Introducing the VOS staff team

Jeff Willis

Jeff “Willy” Willis, Owner & Founder of VOS

Since 1991, I have developed and led camps and expeditions throughout Canada, Japan, Germany, Colombia, Ecuador, Yukon, Peru, Italy and the Arctic. My love of outdoor experiential education, years of experience in youth and family work, and passion for environmental education and social justice led me to create Vancouver Outdoor School.

When I became a dad, I realized my kids did not have access to climate change education at school and/or summer camp, so I created the World Bound climate change expedition series and built climate education in our Fieldschool program as a foundational principle alongside outdoor education and leadership training.

I am also the founder and owner of Fireside Adventures where Barnsy, myself, and many of the VOS team members create life & social skill-building outdoor experiences for children and youth during the school year.

Jeff Willis

Liam “Barnsy” Barnes, Director of VOS

I started at Fireside as a junior instructor. Since then, I’ve led many epic adventures spanning BC, Yukon and Ecuador. As Director, I helped build Fireside’s World Bound and Vancouver Outdoor School’s Fieldschool from the ground up. I also created our Parkour & Film-making curriculum, which we’ve shared with hundreds of kids in order to help them develop physical literacy and risk management skills.

I am preparing for Jeff to pass the family business on to me when the time is right. My mission is to co-create the punk rock or electric guitar of education – we need something fast, furious, out-of-the-box and real to help us stand against modern challenges.

Portrait of Arashdeep

Arashdeep Khehra, Specialized Tutor

I arrived in Canada from India in 2010. My Indian heritage and the inspiring influence of my godfather, a staunch advocate for women’s education, ignited a passion for empowering others. I pursued, and received, a teaching certificate from Simon Fraser University. For ten years, I dedicated myself to teaching Biology and Chemistry to grade 8-12 students at the Surrey School District.

As an educator, I am driven by a profound belief in education’s transformative power. My experience as a mother to a child with special needs has further shaped my perspective, fueling my determination to create inclusive and supportive learning environments for all students. My personal experience has fueled my determination to create inclusive and supportive learning environments. My teaching philosophy centers on student-centered learning, emphasizing critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration. I envision classrooms where all students are architects of their learning journey, actively participating in their learning journey rather than being passive recipients of knowledge. My classroom is a space where curiosity is encouraged, mistakes are seen as opportunities for growth, and diversity is celebrated. I am committed to cultivating a culture of inquiry, respect, and empathy, nurturing lifelong learners and responsible global citizens.

As a person, my life has always been a fascinating blend of contrasts: the laughter-filled chaos of family and the quiet wisdom of elders; the rigors of academics and the joy of motherhood; the serenity of nature and the dynamism of urban life. I am deeply rooted in tradition yet passionately embrace the future. I am a testament to the enduring power of human connection and the boundless possibilities of the human spirit.

Jeff Willis

Madi Seneviratme, Lead Instructor 

Five years ago, I signed up for an overnight camp with Fireside Adventures because it included a first aid course. At that time my life was all about swimming. I was a competitive swimmer for 12 years, a swim coach for 6 years, and was working towards my life-guarding certification. At the time, I had no idea what Fireside had to offer as I was focused on swimming. On that overnight camp, I met Jeff, the owner and founder of Fireside Adventures and VOS. He convinced me to join a 21-day expedition to the Yukon that summer. I had just finished grade 11 and was uncertain about my post-high school studies. That three week Fireside expedition changed my life, with the climate change perspectives I learned on expedition inspiring me to pursue and Environmental Science degree.

This year, I graduated with an associate degree from Douglas College and began working full time with Fireside and VOS. I have helped lead canoe expeditions in the Sechelt Inlet and the Yukon, taught parkour, and worked as a Fieldschool instructor. Working with kids, being outdoors, and learning about the environment are my passions. I aim to pass on the experiences I’ve had and inspire youth to expand their comfort zones.

If I’ve learned one thing with Fireside and VOS it’s that you never know where your next adventure might lead!

 

Jeff Willis

Paula Vera Cerezo, Instructor and Climate Education Specialist

Growing up in Spain, I was always passionate about nature and humans. When I was a teenager, my ecoanxiety grew and I felt powerless in a world that was letting such terrible things happen. One day, I realized the anger and frustration I had were closely tied to my passion for the natural world and could be turned into action. That’s how my activism started.

My social and environmental concerns led me to volunteer around the world (Senegal, Colombia, Romania, now Canada!), mostly in environmental education and preservation projects. This gave me first-hand experience with the truly global nature of climate change, including how people can come together to act. As I found my own power as a climate activist, I began supporting others to find their power too. I have been working with kids and young people in different roles since I was 18, helping guide them and support them in their learning process.

This year, I moved to Canada to join the VOS and Fireside Adventures team. After a summer of running Fireside’s kids overnight camps, I’m excited to bring my personal style of climate education to Fieldschool! As a person, I am a curious, life-long learner. I have tried many different activities: martial arts, music, theatre… just to name a few. I also speak a bunch of languages, and love sharing my culture and discover others.

Let’s be the change we want to see in the world!

Jeff Willis

Daniel “Dani” Mikolela, BTT Mentor

As a young, Kenyan boy immigrating to a first world country, my life was changed forever by my first Fireside Adventures expedition. As I got older, after participating in numerous expeditions, I decided I wanted to pay those life-changing experiences forwards by becoming a Fieldschool and BTT instructor with VOS, as well as a camp instructor with Fireside Adventures in the summer.

Since then, I’ve worked with multiple kids in our Between-The-Trees program and been a supporting instructor with Fieldschool. I believe in this community’s transformative ability to improve kid’s self-belief. The reason for this belief is simple: I’ve seen it happen. Over my year in working with VOS I have seen so many kids go from anxious and obsessed with screens to young people full of self-belief, comfortable exploring the natural world, and part of a real community.

My personal interests include creating music and rapping, parkour, reading and learning of any kind, and – most importantly – connecting with people.

Ethan Barnes Portrait

Ethan Barnes, Lead Writer, BTT Coordinator, and TOC

I joined the team as a writer but found myself pulled into the world of outdoor experiential education. I now work for Vancouver Outdoor School as an 1:1 mentor and support staff for Fieldschool. In the summer, I am a camp coordinator and staff with Fireside. I hold a Master’s of Linguistics from Lancaster University, a BA in Literature and Language from UBC, and I’m currently completing a Master’s of Counselling where I plan to apply the out-of-the-box wisdom I’ve learned from Fieldschool.

Natasha Gold

Chelsea Pavich, Office Admin

I have been working with kids and youth for over 25 years. As a young teen, I was a natural leader, volunteering at youth groups, running volleyball and basketball camps, and teaching in preschool, KinderCare, and before and after school care programs. I was a youth coordinator and also an E.A. for a few years before having my two kids. 2020 brought me back to working with kids when my two joined Field School with you all, and I became an instructor for two years before taking on the role of office manager.



Camping, hiking, geocaching, and photography are just a few of the hobbies I enjoy. One of my best summers was a few years back when my kids and I kept track and logged 500 hours outside exploring and adventuring!