Derek grew up in Knoxville, Tennessee and the surrounding mountains, where he gained a love for exploring the outdoors with his family. He moved to New Orleans in 2011 to study economics and the environment at Tulane University. After graduating, Derek embarked on a Year of Discovery, upon which one of the many things he Discovered was the wonderful Cragged Mountain Farm.

In addition to Cragged, Derek has worked as a trip leader of sorts in the American Southeast and Midwest, the Bahamas, and the Philippines. When he isn’t coaxing campers to the top of Mt. Washington, he enjoys climbing rocks, riding bikes and vibin’ to funk music. Derek is currently a graduate student at Indiana University in Bloomington, where he researches electric cars and goes climbing as many weekends as possible. His favorite color is purple. His favorite animal is the honeybee.