Gretchen Gerlach

Program Director

     Gretchen grew up in rural Montana, on a horse ranch, where living reciprocally with nature was a normal part of life and would continue to direct her future careers.

     After graduating from Brown University with a degree in Environmental Studies, she began working in Horticultural Therapy on the Big Island of Hawaii and training as a Rites of Passage Guide; exploring the potential of nature and ceremony as healing catalysts for at-risk-youth.
     In 2019 she began 4 seasons of guiding at-risk  and native youth for Alaska Crossings. Simultaneously, she was guiding trauma-informed adventures & wilderness therapy in Utah for adults in recovery.

   Recently, in an effort to incorporate the healing potential of culture and nature Gretchen created her own business Naetura Cara and and guides for the School of Lost Borders, both Rites of Passage organizations. 

       Gretchen’s work over the past 7 years, (1,200 + field days) reflects her belief of the healing powers of nature. She has dedicated her life’s work to guiding alongside the landscapes she lives in and supporting the well being of communities she is part of. Program development in Southeast Alaska, is her dream opportunity to weave together her experiences and offer her gifts.

         Gretchen will be serving as Fathom’s Program Director as well as managing the Fathom’s internal communications and information. She is passionate about tending to the creation of a healthy company culture, well being of guides, staff and clients as well as fostering reciprocal relationships with partnering organizations and the environments and ecosystems that Fathoms will be operating in.

Seth Bader 

Education Director

    Seth’s passion in life has always been connecting others with the opportunity to understand and revel in the natural world. He has been working in the education and outdoor industries for over ten years. Before starting work as a field guide in Southeast Alaska in 2017, he worked in a variety of environmental education roles in Idaho, Montana, and Washington. These opportunities have been diverse, and range from leading scientific explorations examining river restoration on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, to leading 50-day long ocean canoeing expeditions, to planning and facilitating backcountry stewardship opportunities for young-adults in the Idaho Wilderness.

     Seth lives in Juneau, Alaska and has been teaching Marine Biology, Environmental Science, and Earth Science at various high schools in Alaska. Recently he began working as the Education Manager for See Stories, a non-profit in Alaska that facilitates digital storytelling workshops for Alaska Native youth from around the state. When Seth is not teaching you will find him surfing, backcountry skiing, canoeing, sailing, hunting, fly-fishing, and exploring tidepools with his dog.

     With his experience and education Seth plans and facilitates experiences that allow anyone to find joy in exploring the outdoors. As a full-time Alaskan, Seth understands the intricate interactions that support life in Southeast Alaska's rainforest and ocean. His job is to create learning opportunities in the wilderness that connect people to this ecosystem- what could be cooler than that?!



Val Massie

Creative Director

Val is an artist who hopes everyone else sees that they are, too. She knows creativity is crucial to finding well-being for all in the face of climate change. She has roots in Scotland, Ireland, and Norway and was raised in Washington.

    Val has learned and grown in Lingít and Dena'ina land during her adult life. She earned a BS in Psychology from the University of Alaska Anchorage, then worked to serve domestic violence survivors at AWAIC and Alaskan teens at North Star Behavioral Health and Alaska Crossings.

   Val manages environmental projects for the Wrangell Cooperative Association in traditional Shtax'héen Kwáan territory. As the Fathoms program comes to life, Val's goal is to recognize the countless education opportunities that already exist in Southeast Alaska and form healthy partnerships.

Mike Green

Creative Director

     Mike is a dreamer, adventurer, and educator by nature. He was raised on the east coast in a family who valued the importance of time outdoors and the power of stories. Drawing inspiration from his parents adventures he always knew he would head west when the opportunity came. After over a decade of guiding throughout Southeast Alaska, Utah, Colorado, and North Carolina mike decided it was time to use his experiences to empower others.

   He believes in the power of nature to both

humble and empower each of us. Fathoms is the result of over 11 years of dreaming under tarps, in canoes, rafts, and long days spent in the saddle of his bicycle. His passions lie in introducing people to the power of the outdoors through expeditions and community based learning. Since his first day in Alaska he has known his life would come to

revolve around time immersed in the forests,

rivers, and oceans of this land.

   Mike loves to dream big and is continuously designing expeditions for our company that encompass the true spirit of the land and culture. He spends his time, hunting, fishing, biking, and wandering by foot or boat. Mike currently splits his time between the temperate rainforest of SE Alaska and Western Montana.

    Mike is currently pursuing his masters at the University of Montana in Environmental Science and Natural Resource Journalism. He hopes to bring his passion of storytelling, photography, and film to the classroom of Southeast Alaska.