Colleen Cannon

Colleen founded Women’s Quest after a highly successful career as a professional triathlete. In her racing days, she was World Champion in 1984, and National Champion in 1988 and 1990. She also was a multiple U.S. National team member.

Her passions, besides chocolate and being in nature, are liberating and empowering women through movement and balance, and targeting their true "hearts’ desire." "Colleen continues to EVOLVE adventures for Women’s Quest, delighting in ways to ENCHANT women with the experiences that coax happiness grown from joyful physical experiences." Colleen’s vision for Women’s Quest

Jacqueline Stanford

Jacqueline was a professional triathlete for many years, winning Ironman races and "The World’s Toughest Triathlon." She also rode in the first Women’s Tour de France. She has a love of water and was a National flat water and kayak racer. She loves to help people on ropes challenges courses. Jacqueline is a true "wild woman of the West" and her love of life and enthusiasm is catching. With her, you can do anything.

Jacqueline is also a very talented artist. You can see her pottery at www.castlewoodpottery.com. She makes any functional custom pottery, special mugs for Women’s Quest and very beautiful horsehair pottery.

Lorraine Moller

Lorraine is a four-time Olympian, a three-time world champion, Olympic bronze medallist, and winner of sixteen major international marathons, including the Boston marathon. She holds the distinction of being the only woman to have run all four of the Olympic marathons for women. Her twenty-eight years as an international athlete are unprecedented in distance running, and she credits her success to her unique and creative approach to competition, training, and learning to play with space and time. Alongside her running achievements, Lorraine was a forerunner for equality in women’s athletics, and an activist for professionalism in distance running. Since retiring from competitive sport in 1996, Lorraine coaches Olympic hopefuls, teaches remote viewing, writes for various fitness publications, and does the occasional sports television commentary.

Becca Korn

Becca has been in web design and development and photography for over 10 years. She attended Parsons School of Design in New York for photography prior to receiving her degree in sociology from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

When Becca isn’t working she is playing outdoors. She is a runner, swimmer, hiker, motorcycle rider and avid skier. She can also be caught traveling to the various nooks and crannies of the world in search of new cultures, foods and lots of powder!

Christina Russell

After downhill skiing for 25 years, Christina turned her attention to free heeled skiing. As a certified ski instructor Christina has taught cross-country and telemark skiing for the past 12 years. Currently, she is a massage therapist at Alpine Physical Therapy and Wellness Center in Fraser, CO. Her approach to massage is integrative. She uses techniques such as acupressure, reflexology, deep tissue, neuromuscular and passive stretching. Canoeing and kayaking, mountain biking, and most recently, triathlons are her sports of choice in the summer months.

Mary Hearn

Mary was born and raised in Hawaii where she developed a deep love for the ocean at a young age. A few years ago, she discovered the new sport of stand-up paddleboarding and jumps at the chance to paddle in the bay below her house in Kona, HI amongst the dolphins and whales. When she is not in the ocean, she can be found harvesting 100% Kona Coffee from her plantation in South Kona – Wahine Farms.

Mary found the sport of mountain biking while attending college in Colorado and subsequently moved to the Bay Area where she had a successful 5-year career as an elite mountain bike racer. Her passion for cycling has continued over the years and she feels blessed to be part of the Women’s Quest family and be able to share her knowledge and love for the sport with others.

Julia Ingersoll

Julia is a fine-artist– a professional painter who has divided her time between
studios in Tuscany and Big Sur, California for the past 13 years, creating
landscapes, still-life and figurative paintings, after completing her studies at the
Florence Academy of Art.
Julia’s equal passion is yoga, a practice she began nearly 20 years ago. Inspired by
her studies in Anusara, Vinyasa Flow, Hatha and Ashtanga, she currently teaches yoga
on Women’s Quest retreats, the Esalen Institute, and the Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur,
and loves sharing the life-enhancing practice of yoga with all levels of students.
With gratitude to all of my amazing teachers, especially Richard Freeman, Thomas
Fortel, Desirée Rumbaugh, and Mark Stephens.
Julia is a world-traveller, with a particular passion for the artistic cultures of
Bali, Italy, and Greece, all of which she has visited (and lived in) many times.

