Brigitte volunteering at a remote medical clinic in Ethiopia. PC: Corey Denton
Founder & Program Director
Brigitte is the founder of Beyond Limits Education. She was born and raised in Santa Monica, CA where she fell in love with the sciences and in particular with the outdoor environment. She has a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from the University of Southern California where she also played water polo. In addition, she holds a secondary education credential in Biological Sciences with a CLAD emphasis. She has taught in the education field (K-12 and outdoor) since 2000.
Brigitte is a lifelong learner. She uses a variety of activities to feed that thirst for knowledge. She enjoys playing outdoors and participates in a multitude of activities both on land and in water. She loves to surf, free/SCUBA dive, and sea kayak. One can also find her climbing a rock, a glacier, or a mountain as well as find her exploring the backcountry. During the winters she spends a lot of her free time alpine skiing and snowboarding. She also loves to read science fiction and fantasy novels. All in all, she is a big kid at heart that is simply curious about the natural world.
While BLE is Brigitte’s primary job, she also guides for Sierra Mountain Guides, works on an ALS ambulance in Mono County, teaches at Cerro Coso Community College, and carves out time to travel the planet with her husband.
K-12 Teaching Experience
- Freelance Private Tutoring/Beyond Limits Education Services (2007-2013; 2013-2017)
- Home School Teacher Grades K-12 (curriculum development/instruction)
- Independent Study Teacher (Mammoth Ski Team Athletes – teach curriculum provided by student’s school district)
- Science Enrichment Programs – curriculum development/instruction
- Continued as Beyond Limits Education when incorporated November 2013.
- Mammoth Unified School District Substitute Teacher (2007-2009)
- All grade levels
- Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Science Teacher (2000-2008)
- Teaching assignments included 7th grade regular/magnet integrated science and SDAIE science (John Adams Middle School)
- Designed SDAIE science 3-year curriculum wheel and Ocean Globe Field Research Programs (grades 6-8)
- Worked with students from various ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds
- Advisor for QuikSCience Challenge Academic Team 2005-2007
- Extended Overnight Field Trip Leader
- Science Department Technology Representative
- Emergency Response Coordinator
- Worked with special needs students
Former Los Angeles County Lifeguard PC: Stellan Clark
Emergency Medical Service Clinical & Teaching Experience
- Kern Community College District (2020-present)
- Teaching assignment includes Emergency Medical Technician class (Cerro Coso Community College)
- Mono County (2019-present)
- Emergency Medical Technician
- Emergency Operations Center Community Support Group Supervisor (April-July 2020)
- Emergency Operations Center Field Task Force Leader (April-July 2020)
- Response to/treatment of medical/trauma related calls.
- Collaborated and developed an action plan for individuals needing community support assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Managed a team of personnel that provided support services, home assessments, and COVID-19 testing including, but not limited to managerial tasks, training materials development, and training.
- Wilderness Medical Associates International Lead Instructor and Education Specialist (2017-present)
- Instruction in wilderness medicine.
- Wilderness First Aid, Wilderness Advanced First Aid, Wilderness First Responder, Wilderness EMS courses
- Instructional Design
- Instructor Professional Development
- Tech Support
- Beyond Limits Education Founder (2014-present)
- Instruction in layperson, professional rescuer, and wilderness medicine. Course types listed above.
- Instructional design (custom training programs).
- Education consulting.
- Business administration.
- Los Angeles County Fire Department Professional Ocean Lifeguard (1997-2014)
- Ocean Rescue Operations including use of various types of rescue equipment (i.e. PWCs, Rescue Boards, Rescue Cans/Buoys)
- Response to/treatment of medical/trauma related calls.
- Primarily worked Venice Beach
- Youth Programs Instructor (Junior Lifeguard Program and W.A.T.E.R. (Water Awareness Training Education Recreation) Program)
- All Ages
- Instruction in basic first aid/CPR, assessment of various ocean conditions, surfing, sea kayaking, marine flora/fauna
- Work with special needs students (Learning Disabled; Physically and Mentally Handicapped)
Brigitte teaching about geology in the Wrangell St. Elias. PC: Ben Lester
Outdoor Education/Guiding Experience
- Sierra Mountain Guides Lead Backpacking Guide (2016-present)
- Guide
- Guiding clients through the Sierra Nevada Range, California
- Instruction in outdoor ethics, wilderness travel, natural history
- NOLS Senior Field Faculty (formerly National Outdoor Leadership School; 2008-2019)
- Ages 11+
- Instruction in leadership skills, outdoor ethics, wilderness travel, natural history, wilderness first aid, technical glacier mountaineering skills, coastal sea kayak skills
- Mountaineering, Sea Kayaking, Backpacking Courses
- Instructional Design – Leadership Journals (Archer School for Girls Arrow Week)
- Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort Alpine Sports School Instructor and Supervisor (2008-2016)
- All ages (mostly children ages 3-12)
- Instruction in beginner through advanced alpine ski skills and novice snowboarding skills
- Supervisor role involved managing instructor scheduling, evaluations, training, and ensuring that guests are receiving quality service. Mainly in charge of Pioneer/Explorer programs (ages 3-7).
