Dream your next adventure
4Points Guides empowers people to create positive change through adventure, education, and personal and team challenges.
Our Story
From the founder:
My career as a Firefighter and Paramedic and love for the outdoors taught me vital life lessons and values:
• Professionalism
• Competency
• Empathy
• Integrity
After retiring I focused on helping people in a new way: founding 4Points Guides—a leading provider of wilderness medicine training and guided adventures.
We focus on finding ways to incorporate challenge and fun into each program and trip that our amazing team leads. This is truly a labor of love.
We take our trainings and our adventures seriously—join us for the program or trip of a lifetime!
“Our experience and love for the outdoors goes into every trip!”
Meet the Team
Matt May
Guide Level: CEO/Founder, Lead Guide
Certifications: Retired Firefighter, EMT-Paramedic and Wilderness EMT; NPS Backcountry Guide; Kayaking Guide; CPR, WFA and WFR Instructor; ROPES Level II Certification. Graduate of the University of Michigan; Post-Graduate Degree in Outdoor Education at the University of Edinburgh;
4Points Activities: Backpacking, Canoeing, Kayaking, Mountain Biking, Rock Climbing, Ropes Course and International Trips.
About Matt: As John Muir said: ‘Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt’! Matt tries to live by this mantra; he loves the adventure of the outdoors. There will never be enough to explore in this world and he loves sharing it all with his daughters and loved ones. His favorite places to travel are Scotland, New Zealand, Israel, Alaska and Michigan.
Anna Johnson
Guide Level: Director of Operations
Certifications: CPR and Wilderness First Aid
4Points Activities: Operations and coordination of course programs, contracts and customer outreach. Responsible for Marketing, Social Media and Human Resources.
About Anna: Some of her favorite activities include traveling to Europe, composing and performing music, and staying outside with her dog, Figgy, as much as possible. She also loves offroading in her Jeep. Some of her favorite places to visit are: The chateaus in the Loire Valley and Mont St. Michel in France, and the gardens at the Royal Palace (Reggia de Caserta) near Naples, Italy.
Katie Hall
Guide Level: Lead Guide
Certifications: CPR and Wilderness First Responder
4Points Activities: Guiding, hiking, kayaking
About Katie: Katie got her start in the outdoors leading trips at UCSC, and she also spent a few summers in Yosemite leading backpacking trips for summer campers. More recently she has been working as a kayak guide in the Channel Islands. She loves to spend her free time traveling, frolicking in the ocean, and eating good food with good friends.
Denali
Guide Level: Trip Companion
About Denali: Our best employee ever! This year, Denali went over the Rainbow Bridge. Gone, but never forgotten!
Ana Rosales
Level: Guide
Certifications: CPR and Wilderness First Aid
4PointsActivities: Ana takes groups on camping overnights, beach day activities, bike rides and hiking.
About Ana: Ana is an educator, soccer coach, and avid traveler who believes some of life’s most meaningful lessons come through hands-on experiences. Whether in the classroom, on the field, or exploring the outdoors, she is passionate about inspiring others to embrace curiosity, build confidence, and develop resilience. Through her travels and work in education, Ana has gained a deep appreciation for personal growth and the value of stepping outside one’s comfort zone. She strives to encourage a spirit of adventure and lifelong learning in everything she does.
Jo Garcia
Guide Level: Guide
Certifications: CPR, Wilderness First Aid, ACLS, ROPES
4Points Activities: Jo helps with local trips and rope course activities with kids from all age ranges.
About Jo: Jo loves being outside with friends and family and enjoys working with kids through 4 Points Expeditions. She enjoys hiking, running half marathons with her sister and being around animals. Fun Fact: she owns a piggy named Choco! Jo is currently deployed, and we thank her for her service!!
Figgy and Honey
Guide Level: Guides-in-training
Certifications: Drooling, barking at nothing
4Points Activities: Hiking, lifeguard, and course security
About Figgy and Honey: Figgy is a 1- year old Newfiew/Pyranees mix. She is an “independent- thinker” who doesn’t believe in recall, but has an exceptional sense of smell and self.
