Emma DeBany
Educator
Brief info
Emma grew up in the woods of Connecticut and never camped or hiked much when she was younger, but then she moved out to Los Angeles and got a dog. Seeing how much her pup enjoyed being in the peaceful outdoors instead of the hectic city made her love it, too. Through her dog's eyes, she learned to appreciate the sights, smells, and textures of the natural world. Now Emma loves exploring nature, from the sandy dry deserts of the Southwest to the earthy temperate rainforests of the Pacific Northwest.
Hiking, swimming in rivers, and rock scrambling are fun, but what she REALLY loves is off-roading and car camping. Emma even has a small camper trailer that she's camped in all over -- up and down the west coast and out to Colorado!
Emma loves being a HAWKs educator because she remembers how much summer camp made an impact on her when she was a kid. At one day camp, she went spelunking, tubing, and looking for mica on a hike near an old mica mine. She had never known the world was so big and there was so much out there to do. It piqued her curiosity and made her so much more confident. She wants to help children grow into who they're meant to be via adventure, exploration, and learning to take an extra second to slow down, look a little closer, and appreciate the nature around them.
When Emma isn't hiking or camping, she's volunteering at Reading To Kids, directing comedy commercials, roller skating, or singing karaoke.