Staff

Peter Prescesky's life journey has been shaped by his deep connection to the outdoors and a commitment to education. Born and raised in the Maritimes, Peter spent much of his childhood immersed in sailing and exploring the waters of the region, cultivating a love for adventure and the natural world that would guide his career. After relocating to Alberta over 20 years ago, Peter shifted his focus toward building a life centred around outdoor education and safety planning, leaving an indelible mark on the field over the past two decades.

For the past 21 years, Peter has dedicated himself to the public education system, bringing passion and experience to the classroom. He has spent 16 of those years specializing in outdoor education, where he has not only taught but has been a visionary in the creation of two highly successful outdoor education programs in Alberta. His innovative approach and ability to inspire students and staff have made these programs stand out and contribute significantly to the education community.

One of Peter's most significant accomplishments is his contributions in the creation and growth of the Canadian Rockies Outdoor Learning Centre, a project he has been involved in for the past decade. What started as a modest program serving only 35 students has blossomed under Peter's leadership into a thriving educational hub, now serving over 3,000 students annually. His commitment to excellence, safety, and high-quality education has played a key role in the centre's rapid growth and success.

In addition to his work in education, Peter is an Advanced Wilderness and Remote First Aid Instructor with 22 years of experience. He has been instrumental in teaching Advanced Wilderness and Remote First Aid courses, helping students, outdoor enthusiasts and professionals prepare for emergencies in remote environments. His skills and certifications also include Avalanche Skills Training Level 2, National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) Risk Management Training, Paddle Canada Moving Water Instructor, and Big Boat Instructor, ensuring that his students are well-equipped to navigate the challenges of wilderness exploration safely.

Outside of work, Peter remains deeply connected to the outdoors. He enjoys planning and embarking on canoe expeditions with his family, where they explore remote corners of nature together. Travel is another important part of Peter's life; he and his family love to explore the world, experiencing different cultures and landscapes during their time off.

Peter's work is characterized by a strong emphasis on safety, education, and the power of nature to inspire personal growth and a passion for learning. Whether he’s teaching in the classroom, developing outdoor programs, or embarking on family adventures, Peter Prescesky's life is a testament to the transformative power of outdoor learning and the importance of instilling a love for nature in future generations.

Braeden Kelly’s journey to becoming an outdoor education teacher started early. From as young as he can remember, he was joining his family on hiking, backpacking, skiing and canoe trips. Growing up just outside Edmonton in St. Albert, Alberta, Braeden spent many weekends driving to Jasper to enjoy the mountains. 

After a childhood filled with sports and outdoor pursuits, Braeden decided to attend the University of Alberta’s Augustana campus in Camrose. There, he competed on the varsity cross country running and skiing teams, and finished with a double major in Environmental Science and Physical Education. Upon completion of his first degree, inspired by his mother and grandmother, Braeden decided to pursue a career in education and complete his education degree at the University of Calgary.

Braeden is now an outdoor, environmental, and experiential educator with the Canadian Rockies Outdoor Learning Centre. He works extensively with K-8 teachers to co-create outdoor experiential learning experiences that connect to the curriculum. 

His previous work experience includes instructing climbing, paddling and nordic skiing, as well as leading canoe trips for summer camps, and working in Banff as a park interpreter for Parks Canada. He has his CANSI level 1, Avalanche Skills Training level 1, 80-hour wilderness first responder training, Paddle Canada Moving Water Instructor, and Big Boat Instructor, but is most excited about sharing his love of local birds and plants with students.

In his spare time Braeden loves any and every excuse to be outside, his favorite activities include rock climbing, mountaineering, backpacking, mountain biking, backcountry skiing, cross country skiing, white water kayaking, and much more. He is passionate about the relationships and communities that form as a result of these mountain sports, as well as the personal growth and connection to the land that occurs when we get outside.

Braeden is excited to be back for his second year working at the Outdoor Learning Centre after a successful first year that concluded in being nominated for the Alberta School Boards Association’s 2024 Edwin Parr award, for achieving excellence in his first year teaching. Continuing to bring fresh energy and creativity to the Outdoor Learning Centre, Braeden is very grateful to work in a school division that prioritizes outdoor learning.

Ross Heidt is a dedicated educator and passionate outdoor enthusiast. Before settling in the Bow Valley five years ago, Ross spent his time in the communities of Lac La Biche and Red Deer, Alberta, where his love for outdoor activities like fishing, paddling, and camping first took root. These formative experiences instilled in him a deep appreciation for nature, a connection he continues to share with students at the Outdoor Learning Centre.

A former student-athlete, Ross spent his university years playing hockey for the University of Alaska Fairbanks, where he discovered a renewed passion for the outdoors. His time in Alaska solidified his commitment to a lifestyle centred on adventure, exploration, and environmental stewardship.

Now, as a high school teacher at the Outdoor Learning Centre, Ross blends his experiences from both his athletic background and his extensive outdoor education training to inspire students. His diverse certifications include Wilderness First Responder 40-Hour, AST 2 (Avalanche Skills Training Level 2), Paddle Canada Big Boat and Waterfront Instructor, and CSIA Level 2 Ski Instructor. These credentials enable Ross to lead students safely through a wide range of outdoor activities, from skiing and avalanche safety to paddling and water safety.

Ross’s teaching philosophy revolves around experiential learning and personal growth, fostering resilience, teamwork, and an enduring respect for the natural world. His goal is to help students develop practical outdoor skills while nurturing their sense of adventure and curiosity. Whether he's teaching a group of students how to navigate the backcountry or leading a paddling session on a nearby river, Ross is committed to making outdoor education an engaging and transformative experience.

