Who We Are

High 5's resident authority on design, construction and inspection of challenge course facilities, Todd has built hundreds of challenge courses and is experienced on a wide variety of building styles including indoor, outdoor, poles and trees, dynamic and static courses. He also manages the talented crew that installs, builds and inspects those courses. "It's different from day to day and week to week," he said about his job. Motivated by the problem-solving aspect of his work, he said, "I like meeting new people and helping them design activities and programs that fit their needs."

Todd spent 11 years with Project Adventure before joining High 5 as a founding member in 2000. "We're a dedicated group of people that really cares about our clients and their program needs." He has been involved with ACCT since its inception and was present during the drafting of the original installation standards. "You won't find a more dependable person," says Jim Grout. "He's very proud of what he does and knows what he's doing. You always get his best effort." Todd holds a Bachelor of Science in Outdoor Recreation from Unity College.

Jim is a veteran of more than 30 years in the adventure education field and has trained thousands of people in the art of adventure facilitation. High 5 was founded in 2000 as an educational organization to help people develop critical thinking and problem solving skills. "We're not just jumping around in trees," he says. The focus at High 5, he said, is to improve communication and relationships among the wide variety of groups they work with. He also wears an administrative hat and works with his staff to make sure that they meet the needs of their clients while enjoying what they do. "I care about everyone here. It's a family atmosphere." High 5, he said, "is a place for people to do work that they love in an exciting environment." When it comes to programming, Jim's extensive knowledge and avid commitment to the power of adventure education are evident throughout High 5's programs. "We focus on developing the individual and the team."

He presents regularly at AEE, Association for Experiential Education, ACCT, Association for Challenge Course Technology and AAHPERD, American Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance conferences, regionally and nationally, and served on the Certification Standards Committee of the Association for Challenge Course Technology. He has co-authored two books on adventure education, "The High 5 Guide: Challenge Course Operating Procedures for the Thinking Practitioner" with Nicki Hall and "Back Pocket Adventure" with Karl Rohnke. He has also written numerous articles for various publications in the field. He holds a Masters in Education from Salem State University in Salem, MA.

Jen oversees our business, financial and marketing efforts. She has over 20 years of experience in business management and marketing, having developed her skills at agencies and design firms in New York, New Jersey and Colorado before joining High 5 in 2002. "I've watched the organization grow and become what it is," she says. "I love making the business operation work for people who are on the front lines. It's fun to work with these creative people and be a part of that and contribute." She says that like most of the folks at High 5, she wears many hats and that the rewards come from being part of an amazing group of people. "I get such a kick out of working with people who are the best at what they do. It's a fun place to be." Working with our clients, she says, is energizing and even entertaining, which isn't surprising when the nature of the business is fun and based on success. Jim Grout calls her the Radar O'Reilly of High 5. "She hears the helicopters coming before anyone else," he says. "She's highly competent and does it all in a delightful manner."

Chris has been involved with adventure education since 1994 and joined High 5 in 2006, where he trains other facilitators and coordinates High 5's training programs. His passion is training other facilitators and helping them understand the connections between what they're learning and how it relates to what they take back to their own programs. "I love working with people and introducing them to the world of fun and adventure." For Chris, it's all about connections. Whether working with schools, summer camps, universities, corporations or social service organizations, "at High 5 we are all about people and connections. We want to build relationships with our customers." Those relationships invariably become friendships. "Chris can make any group work," says Jim Grout. "He's a skilled facilitator and very creative."

Chris regularly presents at regional, national and international conferences where he shares innovative programming and activity ideas. He is a contributor to High 5's Adventure by the Handful blog. In 2011 he delivered the Playnote address at the Association for Experiential Education annual conference in Florida. He earned a degree in Recreation and Park Management from Pennsylvania State University.

Gary works on all aspects of challenge course building/design and especially likes the building aspect, stemming from a background in the building trades focusing on custom, organic structures. His building skills combined with his passion for climbing, result in creative challenge course elements and designs for High 5 and its customers. "Climbing walls are one of my favorite things to build as it brings out both my love of climbing and building to create unique structures," he says.

He began in the adventure field with Wingspeed Adventures in 2001, and then joined High 5 part time in 2004, becoming full time in 2007. The best part of his job? "Being outside most of the time, being able to climb for a living, and most of all the people I work with," he said. "Our mission has remained solid--to build great products and teach people how to use them, with our goal to make real change in how people view themselves, connect with others and better their lives. There are not a lot of other organizations that can boast this in a simple sense like we can."

