Speaker's Profile

A native of Utah, Andrew Taylor grew up in the outdoors and spent his college summers as a river guide on the Upper Colorado River. After graduating from the University of Utah with a degree in Organizational Communication, Andrew went to Costa Rica in search of whitewater. During his time in Costa Rica, he fell in love with the Costa Rican people and the wide range of adventure activities the country has to offer. Andrew has been running adventure trips in Costa Rica since 2004. He has rafted and kayaked rivers all over the world, including Costa Rica, New Zealand, and Venezuela. He is trained in Swiftwater Rescue and has also spent time as a White-Water Rescue Technician Instructor. In 2010, Andrew received a Master of Business Administration from Westminster College in Salt Lake City and pursued a Substance Use Disorder Counseling Certificate through the University of Utah in 2012. He has enjoyed and been inspired by his work with individuals suffering from drug and alcohol addictions at Cirque Lodge, which is one of the top substance abuse programs in the nation. Andrew speaks fluent Spanish and is a certified Wilderness First Responder. He has a passion for adventure, the outdoors, and helping young adults. He currently runs a podcast called In the Trenches where he interviews other industry professionals about young adults and how we can best support them.

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