Heather West - Executive Director
With a strong foundation in experiential education from her time working for Outward Bound and her time as Program Director with LOOP NOLA, Heather West brings a passion for providing positive outdoor experiences to urban youth in the New Orleans area. A New Orleans native, Heather transferred to King College in Tennessee following Hurricane Katrina. While there, she earned a BA in Psychology and Youth Ministry and fell in love with the outdoors. Following college, Heather worked for Outward Bound for 5 years leading 20-28 day wilderness expeditions with teens. After moving back home, Heather was thrilled to begin the role of Program Director with LOOP NOLA in January of 2016. Since that time, Heather has helped LOOP NOLA revitalize the programming that built the organization, developed new programming to propel organizational growth, and built relationships within the community. As Executive Director, Heather joins her passion for the outdoors and youth development with a leadership background to lead LOOP NOLA’s developmental and strategic vision for the future.
Arin Okada - Program Director
Born and raised in the mountains of Northern California, Arin experienced first hand how the outdoors could be a positive tool for struggling youth. As a teen, she volunteered her time at a local outdoor school where her love of the outdoors turned into a passion to foster connections between other youth and the power the outdoors can have on mental health. From there, she headed to Oregon where she received her BS in Outdoor Adventure Leadership from Southern Oregon University with minors in both Child Psychology and Earth Sciences. After graduating, Arin traveled to various environmental schools and outdoor programs in Oregon, California, New York, and Alabama. They taught everything from state based science curriculum to guiding backpacking, rock climbing and kayaking trips. She eventually settled in New Orleans, where she started part-time at LOOP, helping to create our Wetlands Ecology Program and develop our high school Outdoor Adventure Club. During Covid, Arin made the decision to take a full-time position with New Orleans Boulder Lounge as their Program Director. This is where they were able to grow their leadership skills, overseeing and managing a diverse staff while creating and developing programming for both indoor and outdoor climbing.
When LOOP’s Program Director position opened up, Arin could not pass up the opportunity to work back outside. Now, with over 12 years of experience leading in the outdoors, Arin is excited to bring her skills and passions to help further LOOP NOLA’s mission; creating positive outdoor experiences for youth in and around New Orleans.
Katya Agamy - Youth Programs Coordinator
Originally from New England, Katya has never wanted to be inside. Whether it was hiking, camping, paddling, or picnicking, she was always spending time outdoors. In 2016, Katya made the move to New Orleans to attend Loyola University. Upon graduating and working a number of different jobs (all behind closed doors), a change needed to be made. She couldn’t stay inside forever! Then in 2021, Katya escaped the indoors and began working with LOOP NOLA. She jumped right into outdoor programming and handled every challenge that came at her. As time went on, Katya found her place as our Youth Programs Coordinator overseeing the Outdoor Adventure Club, many days of summer camp, and day-to-day outdoor programs.
Christian Vogelgesang - Outdoor Adventure Club Coordinator
Christian Vogelgesang was born in Ohio where there's not much to do, so he spent his youth building rafts, climbing trees, and staring out the window while he should have been paying attention in math class. After graduating from Ohio University, he decided to make outdoor leadership a priority and began working for Outward Bound. Working as a Lead Instructor and Course Director, Christian learned that the outdoors has immense potential to change the way individuals relate to the world, other beings, and themselves. This transformative work led Christian to LOOP, where he continues to encourage and educate folks in New Orleans in order to enhance their lives through spending time outside.
Cartez Bennett - Lead Outdoor Programs Facilitator
Cartez is a New Orleans native who grew up not getting many chances to enjoy the outdoors or develop a love for nature. Thankfully, he came out to do multiple LOOP programs during his high school years! After falling in love with what LOOP does and the different programs it offers, Cartez learned about the Outdoor Ambassador internship opportunity at LOOP. He applied, got the internship and (of course) completed it. Following the internship, Cartez joined LOOP’s Outdoor Adventure Club for high school students who want to enjoy the outdoors and try a plethora of outdoor activities. He attended the annual OAC North Carolina trip and was hooked. Not long after the trip, Cartez made it clear that he wanted to work with LOOP and aid in our mission, and now he’s here all the time!
