start where you are
use what you have
do what you can
ARTHUR ASHE
Our Staff
Zack Rouda, Director / Instructor
President of the Board, Acting Treasurer
I didn’t grow up in the woods and I do not have a lifetime of experience, but I have chosen my path based on my personal conviction that our shared need to develop a connection to the natural world is paramount to ensure the survival of humanity. I am committed to continuous learning, teaching and sharing.
I grew up in Washington, DC, and was enamored by performance arts from a young age. I attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and pursued acting in addition to a semi-successful career as a rapper. Gradually I became disillusioned by life in the city, and was increasingly curious about the history of humanity, and our connections to nature and ancient ways of life.
I studied anthropology (and theater) at the University of Vermont, and ultimately came to Maine for an apprenticeship at Maine Local Living School, during 2013 and 2014.
Learning from Chris and Ashirah at Maine Local Living School was profoundly healing and reformative. I discovered, inside the small-scale, place-based living skills that shapes daily life in the woods, a genuine joy that had been absent from my life. I learned to live in a more positive place; I began focusing more on what I love and wish to create, rather than what I hated, feared and wished to escape from. I couldn’t go back to New York City, or even back home to Washington. I couldn’t go back to the way I had lived before; I could no longer focus my efforts on the shortsighted egoic world of “show business.” I continued to practice what I learned at Koviashuvik after moving to Portland in 2015.
In 2016, at the behest of my neighbors who had seen me foraging, I began leading walking tours of edible plants and started teaching basket-making classes. I recruited a board of directors to incorporate Rewild Maine as a 501(c)3 educational non-profit in 2017. Over the years, the organization has grown and changed. I continue to be grateful to be doing this work.
I try to navigate the challenges of my own identity with as much humility and grace as possible. I am always open to communication and genuine connections. I offer this story for you to learn about me, and also to consider: we do not have to stay where we are put. We may give ourselves the freedom to recreate our lives to meet our needs, to replace ourselves where we want to be, to reconnect with our fundamental nature; to rewild.
I look forward to meeting you!
Susannah Koch, Board Member
Interim Vice President
Hi, I'm Susannah. I am a truck driver, farmer, and artist living in the Midcoast area. I have a lifelong passion for history, historical material culture and primitive skills.
To me, rewilding means reconnecting with nature and learning, from those who came before us, how to live in harmony with the Earth. I enjoy doing that through various creative hobbies; making beautiful and useful things as well as nurturing plants and animals. I have a large garden and raise sheep and rabbits for wool and meat.
I have enjoyed taking classes with Rewild Maine. I love connecting with people who share similar interests; working with Rewild Maine allows me to connect with those people, share knowledge and build skills.
I am glad to have the opportunity to give back to this organization by serving on the Board of Directors and as Interim Vice President.
Alia Bradley, Board Member / Instructor
Board Secretary
Hi! My name is Alia. I’m named after a character from “Dune” by Frank Herbert. My mom is a nerd.
I’m a board member, volunteer, and professional educator. I’m a passionate naturalist and am curious about all aspects of the natural world, from the macroscopic scope of a large, interconnected environmental community, to the microscopic view of genetics and cell biology. A large part of my studies have been devoted to microbiology, cell theory, and human anatomy/nutrition. I hope to expand my studies into botany, ornithology, and ecology.
There is no magical solution that will solve all the problems we are
faced with today. Although individually we may not have directly contributed to the problems in the world, we are each personally responsible for cultivating the kind of world we want to live in. Rewilding fosters a relationship with the natural world, empowering the average person to take responsibility for their local community and ecology. Working with natural systems can only benefit everyone. Nature is not a scary stranger separate from humanity. Humanity came from and is part of nature, and in this way, true connection with the natural world unites and equalizes every living being.
Dan White, Board Member / Instructor
Hey, I’m Dan!
I grew up in Georgetown, Maine, and now live in Brunswick.
I teach about mindfulness, somatic nature connection and sound-based healing, and other holistic practices for health and well-being.
I believe in the power of nature to heal us—in fact, I think true healing and happiness come from returning to our most natural state in the present moment.
You can learn more about me and my work via my website, DanielKWhite.com.
Gunnar Naughton, Board Member
I always loved nature, ever since I was old enough to turn over a rock and see what was underneath. I have a fascination with the relationships of living things to one another, their climate, and their geography.
Some of my most formative moments have occurred in austere conditions of deprivation, exposure, or with the challenge of my innate human fears. I believe it is crucial for a person to intentionally face these experiences; they can serve to inoculate a person against panic when things actually go wrong.
Ask yourself, could I go a few days without eating? Could I function after many hours without sleeping? What could get me capable of doing ten miles on foot overnight with a full backpack? Do a cold plunge; rappel off a cliff (with a safety structure in place). You will gain confidence in yourself, and you will familiarize yourself with the amazing species that you are.
I met Zack of Rewild Maine by chance one day in the Midwest, and immediately felt we were kindred spirits. We became friends, and I was honored when he asked me to serve as a board member for this nonprofit.
This is my personal take on Rewilding: Think of yourself as designed and intended for survivability in any environment. Where humans lack in physical ability, we compensate with our wits and our resolve. For millennia, we have inhabited every clime with ingenuity regardless of the harshness. We can’t lose that as a species, nor should we miss out on it individually. I hope you find inspiration to venture out into the wild world that is awaiting you.