Company Information

Inner Passage was founded in 2001 with the intention of facilitating once in a lifetime adventures to reconnect individuals with their leadership potential in their professional and personal lives.

Our vision is to help individuals, families, teams, and organizations make a connection with their full potential in a way that leads to significant impact within themselves and their relationships.

Staff

Matt Walker

Inner Passage's principal, Matt Walker, received his Master's Degree in Applied Behavioral Science from Bastyr University in Seattle, WA. He has worked as an outdoor educator and mountain guide for the past decade. This work has allowed him to travel and climb throughout the world.

Matt has focused his work teaching and facilitating leadership development through outdoor adventure.

Matt Walker photo

Matt is a certified Single Pitch Instructor by the American Mountain Guide Association and has completed the AMGA Rock Instructor training. He is as comfortable rock climbing in the mountains of Southern Arizona as he is climbing ice and snow at 24,000 feet in Nepal. Matt has held Wilderness First Responder medical certification since 1995.

Matt is an instructor in Adventure Leadership and EcoPsychology for Prescott College. He lives in Tucson with his wife Elizabeth and their canine climbing partner, Zora.

Adrian Ballinger

Inner Passage is proud to partner with Adrian Ballinger and Alpenglow Expeditions for our International High Performance Leadership Expeditions. Adrian holds the highest level of mountain guiding certification (IFMGA/UIAGM) and has summited Mt Everest and many of the highest peaks in the world. And yes, Adrian is an amazing climber and athlete. But what sets him apart from his peers is his infectious enthusiasm, ability to coach and support adventurers of all levels, and depth of understanding of personal and group leadership development. Adrian is an asset at Inner Passage and being a part of an expedition with him is an amazing experience. Plus the guy has some great stories from his climbs all over the world and he can brew a mean cup of coffee too. A good man to have around.

Read Whittier

Read is an integral member of the Inner Passage staff. As a musician, web developer and entrepreneur Read works everyday with the intention of creating a better world for all. He began his practice of martial arts, yoga and meditation over a decade ago as a way to stay creatively inspired and open to new ideas and experiences. His outlook on the world was completely shifted for the better 2 years ago during a mediation retreat with Paul Muller Ortega. Since then, he meditates twice daily nearly every day and continues to explore the incredible life empowering benefits that this ancient practice can bring to our everyday lives. Read leads many of our Mindfulness retreats and is an invaluable member of the team.

Chris Tatum

Chris started rock climbing in Michigan in 1998. After earning a B.S. in Outdoor Recreation Leadership and Management from Northern Michigan University, he decided the winters were too much for him and moved to Flagstaff. In 2007 he earned his Rock Instructor Certification from the AMGA and is now an AMGA Single Pitch Instructor Program Director. Chris teaches AMGA programs for Inner Passage and is a key member of our Climbing Camp staff. His energy is infectous. When Chris isn't teaching or guiding, he can be found climbing and exploring across the southwest.

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Scott Ayers

Scott has also spent decades pursuing the classic rock faces and mountains climbs throughout the western United States and Canada. From nearly 100 ascents of major peaks in the High Sierra (the majority of which were by lengthy 5th class rock climbing routes), to dozens of ascents of Grade III and IV routes in Yosemite, Red Rocks and alpine routes in the Canadian Rockies, Scott has dedicated half his life exploring the wild and beautiful landscapes most often seen only in coffee table books.

Andy Wise

Andy Wise has been working in the field of Leadership Education for 15 years. As a Senior Field Instructor at the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), Andy has lead major expeditions to the most remote regions on the planet. He has lead groups across the Indian Himalayas, up to the summit of North America's highest mountain and sailed extensively throughout Mexico and British Columbia. He is a certified U.S. Coast Guard Captain.

In addition to his passions in the wilderness, Andy has been studying the ancient wisdom traditions of the East. He blends his experience with Yoga and Ayurveda into his leadership training with the hopes that the participant will take away a holistic framework that allows them to gain a new perspective on the health of themselves, their role in the health of group/organization and their role in the evolution of consciousness.

Margaret Simon

Margaret brings her experience in yoga and holistic wellness to our unique team at Inner Passage. Margaret's personal yoga practice began 10 years ago. In 2005, six months of full-time study in India solidified her dedication to the practice and teaching of yoga. She then continued her formal studies in Sante Fe with Tias Little, founder of Prajna Yoga. Her teaching emcompasses the full breadth of the yoga practice including the physical practice(asanas), breathwork (pranayama), meditation, and philosophy. Teaching community classes and private yoga therapy sessions has developed her understanding of how to effectively teach all types of people.

In an interest to better understand holistic health, she delved deep into Yoga's sister science, Ayurveda, the ancient healing science of India. She trained at Kerala Ayurveda in Seattle is a Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner. Ayurveda recognizes the constant interplay between the mind and the body and has a framework for understanding the unique constitution of each of us and how to promote total well-being.

Her teaching is inspired by her studies, trainings, and most importantly, her daily practice. Yoga and Ayurveda provide Margaret with radiant health, comfort in her body and mind, and has cultivated happiness, joy, love, and stability in her life.

Amber Whittier

Amber is a central member of the Inner Passage Mindfulness and Movement team. She has made it her mission to dedicate her life energy toward the study of movement and holistic wellness and to educate and inspire others with her findings. We are proud to have her as an instructor and leader on our Retreats.

Amber credits her yoga practice for what inspires her the most. Her practice is a challenge and asks the most from her in her efforts to be flexible, strong, mindful and present for the work she does with her clients. Amber first discovered yoga in 2000 while she was working in Thailand as an English and dance instructor. She knew she had found her true healthful self-discovery and self-empowering practice and since her first class she has pursued a steady yoga practice and continuous study of it's endless health benefits.

In 2007, she completed an Anusara Immersion and Teaching Training with her senior Certified Anusara teacher Darren Rhodes. Amber currently teaches at Yoga Oasis in Tucson, AZ. In addition, Amber is a certified Acupressure Practioner and Massage Therapist.