Our Team
Our Mentors
Our mentors are the foundation of the success of the Explore Austin program. The program is unique in that at least three mentors are chosen to lead each class of Explorers for the full six years of the program. Mentors are chosen based on many qualifications and characteristics, including: experience and passion for working with youth, demonstrated leadership ability, trustworthiness, resourcefulness, and accountability. All mentors must undergo an extensive background check. Mentors meet with Explorers at least twice a month at KIPP Austin College Prep School during the Explorers’ lunch period where mentors teach a specified curriculum to the Explorers. Mentors also lead Explorers on three enriching field trips during the school year. The following summer, Mentors and Explorers attend a seven to ten day camping trip where both mentors and Explorers are mentally and physically challenged. The camping/wilderness trip usually takes place in July. Being a mentor in the Explore Austin program is definitely an enriching experience.
If you are interested in learning about becoming a mentor, please download the mentor application.
Jamie Matthews
Jamie received his BA from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, his MBA from National University in San Diego , California , and is a graduate from the Acton MBA in Entrepreneurship program in Austin ,Texas. It was through the Acton program that he and Carter Higley first met and realized that they shared similar life-long interests. He helped Carter launch a very similar program in Houston, Texas called LEAD. Jamie is a long time entrepreneur and has conceived and succeeded in several business projects, including a restaurant and bar in Nashville, Tennessee; a non-profit foundation that supports a wide variety of charities; scholarships and non-profit programs across the country; and many real estate projects in Texas, California and Colorado. Jamie has a passion for the outdoors that stems from his own outdoor learning experiences growing up. Jamie has envisioned providing similar outdoor learning opportunities to those less fortunate for several years. The Acton MBA program inspired Jamie to make that vision a reality.
Rusty Stein
Rusty is a native Austinite who is a graduate of Austin High School and Virginia Military Institute. He works in the medical device industry for a company that focuses on helping people with diabetes recieve their medication easily and painlessly. For fun, Rusty likes to spend as much time as possible outdoors with his dogs Pearl and Heck. Being a part of the Explore team is important to him because he firmly believes that there is no substitute for experience in life, and Explore Austin provides the opportunity for Explorers to gain experiences that will benefit them for a lifetime.
Todd Hanna
A native Austinite, Todd graduated from Austin High School and the University of Texas at Austin. After working several years in the commercial construction and insurance industries, he served four years on active duty as an officer in the United States Marine Corps. Todd enjoys running, competing in triathlons, and any other outdoor activity. He has a personal commitment to the community’s youth and has coached little league baseball and Pop-Warner football for several years. Having attended several camps as a child, Todd joined Explore in an effort to ensure that all children have the opportunity to experience first-hand all that the outdoors has to offer; regardless of their social, racial, or economic status.
Mark Schoenfeld
Mark was born and raised in Austin, graduating from Westlake High School and receiving a degree in Communication Studies from the University of Texas. After college, Mark worked as the Area Director for the local non-profit Young Life, where he worked with students from Austin and McCallum high schools and O. Henry Middle Shcool. He currently works for Entercon, a radio station conglomerate, where is the the Director the Public Affairs Director. His role entails educating the public on community affairs and hosting the radio program, Inside Austin. Mark enjoys being outside, spending time with friends, and of course, hanging out with his group of Explorers! He also considers Colorado his second home and goes there as often as he can.
Mike Leary
Mike is a native Southern Californian where he received his BA from California State University Long Beach and was recruited to Austin by Velocity Electronics in 2001 to help lead a growing sales team. Outside of work, Mike enjoys spending time on the trails and lakes of Austin. Mike has been involved in various charity projects since moving to Austin but is now focusing the majority of his time with the Explore team. Mike’s passion to spend time and mentor the less privileged youth stems back to his dedication with the Boys Club of America where he spent his high school years as a youth counselor responsible for organizing various sporting activities, community projects and fundraisers.
Jeff Penell
A former teacher, coach and administrator in both public and private schools across the country, Jeff has worked extensively with middle school and high school students. Growing up the child of an illiterate parent, Jeff has committed himself to supporting and providing expansive learning opportunities for kids both in and out of the classroom. Apart from spending time with his family, Jeff enjoys reading, hiking, video games and traveling. Jeff earned his BA from Texas State, an MA from Teachers College at Columbia University, and an MBA from the Acton MBA in Entrepreneurship in Austin, Texas. Jeff currently operates, invests in and consults for early stage businesses.
