A native Kansan and aspiring adventurer, Channing
first got a taste for travel as a child, when the
family would pack up the car head out for extended
camping trips across the U.S. and Canada. By the
time he got to college and had thrown in a couple of
terms studying abroad in the UK he was hooked.
Channing has traveled extensively, wandering across
6 continents and visiting over 20 countries. High
priorities on Channing’s current travel list include
more time in Australia and Brazil, a couple of
“can’t believe I haven’t been there” stops in Europe
and the obligatory trip to Antarctica to fulfill his
dream of “touching them all.”
When Channing is not traveling, he also loves
adventure sports, hiking, marathon running, trout
fishing and cooking. Since life is not always about
fun and games (though it should be) Channing has
filled a number of interesting roles in his career,
anywhere from a contributing editor of a magazine,
entrepreneur, corporate public relations and
Congressional aide for two committees in the U.S.
House of Representatives. During his last go around
on the Hill, Channing was responsible for overseeing
all operational aspects of running the U.S. House
including security, technology, law enforcement,
voting, communications, emergency preparedness,
procurements and tons of other “stuff.” He has been a frequent
media contributor over the years in a broad
collection of media outlets including The New
York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post,
CNN, and many more. Throughout his career,
Channing has been a frequent public speaker in a
diverse collection of venues ranging from industry
conferences, school and community groups, and even
some slightly more “exotic” groups including the
U.S. Capitol Police and Navy SEAL officers at the
Naval Special Warfare School. His favorite
non-travel and adventure related activity is
District Trust Charities, a Washington D.C. based
philanthropic group that he co-founded in 2005 and
which hosts multiple events each year to assist
people in need throughout the D.C. area. Channing
currently resides in Alexandria, Virginia and is a
big fan of beer (just in case you were wondering!)
His
favorite quote is from the business writer Michael
Gerber, which perfectly sums up his thoughts on
travel and life, stated simply “comfort will make
cowards of us all.”
Born in Georgia and raised in Illinois,
Washington and Kansas, Shawn found ways to have
adventure in and around his home environments
before journeying into the world. Shawn is
equally comfortable in the air and under the sea
as he is on land. As an avid pilot, skier and
scuba diver he is continually trying to find new
ways to ensure that he leaves no money in the
checking account at the end of the month.
When Shawn is on land he also enjoys mountain
biking, hiking and fishing. On occasion he's
been known to cook. In his professional life,
Shawn is a systems engineer working for a major
US defense contractor. His primary career focus
has been in information technology, networking
and communications. Shawn also had a five year
stint as a professional broadcaster when he was
younger - but he prefers to refer to that period
as the "dark ages." Shawn is actively involved
in his community and believes that everyone, no
matter their income or education, can experience
adventure every day. He is a certified sports
fanatic and a staunch supporter of the NFL. His
favorite non-travel and adventure related
activity is BBQ. Although not a competition
cooker or professional BBQ cooker, there has
always been a crowd gathered at his house when a
batch of ribs are being smoked. Surprisingly,
Shawn is a big fan of beer. He is also known for
not missing many meals. Shawn currently resides
in Colorado.
Christine is a native of Willoughby, Ohio and is a
graduate of The Ohio State University with degrees
in Political Science and History of Art. She has
experience working for the U.S. House of
Representatives in Washington D.C., in addition to
two years as a congressional staffer for a U.S.
Senator. After finishing school, she started
working in the communications department of Ohio
State’s Moritz College of Law. Christine is also an
art enthusiast and loves museums, gallery hopping,
and hopefully owning her own collection one day.
Although her professional experience thus far has
kept her in an office, Christine’s true passions are
fitness and adventure! She is currently a fitness
instructor teaching aerobics, indoor cycling, boot
camp, and other classes at Ohio State. She also
loves yoga, pilates, hiking, biking, camping,
tennis, dance and just about anything that keeps her
active. Running is her favorite of all of them
though, and she completed her first Boston Marathon
this year while setting a new personal record. In
addition to her love of the sports and the outdoors,
she loves all things girly as well. Whether it is
something new in fitness, art, travel, etc., she is
always up for trying something new and staying out
of an office!
Stacy
was born in Minnesota and spent most of her
formative years there as well as Wisconsin.
After some years in Kansas, she now lives in
Colorado Springs and works in Public Affairs.
When she isn't working, she loves to travel,
ski, hike, bicycle, and is a newly accredited
open water diver. Because of her childhood spent
in colder climates, she loves winter sports, and
was sidelined last winter due to an ice hockey
injury. Although she sounds like a real
go-getter, she also likes to spend copious time
at home on the couch, reading, watching movies,
soaking in the hot tub or hanging out with
friends and family. Her newest adventures are
working on her masters degree in communications,
at the same time as pursuing a goal of getting
back in shape, which she is doing with the help
of a trainer, which she alternately likes and
curses.
Mike is a native of Guam. Laid back, No worries
attitude, spent his first 19 years on an island
with nothing better to do but go to the beach to
spearfish, bbq, kayak, or surf. On other days,
he’d explore the rivers looking for shrimp,
stepping off into the jungle Indiana Jones style
hoping to find some undiscovered cave, ancient
ruin or that secluded waterfall. The island
seemed so much smaller in the grander scheme of
things so what started as a short mainland trip
turned into a few continents and an extended
stay in Colorado. Not the beach but definitely
a change in latitude trading the spear for a
fishing rod and the surfboard for a snowboard.
Summer activities include fishing, camping,
kayaking, rafting, riding ATVs, dirt and street
bikes and seeing how far he can take the jeep up
a trail without having to use the winch.
Afterwards, there's always time for a BBQ
(island style) on the deck with lime, salt, and
an icy Corona. Mike also loves snow and will
ski, ride, snowmobile, or tube any hill he can
get up. Professionally, Mike works for a major
defense contractor but will easily lose the tie
and Italian leather for some fun in a t-shirt
and some flip flops.
Chris
was born in California and was relocated to
Colorado Springs, CO when he was five. Chris is
currently working on a Computer Engineering
degree from Colorado Technical University. When
Chris isn't busy with school, he enjoys golfing,
hiking, fishing, camping, backpacking, and
anything else that keeps him moving. Once an
avid motorcyclist, a catastrophic wreck
dissuaded him from any further adventures on a
motorbike. Despite that incident, he hasn't
given up two-wheeled vehicles entirely, and is
still into mountain biking.
Chris is also into web design, forum
administration, and database maintenance for his
website as well as this one. He is a firm
supporter of innovation in not only technology,
but our very lives. He believes everyone has the
opportunity to do great things, if only given
the information. It is that spirit which led him
into the experienceadventure.com project, and
will keep him there making sure things run
smoothly.