Honey is a 4-year old Dogue de Bordeaux who is ball possessed (much worse than obsessed) and would prefer to attend any of our courses that doesn’t involve a lot of thinking or long distance movement.
Marija Medelinskaite
Guide Level: Guide
Certifications: CPR and Wilderness First Aid
4Points Activities: Biking, Hiking, Beach days
About Marija: Marija loves spending time on the water in a rowing boat or coaching rowing. When she is not on the water, she loves backpacking, camping, climbing or riding her bike. Occasionally, she likes to do a triathlon. This is the first year in 16 years that her life does not revolve around rowing, so she is super excited to branch out and learn more with 4 Points.
Anita Samaha
Guide Level: Guide
Certifications: Wilderness First Responder, ROPES
4Points Activities: Guiding, backpacking,
About Anita: Anita (Ani) Samaha has been facilitating team-building, outdoor adventures and ropes courses with corporate teams, schools and organizations for 24 years. From 2004-2006 she taught extracurricular classes and ran the outdoor program at a semester abroad high school in New Zealand. Over the years she has led countless backpacking trips, multiday mountain biking adventures and nature connection programs. In addition to her facilitation work, Ani has a Masters Degree in Chinese Medicine and is an avid outdoor enthusiast.
Lisa Anderson
Guide Level: Lead Guide, Wilderness First Aid/Responder Assistant Instructor
Certifications: CPR, Wilderness First Aid/Responder, NAUI Dive Instructor, and Channel Islands National Park Certified Educator and Guide.
4Points Activities: Backpacking, hiking, mountain biking activities, Grand Canyon trips guide, and ROPES Course guide.
About Lisa: Her favorite activities include triathalons, kayaking, backpacking, camping, and traveling. Lisa enjoys the Grand Canyon, Channel Islands National Park, Santa Monica Mountains, and the Sierras.
Meghan May
Guide Level: Lead Guide
Certifications: EMT; Wilderness First Responder; Lifeguard; NPS Backpacking Guide; ROPES Certified
4Points Activities: Meghan is a trip guide when not working in her regular work as an Emergency Medical Technician.
About Meghan: Excited to be part of the ‘Family Business’. Her favorite outdoor activities include backpacking, hiking, biking, swimming, paddle-boarding and skiing. Meghan’s favorite places are the Grand Canyon, Mt. Whitney, and the Smoky Mountains.
Audrey Tricarico
Guide Level: Guide
Certificates: CPR and Wilderness First Responder
4Points Activities: Mountain Biking, Hiking, Backpacking and Camping trips guide.
About Audrey: She began her love for the outdoors while section hiking the Appalachian Trail in the Tri-State area where she's from. One of Audrey's favorite backpacking trips is the Lost Coast Trail in Northern California. She strives to continuously help people exercise their human right to access nature, with a passion for bringing DEI initiatives to the outdoors. Her cure for anything is water: tears, sweat, or the sea.
Maya Mortimer
Guide Level: Guide / Wilderness Instructor
Certificates: EMT, Wilderness First Responder, RD
4Points Activities: Maya teaches summer camp outings (hike, climb, surf) in Malibu, Ojai and Ventura as well as wilderness medicine courses.
About Maya: A mother of 2 daughters (age 14 and 19) NOLS instructor, registered dietitian and all-around outdoor enthusiast. She loves to hike with her dog, climb, surf, ski and spend time with her family. She loves traveling and her happy place is Switzerland (where she was born) but any mountain range will do!
Abbi Fleagane
Guide Level: Guide
Certifications: CPR and Wilderness First Aid
4Points Activities: Mountain Biking, Hiking, Backpacking and Camping trips guide.
About Abbi: Abbi was born in Portland, and raised in Ventura. She grew up horseback riding at Cañada Larga Ranch in Ojai, where she competed on a jumping team for many years. She is currently studying Neurobiology at UC San Diego, and looks forward to pursuing a career in healthcare. She loves getting outside with her friends, walking on the beach, and finding the best coffee shop in town.
