Deborah Powers, Ed.D.
Chair & Associate Professor of Adventure Education

970-247-6295
dlpowers@fortlewis.edu

Education

  • Ed.D., Educational Leadership (K-16), California State University, Long Beach
  • M.S., Outdoor Education and Recreation Administration, California State University, Long Beach
  • B.A., Environmental Studies, University of Vermont

Expertise and Interests

 

  • Outdoor Education Program Administration: 20 years leading program administration, risk management, operations, & curriculum with K-12 independent schools, AEE accredited programs include: Chadwick School Outdoor Education Program and Dunn School Outdoor Education Program.
  • Outdoor Programming for Veterans: Currently researching the benefits of adventure (specifically rock climbing with Veterans) for the recovery of trauma.
  • Inclusive Programming in Adventure Education: Service, research, and academic course work focusing on topics concerning equity and inclusion in the outdoors; Indigenous perspectives of the land; and inclusion and belonging in outdoor programming for veterans, women, LGBTQ+ and BIPOC populations.
  • Experiential Education: Ten years mentoring graduate students with Prescott College, Master of Arts Program in Adventure Education: Mentor, Masters’ Thesis Chair, Core Faculty, On-line Adjunct Instructor; Peer reviewer for various experiential education journals and annual conference presentations; doctoral dissertation research explored the impacts of educational policy on classroom instruction, and more specifically negative impacts to experiential education.
  • Social & Psychological Benefits of Outdoor Education: Masters’ Thesis Research on Life Effectiveness Skills gained through outdoor education.
  • Processing and Facilitation: Eight years instructing and course directing for Pacific Crest Outward Bound School, Chadwick Outdoor Education, Dunn Outdoor Education, and Voyageur Outward Bound School; Three years in the field instructing clients and training adults in Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare.
  • Mediation: Trained as a mediator for Burlington (Vermont) Mediation Project; volunteer mediator for ten years, Dispute Resolution Program, Days of Dialogue, Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office.
  • Program Review and Evaluation: Association of Experiential Education Accreditation Program Reviewer, Adventure Education Department Program Review.

About Deb Powers, Ed.D.

Deb Powers, Ed.D., has been a professional in the field of outdoor, adventure, and experiential education for 30 years. Her work with Chadwick Outdoor Education, Outward Bound School, and other adventure education providers included leading and instructing groups backpacking, canoeing, whitewater rafting, backcountry and telemark skiing, rock climbing, mountaineering, road and mountain biking, surfing, and challenge courses. Facilitating the development of students across a wide range of populations means she has worked with at-risk youth, teens, college students, women’s groups, family from multiple generations, and veterans, on day-long trips to month-long expeditions. 

Dr. Powers brings her ability to connect with diverse student populations to the Adventure Education department where she is a champion for topics concerning equity, inclusion, and belonging in the outdoors. Being a facilitator and catalyst for student awareness, growth, and transformation through outdoor education is what she finds most inspiring about her profession. Over the years, Dr. Powers has consistently demonstrated her talents in preparing and mentoring the next generation of adventure education professionals, with the aim of supporting them in the pursuit of attaining a fulfilling and meaningful life.

Selected Publications

Powers, D. (2020). Perceptions of the benefits and effects of a rock-climbing weekend for veterans and their families. Published proceedings of the 2020 Symposium of Experiential Education Research (SEER), 48th Annual International Conference, Association for Experiential Education.

Selected Presentations

Association for Experiential Education (AEE) Rocky Mountain Region Conference (peer-reviewed), April 2025, Beulah, CO. Fostering Inclusion and Belonging in Organizations.

Colorado Outdoor Industry Leadership Summit (COILS), October 2024, Durango, CO. Fostering Inclusion and Belonging in Outdoor Organizations.

Association for Experiential Education (AEE) Annual International Conference (peer-reviewed), November 2023, Asheville, NC. Understanding pedagogies of place and education from Indigenous, post-colonial, and decolonizing perspectives.

Association for Experiential Education (AEE) Annual International Conference (peer-reviewed), November 2022, Madison, WI. Understanding pedagogies of place and education from Indigenous, post-colonial, and decolonizing perspectives.

FLC Faculty Research Showcase for Board of Trustees, Poster Presentation, March 2022, Durango, CO. Perceptions of the benefits and effects of a rock-climbing weekend for veterans and their families.

Professional Connections 

  • Association for Experiential Education (AEE)
  • Association of Outdoor Recreation and Education (AORE)
  • Independent School Experiential Education Network (ISEEN)
  • Outward Bound (VOBS, PCOBS, NWOBS)
  • National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) 
  • Chadwick Outdoor Education (COE)
  • Wilderness Risk Manager’s Conference (WRMC)