About

Our Team

Eli "Little Bit" Adams, Assistant Manager
Born and raised in South Florida, Eli fell in love with the outdoors during a year-long stay in Hawaii and pursued a career in environmental education. With years of experience in adventure guiding, from kayaking hidden mangrove tunnels to summiting local mountains, she has been a naturalist and hiking guide in the Blue Ridge Mountains for over four years. She earned the trail name "Little Bit" because of her keen eye for small forest discoveries.

Melissa Watkins, Private Trip Coordinator
Melissa grew up in Florida where she spent many hours watching wildlife and guiding kayak tours. She has also guided many backpacking, canoeing, and rafting trips in Western North Carolina and loves nothing more than sharing the outdoors with new friends. A former college professor, she is an educator at heart. When not at work, she loves to paddle, bake, teach her young son about the outdoors, and bask in the sunshine.

For private backpacking trip inquiries, you can reach Melissa directly at melissa@blueridgehikingco.com.

Kate "Big Catt" Riley, Appalachian Trail-er Caretaker + Guide
Tom "Shepard" Williams, Assistant Caretaker
Originally from Upstate New York, Kate has spent her life camping, studying geology, and roaming the outdoors in various spaces. She has thru-hiked over 5,200 miles including the Appalachian Trail and Continental Divide Trail. Tom has hiked the Appalachian Trail, Continental Divide Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, Arizona Trail, Long Trail, and Mount Kilimanjaro. They met working at a running specialty store in Buffalo, NY. When not backpacking, you can find them running, Kate writing, and Tom ranking chocolate milk.  

Matt "Gnome" Dobson, Senior Guide + Private Coach
Having moved around the world pursuing other professional interests, Matt has decided Western North Carolina is the place for him and helping to expose others to our natural world is the perfect way to spend his time. A Triple Crowner, with thru-hikes of the Appalachian Trail, Continental Divide Trail, and Pacific Crest Trail, he has over 16,000 miles on those legs. Matt has a Plant Sciences degree from the University of Tennessee and has spent many of his hours in nature studying its science and history.

Adam Kampouris, Senior Guide
Born in the Catskills of NY and raised in the Blue Ridge of NC, Adam has always called the mountains of Appalachia home (well…except those 6 years in NYC, but we don’t talk about that). Having survived a childhood of blissful, unsupervised galavanting through the local woods, creeks, and hollers, he derives great joy in sharing his love of the natural world with others, and has yet to meet an outdoor activity he doesn’t like! A jack of all interests and master of none, his curiosities include local flora & fauna, mineral identification, folklore, Shakespearean verse, group singing, and pickin’ on his mandolin. When not on trail, Adam identifies as a professional stage actor, an amateur chef, and an hapless goof.

Bev MacDowell, Senior Guide
Backpack with a contemporary!  Bev has been a hiking and backpacking leader for adults and youth for more than 10 years.  She is an AT Trail Maintainer for the Max Patch section, she has completed Educator Outward Bound, and recently hiked 200 miles of the Spanish Camino del Santiago.  She feels most alive when she is active in the forest; it is so empowering!  It brings her great joy to introduce others to the wonder of outdoor life in Western NC.

Anna Conard, Guide
Anna grew up in Atlanta as a full-blown city slicker. While attending college in Arkansas, she found peace in the Ouachita Mountains and has been running for the hills ever since! After thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail in 2023, Anna has set her sights on learning every nook and cranny of the Southern Blue Ridge. An avid writer, she can be found at camp scribbling into a notebook by headlamp late into the night.

Amy "Slider" Hunsucker, Guide
Born and raised in South Carolina, Amy grew up hiking in the Carolinas. Her love for backpacking started on the Appalachian Trail with her first overnight trip in 2012. Since then, she has thru hiked all of the triple crown trails - Appalachian Trail, Continental Divide Trail, and Pacific Crest Trail - along with other trails throughout the US, totaling over 8,000 miles of backpacking. Her trail name, Slider, comes from her background in music and because she is known to take her trombone out on the trail with her.

