hiking and canoeing trips throughout the area. Fionn’s first ever job was working in the nations largest urban park, Forest Park, working with a team to eradicate invasive species. Fionn is thrilled to return to his roots as a program assistant working again to support meaningful outdoor recreation programs.

A person wearing a green hat, and a vest, smiles at the camera in an open area with trees in the background

PROGRAM LEADER

Molly Aronson

Molly Aronson (they/them/she) is an outdoor educator with a passion for learning and teaching in forests, rivers, and fields. They joined All Out Adventures in the winter of 2023, after working at the Morse Hill Outdoor Center in Shutesbury and YMCA Camp Mason in the Delaware Water Gap, leading canoeing, rock climbing, hiking, and mountain biking trips. They love helping people form connections with our changing planet and their own bodies, and experience the world around them in new and exciting ways. They are a Certified Yoga Teacher, and on hikes you may find them trying to ID the nearest birdsong, tree, or mushroom!
Zach Fox

RECUMBENT TRIKE MECHANIC ASSISTANT

Zac Fox

Zac started working at AOA this summer as Russ's right-hand man and trike shop protegé. He has an extensive background in electrical and industrial controls and worked at Ames Electrical before starting at AOA. He attended Smith Vocational and is currently enrolled at Holyoke Community College. He is OSHA 10 certified, and in his free time he enjoys food more than anything else.

Russ Mayhew

RECUMBENT TRIKE MECHANIC

Russ Mayhew

Russ has been working at AOA for almost 6 years now as the head trike mechanic. He has had 15 years total experience as a bike mechanic and certified wheelsmith. Russ attended United Bike Institute for bike mechanics and is passionate about all kinds of trike and bike mechanisms.

A cute black dog standing up on the grass

SHOP DOG

Hazel

Hazel joined All Out Adventures in the fall of 2010 by way of Dakin Animal Shelter in Springfield.  Hailing from Virginia, she enjoys scouting trail conditions for programs, posing for Facebook posts to help increase awareness and participation of our programs and fundraising, and most of all making sure all those who come to our office feel welcomed and loved with an exuberant greeting.

A black and grey dog looking at the camera

SHOP DOG

Clover

Originally from Elkins, WV, Clover joined the team at All Out Adventures in 2010. She is responsible for alerting us when people come to the office and when FedEx and UPS trucks stop by as well as keeping the floor tidy by chewing up dropped zip ties from the trike shop.  She loves to greet office visitors, eat the biscuits the UPS driver drops off, and visit with our Program Leaders when they come to the office at the beginning and end of each day.

A black and tan dog sits on a yellow recumbent trike

SHOP DOG

Maggie Poppins

Maggie Poppins joined the AOA team in September, 2020.  Born in Mississippi, she traveled north at the tender age of 7 weeks to her forever home in Massachusetts.  She loves scouting trails alongside her big sister Clover, re-arranging the area rugs in the office, posing for social media posts, and giving lots and lots of attention to Hazel.

A woman with short brown hair, wearing a green sweater smiles at the camera

PRESIDENT

Liz Martin

Speech and Language Pathologist

Liz Martin joined the board in 2017, and has served as board president since 2020. She is a speech and language pathologist who owns a mobile private practice called Neurobehavioral Speech Services, based in the Pioneer Valley. She specializes in speech, language and cognitive rehabilitation; serving adults affected by neurological conditions such as brain injury, stroke, Parkinson’s and dementia. Liz is passionate about providing person-centered and holistic care, and emphasizes the life participation approach, which centers the goal of returning to previously loved activities. AOA’s mission to provide adaptive recreation to people with disabilities is directly in line with this goal, and Liz enjoys working with AOA to increase the accessibility of the outdoors and recreation for all people. In her free time, Liz can be found in the woodshed, or in the garden. She and her partner and their two children are avid rock climbers and spend full days in the woods scaling boulders when the weather allows.
A man with glasses, grey hair, and a white shirt smiles at the camera

