Before joining the Open Sky team, Danya attended Northern Arizona University where she received an honors degree in fitness wellness. During and after college, she was extremely involved in the outdoor adventures program as a lead trip guide, office manager, and high ropes course facilitator, while also teaching yoga for multiple programs and studios. She led college students and staff through adventures of backpacking, whitewater river rafting, kayaking, day hikes, and many more that all ranged from one to six days. She wanted to help people more than just leading them safely through a stress-relieving yoga flow or a fun weekend trip, so she decided she wanted to combine her passions of nature, yoga, and holistic health to work as a wilderness therapy guide at Open Sky.

As a field guide, Danya values using her creativity to best support students and co-guides in growth and learning. Her strengths are authentically being herself, encouraging her students to be their true selves, expressing vulnerability from the heart, and reminding herself and others that everything happens for a reason (no matter how cheesy that is). She brings her passion of nature, yoga, therapeutics, organization, self-love, and fun to the field with the students. One of her favorite things is getting to be a part of the students’ journey at Open Sky and witnessing how much they grow in such a short period of time. Danya is deeply grateful and honored to get to work with each and every student.

During her time off, Danya soaks up all the time she can with her cute dog, Cedar, and her partner in their van based in Flagstaff, AZ. Danya also loves doing yoga in grassy fields, climbing on rocks, hiking to peaks, backpacking in quiet forests, playing around on aerial apparatuses, snowboarding through flurries, working out at the gym, and reading a good book in a hammock with a scenic view.