Greg Galindo
As the son of an Air Force Major, Greg was fortunate to have the opportunity to live and visit many places growing up, his exposure to new and different environments have given him a broader perspective on life. Greg considers Austin home, he graduated from Austin High School and has lived here for over twenty years. Greg currently manages at Pure Austin Fitness in downtown Austin and resides in south Austin with his wife Zaundra and nine year old daughter Jaelyn. Greg has witnessed many friends fall victim to the temptations of the inner city and believes that a program like Explore would have truly benefited them. Greg is committed to helping Explore reach today’s youth by exposing them to new ideas, environments, and challenges. He believes that the key to our children’s futures depends on the involvement of today’s adults.
Jeff Brown
Jeff is a native Austinite and graduated from Georgetown High School. He attended college in west Texas. He is currently a distributor for European Imports. In Jeff’s spare time, he loves to camp, hike, fish, mostly any activity that involves the outdoors. He feels that his passion towards the outdoors and helping today’s youth match perfectly with Explore Austin’s mission. He is excited to be part of an organization that wants to educate and challenge children — regardless of their status in life. He looks forward to preparing them for a life of victory.
Laura Murphy
Laura Murphy began serving as the Executive Director of Explore Austin in June 2007. Laura is originally from Longview, TX and attended The University of Texas at Austin where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Advertising. After graduating from college, Laura worked in the advertising and media industries for two years in New York, NY. She moved back to Austin in 2000 and began working in the non-profit realm. Since living in Austin, Laura has worked for several non-profits, including Children’s Hospital Foundation of Austin, St. Edward’s University, and Communities In Schools - Central Texas. Laura truly enjoys working for children’s causes and helping kids learn the feeling and meaning of success. She is excited to be a part of the Explore team.
Our Partners
Collaboration is a key element of the Explore program. Explore Austin works in partnership with many other non-profits to provide the most effective programming possible for our Explorers. The Explore program pools its resources with those of other providers who also serve the low-income, at-risk population so that all efforts will be maximized.
Currently, our participants are drawn from KIPP College Prep in Austin, Texas. Explore Austin works in closely with the KIPP School to ensure the success of the students. We maintain consistent communication with the faculty and staff of KIPP to track and monitor each student’s academic performance, classroom behavior and physical, social and emotional well being. In addition, we work in partnership with established camps across the country to provide an enriching wilderness program for our Explorers.
KIPP School
Explore draws students who attend the KIPP College Preparatory Academy in Austin, Texas. KIPP Austin College Prep is a free public middle school in East Austin that serves financially-challenged students. The mission of KIPP is to help all students develop the academic skills, intellectual habits, and character traits needed to succeed in competitive high schools and colleges and exercise the freedom to actively participate in the global society. KIPP Austin College Prep provides a challenging curriculum, which prepares students for success in any high school in the country.
Teton Science School
Explorers and their mentors participate in a seven day wilderness program at the Teton Science School during the first summer of their program. The Teton Science School has been offering programs in Grand Teton National Park since 1967. The school uses the wild lands of Yellowstone National Park, Bridger Teton National Forest and the National Elk Refuge. The Teton Science School offers participants field based, experiential curriculum that fosters an understanding and appreciation of the ecology and unique natural history of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
Outpost Wilderness Adventure
For almost 30 years, OWA’s particular philosophy has been built around providing the highest quality, small group adventure experience possible. We are sold on the many benefits of living and playing in the wild outdoors and want to share those benefits with others. OWA strictly adheres to the accepted backcountry ethic of “Leave No Trace” and we make every effort to instill a sense of respect for the outdoors among all team members and clients. Adventure is at the very core of every OWA activity and that means doing things that are outside of the normal realm of experience. OWA is not a tour company—our focus is on a wide array of instruction geared to both introductory and advanced levels in a variety of adventure-sports from rock climbing to fly fishing, mountain biking to kayaking, and backpacking to ice climbing as well as expeditions to some of the best alpine climbing and most exotic adventure destinations on earth. Our teams have made first ascents and descents of trails in
Greg Glover, Leander ISD and consultant
Greg Glover is a full-time counselor and facilitator with twelve years of professional experience. In addition to corporate groups, he has been a counselor in the adult Corrections system and trains S.W.A.T. teams in teamwork and communication skills. He currently serves as Challenge Course Director with the Leander Independent School District where he teaches administrators, faculty and students communication and problem solving skills through goal setting and trust activities. Greg not only trains Central Texans but conducts training sessions across the country. Greg is also a talented musician, actor, avid mountain biker and dedicated father.
