About Us

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Eric Dinnel is an award winning educator with over 24 years experience in the field. He is an internationally recognized education visionary, global education catalyst, entrepreneur and speaker. Dinnel has received awards in each of his educational experiences as a superintendent, principal, assistant principal/athletic director, teacher and football coach. Dinnel has school leadership experience in all grade levels, urban and rural schools, traditional, private, online, turnaround, charter and international schools.  He also has an extensive background in homeschool programs. His schools have been recognized on local, regional, national and international levels. Dinnel has directed an international student exchange program, international student council, and international educator/administrator cultural exchanges. He has trained school leaders and educators around the globe and is passionate about their growth and success.  He has led and directed several new school and start up projects. Dinnel has conducted extensive work and trainings with school boards in Colorado, Arizona, California, Minnesota and Ohio. He is enthusiastic and dedicated to quality school governance, financial responsibility, academics and operations. Dinnel’s education network provides insight and perspective on best practices around the globe.  In 2020, he received the Global Education and Learning Forum’s Top 100 Leaders in Education award.

His prior education work experiences include being a licensed financial representative for the Vanguard Group and an extensive internship with a law enforcement special operations team. 

Dinnel holds a B.A. from Colorado State University and a M.A in Education/Administration and Supervision from the University of Phoenix 

Eric and his wife, Tracey, live in Colorado Springs and have 3 children.  He enjoys outdoor adventures and spending time with his family.  He is a Colorado native!

Jay Zarr shares real experiences that bring to life concepts of team and leadership during his training sessions. Jay lives and leads by example. His authenticity and sincerity come through in      everything from his message to his one-on-one interactions. Jay meets  people where they are and works to propel them to the next level, asking them to check their choices along the way. Jay brings experiences and stories from over 30 years of outdoor expeditions and connects them back to everyday life. From kayaking among whales to summiting mountain peaks, Jay possesses a unique ability to harness and translate those experiences      and bring them indoors. He offers an unparalleled viewpoint of the value of self-knowledge, the collaborative nature of leadership, and the role of leader as servant. Jay designs training experiences that allow participants to use the skills they have, all while building new ones. There is always a takeaway moment from Jay’s programs. Jay has taken on a unique project of blending an online curriculum with meaningful experiential learning. He is primarily working with      high-risk high school and community college students. The courses range      from art to international service-learning travels. He is co-owner of Storyteller Travels, leading civilized adventure to exotic places—from Alaska to Peru.

Jay recently joined force with another seasoned professional and Co-founded the” The Experience Collaborative” The Experience Collaborative | Experiential Learning Consultants

He is an adjunct professor at Colorado State University-Pueblo, an instructor for the Wilderness Education Association, and Past President of the Nature and Wildlife Discovery Center of Pueblo, CO. With his groundbreaking work, Jay helped to define and develop the field of Experiential Education. Since then, he has spent more than 40 years working in the areas of outdoor education, leadership development, recreation, student programming, intramurals, and teaching. He envisioned and founded two experiential learning centers at Western State College of Colorado and at Colorado State University-Pueblo, where he was also the Director for 13 years. Jay’s professional experiences include serving as Assistant Professor of Outdoor Education at Colorado Mountain College and coordinator of Wilderness Management for the United States Forest Service. Jay served as Director of the College Center and Student Life at Pueblo Community College.  He received his bachelor’s degree in Recreation and Biology from Colorado State University—Pueblo, his master’s degree in Experiential Education from Minnesota State University—Mankato and studied leadership and innovation at the University of Colorado—Denver. He is an active member of the Association for Experiential Education and is currently serving as the President Elect. He’s been listed three times with “Who’s Who in American Educators.” Kansas Wesleyan University has established the “Jay Zarr Award” which is given to the outstanding outdoor recreation/education student of the year. Without a doubt, Jay is one of the nation’s leading experts in experiential education. Jay stands out due to his ability to transfer his experiential skills and education into teachable moments for groups of all types and sizes. Jay is inspirational in both his leadership and lifestyle. He teaches by example and encourages self-reflection. He paints a picture encouraging involvement and advises his participants to “be prepared to move, be prepared to think, and be prepared to feel.”