When he's not teaching, Ross enjoys exploring the mountains, fishing in nearby lakes, and sharing his love for the outdoors with his community. His deep connection to the natural world and his diverse skill set make him an invaluable asset to the Outdoor Learning Centre team.

Born and raised in the wide-open spaces of Saskatchewan, Colleen Lee developed a deep connection to the land from an early age. Her  prairie farm upbringing shaped a childhood rich in adventure, curiosity, and respect for nature. The natural world was not just a backdrop to life—it was the teacher, the playground, and the constant source of inspiration.  

Colleen completed a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Physics at Augustana University College in Camrose, Alberta, before adventuring to New Zealand where she discovered her passion for outdoor education - learning in, of, and for the outdoors, and experiencing in a new landscape the transformative power of time spent in the natural world. This led to a desire to inspire others to experience the same transformation.  Upon returning to Canada she completed a Bachelor of Education in Outdoor, Experiential, Environmental Education at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario. This teacher training program combines practical knowledge with a deep philosophical commitment to ecological literacy, experiential, and place-based learning.

Colleen’s career in the outdoors began with Outward Bound Canada, an organization dedicated to helping individuals of all ages realize their full potential through the challenges of outdoor adventure. For 13 seasons, Colleen served as an instructor and then course director for the Rocky Mountain Outward Bound school where she led diverse groups in remote wilderness backpacking, rock climbing, and canoeing expeditions, which were 10 to 21 days in length. During that time, Colleen also volunteered as a CIDA environmental education intern to Kenya, spent 3 years teaching Grade 9 and Grade 10 experiential geography and outdoor education at an Ontario independent school, and was chosen as a teacher to co-lead Round Square International service learning expeditions to India, Peru, and Russia.  

It has been teaching and leading with the Canadian Rockies Outdoor Learning Centre for the past decade where Colleen has found her passion for outdoor education, program design and development, and connecting to the land blend, grow, and thrive.  She works with Kindergarten to Grade 12 teachers from across Canadian Rockies Public Schools to co-design unique, safe, and quality land-based learning experiences that connect directly with curriculum.  With a focus on assisting students to truly connect with the land, each other, and themselves and build outdoor and leadership skills, Colleen sees students through all seasons get excited about learning.   She is so grateful for the division values of well-being, nature, and diversity that CRPS upholds and that everyday she is able to share these values with students. 

Colleen holds a wealth of certifications that showcase her extensive expertise in outdoor education and guiding. She is a certified Hiking Guide through the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides and an Apprentice Interpreter with the Interpretive Guides Association. Additionally, she has completed Avalanche Skills Training Level 1 and is certified as both a Moving Water Canoe Instructor and Big Boat Leader through Paddle Canada. Her skills extend to winter sports as a Level 1 Nordic Ski Instructor with the Canadian Association of Nordic Ski Instructors. Colleen is also an Outdoor Council of Canada Field Leader Instructor and a Wilderness First Responder, having completed the 80-hour training program. Her diverse qualifications reflect a deep commitment to safety, skill development, and leadership in outdoor pursuits.

Outside of teaching, Colleen enjoys spending quality time outdoors with her husband, children, and her community - embracing adventure and connection through hiking, biking, camping, and canoeing in the mountains. She also enjoys sharing music with others, playing the piano and guitar with family and friends. Colleen is a committed life-long learner, always striving to grow both personally and professionally. Whether it's through refining outdoor skills, developing new teaching resources, expanding her professional development network or digging deeper into curriculum, she is committed to evolving as both an educator and an individual, constantly inspired by the endless opportunities for learning and self-discovery that nature and CRPS provide.

Emmalie Louwerse grew up in rural Ontario where life was fuelled by team sport, outdoor adventure, and time spent in nature. Her care for the outdoors was fostered by a childhood and adolescence spent kayaking, hiking, and exploring Northern Ontario, Quebec, and the Maritime provinces. In her final year of high school, she enrolled in a year-long outdoor education program where she was able to have the opportunity to participate in five to 14 day-long canoe trips in remote Northern Ontario. It was at this time that she recognized the value of outdoor education and her appreciation for experiences that can only be obtained when there are opportunities to be fully immersed in nature.

In 2012, Emmalie took her love for adventure to Kamloops, BC, where she completed a Bachelor of Arts Degree, majoring in geography. After spending summers working for Parks Canada in Banff National Park, she moved permanently to Canmore, AB, upon completing her degree and started a series of outdoor focused jobs including: ski patrol, mountain bike patrol, tail crew, hike/bike trail mapping and design, and backcountry lodge work.  

Recognizing an interest in a teaching career, Emmalie began working for Canadian Rockies Public Schools as an Education Assistant in 2018. Wanting to share her passion for the outdoors with youth, Emmalie began working for the Outdoor Learning Centre in 2022 as an Outdoor Learning Centre Instructor. Now in her third year, Emmalie is passionate about the work that she does and enjoys helping students try new activities and develop new skills while creating a safe and welcoming learning environment. She continues to maintain certifications that include: Wilderness First Responder (80hr), Paddle Canada Big Boat Canoe Skills, Paddle Canada Waterfront Canoeing Instructor, Swiftwater Rescue Technician, CANSI  Level 1 (Canadian Association of Nordic Ski Instructors), CSIA Level 1 (Canadian Ski Instructors Alliance), Top Rope Climbing Instructor with the ACMG (Association of Canadian Mountain Guides), Active Professional Member status with the ACMG, and Avalanche Operations Level 1.

Currently, Emmalie is focused on obtaining her teachers certificate with the University of British Columbia, while also working towards obtaining certification to teach Avalanche Skills Training 1 courses. She is a life-long learner, and she is eager to share her continual development of skills and knowledge with students at the Outdoor Learning Centre.