Bios of the Founders

Anna Bradley, Founder
Anna grew up in Eastern Oregon and spent her summers and weekends fishing, camping, and wandering the hills with her family. She discovered Archaeology, which became a passion and she spent many years searching the woods for artifacts and dreaming of running away to live in the wilderness. In 2006 she graduated from the University of Oregon with a degree in Archaeology and nowhere to go. She spent time directing plays and choirs, tutoring children, working as a Program Director for Boys & Girls Club, and volunteering with local organizations such as Nearby Nature. However, nature was always calling her back. With this in mind she began to study wilderness survival and nature awareness skills and soon found the link between her dreams and her passion to understand ancient ways. Anna has studied wilderness survival at Tom Brown Jr.’s Tracker School, and has studied using the Kamana Naturalist Training Program. Anna loves to throw around a sling, practice herbalism, and play in the wilds. She has worked very closely with children and adults alike using a teaching method that encourages curiosity, motivation, and fun. Anna loves integrating music and theatre into her teaching and is currently working on writing and recording her music. Anna has completed 126 training hours with the Academy of Scottish Herbalism here in Eugene. She is also a volunteer with the Lane County Search and Rescue.

Matt Bradley, Founder
Matt grew up in the southern Willamette Valley and was always conspicuously curious about the natural world. He began with an interest in hiking that evolved first into backpacking and then wilderness survival and eventually all manner of outdoor and wilderness skills. Matt specializes in ultralight backpacking and in the summer of 2005 he hiked 1700 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail in through California, Oregon and Washington making much of his own gear for the trip. In 2004 he discovered Tom Brown’s Field Guide to Wild Edible and Medicinal Plants which spurred him in to a love of plants and all of their uses. You can often find him with his nose to the ground looking at (or perhaps tasting) something green. Matt has been trained at Tom Brown’s Tracker School and has completed Level 2 of the Kamana Naturalist Training Program but most of his experience comes from just being outside and passionately wanting to learn more about our natural world and our place in it. After working various jobs including being a National Park Ranger and helping REI coordinate their community outreach programs Matt has found his calling as a wilderness educator. Matt is certified in First Aid, CPR, Treatment of severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) and is certified for Search and Rescue operations through the Oregon State Sheriff’s Association.