Staff
Andrew Jillings
Director of Outdoor Leadership
Andrew Jillings has been an outdoor educator for 30+ years and has worked at Hamilton as Director of adventure programs since 1997.
He holds a Master’s degree in exercise science, with a professional focus on outdoor leadership and adventure education. He has completed the Instructors’ Course at the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) and was a Certified Trainer with Project Adventure, the world’s foremost organization for facilitator training and ropes course installation. He is an American Canoe Association certified Whitewater and Coastal Kayak Instructor, as well as a New York licensed wilderness guide.
Andrew brings the philosophy of Challenge By Choice to the trips he leads and directs. Challenge By Choice is a leadership practice that allows people to choose when and where they want to stretch their comfort zone. Its goal is to provide a safe and effective learning environment, both mentally and physically.
Andrew grew up sailing on the east coast of England, and has a long-standing love of the outdoors. He spends his spare time kayaking (whitewater and marathon racing), mountaineering, ice climbing, and taking his daughter Hadley on outdoor adventures. He spent part of 2007 competing in the Yukon River Quest, then the world’s longest annual canoe and kayak race, and in 2022 circumnavigated the 'Eye of Quebec', Lac Manicouagan.
Sarah Skoy
Associate Director of Outdoor Leadership
Sarah grew up playing and paddling in the woods and lakes of Northern Wisconsin. She has a Bachelors in Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Masters in Adventure Education with Prescott College. She is pursuing a Doctorate in Education with Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin. Her research interests include the nature of satisfaction and the conditions under which students thrive. Sarah advises the Hamilton Outing Club and manages the Bruce Climbing Wall. She leads and trains students to lead climbing, skiing, winter camping, backpacking, hiking, canoeing, and ice climbing trips.
Sarah is a Wilderness First Responder, a PSIA (Professional Ski Instructors of America) Level II Telemark Instructor and Level 1 Cross-country Instructor, and an AMGA (American Mountain Guides Association) Climbing Wall Instructor. She is an Instructor for NOLS and has completed their Winter Instructor Course, living for ten days in a snow cave in the Teton Range of Wyoming and Idaho. For ten years, Sarah instructed 3-4 week NOLS summer canoeing and hiking courses through NOLS Northeast and NOLS Rocky Mountain.
Sarah has led trips for the Outing Club ranging from day trips up Blue Mountain in the heart of the Adirondacks to three-week mountaineering and trekking trips in Ecuador. Her favorite Hamilton College experience was designing and leading a two-week Spring Break trekking trip to the Annapurna Region of Nepal. Sarah enjoys skiing, paddling, hiking, winter camping, international travel, expedition literature, and spending time with her wife and daughter.
