About

Our Team

Jenna Carroll, Manager & Guide
Jenna leads Blue Ridge Hiking Company’s guide team and day-to-day operations alongside Lindsey. After thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail in 2021, Jenna found purpose in helping others experience the blue ridge mountains. Prior to joining BRHC, she was a management consultant for Deloitte, where she worked on human-centered business problems. In her free time, Jenna hikes, runs, and coaches high school basketball.

Kate "Big Catt" Riley, Appalachian Trail-er Caretaker & Guide
Kate is a thru-hiker, trail runner, and gear nerd with a love for sharing outdoor adventure. With experience in environmental geology and performance running footwear, she has backpacked over 5,500 miles on the Appalachian Trail, Continental Divide Trail, Pinhoti Trail, and other trail systems. Kate grew up in Upstate New York and is delighted to roam the lush green valleys and scenic ridgelines of the Appalachian Blue Ridge Mountains for a second season with BRHC.

Tom "Shepard" Williams, Appalachian Trail-er Caretaker & Guide
Originally from Western New York, Tom has hiked close to 10,000 miles including the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, Continental Divide Trail, Arizona Trail, Long Trail, Pinhoti Trail, and Mount Kilimanjaro. Tom is also an avid runner and is known for seeking out a quick local race during his thru-hikes. With years of experience in outdoor retail, he enjoys sharing gear and backpacking knowledge to those in pursuit of wilderness adventure.  

Melissa Watkins, Private Trip Consultant
Melissa has been leading outdoor adventures for over 20 years and still gets excited about every trail. She started out guiding kayak tours in Florida and now spends her time leading backpacking trips in Western North Carolina. A college professor, she loves helping people discover what they’re capable of outdoors. Off the trail, she enjoys paddling, baking, and chasing sunshine whenever she can.

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

Melissa “SassyFrass” Gibson, Admin Associate & Guide
Mel has spent the last 5 guide seasons in WNC leading folks to find their own “happy home” in the mountains.  Her hiking philosophy is rooted in sylvan therapy and the belief that the woods heal us, especially when we stop to savor the moment.  This trail tested grandma of three brings a steady pace and a wealth of experience adventuring in the US and 23 countries around the world. Her knack for making trailside snacking a moveable feast is renowned!

Kacie "Foxy" Ross, Medical Advisor & Guide
Kacie has thru-hiked over 7,000 miles, including the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and Te Araroa in New Zealand. For over a decade, she enjoyed outdoor teaching and guiding all over the country. She finally settled in WNC and is now a wilderness certified nurse. Kacie currently works in mental health and volunteers with the Buncombe County Rescue Squad SAR team. Kacie loves fun conversation while hiking and finding all the birds and little critters along the way!

Matt "Gnome" Dobson, Senior Guide & Private Coach
After living and working around the world Matt is thrilled to be a part of the Western North Carolina community. His passion is building advocates for our natural world. Beginning his 7th season as a guide he has spent over 200 nights in the backcountry with clients. A Triple Crowner, with thru-hikes of the AT, CDT, PCT, plus others he has 20,000 trail miles on those legs. Matt has a Plant Sciences degree from the University of Tennessee and has spent many of his days in WNC studying it's nature and history.

Bev MacDowell, Senior Guide
Hike with a contemporary! Bev has been a hiking/backpacking leader for adults and youth for more than 15 years.  She is an AT Trail Maintainer/Max Patch section, she has completed Educator Outward Bound, and hiked 200 miles of the Spanish Camino del Santiago. Bev ia a completer of the local South Beyond 6000' Mountain Climbs (40) and Lookout Tower (22) Challenges. She feels most alive when she is active in the WNC forests. She loves introducing others to these old mountains!

Maria Borisevich, Core Guide
Ditching the corporate life, Maria found her passion for the trail in Kentucky’s Red River Gorge, which sparked a love for exploring forests and peaks across the country. As a health coach and personal trainer, she loves empowering others to move well and feel strong in the real world as well as the backcountry. In her free time, she’s a total nutrition nerd and a community builder, hosting sober curious events in Asheville. She is thrilled to share the beauty and awe of the Blue Ridge Mountains with you!

Anna Conard, Core Guide
Originally hailing from Atlanta, Anna settled in Western North Carolina after thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail in 2023. This life-changing journey made her fall in love with the deep peace you can only find in the forest. On a hike with Anna, you can expect fun facts about trees, morning yoga, random outbursts in song, and lots of laughs. She shares her nature writing on pithandforest.com.

