Jack grew up on the banks of the French Broad River near Hot Springs, NC.  He attended Appalachian State University in Boone, NC, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Applied Physics while also studying Mathematics and Recreation Management.  It was during this time that he began teaching and leading trips with the ASU Outdoor Programs where he taught kayaking, canoeing, and backpacking.  Since then, he has worked as a river guide and gear expert around Asheville, while also teaching skills courses to the public on paddling and hiking.

Raised in a family of thru-hikers, Jack completed his own post-college thru-hike of the entire length of the Appalachian Trail, spanning 2187 miles from Georgia to Maine, in 5 months and 15 days.  He is also a veteran of many other long-distance expeditions including extensive canoeing trips in Canada, a month long paddling trip in New Zealand, and multiple kayak descents of the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. His future dreams for expeditions include a source to sea paddle of the New River from Grandfather Mountain the the Gulf Coast and the “Triple Crown” of thru-hiking, the completion of the three longest hiking trails in America.

Jack is thrilled to join the FBRA team and perfectly combine his two passions: math/physics and outdoor recreation.  He hopes to spark a passion for math through its relation to the world around us while also challenging students to expand their comfort zones in the classroom, on the water, and out on the trails.