Our Team

Marianne Scippa

Owner and President

Marianne Scippa has been working in the field of professional and personal development as a facilitator, trainer, and coach with a wide range of federal and state government agencies and private sector corporations for over 30 years. She brings an innovative combination of psychology, organization development, and complimentary health care to her work. Her tailored designs apply to experiential programs for team building, leadership development, managing change, strategic planning, conflict management, and work-place health and wellness.

Marianne holds a Master of Science in Psychology (MS) from the University of Bridgeport and a Master of Human Service Administration (MHSA) from the Organization and Management Department of the Antioch University Graduate School.

She is a Registered Polarity Practitioner (RPP) with certification through the American Polarity Therapy Association. Marianne is a certified coach through the ICF. She is active with the Experiential Training and Development Alliance (ETDA) and has served on their Board of Directors. She served as President of the Association for Experiential Education (AEE) Board of Directors for four years, and in 1999 was presented with their Kurt Hahn Award for outstanding contributions to the Experiential Education field.

Ren Demeis-Ortiz

Facilitator and Logistics Manager

Ren Demeis-Ortiz has been working in the field of Experiential Education and Organization Development since 2006. Experienced in program design, facilitation, and logistics, Ren has facilitated programs for diverse groups of participants in diverse environments, including ropes courses and the backcountry. Having several years of management and leadership experience, they understand the challenges that organizations face and have witnessed the effectiveness of an experiential approach as a means to overcoming these challenges and developing a highly effective organization. Ren has undergraduate degrees in business and computer science.

An avid rock climber, former youth climbing team head coach, and certified personal trainer, Ren knows that achieving peak athletic performance does not happen by accident. It requires a cycle of deliberate analysis and action. They believe this deliberate experiential learning cycle is also effective when applied to organizational peak performance. Influenced by a background in the health and wellness industry, Ren also believes that the health of the individual and the health of the organization are inextricably intertwined.

Ren is passionate about learning new things, being active, and enjoying the outdoors, as well as sharing those experiences with anyone else who wants to come along. Ren spends their spare time absorbing new information and skills, writing, and training and coaching rock climbing and Krav Maga.

Certifications & Training

• Wilderness First Responder Certified
• Climbing Coach Training, Earth Treks Climbing Center, 2018
• The Browne Center’s NCC Ropes Course Facilitator Training, 2016
• ACE Behavior Change Specialist, 2016
• ACE Functional Training Specialist, 2014
• Climbing Instructor Training, Life Time Fitness, 2013
• ACE Certified Personal Trainer, 2012
• Project Ascent Ropes Course Facilitator Training, 2011
• Sandy Spring Friends School Adventure Park Ropes Course Facilitator Training, 2008
• Climbing Instructor Training, Sportrock Climbing Centers, 2005

Amy Kohut

Facilitator

Amy Kohut has been skillfully leading groups and individuals towards their professional goals for over 25 years. She has deep experience in many facets of professional realms: for-profit, non-profit, government and higher education. For the past 10 years, she has served as the Director of Cornell University’s Team & Leadership Center. In that role, she worked with thousands of clients in undergraduate, graduate, post doc, staff and administration, and faculty positions.

Amy has served the area’s non-profit and for-profit sector in engaging trainings custom designed to meet their needs in Leadership Development and Team Performance. Now as the owner of 1 Step Coaching and Consulting, she offers Leadership Coaching, Emotional Intelligence and Team Development workshops. She leads workshops and coaches using DiSC, MBTI, EQi2.0 (Emotional Intelligence), Leadership Profile Inventory, Strengthsfinder, the Leadership Wheel, Firo B, Thomas Kilman Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI), and Presence Based Leadership Coaching.

She’s served a manager and trainer for the international training organization Project Adventure, and is an independent consultant to large and small organizations focusing on leadership and team dynamics.

An avid outdoorsperson, Amy has held a Wilderness First Responder certification since the 1990’s, and has led multiday trips and expeditions. She is a certified facilitator of Emotional Intelligence, and been trained in Presence Based Leadership Coaching since 2011. Amy’s workshops, trainings and classes are both engaging and insightful. She lives outside of Ithaca, NY.

Certifications & Training

• Emotional Intelligence
• Presence Based Leadership Coaching, 2011
• Wilderness First Responder Certified

Zach Burns

Facilitator

Zach has over fifteen years of experience working in the field of experiential education and adventure-based learning. He combines his 2,000+ field days delivering multi-element backcountry expeditions, with his “front country” facilitation and trainings. Zach’s background includes designing and delivering innovative programs for companies, universities, and non-profit organizations. As a collegiate instructor of adventure education and human development, as well as a senior staff trainer for Outward Bound, he has trained hundreds of educators, facilitator, professionals, and youth. Zach is owner/operator of Encompass Learning, providing customized experiential and adventure based trainings.

Zach focuses on experientially-based professional development though hands-on learning, with an emphasis in leadership skills, group-dynamics, inter and intra-personal skill development, and organizational culture. Zach is passionate about the adventure and challenge in working in dynamic situations with diverse populations. These include delivering military re-integration programs, site-managing and facilitating equine-assisted learning trainings, and designing/delivering wilderness expeditions for young adult cancer survivors.

As an avid explorer and life-long learner, Zach can be found skiing, paddling, hiking, and exploring different cultures nationally and internationally with family and friends.

Certifications & Training

• Wilderness First Responder Certified
• Nonviolent Crisis Prevention – Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI)
• Carrying Passengers For Hire (CPFH) – Utah State Parks & Recreations
• Special Use Permit for outfitting and Guiding – U.S. Department of Agriculture
• Avalanche Forecasting AVI 1
• Minnesota standards for the K-12 Physical Education and Health Standards review committee

Dr. Allan Tomson

Project Director and Consultant

Dr. Tomson is a Chiropractic Physician with over 30 years of experience. In addition to his Integrated Wellness Center and private practice, he works closely with Scippa & Associates to provide educational sessions for groups on a variety of health related topics. He consults to individuals and organizations on workplace stress and computer ergonomics. Dr. Tomson has a commitment to work with companies to increase creativity and productivity and to reduce insurance costs and chronic disease through health promotion knowledge and behavioral practices. Together with Scippa & Associates, they have created a series of experiential work-life wellness programs for leaders and teams to create a culture of health in organizations. For more information about his wellness center visit the website: www.neckbackandbeyond.com.