Get to Know Us!

Our History

Common Ground Outdoor Adventures (CGOA) was founded in 1993 as an AmeriCorps*VISTA project at OPTIONS for Independence in partnership with Utah State University’s Outdoor Program and Bridgerland Audubon Society. In 1997, the organization incorporated as a private non-profit and has grown to serve well over 3,600 people with disabilities annually. CGOA seeks to increase the accessibility of outdoor recreation and discover creative new ways to access wild places. The organization provides adaptive equipment and support which enables individuals with disabilities to participate in recreation and outdoor adventures. By crossing perceived limitations individuals gain self-confidence, which carries over into the quest for meaningful employment, the pursuit of relationships, and active participation in community life. All outdoor activities include discussions, activities or presentations that foster appreciation and respect of the natural environment.

Recent major accomplishments include:

Completion of facility slopeside at Beaver Mountain.
Increased ski lessons by 70% to approximately 700 lessons.
Implementation of the wildly successful Youth Adventure Leadership Program (YALP) and Jr. Adventurers
Successful expansion of warfighter programming, serving US military personnel and veterans with disabilities.

Our mission

Common Ground Outdoor Adventure’s mission is to provide life-enhancing outdoor recreation for youths and adults with disabilities.

Our promise

At CGOA we are committed to an inclusive environment. We follow industry standards to ensure that your experience is one of safety, fun, and learning. We work hard to provide state of the art adaptive equipment and teaching techniques.

Our vision

To obtain the resources, equipment, facilities, and staff to provide quality physically and financially accessible outdoor recreation opportunities for every youth and adult with a disability that has the desire to participate. We want to do all we can to remove barriers and enhance people’s lives through recreational experiences, while reducing the stereotypes society has about people with disabilities.

Our Team

Our staff come from a variety of professional backgrounds and experiences in adaptive outdoor recreation, and are passionate about helping others get outside!

Open Positions

We are looking to fill a full-time AmeriCorps position. To learn more, and/or to apply, please see the following link.

Casey Prentice

Program Manager

Casey was born and raised in Annapolis, Maryland. She enjoys swimming, kayaking, paddle boarding and horseback riding with her family. She attended Youngstown State University in Ohio as a student athlete, graduating in 2021 with a Bachelors in Public Health and a Minor in Community Wellness. Concluding her internship with Common Ground in 2022, Casey has received her Masters degree in Adapted Physical Activity from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania.

Rafael Davis

Volunteer/Outreach Coordinator

Rafael Davis (They/Them) is excited to be serving as an AmeriCorps VISTA at Common Ground Outdoor Adventures! They have always been someone who loves outdoor recreation. Whether that be paddle boarding, rock climbing, hiking, ice skating or something they haven’t even tried before, they are interested! They greatly believe that every person, regardless of their physical or mental abilities, should have the opportunity to experience the wonderful things that nature has to offer. Rafael has always wanted to help people in any way they can and is super happy to be part of an organization that provides a better quality of life for so many people.

Abby Allred

Camps Coordinator

Abby is excited to be returning to Common Ground this summer as our Camps Coordinator. She has been involved with Common Ground Outdoor Adventures in a variety of roles since 2021 and is passionate about creating meaningful adaptive recreation opportunities for participants of all abilities. She recently earned her bachelor's degree in Recreation Administration from Utah State University, and is excited to continue helping people connect with the outdoors through adaptive recreation. A Cache Valley native, Abby loves spending her free time canoeing, kayaking, or in the mountains - especially when she's with good people.

Spencer Griffin

Summer Program Staff

Spencer started at Common Ground as a ski instructor during the 2025-26 ski season. He now works during the summer season as well, and is excited for all the fun activities to come. He loves to ski, bike, run, hike, fish, and do anything else in the outdoors. He is starting his last year at Utah State, and plans on applying to medical school next year and training to become a doctor. Spencer loves the daily opportunities he has to help others enjoy the outdoors as much as him.