In her past-life as a former top-ranked professional mountain bike racer,she was a six-time national mountain bike team member, and also competed in road races for fun and fitness. Cyclingachievements include winning the North American Championship in 1992, the Colorado Off-Road Series in 1990 and 1992, a bronze medal at the 1989 World Championships in Belgium. Julia finds cycling and painting to be reciprocal passions andenjoys sharing with others the life-giving immediacy of moving and working in nature.

Rebecca Delong

In 1992 Rebecca traded in the East Coast and the Corporate World for the Colorado mountains and a new career in Massage Therapy. She has a great love for the outdoors and just about every sport. She spent many years racing triathlons, mountain bikes, and road bikes and competed in the first Eco-Challenge Adventure Race.

She has been on Women’s Quest’s staff since the beginning and feels blessed to have worked with so many amazing and inspirational women over the years. This is absolutely her favorite job besides raising her Uber-awesome son.

Michele Murray-Hedlund

Michele Murray-Hedlund is a former health food store owner, and native Coloradan who summited her first 14er when she was 9. She loves everything about the outdoors and has been a competitive mountain biker and trail runner; loves to telemark and nordic ski and likes to play on white water too. She and her “Leadman” alpine- Mountaineer-husband have seen the world from two wheels as they venture out on their bikes and schlep all their own gear several times a year. She is a certified Pilates instructor, spin instructor and is completing her 200 hour Yoga teacher training. She also freelance writes and has a blog on nutrition/exercise and healthy lifestyle.

Mary Ann Simonds

Mary Ann is an intuitive scientist and horsewomen who has spent her entire life sharing her passion and love of horses, nature and other other animals with people. Since 1980 Mary Ann has conducted seminars, lectures, field trips, experiential trainings, shareshops, as well as written 100 of articles, produced videos and TV programs, authored books and CDs, and now using the web to share her research and work on human-horse-nature interactions.

Mary Ann grew up in California training, riding and showing horses. She started the Whole Horse Institute in California in the early 1980s teaching horse behavior, stress management for horses, healing for horses and horse-human interactions. She has since conducted hundreds of clinics in he US and Europe and works with Olympic Riders including the Bronze Medal dressage winner Heike Kemmer from Germany.

Mary Ann uses music in all her clinics and is currently doing research on why the music works so well with both horses and riders.

Cathy Lambert

Cathy is a professional yoga instructor and certified yoga therapist. She has been teaching yoga and meditation for over a decade and now brings her love of these studies to the Women’s Quest Horse Adventure by sharing lessons in awareness and mindfulness, along with the fundamentals of horseback riding, applied naturally.

Heather Ross
Travel Expert

Heather is our favorite travel expert. She is a very helpful travel agent with whom I have been working for
20 years. Heather is at The Travel Society has been coordinating cycling trips for years and can help you with whatever you need.

Heather Ross, The Travel Society
3000 Center Green 220
Boulder CO 80301
Ph 303 381-7423 Fax 303 381-0609
email heatherr@travelsociety.com

Margaret Gutgesell

Margaret Gutgesell, Medicare eligible, is an avid road and mountain biker. She retired from the practice of pediatrics at the University ofVirginia and traded her degrees of M.D., Ph.D. (exercise physiology) for that of M.W. (mountain woman). She lives and plays in the Rocky Mountains of Fraser, Colorado in the summer and winter where she also cross- country skis and snowshoes. In the spring and fall she bikes and hikes near the Blue Ridge Mountains of central Virginia (Charlottesville). Her motto is ‘Live simply: bike, eat, sleep, repeat.

Shenna Fitzgerald

After years of balancing her professional career in marketing and public relations with her life as a professional mountain bike racer, Shenna has slowed life down to have time with her two-year old son. She now balances work with Women’s Quest, doing marketing and public relations, with daily outdoor adventures and the adventures of motherhood. She loves to share the spirit and amazement of the outdoors with others.

