Topher grew up hiking and skiing in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. After graduating with a degree in Psychology of Children’s Development, Topher served as the programming director for a local after-school program. Following that, he worked in outdoor education institutes and camps in California, Maine, Alabama, and Pennsylvania. During the height of the pandemic, Topher began to take on roles directly involved in finance and operations in Charlotte, North Carolina. Not wanting to leave adventure behind, Topher joined the ARCC team in 2022 leading 3 domestic summer trips: a custom trip in California, National Parks: America’s Treasures, and Colorado & Utah: Canyons and Conservation. The following summer in 2023, Topher led the Vietnam & Cambodia: Project Clean Water trip. Topher now serves as ARCC’s Business Operations & Finance Manager, ensuring our leaders, partners, and, most importantly, our students have the experience of a lifetime on their trips!
What is your favorite place to have visited?
Traveling to Hạ Long Bay in Vietnam with my students in the summer of ‘23 was absolutely magical. I’ve never been anywhere like it! We kayaked through a shadowed cave that was home to dozens of bats, and we emerged on the other side in the morning mist to the sight of monkeys climbing the cliffs of the volcanic limestone islands that polka-dot the bay. It was a one-of-a-kind movie moment that I’ll never forget!
What is on your bucket list?
I would love to do a west coast cycling tour from the Canadian border to the Mexican border down the Pacific Coast Highway. First I need to get a bike though… and then I need to get in cycling-shape… and then I need to get a compass to figure out which way is south!
What are you passionate about?
Underneath all my adventuring, I’m someone who loves to sit on the couch and watch movies. I have spent countless hours learning about my favorite films: the productions, directors, histories, and everything in-between! I also love practicing yoga; I received my RYT-200 in 2022 and go to a hot-yoga class as often as I can schedule. Finally, I love making music. I was part of ensembles my whole childhood and was in the marching band all through college. I love performing on the trombone (or the tuba when I can find one!). Collaborating with a group of people to create something is one of the greatest experiences we can share!