Kristen Cook

Field Instructor - WFR

Kirsten Cook is a Lead Instructor at The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE) in Wilmington, North Carolina, where she brings a rare blend of outdoor leadership, scientific fieldwork, and multilingual education experience to her role. She has more than a decade of guiding, instructing, and environmental teaching experience to her credit.

Born and raised in Los Gatos, California, Kirsten’s professional journey spans remote wildlife studies, bilingual outdoor programs, and grassroots educational outreach. She has served in roles with the United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Center, Livestock and Range Research Laboratory; the Smithsonian’s Conservation Ecology Center; and numerous outdoor organizations including YMCA’s Bold & Gold (Seattle, WA), Showdown Montana Ski Area (Neihart, MT), and UC Santa Barbara Adventure Programs. Whether she’s collecting prairie dog data for research, leading Spanish-language backpacking trips, or training new instructors, Kirsten thrives in environments that combine technical skill with human connection.

A fluent Spanish speaker, she has worked extensively in bilingual settings both in the U.S. and abroad, including immersive study in Chile. She is a certified Wilderness First Responder, Leave No Trace Instructor, and an Avalanche-trained Alpine Instructor with a strong foundation in safety, communication, and community-building.

At NCOAE, Kirsten leads field courses that foster leadership, ecological literacy, and resilience. Her background of trekking thousands of miles in the backcountry — including a solo journey across 1,500 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail — and her countless hours teaching students from kindergarten to college in both classroom and wilderness settings, make her the ideal team member at NCOAE.

Outside of work, Kirsten enjoys reading science fiction and fantasy, exploring ethnobotany, and spending time with her extended family, including her niece, nephew, and godson.