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About Us
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Higher Pursuits was founded in 1997
and is based in Columbia, TN.
Over the past ten years we have
worked with numerous corporate clients, colleges, and school systems. See
our List of Previous Clients to view a partial
list of organizations we have provided programs for.
In addition to providing
teambuilding programs to a vast array of participants, we have also guided canoe
adventures in the Florida Everglades for the last 10 years and provided numerous
canoe and camping trips in Middle Tennessee. Our management team has over
30 years of combined experience in the outdoor industry.
Throughout our programs we use a
"Challenge by Choice" philosophy. Regardless of the age, physical ability,
or athletic ability of your group, Higher Pursuits can design a program to meet
your needs.
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The Management Team
of Higher Pursuits
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Dawn Nelson - Co-Owner,
Higher Pursuits |
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Dawn has extensive experience in the field of experiential education and
outdoor trips. Before founding Higher Pursuits, she worked for two years on
the high and low ropes course at the Saturn, Inc. Excel program. She
facilitated challenge courses and traveled around the country building,
directing, and facilitating challenge course programs for the GMC truck,
Pontiac, and Oldsmobile dealerships. Dawn left Saturn to pursue her
Master's of Science in Recreation from Middle Tennessee State University.
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For fifteen
summers, Dawn worked as the department head for the trip and ropes course
program for Camp Tapawingo in Maine and a coed camp in Tennessee. She
developed curriculum for the outdoor trips, managed the staff and trips,
designed and implemented the risk management procedures, and led trips in
the White Mountain National Forest, the North Woods of Maine, and the Smoky
Mountain region of Tennessee.
Dawn received her BA in Education from
Graham Bible College. Subsequently, she spent nine years teaching junior
high school at a private school. During this time she taught and developed
the physical education program and focused on teaching science and history.
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Dawn has been a co-owner of Higher Pursuits
for the last ten years and has facilitated high and low ropes programs for
corporations, colleges, teachers, youth groups, and other student groups.
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Certifications:
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Wilderness First Responder |
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Certified Maine Outdoor Trip Guide |
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Lifeguard |
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Basic Water Safety |
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Small Craft Safety |
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Moving Water Safety |
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CPR |
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Master Trainer of the Leave No Trace Program |
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Jan
Seufert - Co-Owner, Higher Pursuits |
| Jan is a graduate of the United States Military Academy in West
Point, NY. She has a BS in Computer Science and an MBA from the University
of Maryland. She has over seventeen years of experience as a Major in the
U.S. Army and is a veteran of Desert Shield/Desert Storm.
She is currently a
Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army
Reserves and is serving an eighteen month tour of duty at the Pentagon in
Washington, DC. Jan is working in the Headquarters Department of the
Army, Army Operations Center where she
provides human resource management guidance to the senior leadership of the Army.
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Her initial assignment in the Army was at Fort Bragg, NC where she served as
the platoon leader of a Hawk missile unit. During Desert Storm, she was
responsible for planning and executing the movement of 120 personnel, 50
vehicles, and a missile system.
After Fort Bragg, Jan served as an instructor and course director
at the Army's Human Resource Management School. As an instructor, she
delivered 740 hours of training annually; facilitated experience based
programs designed to train leadership and teamwork skills, and taught more
than 750 junior officers. The course included training on risk management
skills, executive writing skills, leadership, management techniques,
teambuilding skills, and computer literacy.
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also
spent seven summers working as a counselor and director of Camp
$tart-Up®. The Camp $tart-up
program is run by Independent Means Inc. and is a two-week residential camp
that teaches business skills to girls ages 13 to 18. During camp, the
participants are divided into small groups. These groups decide on a
business idea, write a business plan, and prepare a 20 minute presentation.
Her responsibilities as Director of Camp $tart-Up include, training and
recruiting all staff, planning all logistical needs at camp, mentoring
campers, and ensuring that the session provides high quality content to
participants.
Jan has been a co-owner of Higher Pursuits for the last ten years.
She has facilitated high and low ropes courses, and also facilitated
numerous True Colors programs for the last eight years.
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Certifications
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Community
First Aid |
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Lifeguard |
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Basic Water Safety |
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Small Craft Safety |
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Moving Water Safety |
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CPR |
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