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Meet The Team
Elijah Riley
Founder & Executive Director
Conservation storyteller, outdoorsman, and community leader dedicated to connecting underserved youth with nature.
Born and raised in Lincoln, Nebraska, Elijah's early love for the outdoors was shaped by fishing trips with his dad and a deep curiosity about the natural world. However, as he grew older, he realized the barriers that kept many kids—especially those from urban areas—from accessing outdoor experiences. Determined to create change, he founded Big Gumdrop Outdoors (BGO) as a platform to educate and inspire youth through hands-on outdoor programs, after-school clubs, and community events. Through BGO, Elijah is working to break down the social, economic, and cultural barriers that keep young people from exploring the outdoors, fostering the next generation of conservationists and outdoor leaders.
His favorite outdoor activities include fishing, hunting, and exploring the many untold stories that exist in nature.
Kyndal Hudson
Operations Director
Part-time AVID employee for LPS, NHRI Staff Advisor and Mentor
Kyndal is a part of BGO because of her love for working with children and being in the outdoors. She finds it very important to inspire our youth to appreciate our natural world and learn how to be environmentalists. Big Gumdrop Outdoors provides an exciting outlet for Kyndal to connect her passions of spending time in nature and connecting with and teaching youth. She greatly enjoys getting to connect the kids in our community with the opportunities all around us!
Her favorite things to do outside include spending time with family and friends at different parks and lakes, going on bike rides and walks, and camping of course!
Audrey Krimm
Chair - Board of Directors
Coordinator of Trips Logistics at UNL Outdoor Adventures, DEVO Youth Mountain Biking Coach
Audrey is on the board for BGO because its mission deeply resonates with her. She believes that all people can find joy and growth outside, and BGO makes outdoor experiences both accessible and fun for young people in Lincoln. Through nature education, BGO is helping to empower young people and shape the next generation of outdoor stewards, which excites her and aligns with her values.
She loves riding her bike and playing in water (swimming, paddling, you name it)!
Marcus McCaskill
Co-Chair - Board of Directors & Volunteer Coordinator
Student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Iowa State Professional Program in Veterinary Medicine!
Marcus joined the BGO Board for a few reasons. Firstly, he found real value in the mission of BGO, thus participating on the board allows him to help guide this organization to make a deeper, broader impact. Secondly, he feels the experience he gains in this position helps him see a clearer path toward his personal and career goals. Learning how to lead, and work towards a common goal in this space has been highly beneficial to his growth.
His favorite outdoor activities are climbing, hiking and sunbathing!
Marc Shkolnick
Secretary - Board of Directors
Marc Shkolnick has served as Manager of Energy Services at Lincoln Electric System (LES) since 2007. In this role, he leads a department dedicated to delivering comprehensive consultative electric energy services and solutions for residential, commercial, governmental, and industrial customers within the community.
Before joining LES, Marc had a distinguished career in alumni relations. He served as the Associate Executive Director of the University of Nebraska Alumni Association and later as the Executive Director of the Colorado State University Alumni Association.
Marc is also deeply involved in community service. He has held leadership positions including President of the Kiwanis Club of Lincoln-Lincoln Center, President of the South Street Temple Board of Trustees, and Junior Achievement economics instructor.
His passion for youth development and the natural world led him to join BGO, an organization committed to providing urban youth with enriching experiences in nature.
Marc and his wife, Chris, love exploring the outdoors, finding peace, serenity, and wonder in their adventures.
Jana McGuire
Member- Board of Directors
Senior Account Director | Look East Strategic Communications
Growing up tent camping, and hunting and fishing with her dad, Jana's passion for Nebraska's outdoors was instilled at a young age. After discovering BGO, she was quickly drawn to its mission and now is enthusiastically involved, particularly using her PR and media background to help plan and promote BGO events. Jana strongly believes in the importance of inspiring a love for nature in our youth today - to get them outside, away from screens, to explore all the wonderful things Nebraska's natural environment has to offer.
As a BGO board member, Jana can't think of a better way to honor the legacy of her father, Dick Turpin. After serving as a game warden for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission at Ponca State Park, Dick was transferred to Lincoln to develop and direct the hunter education program in 1973, spending his final years as Chief of Law Enforcement before retiring. A few months before he passed in February of 2022, Jana asked him what he wanted his legacy to be. His response: outdoor education.
Jana gets outside nearly every day, through walks/jogs, biking, or spending time at the family's hunting ground southeast of town. She enjoys just being in the woods, outside the city limits, where the only sounds you hear are birds chirping and the breeze blowing through the trees -- and where you can see every star in the night sky.
Nichole Vesely
Member - Board of Directors
Community Engagement Manager for Girl Scouts Spirit of Nebraska.
Nichole Vesely has been igniting connections and championing community youth opportunities at Girl Scouts since 2019. Outside of her Girl Scouts work, Nichole channels her passion for wellness as a yoga teacher and is a dedicated TeamMates mentor and volunteer. When she’s off the clock, you’ll likely find Nichole cruising through Lincoln’s incredible bike trails, exploring Lincoln’s parks on a sunny day, strength training at the gym, or getting lost in a good book. She thrives on bringing people together, building partnerships, and creating pathways for youth to shine.
Marcus Powers
Treasurer - Board of Directors
Financial Advisor at Northwestern Mutual, Treasurer of the National Master Brewers Association, Treasurer of Great Plains Master Brewers Association
As a native of northern Nebraska, Marcus grew up with a passion for getting outside in every form. He hunted, hiked, fished, biked, played, lived and breathed the outdoors. He believes wholeheartedly that BGO will make a difference in kids' lives by helping them find themselves by learning to go outside and engage their natural environment.
His favorite outdoor activities are a close call between watching the sunrise on an early morning hunt and getting lost in gravel roads in rural Nebraska on a bike.
Shawn Quinn
Member - Board of Directors
Parks Operations Manager at Lincoln Parks & Recreation.
Shawn has loved the outdoors for as long as he can remember. Growing up, he was given countless opportunities to explore nature through hunting, fishing, scouting, and camping with family and friends. As the Lincoln Parks and Recreation Parks Operations Manager, he gets to support outdoor spaces and connect with our community.
Shawn joined BGO to help provide the same opportunities that he had as a child to learn and explore the outdoors!
His favorite thing to do outside is fishing, when he is not able, he enjoys spending time on his acreage raising chickens and ducks and gardening .
April Fearing
Member - Board of Directors
Student Services Coordinator, Spanish Teacher, and Summer Camp Director at Prairie Hill Learning Center.
Through her work in education, April has seen firsthand the powerful impact that time spent outdoors can have on a child’s curiosity, confidence, and connection to the world around them. April has enjoyed nature since she was very young, spending much of her childhood playing outside and exploring the natural spaces near her home. As she has grown, that appreciation has continued to deepen through her experiences in Nebraska’s natural landscapes.
April joined BGO because she believes it is important that children from all backgrounds have access to nature and the opportunity to learn from the outdoors.
Her favorite things to do outside are exploring Nebraska State Parks and spending time gardening.
Want to help us along this journey?
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