Mary "Newfound" Leavines, Guide
Mary grew up in south Louisiana, and moved to Western North Carolina in 2022 after her Appalachian Trail thru-hike. Since her thru, she ran an AT thru-hiker hostel with her husband, hiked 650 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail, and has hiked countless other trails across the country. Her trail name, "Newfound," comes from Newfound Gap in the Smokies: where she first set foot on the Appalachian Trail in 2017 and resolved to hike the entire trail one day. When she's not working, you can find her section hiking the rest of the PCT, studying for her clinical counseling program, or writing in one of her favorite coffee shops.

Lizzy Markman, Guide
Lizzy grew up exploring the White Mountains of New Hampshire, where she first fell in love with the great outdoors. Her passion for adventure has led her to backpack through Mexico, join an archaeological dig in New Mexico, and serve as a Park Ranger at Grand Canyon National Park. For the past four years, she has been exploring the trails of the Blue Ridge Mountains, immersing herself in the Appalachian landscape and history. When she’s not on the trail, you can find her at the climbing crag, digging in her garden, checking out a new restaurant, or listening to local music. 

Heidi "Sketch" Nisbett, Guide
Heidi grew up in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and is proud to call North Carolina home.  After graduating from Winthrop University with a BFA in Painting and Printmaking, she found herself falling in love with hiking and the outdoors.  She thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2018 and kept a detailed sketchbook of watercolor paintings to document her travels.  She has since hiked a number of shorter trails and enjoys finding new ways to incorporate her creative practice into hiking.

Kacie "Foxy" Ross, Guide
Kacie grew up playing in the Eno River along what is now a stretch of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail in Durham, NC. For over a decade, she enjoyed teaching and guiding in the outdoors all over the country. Kacie has thru-hiked over 7,000 miles, including the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, Te Araroa in New Zealand and recently The West Highland Way in Scotland. Following her passion for wilderness medicine, she acquired her Wilderness EMT and went on to graduate from Western Carolina University as a Registered Nurse. She currently works as a mental health nurse and is a volunteer with the Buncombe County Rescue Squad SAR team. Kacie loves fun conversation while hiking and finding all the little critters along the way!
 

Nancy "Seal Mom" East, Workshop Instructor
Nancy retired from a career as a vet in 2020 to pursue opportunities that took her outdoors more. She is passionate about sharing the natural world and teaching hikers how to stay "safe and found". She is a Southern Appalachian Naturalist and is on Haywood County's Search and Rescue Team. Nancy has hiked all 800 miles of trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park four times, and co-holds the speed record for the Smokies 900 Miler Challenge. She shares stories and educational content on Hope and Feather Travels.

Paul Benson, Guest Guide
Paul was born in Miami, FL but grew up in North Carolina and has enjoyed playing in the woods since he was kid.  He has been a member, hike leader, and trail maintainer for the Carolina Mountain Club for 20 years.  He has hiked all 400 miles of trails in the Pisgah Ranger District; section hiked portions of the Appalachian Trail in North Carolina, Georgia, Virginia and New Hampshire; completed the South Beyond 6,000ft Challenge and even a few of the 14ers in Colorado.  Paul has been an avid backpacker since starting as teenager with his dad and frequently camps in the Smoky Mountain National Park and the National Forests surrounding Asheville.  Paul also enjoys kayaking and kayak camping.  Holding a Master’s degree in Geography he knows the terrain and enjoys using maps and hiking trail apps.

Hannah "Chaco" Brock, Guest Guide
Born and raised in Georgia, Hannah’s love of the outdoors began while digging for worms in the mud and playing in the red clay. Her passion for being in nature has grown since then and she has backpacked over 3,500 miles including a southbound thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail in 2013, sections of the Pacific Crest Trail, and many smaller backcountry trails in between! In her free time she also enjoys paddleboarding, biking, enjoying the Asheville music scene, completing home improvement projects with her partner, and cross-stitching. Let’s go for a hike!