Amy "Slider" Hunsucker, Core 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.

Adam Kampouris, Core Guide
A fourth year returning guide from Haywood County, Adam is a professional theatre artist, amateur songwriter, and naturalist at heart. His adventures have taken him to places of incredible beauty throughout the U.S. and abroad, including the Greek island of Kalymnos, Germany’s Sächsische Schweiz, and the Ica & Nazca regions of Peru. He brings an insatiable curiosity to every trail and loves to talk about the region’s native flora, fauna, & fungi…and perhaps a bit of Shakespeare for the right audience.

Lizzy Markman, Core Guide
Lizzy grew up exploring New Hampshire’s White Mountains, where she fell in love with the outdoors. Her passion for adventure 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 five years, she has been exploring the trails, history, and plants in the Appalachian mountains she now calls home. Off the trail, you can find her climbing, gardening, or listening to local music.  

Traci Mohl, Core Guide
Born & raised in Appalachia’s shadow and a wilderness guide & outdoor educator of over a decade, Traci has a diverse interest in all things nature-related - from local ecology to plant folklore, herbalism, birding, earth skills and toad huntin’! A lover of all things wild, weird & green, her trail choices always include a good view, and her favorites have taken her through Hobbit-territory in New Zealand, ancient canyons in Hawaii’ & old growth forests in the Sierra Nevadas.

Nancy "Seal Mom" East, Private Coach
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.

Heidi "Sketch" Nisbett, Private Coach
Heidi grew up in the foothills in South Carolina and has always been mesmerized by the Blue Ridge Mountains. After receiving a BFA in painting, she thru hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2018, keeping a detailed sketchbook along the way. She has since backpacked an additional 3,000 miles of other long distance trails. She has been guiding for BRHC for 5 years and loves taking people out into nature! Her trail inspired artwork can be viewed at SketchingSummits.com.

Eli "Little Bit" Adams, Guide
Originally from South Florida, Eli is a former kayak guide who traded the Gulf Coast for the Appalachian Mountains. With four years as a mountain guide, she spends her free time foraging and studying Appalachian ecosystems while running a local hiking club that partners with WNC conservation non-profits. If you are looking for an energetic guide with a keen eye for flora and forest lore, Eli is your guide! To further outdoor inclusivity, she is currently re-learning her first language and hopes to begin guiding Spanish-speaking groups within the next year. 

Hannah "Chaco" Brock, Guide
Born and raised in Georgia, Hannah’s love for the outdoors started in the red clay and hasn’t let up! She completed a southbound Appalachian Trail thru-hike in 2013 and has been chasing backcountry adventures ever since. She believes the best days end a little bit muddy and a lot fulfilled. Off trail, you might find her working her day job as an occupational therapist, exploring Asheville’s music scene, paddleboarding, adventuring with her dog, Zula, or cross-stitching.

Brooks Coker, 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.

Jenn "One Day" Gift, 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, Guide
Melinda grew up in the blue ridge mountains of Virginia, but has called WNC home for the past 10 years. She has section hiked the AT from Georgia to Pennsylvania, and section hikes every summer. She also loves exploring WNC trails, and just completed the Carolina Mountain Club 100 Waterfall Challenge. She has been fortunate enough to visit 43 of the 63 National Parks as well. When Melinda isn’t hiking, she’s making and selling artwork, and enjoying life with her daughter and husky. 

Mary "Newfound" Leavines, Guide
Mary grew up in Louisiana and moved to Western North Carolina in 2022 after completing her Appalachian Trail thru-hike. Since then, she and her husband have run an AT hiker hostel, and she has hiked 650 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail along with countless other trails nationwide. When she’s not hiking, she’s working toward her Master’s in Social Work and writing in one of her favorite coffee shops.

Tamera "Caboosy" Trexler, Guide
Tam has been on many adventures, exploring the Mountains of WNC for 30 plus years. In addition to thru-hiking many long distance trails, Tam is also a world traveler. She can take you to the lesser known trails and landmarks of this region. All the while sharing her knowledge and love of it’s history, geology, wildflowers and animals. She is working on her Blue Ridge Naturalist Certification. Full moon and sunset hikes are her favorite!