Our Team

Brad Ludden

"Cosmo"

Founder and CEO

Brad was born in Wyoming and raised in Northwest Montana. He spent his days in the outdoors with his family hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, skiing and, of course, kayaking. Of all his passions, kayaking caught his eye the most. His parents gave him his first kayak when he was 9 and at age 12 he was traveling and competing internationally. By 18 he had kayaked in over 20 countries and found his true passion within the sport, first descents. A first descent is the first time a person successfully kayaks a river or section of river that has never been done. Through his first descents he found immense challenge, adventure, community and personal growth.

Cancer went from being just some random word to something very personal when he was 12 and his Aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 38. After watching her endure cancer and seeing how little support there was available to her, Brad started volunteering for a local pediatric oncology program by teaching the participants how to kayak. He fell in love with it and decided it was time to do more, so at 18 he started working on an organization that would soon become “First Descents”. Its goal- to help young adults like his Aunt by giving them the life changing experience of kayaking. “I wanted to recreate the experience of a ‘first descent’, that had so greatly impacted my life, for people like my aunt who really needed it. Even though thousands of people have been down the rivers they’re kayaking at camp, it’s still the FIRST time they’ve been down it and that’s the magic of FD!”

While Brad still kayaks and has some sponsors like Dagger, AT Paddles, Kokatat and Smith Optics, he focuses the majority of his time on helping FD grow to serve more young adults with cancer.

Mackenzie McGrath

"Spudz"

VP of Programs

Mackenzie McGrath joins First Descents with more than a decade of experience designing and managing healing programs around the world as an aid worker, US diplomat and non-profit consultant in Asia, Africa, North America and the Middle East.  In 2014, Mackenzie started her own consulting company and also starting working as part time climbing instructor.  Mackenzie has a graduate degree in International Studies and a Master’s level Certificate from Harvard University in Global Mental Health. This cause is deeply personal, having lost her brother – Taurin – to cancer as a young adult. Mackenzie is excited to be part of the FD team, and looks forward to combining her passion for the outdoors and her dedication to building high-impact healing programs for young adults with cancer.

Ray Shedd

"Cheddar Bunny"

VP of Advancement

Ray Shedd joins First Descents with an extensive background in nonprofit development, partnership activation, and brand storytelling. Previously, Ray was Director of Partnerships and Marketing at Positive Tracks, where he was responsible for the design and implementation of the organization’s fundraising and marketing efforts. A big believer in adventure and recreation-based healing, Ray was also Senior Development Officer at The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp (THITWGC). During his 9 years with THITWGC, he built a robust corporate partners program and helped diversify the organization’s endurance and peer-to-peer (P2P) fundraising platform. He also led on key foundation and major gift accounts designed to support Camp’s rapidly growing programs for children coping with cancer and other serious illnesses. Ray holds degrees in History and Sociology from the University of Connecticut and a Masters in Organizational Leadership and Nonprofit Management from Quinnipiac University. When not serving the mission of First Descents, Ray can be found playing in the mountains with his golden retriever, Sundance.

Me in 140 Characters or Less: Avid adventurer and philanthropy nerd; Plays outside as much as possible; Believes in the power of love and coffee.

Adam Schuster

"Toby"

Chief Operating Officer

Adam comes from a tiny Chicago suburb – Sleepy Hollow, IL. After graduating from the University of Dayton in 2007, he spent a year in Malawi managing the finances for a trade school in the northern part of the country. Upon returning to the States, he spent over five years working in the private sector for one of the world’s largest shipping container logistics providers and outdoor retail giant REI. Previously, Adam spent some time back in East Africa in Uganda managing a chlorine dispenser project within the country. Adam has served as a board member for the University of Dayton Alumni Association and the Secret Agents of Change, as well as the young professional board at Project C.U.R.E., and is thrilled to be a part of the ever-growing FD Community.

Anne Kresse

Director of Philanthropy

Anne brings deep cross-sector experience, having spent the past several years as an independent nonprofit consultant focused on strategy, collaboration and accelerating impact. Her social sector background includes consulting at the Skoll Foundation, where she served in multiple roles, including Acting Principal on the Investment team.

She also spent over a decade in the private sector in positions spanning technology, strategy, marketing and management consulting. Anne led product strategy and international partnerships at Asurion Mobile Applications as Director of Product Management, and has worked on projects with Nike’s Innovation Lab, Genentech and Intuit. Following business school, she joined Bain & Company as a strategy consultant and later held global marketing roles at Intel and Intuit.

Anne holds an MBA from UCLA and a BA from Stanford University, where she also played Division I soccer. A cancer thriver and lifelong outdoor enthusiast, she finds joy skiing, hiking, running and surfing—and is passionate about helping others find healing and connection through adventure and wild places.