- Above and Beyond Alaska, LLC Lead Guide (2009-2015)
- Lead Guide (Glacier, Sea Kayak, Multi-Day Trips)
- All Ages
- Guiding clients out to/on Mendenhall Glacier and surrounding inner coastal waters of Juneau, AK.
- Instruction in outdoor ethics, wilderness travel, bare glacier travel/technical climbing, sea kayak travel, natural history.
- Adventures Cross Country Multi-Sport Leader (2007)
- Ages 14-16
- Southern Europe 28-Day Course
- Instruction in outdoor ethics, wilderness travel, natural history, city sites history
- California State University Fullerton
Master of Science Instructional Design and Technology Student
Expected graduation May 2025 - California State University Northridge
Clear Single Subject Credential in Biological Sciences with CLAD Emphasis - University of Southern California
Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences (emphasized in the Marine Sciences) - Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (State of California)
- Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (National Registry of EMTs)
- Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician (Wilderness Medical Associates International)
- BLS for Healthcare Providers (American Red Cross, American Safety & Health Institute)
- Neonatal Resuscitation Program Essentials Provider (American Academy of Pediatrics)
- American Red Cross Instructor
- American Safety & Health Institute Instructor
- CAEMSA ICEMA CEU Program Director/Instructor
- Wilderness Medical Associates International Instructor
- Mountaineering, Backpacking, Sea Kayaking Instructor (NOLS)
- Professional Ocean Rescue Swimmer (LA County Fire Department)
- Leave No Trace Master
- PSIA Alpine Ski Instruction Level 2 Certified
- AIARE Avalanche Level 1 (Bardini Foundation)
- AIARE Avalanche Level 2 (Sierra Mountain Guides)
Student taking slope measurements at Santa Monica Beach for the Ocean Globe Project. PC: Brigitte Denton
- 11/18/2006. “Energy Coalition”. Edison Challenge Workshop for Secondary Education Teachers.
- 11/18/2006. “Light Bulb Lab “. Edison Challenge Workshop for Secondary Education Teachers.
- 9/23/2006. “Santa Monica Bay Game”. COSEE-West Workshop.
- 8/25/2004. “Ocean GLOBE Field Investigations”. COSEE-West Workshop for grade 5-8 Master Teachers.
- 8/25/2004. “Natural Selection at Work”. COSEE-West Workshop for grade 5-8 Master Teachers.
- 11/16/2002. “Ocean Globe Project”. UCLA SSWIMS Secondary Workshop.
- 11/2/2002. “Predator Prey Lab “. UCLA SSWIMS Secondary Workshop.
- 10/19/2002. “Squid Dissection Lab “. UCLA SSWIMS Secondary Workshop.
- 5/8/2002. “Gum Drop Atoms and Marshmallow Molecules”. Educating the Bilingual Student.
- 11/1999. “Contribution to the Knowledge of Marine Mammals in the Santa Monica Basin, California”. 13th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals.
- 2015 Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort Black Diamond Performance Service Award Recipient
- 2010 Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort Most Improved Skier
- 2008 Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort Rookie Ski Instructor of the Year
- 2007 QuikSCience Challenge Honorable Mention (Advisor)
- 2006 QuikSCience Challenge Outstanding Community Service Project Award (Advisor)
- 2005 QuikSCience Challenge 1st Place (Advisor)
- 2005 QuikSCience Ocean Leadership Award Recipient
- 2005 Parent Teacher Student Association Honorary Service Award Recipient (John Adams Middle School)
- 2004 Los Angeles County Lifeguards Most Valuable Junior Lifeguard Instructor
- 2004 The Energy Coalition Energy Champion
- 1997-1999 University of Southern California Water Polo Scholarship Athlete
- 1997 Los Angeles County Lifeguards Rookie of the Year
Thank you for an excellent week! You pushed us, but you were supportive and engaging throughout, and you made it fun. You are an excellent instructor and are clearly in a “good fit” field of work. I am so impressed by your abilities to draw students in and to move different-level students up at their own pace!
I felt very supported in the learning environment by both the course structure & my instructor. The combination of classroom setting and hands-on learning were very effective. I felt that the timeline and time management of the course were challenging yet conducive to student success.
Brigitte was very approachable yet professional. She has a great balance in her teaching that brings both hard work and “getting down to business” along with engagement and fun. I was kind of dreading this course before it started, but it ended up being extremely valuable and interesting thanks to her instruction. I definitely met my learning goals and feel far more confident in my skills and decisions. Thanks for leading this process!
Brigitte, you are an amazing teacher. If you are talking, I am totally engaged. Being in the outdoor Ed/guiding field, you are a huge role model for me. It was very helpful when you would stay after class and answer extra questions we couldn’t squeeze into the day. Also, your ability to debrief is phenomenal. That’s not always an easy thing to do, but your questions did a great job at opening up an engaging discussion. Not only were your lectures really interesting, but you did a great job at teaching the hands-on stuff. I enjoyed all of the “pro tips” you added along the way.
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