Ana Rodriguez - Outdoor Programs Facilitator
Ana was born and raised in Los Teques, Venezuela. There, she grew up in a beautiful mountainous region but also gained a passion for plains, deserts, woods, muddy brown rivers, bays, and the beaches of Margarita Island. She grew up surrounded by the sounds of Guacharacas, one of the 1,381 bird species found in Venezuela. So it may come as no surprise that she is a bird enthusiast as well as an animal lover, and she has often been accused of being a tree hugger (guilty as charged). Ana has a background in radical organizing in both earth defense and social justice movements. She is also an 80s kid, an artist, a librarian, an English teacher, a trained tree climber, a fan of kids and youth, a Scorpio, and an over all do-gooder who is always grateful for the honor and joy of working outdoors with kids of all ages.
Ali Luchtman - Outdoor Programs Facilitator
Ali grew up in Indianapolis, IN and realized from an early age that she loved being outdoors. She spent her summers at a YMCA camp where she rode horses and stayed in canvas platform tents with some of the biggest spiders you've ever seen! After college, she moved out West to explore Oregon and then later, Montana and Colorado. Ali finally settled in New Orleans where she fell in love with all things Southern Louisiana. She is currently a kayak tour guide in Manchac Swamp and works with LOOP NOLA part time where she loves continuing to learn about the wetlands and all the riches they have to offer.
Kelly Smith - Outdoor Programs Facilitator
Kelly is a middle school teacher and outdoor enthusiast with an undergraduate degree from Emerson College in Boston and a Master's degree in teaching from Loyola University. At LOOP, she loves learning and being in nature with kids and families of all ages! She is Wilderness First Responder Certified and a head guide for middle school and high school backpacking trips to North Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas with Live Oak Wilderness Adventure seasonally. During her free time, she camps, rides her bike, and rock climbs with her friends.
Vix McCoy - outdoor Programs Facilitator
Vix McCoy is a former LOOP NOLA student and was a member of the Outdoor Adventure Club before graduating high school. They have interest in all creatures and organisms, especially those commonly found in coastal Louisiana, and they especially enjoy critter spotting in the bayous of New Orleans. Vix loves teaching and learning about bayou critters and organisms with visitors of all ages, and they are always excited to discuss the many ways young people can find happiness and comfort in nature. You can often find Vix at the aquarium, and if you have a spare hour to learn about jellyfish, they’ll always oblige.
Noah Primus - Outdoor Programs Facilitator
Noah was born and raised in Upstate New York where his appreciation for the outdoors aged gracefully -- from the beautiful lake town where he grew up to the glorious Adirondack Mountains near his college. Noah started his Wilderness Leadership journey at SUNY Potsdam, where he earned a Bachelor Degree in Psychology and minored in Wilderness Education and Therapeutic Recreation. After experiencing the sense of community and emphasis on growth mindset that adventure based activities could foster, Noah worked for a wilderness therapy program and mental health program for two years to promote adventure based activities. Noah intends to continue developing his skills to empower individuals and groups to reflect and grow within grand natural spaces while working at LOOP NOLA.
Joshua Gibbons - Assistant Outdoor Programs Facilitator
Joshua Gibbons has been with LOOP for nearly four years altogether, first as a student and now as a staff member. He started with LOOP as a student in the Outdoor Adventure Club when he was in high school. Club activities included going on a week-long trip to North Carolina, mountain biking, and a bunch of other fun outdoor adventures. After graduation, he wanted to stick with LOOP, so he became an intern for Camp LOOP Garou learning to lead outdoor day camp trips for 3rd-8th graders. Joshua is now an official part-time staff member as well as a mentor for the Outdoor Adventure Club. He loves anything to do with the outdoors. His favorite hobbies include fishing, motocross, bike riding, and swimming. He plans to continue working with LOOP on a part time basis and enjoying the great outdoors into the future. His long-term goal is to become a fish and game warden in Louisiana.