Applications open Fall 2026. Pilot cohort: 3–5 guides. Future cycles to be determined.
We Fund Training.
We Build Guides.
We Expand Access.
We exist to remove financial barriers to professional guide training and create a stronger, more accessible outdoor industry.
Our mission, values, and the ethical framework that guides everything we do.WE ARE Guides
We came to this work through lived experience in the field — training, guiding, apprenticing, and investing deeply in our own development. We witnessed firsthand how powerful funded access can be, and how quickly doors close when that support disappears.
There is no single certification that makes someone a Rite of Passage wilderness guide. The path is built through layered training, mentorship, wilderness medical education, cultural humility, and years of embodied practice. Much of this work is self-funded. Many talented women veterans simply do not have access to the financial runway required to pursue it fully.
We know the terrain because we walked it.
Wilderness Pathfinder Connections was created to make that path more accessible. We fund professional training and development so women veterans can pursue guide pathways without carrying the entire financial burden alone.
Our goal is not to replace existing traditions or institutions. It is to widen the door so more capable guides can enter the field.
Professional outdoor training is expensive.
Certifications, exams, required course hours, travel, and specialized gear create upfront costs that prevent many capable individuals from ever entering the field.
The industry loses talent.
Communities lose representation.
And the barrier continues.
Wilderness Pathfinder Connections focuses on the most practical and measurable leverage point: funding professional training.
Professional outdoor training often requires thousands of dollars in tuition, equipment, and travel. Many capable women veterans simply cannot absorb those costs at the beginning of their guiding careers.
By funding training and strengthening mentorship networks, we help ensure capable guides are not excluded simply because financial barriers stand in the way.
Talent Is Everywhere. Access Is Not.
Mission
Wilderness Pathfinder Connections funds professional wilderness guide training and removes financial barriers for women veterans pursuing leadership in the outdoor field.
By investing directly in education, mentorship, and professional development, we help expand access to guiding pathways while strengthening the next generation of ethical, capable wilderness leaders.
vision
Wilderness Pathfinder Connections envisions a wilderness leadership field where women veterans are recognized, supported, and resourced as professional guides.
We see a future where financial barriers no longer determine who can pursue outdoor leadership training, and where strong mentorship networks support guides throughout their development.
By expanding access to training and strengthening relationships across the field, we help cultivate a generation of wilderness leaders who guide with skill, humility, and deep respect for the land and the communities they serve.
Our values
Stewardship
We responsibly allocate funds to support meaningful training pathways and long-term professional growth.
Access & Equity
We work to reduce financial barriers so talented women veterans can pursue wilderness guide development.
Integrity & Transparency
We operate with clear governance, honest communication, and accountable financial practices.
Cultural Humility
We honor the diverse lineages and traditions that inform wilderness and rite-of-passage work, while encouraging thoughtful and ethical engagement.
Professional Standards
We support trauma-informed, safety-conscious, and skill-based training grounded in real-world practice.
Community
We cultivate networks of mutual support among guides and guides-in-training.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are answers to common questions about
our funding model, mentorship network, and guide development pathways.
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Wilderness Pathfinder Connections is a nonprofit organization that supports the development of wilderness guides through funding, mentorship, and structured pathways. We focus on expanding access to nature-based rites of passage and leadership experiences.
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No. We do not operate ceremonies directly. We support independent guides who lead experiences within their own traditions and communities.
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We prioritize supporting women veterans pursuing wilderness guide development. Applicants must demonstrate alignment with our values and a commitment to nature-based leadership.
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Approved mentors provide guidance and support to developing guides within a structured relational framework. Mentorship is voluntary and based on alignment and capacity.
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Donations are allocated according to our funding model:
• Direct Guide & Participant Support
• Infrastructure & Administration
• Community Development
• Operating ReservesDetailed reporting is published annually.
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Yes. We are a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
Founded by Working Guides
Governance & Leadership
Our board members
Debbee, PhD
Debbee holds a doctorate in Organizational Leadership and has extensive experience in leadership development and veteran support initiatives. Her guidance strengthens governance, long-term strategy, and community engagement across the organization.
Chairperson | Membership & Engagement | Co-Founder
Sher
Sher is a Rite of Passage wilderness guide and organizational strategist focused on expanding access to land-based leadership pathways. Her work integrates mentorship development, operational design, and ethical framework building to support women veterans pursuing advanced wilderness training.
Strategy & Operations | Co-Founder
Maria is an Army veteran and mental health professional currently pursuing a Master’s in Social Work. Her experience includes extensive VA-based training and work in trauma-informed care. She brings a strong commitment to equitable access, culturally responsive practice, and program development that centers the needs of women veterans pursuing wilderness leadership.
Outreach & Program Development | Co-Founder