Jenna "Coach" Carroll, Guest Guide + Private Coach
Originally from the suburbs of Philadelphia, Jenna discovered a love for the mountains when she spent six months hiking the 2,193-mile Appalachian Trail in 2021. More than a break from a high-stress corporate career, the trail transformed her sense of self and gave her a place to call home. She has since backpacked several shorter trails and enjoys completing local endurance hiking challenges. When she's not in the woods, you can find her near a basketball court, reading poetry, or playing with her goldendoodle Blueberry.

Brooks Coker, Guest Guide
Originally from Northwest Arkansas, Brooks grew up enjoying the vibrant and diverse landscapes of the Ozarks. His passion for the outdoors was stoked by the many summer camps and outdoor programs he attended as a kid. He has worked as an outdoor professional in numerous roles and is currently an 8th-grade associate teacher. Inclusivity in the outdoors is one of the main things that he is focused on going into this guiding season. In his spare time, Brooks enjoys performing and playing music with friends. Brooks strives to bring a childlike awe and wonder of nature into everything that he does.

Melissa “SassyFrass” Gibson, Guest Guide
Originally from Virginia, Melissa has called Asheville home for 7 years and is keen to get back on trail post Helene and share nature’s beauty with folks who may want to move at a moderate pace. What are her favorite things? Walking in the woods and sharing stories with friends old and new, and learning about the natural world - especially foraging and native plants. She has a treasure trove of historical facts about WNC. A love of travel has taken her to 24 countries, “swamping” on the Colorado River, walking the Camino de Santiago, and to China and Belgium as an expat. She has completed three 28.3-miles-in-a-day Trailblaze Challenges for Make-A-Wish Foundation and is a Trailblaze volunteer. She has section hiked 400+ miles of the AT and she has a couple of stories to tell about the O-Trek in Patagonia. For off trail fun Melissa sings with a community group and dabbles in batik. Her grandkids call her Sassy (for the native plant, right?). In her sights for 2025: creek snorkeling and getting certified in scuba.

Jenn "One Day" Gift, Guest Guide
Jenn grew up mid-state and spent her summers enjoying the east coast beaches. It wasn’t until she attended school in western North Carolina that she fell deeply in love with the Appalachian Mountains. She now has over a decade of experience as a wilderness therapy field guide and has logged over 8,250 miles on foot including the Triple Crown of thru-hiking and the Camino de Santiago! As an artist, licensed therapist, and professional backpacker, she views the wilderness as a source of inspiration, healing, and empowerment.

Melinda "Pencils" Irby, Guest Guide
Melinda grew up in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, but has called WNC home for 8 years. She has section hiked the southern half of the Appalachian Trail and loves to explore WNC trails as well. She thoroughly enjoys learning new flora and fauna, and drawing in her nature journal on every hike.  When Melinda isn’t hiking, she creates artwork and loves to hang out with her daughter and dog.

Lexie "Curls" Lanfrank, Guest Guide
Lexie grew up exploring the quaint woods around her home chasing fireflies and dodging poison ivy. In college, she found her love of hiking and camping, leading to her thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail in 2018 and soon after planting herself full-time in Asheville. Lexie loves connecting with people in the mountains she now calls home. In her free time, you’ll find her cooking up something new in the kitchen, enjoying local brews and music, picnicking in the park and soaking in the sunshine whenever she can.

Tamera "Caboosy" Trexler, Guest Guide
Tamera is a long-distance hiker with 12 years outfitting experience, who has been backpacking, hiking, biking and kayaking the regions of Western North Carolina and beyond for 30 plus years. She would love to share the waterfalls, peaks, pinnacles and forests, helping others to explore the lesser-known trails. Tamera is studying to become a Certified Blue Ridge Naturalist and can highlight this region's geology, ecology and history.