Instructor Biographies

text: The Grand Canyon Field Institute

Instructor Biographies

Expert Field Instructors

Grand Canyon Field Institute is proud of its outstanding team of instructors. Made up of resource experts possessing PhD's, Masters and Bachelors degrees, our instructors continually share their passion for Grand Canyon with others. The following is a list of instructors that will likely be leading classes during the upcoming season.

If the class description lists the instructor as “Field Institute staff,” one of the following instructors will serve in that capacity. Preclass materials will indicate which instructor has been scheduled for your class, or you can call the Field Institute office for the latest information on specific assignments. All instructors listed, with the exception of Mike Buchheit, Jack Pennington and Elaine Maier, are acting as independent contractors while leading courses and performing duties for the Field Institute. Mike, Jack, and Elaine are full-time employees of the Grand Canyon Field Institute.

Listed alphabetically by last name.
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Marjorie “Slim” Woodruff

Marjorie “Slim” Woodruff was born in Arizona. Growing up in primeval desert, she became comfortable with things that crawl, sting, bite and gnaw, which served her well when she started working with adolescents. While attending Northern Arizona University, she spent much of her free time exploring the Grand Canyon. After graduation she led backpacking trips, taught cross-country skiing, drove a tour bus and otherwise participated in outdoor education and recreation. In her spare time Slim obtained a Ph.D. in computer-based education. She is a technology coach at the Grand Canyon school and maintains several websites.

Amanda Zeman

Amanda Zeman specializes in the history and management of Grand Canyon National Park’s cultural resources. She is the owner of a small cultural resource management company addressing the documentation and preservation of historic resources unique to national parks. Previously, Amanda worked for nearly 10 years with Grand Canyon and Petrified Forest National Parks as a cultural resource specialist overseeing the protection and preservation of each park’s diverse collection of historic buildings. As a longtime resident of Grand Canyon Village, she has extensive experience in Grand Canyon’s backcountry and brings knowledge, enthusiasm and a love of Grand Canyon to each endeavor. Amanda holds a master’s degree in historic preservation from Cornell University.