Andy grew up in East Tennessee and earned a BA in Communication from Wittenberg University in Ohio. While in college he spent his summers rafting guiding on the Nolichucky River, where his love for the outdoors took off.

He has thru-hiked Appalachian Trail, kayaked from Ohio to Key West, and found himself in countless other questionable situations in nature. While doing these long expeditions alone, he realized the need to know how to handle any situation that may arise.  He took his first WFR class over a decade ago and enjoyed it so much he wanted to help share his knowledge with others.

When Andy’s not teaching with SOLO, you can find him working as a Raft Guide for NOC or traveling the country in his van with his wife and dog.