WHAT WE DO

Hi all! My name is Emma taylor and I am one of the co founders and past presidents of WOLI. When I was at the U I studied Parks, recreation, and tourism, and just graduated this past May! When we started WOLI my goal was to create a space that any female identifying or non binary student could enter with barriers to outdoor recreation broken down. I wanted to create a community that was centered around growth and a love for outdoor spaces. Upon graduated I am working as an instructor for the Outward bound school, working to continue to help students enter the outdoors in an environment that allows them to push themselves and discover and overcome challenge! I am so incredibly honored to see where WOLI goes, and to see the future generation of outdoor leaders grow!

Hellooo everyone, my name is Gabriella Sanzo! I am a co-founder of WOLI and served as co-vice president for two years! I studied Operations and Supply Chain and Parks Recreation and Tourism at the U, and following my graduation, I am now working in Logistics for Petzl (that climbing company). I am from the countryside of Buffalo, NY where I grew up skiing, but after being in Utah, I was able to learn several new skills outdoors, like canyoneering, backpacking, mountain biking, and backcountry skiing. WOLI has been a great resource to gain confidence and community and hard skills needed for some of these outdoor challenges we often face, and I continue to be proud of everyone involved in helping make a difference in the community!  Some words of advice I have for all you incoming WOLI members is to treat every experience as its own adventure, whether it’s simply bird watching or summiting a peak, and not compare your adventures to anyone else’s. Be a part of the change! Kindly consider others around you and create an inviting and inclusive environment for others.

Hello! My name is Katie Wehrly. I had the pleasure of co-founding the Women’s Outdoor Leadership Initiative and served as the co-Vice President and social media manager. I am originally from California and headed to the University of Utah for the mountains and skiing lifestyle. I have since graduated with a Bachelors of Arts in Strategic Communication and a minor in Parks, Rec, and Tourism. I am now living in Spain to teaching english to high schoolers! One of my favorite WOLI memories was on the Uintas climbing trip. We had some bad weather roll in but we had such a great group of gals that kept spirts high the whole trip and it ended up being the best bonding and learning experience. And with that, my advice to any new members would be to get on our trips! The best way to create new connections is outside in an unplugged environment, and our trips are such a great way to connect with the raddest community of people. I miss our trips already, so take advantage of them while you are still at the U!! Working toward making the outdoor community and inclusive space where people have the opportunity to gain confidence in themselves and new skills is one of the main reasons founding WOLI was so important to me. Being a part of this club enhanced my college, social, and outdoor experience by ten fold. I will forever be grateful for all the opportunities and memories WOLI gave me and will do whatever I can to be there for the future of the club, its leaders, and its members! WOLI holds such a special place in my heart and I know it will continue to flourish.

Hey I'm Julia! Originally from the suburbs of Chicago, I never had much access to outdoor recreation but knew it was something I always wanted to do. Being a part of WOLI created the space to learn outdoor skills in a welcoming and inclusive space. After graduating with a degree in Environmental Studies and Sustainability and a minor in Parks, Recreation and Tourism, I became a full time expedition guide in Washington's San Juan Islands and will continue on to canyoning guiding in New Zealand. Through the experiences WOLI allowed me to have and people I met along the way, I was able to find new passions and create a career path that reflected them. Watching different members of WOLI enter the outdoor space with curiosity and become leaders within a community has been my favorite memory at the U.

Hi! I’m Ainsley! I managed social media for WOLI and also was able to connect with many of the wonderful organizations we’ve worked with in the beginning. WOLI was a highlight of my college career, and it was so special meeting everyone. I’ve made lifelong friends and learned so much during my time with WOLI. I have so many memories, and one of my favorites was the desert backpacking trip. It was so nice to get to know everyone more over the course of a couple days. At the U, I received a Bachelors of Science in Communications, as well as a minor in design and PRT. My favorite outdoor activities during college and now are hiking, canyoneering, and anything to do with being in the water. Currently, I’m in my hometown of Huntington Beach, so I am spending my free time in the water when I’m off work. A piece of advice I would give members is to responsibly take advantage of all of the outdoor opportunities Utah has to offer (while doing class of course.) I miss recreating in all of the different landscapes Utah has, so take it in. Also, I would suggest inviting people on hikes, climbing, or on trips who want to go outside. This creates opportunities for everyone, whether it is to teach or to learn, and can really open doors for others, making the outdoors a more inclusive space. An invitation can lead to the creation of great bonds and memories that will last forever. I’m so excited to see what WOLI does in the future! I’m so proud of the growth this club has seen in, and how everyone involved has grown too