Kristen Wheeler

Kristen Wheeler is dance/movement therapist and facilitator. She came to athleticism late in her life through yoga and dance. With masters degrees in Somatic Counseling Psychology and Mythology, she brings her love of personal story and embodiment to Women’s Quest. Linking the present moment to the future beyond your Women’s Quest journey, Kristen helps women deepen their experience and take the gems into their future.

Candace Newlove

Living in the mountains of Colorado, Candace can be found enjoying the out of doors hiking with her horse and dog or skiing at our local ski area. She spends most of her time working in her clay and fiber studio making rice bowls to teasets to sculpture or weaving colorful multitextured fabrics used for blankets and shawls. You can visit her website at www.candacenewlove.com to see some of her work. When not working or playing she really enjoys spending time teaching and encouraging people to get in touch with their creative side through the simplicity of art and play.

Jane

Jane grew up in the Midwest in a family of 5 girls, where her father insisted that they all learn to ski by the age of 4. It was “the church of the open slopes” every Saturday and Sunday, and she knew she would someday move to the mountains and become a ski bum. It took awhile, but after years of restless travel, including a life-changing trip to Borneo and career stints in Chicago and Japan, Jane finally got my wish at age 38. Jane and her husband moved full time to Winter Park, CO and never looked back.

Other things she does when she is not skiing: mtn biking, hiking, adopting homeless dogs and cats.
Latest fun: Canyoneering

Favorite quote: “The adventure starts when everything goes wrong” – Yvonne Chouinard

Personal philosophy: A love of animals, be they wild or domestic, will change your life.

Liz Bakas

Liz Bakas is a Colorado native who loves the mountains, wild flowers, and pie. She grew up playing competitive tennis and went to the University of Colorado pursue a degree in English Literature and Education. Once in Boulder, her outdoor interests expanded to include adventures on trails, in water, and on her favorite green and pink bike. She teaches middle school in Lafayette, CO and tries to get out and have fun with her dogs, girlfriends, and bike-builder fiance whenever she can.

Stephenie Scholl

Steph has a combined Master’s Degree in Human Nutrition and Exercise Science from C.S.U., but makes her living owning and operating Big Shooter Coffee in Kremmling, CO! She competively races (almost everyweekend) in track & field, road running, and nordic skiing. For fun (besides running & skiing), Steph rows, mtn.bikes, practices yoga, and does CrossFit. She love, love, loves the out-of-doors, especially where she live. She enjoys exposing new people to the joys of their surroundings, primarily through running.

Su Nimon

Su worked in the corporate world for many years. She made money but wasn’t happy! During a moment of clarity at some point, she realized that if she wasn’t happy then she needed to do something to fix that.

Everyone is given talents, interests and Su think we have those for a very important reason. When we pursue those interests, our lives are more filled with joy. Since Su has been following this path, she thinks she can say that more amazing coincidences… stunning chance occurrences… and dream-come- true moments have happened than at any other time of her life.

Su’s job now is to do exactly what she want to do… and perhaps to offer you encouragement to identify and follow a dream or two yourself. She works as an artist, focusing on textiles/wearable, acrylic painting and digital art. She does bodywork and classes on techniques hat she has studied for many years- meditation, healing techniques and more fun. And she is singing, especially loving leading kirtan, a call and response form of meditative yoga.

Anna Garaway
Surf Instructor

Anna is from Santa Cruz, California, and is from a family of competitive surfers. Traveling from an early age around the US with her parents and internationally with her siblings, at 15, Anna went to Chile and never looked back. Her surf travels have taken her to Barbados, Mexico, Hawaii, Florida, Virginia, North Carolina, Bali, Japan, Italy, England, Holland, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. She has won the Costa Rican National Women’s Championship and other competitions. Anna has years of experience teaching, having taught in California, England, Holland and Costa Rica. She has a love for being in the ocean and sharing surfing with others. "My favorite thing about teaching, is watching someone ride their first wave. The un-removable smile, joy, excitement, and freedom they feel reminds me why I started surfing." Anna loves Costa Rica, its friendly people, and feels so blessed to be able to spend time here.