Max Sandoval
Guide Level: Guide
Certifications: CPR and Wilderness First Aid
4Points Activities: Guiding, backpacking, kayaking
About Max: Max is a fitness enthusiast, health advocate, and gym owner who is passionate about helping others live stronger, healthier lives. When he’s not coaching or working in the gym, you’ll find him outdoors exploring new places, staying active, and enjoying new adventures.
Brittney Shadday
Guide Level: Rock Climbing Guide
Certifications: CPR and Wilderness First Responder
4Points Activities: Brittney helps with rock climbing guide work when she’s not working out at Channel Islands National Park.
About Brittney: Brittney spends most of her free time in the outdoors and loves rock climbing, surfing, skiing, mountain biking, and backpacking. She also loves to travel and enjoys writing articles about her adventures!
Isabella Godinez
Guide Level: Guide
Certifications: CPR and Wilderness First Aid
4Points Activities: Mountain Biking, Hiking, Backpacking and Camping trips guide.
About Isabella: Isabella is a Board Certified Master Practitioner, Life Coach, and Hypnotherapist. On the nature side, she has her WFA, CPR, fire, and Food Handler certificates. She love the outdoors, travels in a van part time with her dog, and will say yes to almost any adventure. A natural hiker, enjoys biking, swimming, and exploring. Recently tried snowboarding and will be doing it again, as well as, participating in any other new sports! If you like laughing, traveling, and discovering more about positive mindsets, you ought to get along :)
Luc Schutz
Guide level: Lead Guide
Certifications: CPR and Wilderness First Aid, ROPES
4Points Activities: Luc works with ROPES course programs, rock climbing, biking and backpacking.
About Luc: Luc loves to rock climb, ride bikes, play music read, and play on his computer. He is a certified massage therapist and runs his own practice Ventura. His favorite places are the Boundary Waters and the Eastern Sierras. He is very glad to be back in California after living in Chicago for 12 years!
Cameron Leventen
Guide Level: Mountaineer / Alpine Guide
Certifications: Wilderness First Responder; ROPES Certified, Backpacking Guide
4Points Activities: Cameron leads backpacking trips at Camp Ramah and supports Ropes Course programming.
About Cameron: Cameron was raised in Ojai, California and has a deep love for the Ojai Wilderness that raised her. She has experience in a wide range of extreme sports - including working as a Dog Mushing guide in Alaska, a Mountaineer Guide in the Eastern Sierras and Mont Blancs, and lounging in the desert after long sandy trail runs in Joshua Tree. Cameron stays on her feet year round - working as a Producer for Film/TV in the Fall & Winter, and Expedition Guiding with 4Points in the Spring/Summer.
Sophie Bloom
Guide Level: Guide
Certificates: CPR, Wilderness First Aid and EMT
4Points Activities: Mountain Biking, Hiking, Backpacking and Camping trips guide.
About Sophie: Sophie loves adventuring with kids, guiding them in building a relationship with the outdoors and pushing beyond their comfort zones. Sophie holds a M.A in Education and a California teaching credential. Spending time in the backcountry is one of her favorite things to do, she is always looking for new rivers and lakes to swim in.
Aly Springer
Guide Level: Medical Instructor, Lead Guide
Certifications: CPR, Wilderness First Responder, EMT
4Points Activities: Guiding, backpacking, rock climbing
About Aly: Aly was born and raised in Carpinteria, CA. She loves the sunshine and all things outdoors. In her free time she enjoys photography, hiking, trail running, rock climbing, snowboarding, playing soccer and hanging with friends, family and animals. She is currently working on a career in emergency services and is so excited to be working with 4 Points!
Every 4Points Guides program is unique.
We take great pride in offering the most comprehensive training programs available. We take personal responsibility to ensure that every trip we run is well organized, has great equipment, amazing meals, and the best guides. Our trips and programs are special—we care about what we do!
OUR PARTNERS
