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Our Team
Meet the staff and board members who support CORE’s mission and students.
Whisper Smith, Executive Director
Whisper graduated from UNC Asheville with a degree in Environmental Studies. Seeing an opportunity to pass her passion for the environment down to future generations, Whisper began working in countless youth and outdoor education programs, including the YMCA, Mountain Alliance, and The American Adventure Service Corps (TAASC). After graduation, she and her husband Jacob took on various seasonal guiding roles as they traveled across the country climbing, biking, and paddling whatever they could! Whisper has always been passionate about providing outdoor recreation opportunities to youth, especially in the community she grew up and developed her skills in. To serve the community, Whisper and Jacob created Carolina Outdoor Recreation & Education (CORE). When not running trips or teaching weekly meetings, she can be found planning her next big mountain expedition or playing outside. Whisper holds NOLS Wilderness First Responder and Starfish Aquatics Wilderness Lifeguard certifications, seven years of experience in outdoor education, and four years of experience in administration and booking keeping as the CFO for adventure design company, Beanstalk Bridges.
Jacob Cioffoletti, Program Director
Jacob graduated from Appalachian State University with degrees in Recreation Management and Construction Science. In school Jacob held a variety of positions that all focused on helping others get outside, including acting as an instructor for Mountain Alliance and French Swiss Ski School, and volunteering for the local fire department. Following graduation, Jacob and Whisper traveled the country working seasonal guiding positions, his favorite being a glacier and ice climbing guide, in both Alaska and Colorado before returning to Morganton to act as Program Directors for TAASC for four years. A dedicated outdoor educator, Jacob's enthusiasm for getting kids outdoors is also evident in his business, Beanstalk Bridges, which designs and constructs playgrounds, treehouses, low ropes courses, other structures that promote play and exploration for youth. When’s not on the job site or teaching at CORE, you might find Jake climbing big icy mountains or in rapids with a paddle in his hands. Jacob holds NOLS Wilderness First Responder, AMGA SPI, AIARE AVI1, Starfish Aquatics Wilderness Lifeguard certifications and has over 12 years of professional experience in outdoor recreation.
Board of Directors
Dr. Jonathan Brisson
Chair and Secretary
Kristi Carriker
Paul Wardinski
Micheal Stout
Treasurer
David Benner
Whisper Smith
Executive Director
Additonal Committee Members:
Molly Hemstreet, Jacob Cioffoletti, Lauren Lacombe, Maria Bowden, Dakota Burnhardt, Erin Williams