Kyle Wagner

"Rescue"

Marketing & Communications Manager

Kyle, aka “Rescue,” has been helping people and publications tell their stories for decades as a journalist. Originally from Pittsburgh, Kyle was a writer and editor in Illinois and Florida until she discovered that the West is where her heart lives. After moving to Colorado, she reviewed restaurants for Westword and The Denver Post before serving as senior editor for the Post’s travel, fitness and outdoor adventures sections. In 2014, she struck out on her own to offer storytelling, marketing and media relations strategies to a variety of organizations, including the City of Denver’s Department of Public Health & Environment.

As a young adult cancer thriver who has written extensively about finding healing through outdoor pursuits, she could not be more aligned with or passionate about First Descents’ mission. When she’s not mountain biking or steering a packraft through whitewater, Kyle explores the world and fosters dogs looking for their forever families. 

Willie Kern

"Sweet D"

Lead Staff & Advisor

Willie (aka Sweet D) was raised in northern New England and beyond as a skier, a boater, a biker, and ultimately a lover of all things wild. He is a self-proclaimed river runner respected by generations of paddlers who is also recognized internationally as a voice of conservation, communication and safety on the river.

Over the last two and a half decades, he has assembled a portfolio of kayak descents from the Americas to Asia and often on first descents of the worlds most technically and logistically challenging runs. For some, most notably he was a member of the expedition that became the first to run the legendary “Upper Gorges” of the Great Bend of the Yarlung Tsangpo.

In addition to becoming one of the foremost expedition paddlers, Willie has also worked developing eco-tourism and guide training programs in Asia for over a decade. He has worked on both sides of the lens for several adventure documentaries. And throughout, he has taught and coached with a host of accredited experiential, alternative and outdoor educational programs. Willie speaks publicly in favor of the protection of cultural and natural heritage and he has guided on and around rivers for as long as he can remember.

Keith Feikema

"Focus"

Senior Finance & Operations Manager

Keith grew up in The Region and after graduating from Purdue University he promptly moved out west where he spent years organizing and raising money for environmental & social justice non-profit organizations, including the Sierra Club & the Human Rights Campaign, in Arizona, Oregon, and Colorado. 

Keith fell in love with Colorado and decided to make it home. He next helped start an organization that raises millions of dollars for PBS across the country. He continues to serve as a board member for a number of these organizations and stays involved as much as possible. When not working you will find him snowboarding, rafting, or canyoneering. Keith is beyond excited to bring his experience and passion to the FD team and to continue to build on its mission. 

Andrew Coulter

"Tops"

Program Manager

Tops is from the bustling metropolis of Weatherford, TX – located 20 miles west of Fort Worth, near the edge of civilization. He attended The University of Texas at Austin where he majored in Kinesiology. After his freshman year he witnessed the last two weeks of his grandfather’s struggle with liver cancer. This became the reason he joined Texas 4000 where he served as the 2016 Rockies Ride Director & led the zaniest team of 20 riders on their bike ride from Austin, TX to Anchorage, AK in order to raise money for cancer research. Through that experience he interacted with First Descents and immediately knew he wanted to be apart of the FD family!

Shea Curtis

"Pickle Rick"

Finance & Operations Coordinator

Growing up in Loveland, Shea got to experience the Colorado outdoors while camping, hiking, and traveling all over the state. This instilled a love of outdoor recreation and led her to receive a degree in Recreation Management from Metro State University in Denver. Some consider her a jack of all trades as she’ll try anything. Shea enjoys woodworking, yoga, skydiving, building Earthships, reading anything by Michael Pollan, and attending concerts. She most recently worked at Skydive Orange Skies where she worked directly with the owner to help grow and manage the business from day one of operations. Shea has felt drawn to pursue a career in the non-profit world ever since spending a gap year serving in AmeriCorps NCCC and is stoked to have joined the dedicated team here at First Descents.

Annie Stettinius

"Jelly"

Database & Operations Manager

Annie was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia. She grew up playing made-up games outside, and as a result has not seen any popular movie you can think of from the ’90s. Her life was changed when she stumbled her way onto a NOLS course in college and found her love for outdoor recreation. Since then she has prioritized communing in nature, both personally and professionally. Outside of work, Annie loves skiing, playing board games, making pottery and romping around with her husband (Landon) and dog (Nellie).

Bailey Goldstein

"Paws"

Development Coordinator

Bailey grew up in Rockville, Maryland, spending winter weeks skiing in the mountains of Colorado and summers at camp in Northern Ontario, where she developed a deep love for the outdoors through windsurfing, sailing and canoeing. Her love of the outdoors led her to the University of Colorado Boulder, where she took every opportunity over her four years to immerse herself in the stunning natural surroundings. After graduating in May of 2024, Bailey was drawn to First Descents, a cause near and dear to her heart thanks to 18 years of her family’s personal connection and fundraising efforts with FD. She couldn’t be more thrilled to now join the ranks of FD as a Development Coordinator overseeing FD’s Out Living It Project.

