Meet the Team

Board of Directors

We are led by a five-person governing board, supported by a larger Advisory Board. These board members contribute their time and talent to ensure the ongoing success of Outward Bound Costa Rica and guide us in furthering our mission.

Leadership

Jim Rowe, PhD
Founder & Executive Director

Hometown: Sun Valley, Idaho

In 1991, after having traveled to over 25 countries searching for the ideal place to establish a nature-centered adventure program, Jim Rowe settled in Costa Rica. With one monolithic raft and some scuba diving equipment, Jim began what would become an

international adventure school employing over 30 staffers who are equally passionate about using adventure to help develop life skills. A leader in experiential cross-cultural learning, Jim has facilitated seminars and lectures in areas of sustainable development, ecotourism and adventure programming worldwide. He serves as our Scuba Instructor, in addition to his many other duties, and loves the opportunity to introduce students to one of his favorite pastimes.

Education: B.A. in International Business Management, Brigham Young University Hawaii; Masters & PhD in Cultural Anthropology, Applied Ecopsychology and Integrated Ecology, Greenwich University

Certifications:
Instructor with American Red Cross: Lifeguarding with Waterfront Model
Instructor Trainer with American Red Cross: Emergency Response (First Responder); First Aid/CPR, Oxygen Administration
Instructor Trainer with National Association for Search and Rescue: Wilderness First Responder; Wilderness Advanced First Aid; Wilderness First Aid
Instructor Trainer with American Safety & Health Institute: Wilderness First Aid; First Aid & CPR
Instructor with Rescue 3 International: Technical Ropes Rescue; Recreational Rappel Operator; Whitewater Rescue Technician
Instructor with International Rafting Federation (Level IV): River Guide
Instructor with NAUI: Basic & Advanced Open Water Scuba Diver

See Less

Esther
Accountant & Human Resources

Hometown: Tres Ríos, Costa Rica

Esther, our fashionable accountant, loves nature and animals. When not working, she is volunteering with different social groups. She has traveled throughout Europe and speaks Portuguese thanks to a long stint working in Brazil with a rural community.

Esther has a big job taking care of all the finances of the organization and is always there to lend a hand to both instructors and office staff. She is a wonderful caretaker of our base mascots and gives plenty of love to all the animals here on base!

Education: Accounting & Business Administration, Universidad San Marcos

See Less

Eleanor
Director of Marketing & Communications

Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio

Eleanor made her way down to Costa Rica for the first time in January of 2023 to begin working for OBCR as the Admissions and Enrollment Manager. Since then, she has fallen in love with the rainforest base and everyone who makes it such a special place to call home.

Eleanor believes experiential learning that connects us to our natural world is an integral part of continuous personal development, intercultural understanding and a holistic sense of community. She sees her role as marketing OBCR and its programs internationally as a way to encourage others to stretch beyond their comfort zones.

If you can't find Eleanor sitting on the porch of the Communications Office, she is likely running around Tres Ríos, playing piano on her front porch, or walking around in the reserve with Rafi.

Education: B.A. in Global Studies with minors in Business Administration and Spanish and Latin American Studies, Otterbein University

See Less

Bailey
Director of Programming & Operations

Hometown: Ventura, California

Bailey is a seasoned OBCR Alumni, Instructor, and Director. She went on multiple Girl Scout Destinations with us when she was younger and fell in love with the country. After an Outdoor Leader Semester course with us, she became a full-time instructor.

After 8 years of instructing all course areas Bailey made the transition from the field to the office and has been an integral part of OBCR programming and operations ever since. Bailey is excited to use outdoor education as a tool to show students what they are truly capable of.

In her free time Bailey is an avid surfer and serves as a mother figure to all dogs in Costa Rica. She loves to bake (especially sourdough) and is eager to share her love for her community through food and good conversation.

Certifications: Wilderness First Responder, First Aid, CPR, and AED for the Professional Rescuer, Technical Rope Rescue: Operations, NAUI Advanced Open Water Scuba Diver, Waterfront Lifeguard, International Rafting Federation Guide Class I-III, and Swift Water Rescue Technician

See Less

PROGRAMMING STAFF

Carlos
Instructor

Hometown: San José, Costa Rica

Above all else, Carlos loves learning about his students – they make everyday of every course different. To Carlos, the diversity of his students’ backgrounds, interests and goals represent a metaphor for learning about life.

