OAP Staff

Hatch is the Outdoor Adventure Program Director and an Instructor of Health and Human Performance for Eastern Oregon University. This dream job continues Michael’s lifelong passion of enveloping himself in everything outdoors. A native of Boise, Idaho, Hatch received a B.S. degree in Resource Conservation/Wilderness Studies from the University of Montana and his M.S. in Education from Eastern Oregon University.

For over a decade Hatch worked as a mountain guide, backcountry ski guide, and helped manage Forest Service recreation programs for operations in both Idaho and Northeast Oregon. Hatch’s favorite outdoor medium and subject to teach is snow. Through the years he has taught avalanche courses to hundreds of recreationists, college students, and EMS personnel as an American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE) Level 1 and Level 2 Course Leader and professional member of the American Avalanche Association (AAA). He is a board member and forecaster for the Wallowa Avalanche Center (WAC). Currently, Michael has certifications as a Wilderness First Responder, AIARE Level 3, Swiftwater Rescue Technician (SRT1), and is a Leave No Trace (LNT) Master Educator.

Hatch is a steadfast believer in the primacy of local landscapes and the outdoors as catalysts for physical, mental, and emotional well-being. He has explored many landscapes around the world such as Chile, Ecuador, New Zealand, Europe, Alaska, and Central America. He is an avid biker, mountaineer, climber, hiker, skier, and whitewater enthusiast. He loves introducing people to new outdoor experiences and giving them the skills and confidence to face and overcome challenges. Fun Fact: Hatch had double hernia surgery, so he doesn’t lift as many heavy things nowadays, but he can still shake a leg or two.

Natanya is the OAP’s outreach and engagement coordinator intern for 2023-2024. The focus of the internship is to assist the OAP in increasing student involvement in outdoor activities and recreation especially among minority and underserved communities on campus. Natanya grew up in Juneau, Alaska and came to EOU to study communications. Some of her hobbies include hammocking, long drives with loud music, soccer, and watching reality TV shows with friends. A fun little fact about Natanya is she works on top of a glacier during the summers for a helicopter tour operation.

McKenna Harrington works primarily in the Climbing Center. She is from Pendleton, Oregon and enjoys paddleboarding, raising chickens, and traveling. McKenna is a junior majoring in marketing and minoring in accounting. In her free time she enjoys being around friends and family. A fun fact about McKenna: she plays guitar and bass.

Hayden is a senior here at EOU. He has a wide range of hobbies including pottery, music, life/god, reading, meditation and anything outdoors. Hayden is majoring in Computer Science and has an AS degree in Math. His only career goal is to be happy with what he does because then he’ll be successful.

Amara works in the Climbing Center. She has been climbing on and off the past four years. She enjoys photography and loves going outside on adventures to take pictures. She is majoring in Health and Human Performance with a concentration in Exercise Science to become a personal trainer. Glacier National Park is one of her favorite places to take an adventure. Fun fact: She spent the summer at an outdoor summer camp in New Hampshire. 

Simon is a junior in the English/Writing program. He spends his weekdays reading, writing and climbing, and his weekends watching soccer and going adventuring, looking for cool places to fish, ski, bike and climb. Simon is currently the president of the Ski & Snowboard Club and the Climbing Club. He wants to encourage everyone to join. Simon has spent most of his life in Eastern Oregon, and always looks forward to exploring more of our mountains! Fun fact: Simon drives a forty-year-old pickup.