Kate Medici

"Lil' Mo"

Senior Program Manager

Kate (aka Lil’ Mo) hails from Phoenix, the land of haboobs, strong AC, and endless Saguaros. Continuing her life as a desert rat, she attended the University of Arizona to study psychology and explore the glorious mountains surrounding Tucson. Taking a break from the seriousness of school, she moved to Denver (a place where she could actually experience seasons) and spent the next part couple years working in the outdoor industry in an array of positions: rock wall driver, instructor, cyclist intern, customer service representative, and (somehow) accounting assistant.

Although she tried to leave Colorado in 2018 when embarking on 6 months of bike touring, her legs inevitably got tired and she couldn’t help but get pulled back to the place that stole her heart. She was fortunate enough to join the First Descents team in 2019, and looks forward to working with the Programs Team to continue to bring the FD mission to more young adults!

Angelina Mangiardi Coulter

"Katniss"

Senior Program Manager

Angelina (aka “Katniss”) grew up on a farm in Western Massachusetts where she developed a passion for the outdoors. After her own cancer diagnosis, she attended a First Descents rock climbing program in 2015 and experienced firsthand the healing power of adventure. From then on, Katniss made it her mission to help other young adults impacted by cancer and other serious health conditions.

Jane Hillhouse

Marketing and Events Coordinator

Throughout her childhood, Jane frequently visited her grandparents in Ouray, Colorado, and always felt at home adventuring in the mountains. Originally from Massachusetts, Jane moved out west to study Journalism at Colorado State University in 2019. In college, Jane worked as a marketing intern at a local humane society where she learned she wanted to make an impact on the world by starting a career in the nonprofit industry. Post graduation, Jane traveled throughout Europe and worked numerous seasonal jobs to open her eyes to the world and experience new cultures. 

As a creative thinker with a passion for photography, graphic design and outdoor adventures,  Jane is so excited to be a part of the FD team to further marketing events and outreach!

Sophie Ohaus

"Bubbles"

Program Manager

Sophie (aka “Bubbles”) was born and raised in a quintessential New England town (think Gilmore Girls) and spent her summers going to camp in Colorado. Her love for the outdoors and Colorado lead her to Colorado College where she studied sociology and global health. After college, she spent a year in the magical kingdom of Bhutan, aka “land of the thunder dragon” coordinating student life for a study abroad program.

After Bhutan, Sophie made her way back to Colorado and spent the past 4 years working for Girls on the Run, a non-profit working to empower girls ages 8-14. She is super excited to join the programs team at FD, and can’t wait to provide outdoor adventures for as many young adults as possible!

Grant Sorenson

"Yapper"

Community Engagement Intern

Born and raised in Seattle, Grant’s love of the outdoors stems from a childhood full of hiking, camping and skiing in the Pacific Northwest. After taking a hiatus from the mountains while pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Psychology at the College of Wooster in Ohio, Grant spent two years in Salt Lake City post-graduation. He relocated to Denver in August 2024 to pursue a master’s degree in Sport and Performance Psychology at the University of Denver.

Summer Lee

"Lumos"

Program Coordinator - Participant Engagement and Recruitment

Catherine Carey

"Princess Peach"

Program Coordinator

JJ Simms

"Scrambler"

Program Coordinator

Kristin McMaster

"Tortuga"

Mental Health Resource Specialist

Kristin McMaster (aka “Tortuga”) joins FD from California as our Mental Health Resource Specialist.  Kristin volunteered for FD back in 2011 while working as a Young Adult Oncology Social Worker and it was an experience that left a permanent mark on her heart.  She has an unwavering belief in the strength of the wilderness to heal and help empower people facing challenges like a cancer diagnosis.  Kristin received her Masters of Social Work from the University of Southern California with a concentration in Health and following the completion of her MSW program, she was recruited to build an AYAO psychosocial support program at UC Irvine’s Cancer Center. She is incredibly passionate about working with this population and is very excited to support our efforts here at FD in her new role.  When she is not wearing her counselor’s hat you can find Kristin out in the ocean on her surfboard or roaming the beautiful trails of California!

Mia Lewis

"Veggetti"

Chef Manager

Mia Lewis serves as the Chef Manager for First Descents—a role she holds with deep gratitude. Her curiosity about the connection between food and well-being led her to study at the Natural Gourmet Institute in NYC, where she pursued her passion for sharing the healing power of food.

Since graduating in 2013 as a health-supportive chef, Mia has played an integral role in shaping the First Descents culinary experience. She quickly recognized that food, like outdoor adventure, could be a powerful tool for healing—helping participants embrace change, make empowered lifestyle choices, and explore “challenge by choice” through nourishing, often unfamiliar foods.

