Our Team

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Zorbari started her involvement with CAT as a former participant in 2009. Since then she completed an internship with CAT, became a part of our Program Staff, and became our Executive Director in 2025!

In 2012, Zorbari became the youngest Level 1 UKCC Paddlesports Coach in North America. Now, she is a British Canoeing SUP SW Coach, Coach Level 3, and holds a Three Star Award in Sea Kayak. Zorbari graduated from Howard University in May 2017.

DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS

Laura is a seasoned outdoor program manager and instructor. She is driven by a desire to create lasting connections between people, the outdoors, and their communities.

Laura earned a BS in Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences with an Outdoor Education Specialist certificate. Since then she has logged twenty years of guiding adventure activities in six countries. As an instructor for the DYS Wilderness Challenge Program, she led youth involved with the court system on 31-day wilderness expeditions. She then worked as the Program Director for Exposure Adventure Program in the Dominican Republic for five years. She also spent two years as the Program Director for Costa Rica Outward Bound. Recently Laura was a part of the REI Chicago Outdoor School team.

Laura is a certified Wilderness First Responder and SCUBA Diver. She is a British Canoeing SUP SW Coach, Paddlesport Leader, Sea Kayak Leader (tidal), Level 3 Coach, Paddlesport Instructor Tutor, SUP Instructor Tutor, and SUP Safer / Paddle Safer Provider. She holds Three Star Awards in Sea Kayak, Canoe, and Whitewater Kayak. She is also an American Red Cross Instructor and certified Climbing Wall Instructor. Outside of CAT, you can find Laura running, playing soccer, and trying to find ways to make the Chicago weather warmer.

DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR / PROGRAM STAFF

Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Tiara (prefers Tia). I’m a paddlesport coach with a very bright personality. I started off as a participant with Chicago Adventure Therapy in 2014. When I first got introduced to kayaking, it was a 7-day symposium trip in the middle of nowhere with a bunch of people I didn’t know. On the first day of this trip, I got stuck on a garden of rocks with very strong wind. I was a beginner paddler with zero experience in water sports, I can’t even swim. It’s safe to say that after that experience I hated kayaking at first. It was not familiar to me or my culture not to mention that it was hard. With the help of CAT staff, I became comfortable, gained better knowledge and grew to love the sport. They also met me where I was at to help me become a better paddler and person. I was also intrigued by the way CAT was patient with me, they acknowledged my feelings, and made me feel seen and heard. The summer of 2016 was my first year on staff as a youth summer inter. In 2022, I became full time staff. My mission is to help make the outdoor/ adventure therapy space more inclusive, diverse, and equitable.

FACILITIES & EQUIPMENT COORDINATOR / PROGRAM STAFF

Noah Viner is a 2022 Northland College graduate where he received his BS in Outdoor Education with an emphasis on Equity and Inclusion. Noah is a passionate advocate for underrepresented communities and has volunteered at Olahaska Native American reservation, Appalachia Kentucky, Camp Ondessonk, sustainable agriculture farming communities and, of course, CAT. In 2021 Noah got his feet wet with CAT as he came to us as a summer intern. He demonstrated compassion combined with his outdoor skills and ability to work with youth, so we invited him back to be permanent staff in 2022 upon college graduation. Noah wears a variety of hats at CAT including program developer, repair person, and a general do everything hat.

In addition to his compassion for people, Noah has a love for the outdoors. Noah has completed a canoe trip of over 100 miles in Wisconsin and Maine, sea kayaked in the apostle islands, competed in slalom racing, learned to sail in the apostle islands, grew with Wilderness Instructor Training, rock climbed with adaptive gear to understand how to adapt rock climbing for others, took part in a winter travel ski trip to the boundary waters and so much more. In 2023 Noah gave presentations at both Quiet Adventure Symposium and Canoecopia on “The African American Heritage Water Trail” and “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Outdoors.” When Noah is not impacting lives or immersing himself in the outdoors, he is an avid Phillies, Colts, and Wild fan, and he enjoys tinkering with car repair and woodworking

ADMIN ASSISTANT / APPRENTICE

Lux has been part of the CAT community since 2016 and officially joined the staff team as both Administrative Assistant and an apprentice in summer 2024. They bring a deep understanding of CAT’s mission from having grown within the organization as a young person. Lux is passionate about helping other youth access the same opportunities for growth, connection, and adventure as they did as a participant within the organization.

Lux loves to use their own experiences of facing fears in the outdoors, like facing a fear of heights, to support CAT participants as they navigate their own challenges. They are a certified Level 1 Climbing Wall Instructor with many years of paddling experience under their belt as well.

Whether behind the scenes or out in the field, Lux is committed to creating inclusive, affirming spaces where young people can explore their strengths and push their limits.

APPRENTICE

With a heart full of curiosity and a belief that adventure unfolds at its own pace, Christina Clay brings energy, compassion, and connection to her work with Chicago Adventure Therapy. She first joined the organization as a participant in 2020, later starting her apprenticeship in the summer of 2024—a journey that deepened her passion for outdoor leadership and community care.

CPR, First Aid, and belay certified, Christina combines technical skill with a deep understanding of the healing power of nature. Her work is rooted in a commitment to creating inclusive, welcoming spaces—especially for BIPOC communities—to experience growth, healing, and joy in the outdoors. For Christina, being representation in outdoor spaces means opening doors for others to see themselves in nature and feel a true sense of belonging.

APPRENTICE

Hi my name is Emily! I’m one of the apprentices and an outdoor enthusiast with a passion for rock climbing, kayaking, and exploring wild places. The outdoors has shaped who I am, and I love helping people discover and enjoy it too. I’m excited to continue learning, growing, and sharing that love with my community alongside CAT.

PROGRAM STAFF

Soph began with CAT in 2021 as a volunteer who was excited to pair their love of the outdoors with their love of helping people. They were a regular volunteer with CAT throughout the next 4 years until they joined as a part of the staff in 2025. Soph has been rock climbing since 2018 and has been all over the Midwest in that time, their favorite place to climb is Devil's Lake State Park in Wisconsin. They also have developed a great love for kayaking and canoeing, and are always excited to learn and work on new skills. Soph has a background working in rock climbing gyms as well as in Theatre management and administration. They are very passionate about highlighting and fighting for accessibility and representation for underrepresented groups in all aspects of their life, and are thrilled to be able to bring their outdoors, management, and administrative expertise to an organization that is doing just that!

FOUNDER

Andrea Knepper, LCSW, founded Chicago Adventure Therapy in 2006 and served as the Executive Director until 2025. She has a broad range of clinical expertise, as well as sea kayaking and wilderness guiding experience. Andrea earned her BA from Oberlin College in 1995 and has been in social services since then. She earned her M.S.W. from Loyola University in 2002. During her career, she has worked closely with teens and their families at Turning Point Community Mental Health Center as both a case manager and therapist, at Volunteers of America as a therapist, and at Open Door Shelter, where she helped coordinate daily operations.

From 1998 until 2008 Andrea also provided sea kayak instruction and lead numerous adventure travel trips for Northwest Passage Adventure Travel Company. In October of 2015 she eared her 5 Star Sea Leader Award, becoming one of 7 women in the country to hold the award. In August of 2016 she became the second American to earn the UKCC Level 3 Coach Award. She also holds a 3 Star in Open Canoe and in Whitewater Kayak, and her ACA L3 Instructor Certification. In 2019, Andrea paddled the length of the US Pacific Coast! Read about her adventure!