Carlos is well-known for his surfing ability and leads many of our surf programs here at Outward Bound Costa Rica.

Certifications: Wilderness First Responder, First Aid, CPR, and AED for the Professional Rescuer, Technical Rope Rescue: Operations, Instructor Judgment Training, NAUI Advanced Open Water Scuba Diver, Waterfront Lifeguard

See Less

Mau
Instructor

Hometown: La Virgen de Sarapiquí, Costa Rica

Mau first began working with Outward Bound Costa Rica in 1999 and has been delivering impactful programs to students from around the world ever since. In her tenure here she has completed 14 Coast to Coast Expeditions and counting!

As much as Mau enjoys hiking, her favorite part of her job is meeting new people and sharing cultural exchanges.

In her free time Mau enjoys spending time with her daughter and husband, swimming in the river, reading books, and listening to music.

See Less

Mariany
Instructor

Hometown: Sarchí, Costa Rica

Mariany grew up in the small town of Sarchí, Costa Rica just beside the mountains, so she loves nature and any outdoor activities. Nany, as everyone calls her, studied Ecological tourism at the Universidad de Costa Rica; by

then she has focused not just in sharing that love for nature with everyone, but really enjoys the teaching aspect of how to preserve it as well.

One of her main passions is sea turtles, she has been volunteering to protect them since 2011. She loves every water sport as well as hiking and camping, etc. In general the outdoors are her happiness and she loves to spread that love with her students. Last but not least teaching them to leave every place they visit better than they found it!

Certifications: Wilderness First Aid, Basic Life Support, NAUI Open Water Scuba Diver

See Less

Kevin
Administrative Assistant

Hometown: Boaco, Nicaragua

Kevin began working for Outward Bound Costa Rica in 2019. He has done everything from working in the bodega to leading excursions as an instructor, but enjoys his position now in the office working in administration.

He loves music, and you know when Kevin is working hard because you can always hear him singing while doing so. After coming to Costa Rica from Nicaragua in 2017, Kevin immediately became an avid supporter of C.S. Herediano, and he will never let you forget it. He lives close by the rainforest base, surrounded by lush greenery and animals- two of Kevin’s favorite things.

See Less

Maria
Instructor

Hometown: San Marcos Tarrazú, Costa Rica

Maria is a certified tour guide through the Instituto Costarricense de Turismo, with licenses both as a tour guide in the Central Pacific Conservation Area and as a naturalist guide. Since she was a child, she has lived in la Zona de los Santos, which is surrounded by mountains – hence her passion for them. Maria loves everything about nature, but is very interested in bird and amphibian watching. She also loves the peace and tranquility she finds when camping.

COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE

Karolina
Brand & Outreach Manager

Hometown: Tres Rios, Costa Rica

Despite living her whole life under 10 minutes from our rainforest base Karo wasn’t fully aware of all the opportunities Outward Bound Costa Rica has to offer until the fall of 2023 when she began working on the Communications Team as an intern.

Since then, she has transitioned to working full time in the office while she studies Industrial Design and Engineering at the Instituto Tecnologico de Costa Rica. Karo loves seeing the world for what it is and translating this into art forms like painting, yoga, and graphic design to name a few. She is both enthusiastic and passionate about sharing all the beauty her country and culture has to offer with students from all around the world.

See Less

Tamika
Media & Marketing Manager

Hometown: Johannesburg, South Africa

Tamika made her way to Costa Rica for the first time in 2023 to join the OBCR Team as a PR Intern. It didn't take long for Tamika (and the rest of the team) to realize that she was exactly where she was meant to be.

She has since joined the Communications Team full time and loves forming partnerships to bring more students the opportunity to discover everything that Costa Rica has to offer. In her free time Tamika can be found hula-hooping outside of her house, meditating on the office balcony, or exploring the rivers around the basecamp. Tamika has a Bachelor's degree in Journalism from Rhodes University with an honors in Multimedia Studies

See Less

Meet the Team

Board of Directors

Leadership