Outdoor Education Center

Outdoor Education Center staffFaculty and Staff

Carolyn Woods, Outdoor Education Coordinator

Carolyn has been directing the Outdoor Education Center since 1996. Carolyn graduated from the University of North Florida with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education and a Master of Arts Degree in Leadership.

Carolyn has been an outdoor enthusiast since she was a small child. She has hiked sections of the Appalachian Trails, paddled throughout most of the east coast and has led groups into the wilderness in California’s Big Bear Mountains.

Carolyn’s newest passion is teaching wilderness medicine. She is a licensed Emergency Medical Technician as well as a Wilderness First Responder. Carolyn has twice medaled in the Pan Am Games and was in Who’s Who in American Women. 

Carolyn’s hobbies include backpacking, climbing, fly fishing, paddling, martial arts, crafting and snow camping. When’s she is not at the Outdoor Center, you might find her hanging out with Solee the Wonderdog, volunteering in a search and rescue or making jewelry.

Carlos Chavez-Tafur, Program Facilitator

Carlos has been a facilitator for the Outdoor Center for the last three years. Originally from Peru, South America, he speaks fluent Spanish and English is his second language. Before coming to the United States of America, Carlos worked as a licensed mental health professional in Lima after obtaining his Psychology degree from the Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru.

Carlos relocated to the United States to work for the Outward Bound organization and has been doing so for the past seven years. Currently he is the Associate Program Director for the Step base in Yulee Florida.

Carlos is married and is the proud father of twin girls. Carlos enjoys the outdoors, playing sports, working on his yard and reading.

Andee Jones, Program Facilitator

Andee, a graduate of Florida State University, has been with the Outdoor Education Center since 2000. She was an Instructional Program Manager at Fairbanks Capital Holding Corp. She’s also trained with Universal Card Services, Bank of America and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida. Teaching Spanish in a local high school is where she got her start in education. She loves leading team building and, to help in that pursuit, she is certified in Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator and the Hermann Brain Dominance Indicator.

In her spare time Andee cooks, reads a lot, travels as much as possible and is learning to play poker (much to the chagrin of her mother!).

Taisir El-Souessi, Program Facilitator

Bio coming soon!

Khristi Keefe, Program Facilitator and Assistant Camp Director

Khristi Keefe is a Program Facilitator for Florida State College’s Nassau Outdoor Education Center. She facilitates challenge programs for college students, businesses, schools and non-profit civic organizations. In the summer, Khristi also serves as the Assistant Camp Director at Florida State College’s Camp Wildwoods. Khristi also works as a guidance counselor for the Duval County Public School system and teaches yoga.

Khristi earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Therapeutic Recreation at Georgia Southern University while practicing competitive swimming. She was selected as the NCAA Woman of the Year during her senior year at Southern. Khristi earned her Master’s Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from University of North Florida. Khristi’s latest academic pursuit was attaining a Specialist degree in School Counseling from Argosy University.

Khristi’s hobbies include cycling, reading and practicing yoga.

Sharon Kimble, Program Facilitator

Sharon Kimble is in her first year as a Facilitator at Florida State College’s Outdoor Education Center. She has more than ten years experience in training and development as both an internal and external consultant. Her expertise lies in leadership development and instructional design. Sharon has worked in financial services, desktop applications training, and most recently, healthcare. She is currently the Training Manager at Shands Jacksonville, a 600+ bed hospital located in Northeast Florida. She conducts a number of workshops for hospital leaders and has assisted workgroups with process improvement activities, teambuilding, and conflict resolution.

Sharon holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Workforce Education and Development from Southern Illinois University and a Master of Arts in Organization Development from Fielding Graduate University in Santa Barbara, California. She is certified in Situational Leadership II®, Information Mapping™ documentation strategies, and is a Master Microsoft Office User Specialist (MOUS). Sharon is a member of the American Society of Training and Development (ASTD) and the Organization Development Network (ODN).

Kerry Roth, Program Facilitator

Kerry Roth is in this second year as a Program Facilitator at the Florida State College Nassau Outdoor Education Center. He is the Student Learning Specialist for Florida State College North Campus. He handles Campus Life, Learning Communities and Service Learning. North Campus Clubs and Organizations, the Student Government Association and Student Ambassadors all operate out of the Student Life and Leadership Development office.

Kerry’s hobbies include recreational sports, hiking, biking, dabbling in graphic design, and playing music. 

Stephanie Vavilala, Program Facilitator

Stephanie Vavilala has been a Facilitator for Florida State College’s Nassau Outdoor Education Center for three years. She is a licensed mental health counselor (LMHC) and works fulltime as the clinical manager for Jacksonville Youth Sanctuary (JYS), an organization that provides therapeutic services to children in the foster care system. She is currently working on her dissertation to complete her Doctorate in Organizational Leadership.

Stephanie’s passions are singing, dancing, playing with her two dogs (Rex and Princess), shopping/fashion and doing scrapbooks.