Erick Mora
Surf Instructor

Erick was born and raised in Costa Rica. He started surfing when he was 16 years old, what he likes most of teaching surfing is meeting new people, sharing time in the ocean with them and seeing the positive effect it has on them, and also the smile in their faces after they get their fist rides. Erick has
been living in this area for 7 years. Before that he lived in the Osa Penisula for another 7 years.

Erick’s two passions in life are traveling and surfing. He got his travel bug when hetraveled to Mexico when he was 15 years old. After that all he could think was to work and save money to see the world. Erick has been surfing in Fiji, New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, South Africa, Canary Islands, Spain, Nicaragua and Panama. Erick loves the beauty of the Santa Teresa area, the incredible beaches and friendly people and especially the great weather that allows him to wear shorts year round!

Helen Bowditch
Surf Instructor

Helen started surfing because she hated running and couldn’t catch. She discovered a love for the ocean, a reconnection with nature, and the best feeling in the world. Now she’s a surf instructor in Costa Rica and she loves encouraging other people to release their limitations, express their individuality, and realize that they are much better than they think they are. Repetition and overlearning are important for the beginner surfer, but so are letting go, relaxing, and just feeling it. Seeing people get their first ride never gets boring, and her cheeks are often sore at the end of the day from all that smiling. Helen hates to admit it, but she also secretly loves ballroom dancing, singing Whitney Houston gospel songs in the shower, and eating picked onions straight from the jar.

Diana Estey
Yoga Instructor

After graduating from Bates College, Diana followed her passion to be immersed in nature and worked as a naturalist for several years in Washington and Minnesota teaching and leading programs for both adults and children. Her natural abilities as a leader and teacher led her to pursue Waldorf education where she trained in New York and England and then went on to become involved in schools both on the west and east coasts.

Her teaching expanded further into the realms of outdoor fitness education and yoga with a move to Boston in her early thirties where she then took on running kayaking and ski programs for the greater Boston community as well as furthuring her studies as a yoga teacher. She studied Iyengar, Kripalu, and Power yoga with a host of teachers including Shiva Rea, Baron Baptiste, and Rodney Yee.

Her teaching and practice has transformed over the years to an integrated vinyasa flow melding the teachings of her primary teachers Rodney Yee, and Shiva Rea. Diana also teaches the meditative practice of Yin Yoga with a foundation from the teachings of Paul Grilley and Sarah Powers. Diana’s passion is to create the space for us to experience the vitality and freedom as well as the beauty of our humanity through the movement of our minds and bodies in our yoga practice, through the transformative coaching work, and through our deep connection to each other and nature.

Gretchen Spira, MA
Yoga Instructor

Gretchen has facilitated transformational movement experiences through YOGA and DANCE since 1986. She emphasizes playfulness in movement, drawing from her career as a performer, choreographer, and teacher of improvisation. Gretchen is trained in Dance/Movement therapy, and brings inspiration from her background as a somatic psychotherapist into experiential exercises. Gretchen has the unique ability to GET PEOPLE MOVING. Gretchen creates an atmosphere of exploration, where there is no "right" way to move. She uses music, imagery, and fun group games to assist women in discovering their "own way" of moving. She invites women to move generously along the edge of what they are, into the territory of what they can become.

Christina Minasian
Yoga Instructor

Christina’s passion for yoga began in 1999 when she attended her first yoga class. Although she could not quite put into words the impact that one class had, she felt the profound affects and wanted to experience more. That led to years of dedication, practice and study and eventually, teacher training. Christina is inspired by all styles of yoga from Flow and Kundalini to Iyengar and Yin. Her formal trainings and certification are through YogaFit. This extensive program in the Vinyasa style marries a 5000 year old tradition with current exercise science to create an accessible and safe, alignment-based flow practice. Christina believes in the healing powers of yoga for mind, body, heart and soul and it gives her great pleasure to share the practice with others.

Christina’s other passions include painting and jewelry design. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from CU Boulder. Christina is currently working toward a Master’s degree in Art Education. Her dream is to teach art and yoga workshops as she sees the powerful connection between the two.

When Christina is not striking a yoga pose, painting or making jewelry she can be found outside running, hiking, biking or skiing in the beautiful Colorado Rocky Mountains that she calls home.