In 2018, Mia stepped into the role of Chef Manager. Under her leadership, the chef team has grown from six to over 25 chefs, all trained in health-supportive cooking. While she still joins programs in the field, building and mentoring this team has become one of the most rewarding chapters of her journey.

Mia’s commitment to wellness deepened during the pandemic, when she sought new ways to support and connect with others. She completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training and now teaches in her local community—often weaving yoga into First Descents programs as a complement to nourishment.

As a Certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, Mia continues to broaden her impact, helping individuals support their health through a holistic, food-first approach.

The heart of Mia’s work lies in seeing the lasting impact of nourishment. Reconnecting with participants who have transformed their diets and lifestyles years later is the ultimate reward. Mia lives in Dover, Delaware with her husband Duane and cherishes every moment spent with their five children and seven grandchildren.

Barry

"Renob"

Office Dog

Barry spent his youth practicing the dog-o-lin under the tutelage of renowned dog-violinist Chester P Barkington. His dream was to one day attend Juilliard as the first Canine pupil. He practiced until his little paws were raw. When it came time for his audition to the famed school he was nervous. So nervous, in fact, that as he played his first note, he indiscreetly and unfortunately let out a little poo as well. The judges were not impressed. Forlorn after his fall from the spotlight, Barry wandered the streets of Houston living off the land and wallowing in his self pity. There he would have stayed if it were not for his best friend Toby, who was there to rescue him both physically and mentally. Toby taught him that it was okay to poop, everybody poops. Barry now spends most of his days pooping in hallways, parking garages, and cars – proud of his accomplishments and unashamed of his past. We salute how far Barry has come. Poop on young Barry, Poop on.

Nellie

Shanti

Shanti is a sweet and sassy Rhodesian Ridgeback who is slowly but surely embracing her role to fill her big brother, Sloan’s pawprints. Born in May 2019, she came into her prime as a pandemic pup. She loves adventures in the mountains, frolicking on trails through summer wildflowers, autumn leaves and winter snow. Her parents, Wolf and Sprinkles, admit that Shanti is a bit spoiled, but she claims that all her four-legged friends are too. Perhaps most importantly, Shanti is a give’r of expert snuggz and lots of love!

Cassady

Cassady spent the first couple years of his life escaping from yards in rural Texas. As a repeat offender he ended up on death row. Luckily for him and the rest of us he was rescued at the 11th hour by a shelter in the Colorado mountains. This is where he found his forever home and moved to Denver. It took Cassady a while to adjust to city life and learn how to be a dog. He had never been in a house before let alone the city and didn’t understand what toys were and how fun they are. He still likes to escape whenever he can, but he hasn’t ended up back in the pound, yet. Cassady loves long walks, napping on the couch, and belly rubs, lots of belly rubs. 

Meeker

The child was picked up off the empty streets of the planet, Tatooine, at the wee age of 7 weeks. Just a few days later, he was dropped off at his fur-ever home in a galaxy far far away with the name 265, escorted safely by a great Mandalorian. From there, the debate started, whatever shall this tiny child’s new name be? Who is 265 destined to become?

While there was much discussion, his parents were able to narrow it down to Meeker and Solo. 265’s connection to the force was challenged and he doubted his galaxy-fighting abilities to live up to the name Solo. Choosing a quiet life on Earth and leaving the great fights of the galaxy behind, 265 chose his destiny and Meeker he became (he heard it was a tall mountain on this planet). He is happy to report that he has done a fine job living up to his Earth name, and can often be found running around in the mountains, sleeping on the couch, or destroying his toys… maybe he does have some galaxy-fighting abilities yet. His connection to the force grows stronger each day.

Nell

Nell is a purebred Aussie who spent her first two years protecting a person experiencing homelessness in Fort Collins. When he could no longer care for her, Kyle aka “Rescue” lived up to her nickname and brought Nell home for good. When she’s not trying to boss around everyone within herding distance, Nell loves to hike and camp, but her favorite thing is finding a fresh pile of cow poop to roll around in.  

Ruby

Ruby hails from Ventura, California and now loves her mountain state of Colorado. She loves all people and is working on her manners with other pups. Ruby enjoys car rides with her head out the window, sleeping in the sun, swimming in lakes, hiking with her human, and chasing squirrels (her worst enemy).

Joey

Joey, named after the greatest athlete of all time, Joey Chestnut, is a small but mighty miniature dachshund. He joins the lowriders from Louisiana but has quickly become a mountain man – enjoying hiking and snow days. He can often be found tearing apart a fresh roll of toilet paper or collecting sticks in the backyard. With big ears and even bigger dreams, he hopes to join Joey Chestnut in the rankings as a competitive eater.