John L. Kailey, HDCC Manager/Lead Facilitator is a native Oregonian and lives on a 19 acre ranch in the Tumalo area north of Bend, OR with Jan, his wife of 30 years. John and Jan enjoy an active, outdoors lifestyle that includes hiking, camping, cycling, kayaking, horseback riding, skiing, photography and paragliding. Education: John graduated of Oregon State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the School of Education in 1971. He is certified to teach students in grades K through 12, and holds a Standard Personnel certificate from the State of Oregon in School Counseling. Most of his 50+ graduate hours are in the area of counseling, community health, and psychology. John is a volunteer member of the Central Oregon School Response Team that assists schools and other public organizations that experience the sudden death of a student or staff member. John is a school counselor at Seven Peaks School in Bend, OR. Prior to this time, he was employed by the Bend La Pine Public Schools as a classroom teacher or school counselor. His career in education has provided him many opportunities to work with students and their families, including years of parent education classes. He re-established the challenge course at Cascade Middle School in Bend, OR and was trained as an elements facilitator and certified belayer even after decades of rock climbing, mountaineering, National Ski Patrol work and high mountain rescue experience. John has facilitated both low and high course elements for several hundred youth and adults in the past five years. He currently uses the HDCC to teach a middle school elective class. 

 
Amanda Schmidt, HDCC Facilitator, received her Bachelor's degree in elemetary education from George Fox College in Newberg, OR. She brings to the HDCC over twelve years of experience having facilitated programs in positive group dynamics in the board room, classroom, and on challenge courses. In addition, Mandy has worked extensively with non-profit organizations for children. She has worked on high and low element challenge courses with youth and adults to enhance and strengthen their abilities to learn and work toward new levels of achievement. As a former teacher, Mandy brings to the HDCC the much needed understanding of classroom dynamics and teaching strategies that motivate youth to exceed their expectations. As an experienced climber, Mandy is no stranger to perceived risk and sees the challenge course experience as a catalyst for group growth and productivity. Mandy is a native Oregonian. With her husband Patrick and their three kids, Mandy leads a healthy organic life style  on a quarter acre that she has called home for seven years in Central Oregon.

David J. White, DHCC Director arrived in Oregon in 1980. He lives in Bend, OR with his wife Deb and son Taylor. David earned his Bachelor of Science in Forest Management and Masters in Adult Education from Oregon State University. He is currently in his third and final year of his PhD program in Teacher Leadership at Oregon State University. David is the 4-H Youth Development Agent in Deschutes County and Associate Professor in the College of Education at Oregon State University. After several years in industrial sales, he accepted the 4-H position (a life long pursuit) in 1998. David’s interest in perceived risk and sensation seeking among youth led to his meeting with John Kailey and the construction of the HDCC in 2006. He sees the HDCC serving four purposes. One, it provides low or no cost access for schools and other positive youth development organizations. Two, it serves to improve communication, leadership, and productivity within schools, organizations, government agencies, businesses, and corporations. Three, the net proceeds generated through contracted use of the HDCC assures that schools and positive youth development organizations will be able to access the course. Finally, David will be able to increase his 4-H staff capacity to meet the growing demand for 4-H programs in Deschutes County.

Houston Chatham, HDCC Facilitator

John Kailey




Amanda Schmidt

David White




Houston Chatham