Have you ever been curious about what it would be like to take a job in a town you've never lived in to guide trips on a river you've never floated while completing a Master's degree and stepping up to a position as the director of a burgeoning organization? Today, we’re going #BeyondFLG with Emma Wharton, the Executive Director for Grand Canyon Youth (GCY), and she knows exactly what that is like. GCY is a non-profit organization that offers educational outdoor expeditions that connect young people to the transformative power of the rivers and canyons of the southwest. Emma, found herself in Flagpole after earning a Master’s Degree from the University of Washington (#GoHuskies) in Social Work with an emphasis in Community Development. Emma also earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Utah, where she studied negotiation service-learning and environmental education.

Emma became the Executive Director of Grand Canyon Youth in 2003 and has played a pivotal role in the development of the non-profit in terms of its value-based growth. She contributed to the organization’s success in working through the effects of the CVD 19 pandemic's effects on the very type of service they engage with. Three words she would use to describe GCY are community, place, and discovery. If Emma could offer any advice to youth, she would say, “Remember to connect with the natural world, your community, and yourself as often as you can.” Emma says her favorite river to float is the one that she is on and this could not be a better representation for how she lives her life generally #comewhatmay.

Join Han Solo and Chewie (aka Cody B Nice and Dunny B Mean) as they go #beyondFLG with Emma Wharton. Also check out the links below.

Grand Canyon Youth: https://gcyouth.org

Emma’s Blog Post: https://gcyouth.org/2021/01/14/down-the-great-unknown/

Healing Lands: https://healinglandsproject.com

Annette McGivney & Pure Land: https://www.annettemcgivney.com