Born and raised in Homer, Alaska, Josh has a deep appreciation for the Alaskan wilderness and a desire for the next generation to see the outdoors as a space where they belong. This desire led him to teach as an educator at Camp Colton in Flagstaff, AZ, and eventually brought him back to AK, joining the Alaska Living Lands team in 2024. Josh works primarily in the northern part of Alaska’s Heritage Area, providing outdoor education programming to the young learners of Whittier, Girdwood, and Anchorage. He holds a B.A. in Social Sciences from the University of Alaska Southeast.

Outside of work, Josh is commonly found romping around in nature near his home in Anchorage or at a movie theater with an XL tub of popcorn.

You can reach Josh at josh.vantrease@alaskalivinglands.org.