Sean O’Brien
Chief Executive Officer
Sean has been involved in the non-profit and education fields for the past 30 years in various capacities. He specializes in Youth Leadership development; empowering youth to live and promote the benefits of a healthy lifestyle; specifically in the training of student leaders to implement alcohol, tobacco and other drug prevention strategies in their schools and communities as well as improving school climate through experiential activities and open dialogue.
As the CEO of Adapt, Inc. Sean has grown the program significantly thanks to funding from various sources including Federal, State, County, Town and foundation funds for age appropriate and developmentally based programs. These programs include:
Teaching students about the dangers of emerging drugs, provide family and community activities designed to set clear expectations against use of illegal substances and appropriate consequences for such behaviors.
Dissemination of drug prevention information to schools and communities throughout the North Country of New Hampshire.
Professional development and training for school personnel, parents, and/or community members in mentoring, prevention education, early identification, intervention.
Referral services as well as community-wide planning and activities to reduce substance use and abuse.
In the education field, for the past 20 years Sean implemented the evidence based Project SUCCESS and Project Venture curriculums at Lin-Wood and Profile Public School as well as in a number of other middle and high schools throughout the North Country of New Hampshire. He has consulted with North Country Education Services as well as North Country Health Consortium since ‘07 as the creator and Regional Coordinator of the Youth Leadership Through Adventure (YLTA) program, Project Venture, and Project SUCCESS and CMCA Evidence Based programs. In the summer of ‘11 he began the Youth Leadership Through Adventure (YLTA) Summer Leadership Institute. This course provides students with a comprehensive approach to the development of youth as leaders. This course has since been restructured under our Wilderness Youth Leadership Development (WYLD) program.
Sean is originally from Long Island, New York. He came to New Hampshire to attend Plymouth State College and immediately fell in love with the area. He enjoys hiking, biking, swimming, rock climbing, cooking and traveling. He's been married to his wife, Tanya, for twenty eight years and has two beautiful children. He and his wife adopted their daughter, Lily, from China and their son, Zeland, from Ethiopia.
Lynn
Positive Youth Development Director
Lynn grew up in heart of the White Mountains, where her connection to nature and the community played a central role in her life. Now raising her family in the same area, she is excited to be back working for Adapt as the Positive Youth Director. With over 10 years of experience across Adapts various initiatives and having been a participant herself during her high school years, she knows firsthand the power of outdoor education in shaping personal growth.
When she’s not busy with Adapt, Lynn enjoys spending time outdoors with her family. You can also often find her in the garden, continuing to nurture her lifelong love for nature.
Alyson
PYD Program Facilitator
Alyson was born and raised in New Hampshire. She studied at Plymouth State University and graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Adventure Education. After graduating, she worked as a wilderness therapy guide for a year and a half doing backpacking, canoe trips, mindfulness and therapeutic activities with kids in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. She has always strived to educate others on appreciation and knowledge for the outdoor world.
Alyson has always had a love for the natural world, she enjoys canoeing, hiking, rock climbing, birding, spending time with her cat Padfoot, and her dog Appa.
Dani
PYD Program Facilitator
Dani was born and raised outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After high school, she worked as a swim instructor and zipline/ropes course guide before volunteering in Ghana as a medical assistant. After that year, she studied at Plymouth State University and graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Physical Education and Health Education. As a senior, Dani worked as a health and PE long term substitute, as well as a ski and snowboard instructor in the White Mountains. Dani has a passion for instilling confidence in children and adolescents through all aspects of health education and skill acquisition. In her free time, Dani loves snowboarding, camping, hiking and traveling.
Anna
PYD Program Facilitator
Anna was born and raised in southern Maine and recently graduated from Plymouth state with a degree in health sciences. She grew up frequenting the white mountains with her parents but enjoys the ocean and water activities the most. Anna found her passion for the outdoors through participating in an Outward Bound course on her gap year after high school. In the past Anna has worked as an outdoor educator at Wolfsneck farm and enjoys learning about organic farming and horticulture.
Joe
PYD Program Facilitator
Joe is from Woodsville, NH on the western edge of the White Mountains. Starting in early middle School he participated in the first iterations of the Kids in Prevention program at Haverhill Middle School. Soon after, Joe would participate in Youth Leadership Through Adventure and then join the North Country Regional group once at Woodsville High School. Since graduating from Woodsville High School in 2017, Joe still found ways to participate in YLTA through photography and adult advising at middle and high school conferences.
After attending community college, Joe found the Interdisciplinary Studies Major at Plymouth State University and earned a Bachelor of Science in Sustainable and Diversified Entrepreneurship in 2022, with minors in Photography and Media Studies. Joe is an entrepreneur starting a sustainable and locally sourced beverage business, serves on Bath NH Fire Department, volunteers on Pemi Valley Search and Rescue Team, and has over three years’ experience as the former Student Assistance Program Coordinator where he ran their YLTA program.
When time permits, Joe loves to hike, canoe, support small businesses, and travel wherever possible!
Julia
Student Assistance Provider
Julia grew up in New Hampshire. After graduating from college, she spent a few years abroad working in schools and helping facilitate medical clinics. Her passion for youth and holistic wellness eventually brought her back home to New Hampshire to pursue a master’s in School Psychology at PSU. In her free time, Julia enjoys cooking, hiking, camping, and biking.
Mariah
Student Assistant Provider
Mariah is a southern New Jersey native who moved to New Hampshire 12 years ago with the intent of only staying for the summer. It didn’t take long for her to realize she found her new home and is currently living in North Woodstock, NH with her young son. Mariah is passionate about influencing positive change and dedicated to building a better tomorrow, today. For as long as she can remember, Mariah has been a huge fan of people like Dr. Martin Luther King, Mahatma Ghandi and Mother Teresa, just to name a few. Their boldness and bravery to do what is right, teach other people to love and respect each other and serve our neighbor has always inspired her greatly and given her the courage to continue seeking positive light at all times. Mariah is a lover of community, animals and fresh air. In her free time she enjoys sharing new experiences with her son, traveling to unfamiliar places and walking dogs.
Board of Directors
Our Board of Directors consists of community members from the towns which we serve.