VICE PRESIDENT

Philippe Galaski

Retired Physical Therapist

Philippe Galaski was one of the founders of All Out Adventures and served as the President of the Board from 2001 until 2020.  He is currently the Vice-President on the Board.  Philippe's background is as a Physical Therapist.  He graduated from France and worked in Israel and Massachusetts.  He grew up with a physical disability and has worked all his life towards inclusion of people with disabilities in all aspects of life. He worked as an advocate for People with Disabilities at Liberty Resources, an Independent Living Center located in Philadelphia.  As a young person he was denied access to Physical Education and sport in school,  so that the All Out Adventures' mission seemed just the right fit for him.  He also had to fight both his orthopedic surgeon and his Physical Therapy School to be admitted, as they thought his physical disability would prevent him from tolerating the physical demands of the job.  He has three grown daughters and 4 grandchildren.

A man in a red shirt, holding a brown and black dog smiles at the camera

Treasurer

Michael Loughran

Commercial Lending, Greenfield Savings Bank

Mick Loughran has been a member of the AOA board since 2018, and became board treasurer in 2020. He is a Credit Administration Officer at Greenfield Savings Bank working within the commercial loan department. Mick has previous experience running various outdoor programs in Michigan and New Jersey including hiking, rock climbing and canoeing. Mick feels strongly that outdoor recreational activities should be available and accessible to everyone, and is working with AOA to help accomplish this mission. He enjoys hiking and exploring the outdoors with his wife, two kids and two dogs.

A woman with short grey hair and a red shirt smiles at the camera

CLERK

Leslie Stein

Retired Educator

Leslie Stein is a retired Educator with many years of teaching and administrative experience in various settings with children and adults with disabilities. In her professional and community roles Leslie has advocated for the inclusion of people with disabilities in many activities and services. Although she is active as a regular swimmer, hiker, gardener and cyclist, Leslie’s visual impairment always prevented her from participating in other sports/recreational activiites. She first experienced rowing through the Universal Access Program in the early 2000s and has been excited to watch the growth of AOA’s recreational offerings over the last few years, and participated in kayaking in 2021.

Image is of a person smiling in front of an orange background

Riley Caldwell O'Keefe

Higher Education, Veteran

Riley (she/they) is thrilled to join the board of AOA! They spent many years volunteering for adaptive recreation and is happy to be working more closely to support access to outdoor recreation with this fantastic organization. Riley is the founding director of the Center for Teaching and Learning at Amherst College and has lived in Western Mass since 2016. Their family loves to hike, paddle, and swim and spend active time with their pup, Frida. Growing up Riley played soccer and was able to play soccer on the newly formed high school soccer team from 1988 - 1990 thanks to Title IX. They served 10 years enlisted in the United States Air Force, traveling around the world as the stage manager/director for Air Force Entertainment's Tops In Blue.

A man in an orange and helow hat looks at the camera

James Fitzgerald

Police Officer, Small Business Owner

James Fitzgerald is person who wears many hats. In addition to serving on the Board, James is owner of MVP Sport Performance, is a USA Cycling Certified Level 2 Cycling Coach, Co-owner of Watershed Restaurant in Montague, and serves as a part-time patrol officer with the Deerfield Police Department. A native of Buffalo, New York, he is also heavily involved with "Rooted In Love," a Buffalo non-profit that serves the homeless population. The non-profit serves in honor of his late mother, who was known to take in and feed the homeless in the years before her passing.

James is a competitive track cyclist, and  spends whatever little free time he has at the Valley Preferred Velodrome in Trexlertown, Pennsylvania.

Image shows a woman in a blue shirt smiling

Mary Casey

Occupational Therapist

Mary Casey is new to the board. She is an occupational therapist working full time as a school-based therapist where she works with students of all ages with varying disabilities to help them maximize their school experience. She also works with the older adult population in a subacute/skilled nursing setting where she helps these individuals get back to their day to day routines. Mary is passionate about people having opportunities to be active which is what drew her interest to AOA. She grew up involved in sports and she was a member of her college’s cross country team. She still enjoys exercising and being outdoors; her favorite spot is the beach.

Image is of a man with glasses, smiling at the camera

George Heake

IT Professional

  

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All Out Adventures Inc

297 Pleasant Street
Northampton, MA 01060

 

(413) 584-2052

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