Wild Kids Field Team
Kennedy-Anne Max
WCF Administrative Assistant, Hawai’i & Montana Wild Guide
Kennedy is a summer guide and a lifelong Wild Kid. Her first summer trip sparked a love for alpine meadows, glacial lakes and everything else Montana has to offer. This love brought her to move to Missoula where she attended the University of Montana and graduated with degrees in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science. When Kennedy is not on a trip you might find her baking a sweet treat, exploring the trails of Missoula or making fairy houses.
Avery Filer
Hawai’i & Montana Guide
Avery is a guide for the Hawai’i After-School program and Big Island and Montana summer trips. He grew up in Baltimore, MD and graduated from St. Mary’s College of Maryland in 2017 with a degree in Anthropology and an insatiable curiosity about every corner of the world and all its different inhabitants and cultures. He spent the next several years traveling and eating his way around Asia, before moving to Hawai’i in 2019. In addition to his work with Wild Kids, he works at Le Jardin Academy as Impact Programs Manager. If he could be anywhere in the world right now he would be riding a motorcycle through the mountains of Northern Vietnam.
Joey Braun
Montana Guide
Joey Braun is a Montana Summer guide and long time Wild Kid. He grew up in Hawai’i and was part of the first group of Wild Kids to go to Montana. He’s been on every summer trip following that first year. In 2016, he moved to Montana to attend the University of Montana and never left. He lives at Christina Hoe and Kevin O’Brien’s family home in Missoula where he holds down the fort and prepares for the Wild Kids to visit every summer. His passion for life, humor and never ending ability to embrace everyone he meets makes him a favorite among humans of all ages. He loves to climb rocks, also known as Mountains, frolic through wildflower fields and climb trees.
Hannah Surina
Hawai’i & Montana Guide
Hannah currently attends the University of Hawaii at Mānoa pursuing a degree in Psychology. She has been a part of the Wild Kids program since 2021 guiding both for the Hawai’i After School Program and Montana summer trips. Whether on land or in the sea, Hannah is always down for an adventure. In her free time she enjoys spending time in the ocean, hiking, traveling and making jewelry with her friends.
Joel Saito
Hawai’i Guide
Joel was born and raised in Hawai’i. He earned a degree from University of Oregon in Sociology and Geography. Joel is a High School Humanities teacher at Le Jardin Academy and Head Soccer Coach when he’s not guiding the Wild Kids in the forest after school or in Montana. He previously worked in environmental education, conservation, and youth development. In his free time he likes to hike, camp, watch movies, read, and play soccer.
Ossian Nichols
Hawai’i & Montana Guide
Ossian is passionate about environmental conservation. Currently, he works as a Student Impact Specialist and Wild Kids guide at Le Jardin Academy, facilitating outdoor, biocultural and other experiential learning opportunities for young people. He also serves on the board of 'Ahahui Mālama I Ka Lōkahi, a non-profit committed to perpetuating "a modern native Hawaiian conservation ethic,” particularly through restoration efforts at Nā Pōhaku o Hauwahine. In 2022 and 2023, Ossian joined PMDP as a Marine Debris Technician on their expeditions to clean up marine debris off of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Anyone who knows Ossian will describe him as an endless well of positive energy. He is a favorite among Wild Kids students because of his boundless energy and enthusiasm! He dedicates his time to taking care of his community and playing in the ocean.
Dylan Stegman
Montana Guide
Dylan considers himself a professional tree climber. He has been involved in the Wild Kids program since his middle school days at LJA. Dylan graduated high school in 2019 and is now attending Santa Clara University. He loves the ocean more than anything, spending nearly all of his time surfing or free diving. Second to the ocean are the mountains; when he’s not in the water, you can count on him being somewhere in the Ko’olaus. If you’ve ever been on a trip with Dylan, you know that he has an insatiable curiosity for all things wild. It’s also important to note that Dylan will pick rock hunting over searching for wolves in Yellowstone any day.
Isaac Miller
Montana Guide
Isaac is an OG Wild Kid, adventuring into the forest behind LJA as a young grom, now guiding front and backcountry trips in Montana. Isaac is currently attending UCSB where he is majoring in Environmental Studies. Part cowboy, ocean master, nerd, and mountain man, Isaac has many hidden talents such as bull riding, free diving, drywalling, and competitive wildlife watching. He is quick to make friends with lower and middle schoolers, most likely due to his similar interests, major stoke level, and Peter Pan like qualities.
Kyle Quint
Montana Guide
Kyle Quint is always up for an adventure. He has been involved with Wild Kids after school program and Montana summer trips since he moved to Hawai’i in 2016. Before that he spent 12 years working in Tanzania as a professional builder, designer and amateur safari guide. Here’s some more fun facts about Kyle: He’s an Eagle Scout and ties super tight bowlines. He loves long walks on the beach....but only if he’s on his way to go extreme small wave surfing. He never naps and if you’re in Montana you may never even see him sleep at all. He always eats his whole dinner, no matter what. In his his free time Kyle likes to sign Danny’s email up for cat lover newsletter subscriptions.
Mitchell Hashimoto
Hawai’i & Montana Guide
Mitchell is from the East Side of O’ahu and currently attends UH Mānoa pursuing a degree in Natural Resources and Environmental Management. He has been a part of the Wild Kids program since the 9th grade when he started as a Junior Counselor for the after school program. His limitless passion for nature has led him to many marvelous destinations spanning from mauka to makai. He can be spotted high above your head exploring the heights of trees, testing his luck at a secluded fishing hole or taking a nap in his camouflage hammock.
Board of Directors
Aaron Tod, Chair
Sammy Braun, Vice-Chair
Michael Gabrelcik, Secretary
Leah Qiu, Treasurer
Executive Team
Christina Hoe
Founder, President and Wild Guide in Chief
Originally from Montana, Christina Hoe graduated from Dartmouth College with a BA in Native American Studies and Environmental Science. She began her teaching career in the Bronx with Teach for America and, in 2005, moved to Hawaii to teach Middle School at Le Jardin Academy. She founded Wild Kids with a small group of students in 2008 and has devoted over a decade to intentionally building the Wild Community. Other than exploring with the Wild Kids, her favorite thing to do is play with her curious six-year old daughter.
Aubrey Quetone
Wild Communities Foundation Executive Director, LJA After School Program Business Manager
Aubrey is the Hawai’i After School Business Manager and lead Wild Guide. She is originally from Minnesota, but resided in California for 8 years before moving to Hawai'i in late 2016. Aubrey loves spending time in nature, especially ice cold rivers and lakes, and spending time with her family. Her favorite activities are exploring wild spaces with the Wild Kids, roaming around her friend’s ranch in California and making earrings.