It's no surprise that Gary spends his spare time hiking and climbing, having completed all 48 of the 4,000-foot peaks in New Hampshire about three years ago. He's now setting his sights on the High Peaks of the Adirondacks. An Eagle Scout, he said he learned life skills spending most of his teenage years with the Boy Scouts. "Gary is rock solid," says Jim Grout. "He pays attention to detail and takes pride in what he does. He's a very creative builder."

With a degree in adventure sports in one hand and carpentry skills in the other, Lucas joined High 5 in 2008 as a builder's assistant and has developed into a lead builder and inspector, installing and inspecting challenge courses at client sites all across New England. He grew up in Gettysburg, PA, is an outdoor enthusiast, and likes to spend his leisure time climbing and kayaking. He likes being part of a program that gets people outside, educates people and makes being active fun and challenging. Lucas does great work, says Jim Grout; he's a skilled builder and enjoyable to be around.

Dave is based in Maine and has 20 years in the challenge course business, beginning with Project Adventure in 1989. Prior to joining the team at High 5 in 2002, Dave ran his own successful business, Maine Ropes Inc., for three years. He likes going to places that are off the beaten track. "I move around," he says of his job. "I'm not always in one place. I end up seeing a lot of nice places - camps, retreats, conference centers." Dave has a deep knowledge of the adventure field, says Jim Grout, and Dave adds that he and all the staff at High 5 are "dedicated to doing a good job for our customers. They're getting quality training and quality instruction and quality equipment. We stay up with changes in the field and what's new."


An avid outdoor enthusiast, he spends his time on home improvement projects and biking when he can. He looks for riding opportunities wherever he happens to be. Dave holds degrees from Lyndon State College and Georgia College and State University.

Ian is our Challenge Course Development Coordinator, and also a talented lead builder and trainer for High 5. He is responsible for all of our building department's logistics and development including proposals, scheduling and customer liaison. "I love the connections I have with our customers," he says. "I also love designing challenge courses that really meet the program needs. It's great when a customer can see our ideas and really starts to get excited."

With a background in both building and adventure management--he worked for three years building timber-frame homes and has a bachelor's degree from Lyndon State College in Adventure Based Programming--he also is a certified NOLS instructor and has taught backpacking, rock and ice climbing, mountaineering, canoeing and kayaking, skiing, teambuilding and challenge course programs.

Ian coordinates all aspects regarding challenge course design from inspections, repairs and new construction. He's usually the first person customers talk to when they want to start a program and will be the one to visit them for the first site evaluation. He has been in the adventure field since 1996 and joined High 5 in 2004. He is known among his colleagues as being very thorough and conscientious. "Ian's throroughness adds a lot of quality to everything we do at High 5," says Jim Grout.

Ryan is an integral member of our training team who brings a rich background in the adventure field and many years of experience - he's been in the field since 1996. "As a kid I fell in love with it." He has a degree in adventure based Recreation Resource Management from Lyndon State College. He then spent 6 years at Hulbert Outdoor Center in Fairlee, Vt., as a School Program Instructor, climbing specialist and Assistant Director of School Programs. Ryan then spent 4 years at Project Adventure until joining us in 2010. He loves the diversity of clients and the opportunity that provides him to be creative in developing programs that are fun as well as meaningful. He likes helping clients develop programs that are challenging as well as educational, all the while keeping in mind "How can we keep it fun?" He likes to challenge people to be their best and learn about themselves and the people they're with. "There's deep stuff happening," he says.

Ryan also shares his talent, enthusiasm and knowledge as a contributor to High 5's Adventure by the Handful blog, which he says is a forum of resources, activities and ideas on everything from program management to good tools to use. "Ryan is extremely creative and can walk into any job and make it a success," says Jim Grout. "He has great people skills."

Shelly is the friendly voice that answers the phone when you call. With a background working with a spectrum of educational groups and a BA in journalism from the University of Pittsburgh, Shelly brings business and administrative skills to High 5 that ensure the programs run efficiently. "I make sure that the office runs smoothly so that the trainers can focus on training and the builders can focus on building." They are, she says, "an unbelievably dedicated group of people. They're the best in the business; an unbelievable group of talented, committed folks." In addition to working with her colleagues at High 5, Shelly loves working with the clients. "Our customers are the neatest group of people. I love answering the phone. It's always a happy person on the other end." A busy mother, Shelly said most of her free time is spent with her family kayaking and gardening in the summer, ice skating and sledding in the winter. She is known for being enthusiastic and caring with clients. "Shelly has been a wonderful new addition to the High 5 team," says Jim Grout.