Jace Besold

Operations Director

Jace serves as the Director of Operations. His primary focus is managing and growing the Expedition Program, though it is likely you will see him involved with anything related to GRP.

Born and raised in Tucson, Arizona, Jace came to love the outdoors at a young age thanks to hiking trips through the Sonoran desert with his grandfather. His time outside was largely spent rock climbing, backpacking, and mountain biking, though his favorite outdoor activity is spending time with friends around a campfire.

Wanting to share his passion for outdoor exploration with young minds, Jace first came to GRP in 2013 as a cabin counselor. Since then, he has filled many roles within our organization, including several years as a leader for Blue Ridge Expeditions. He found these connections to be especially profound and was itching to learn all that he could about the “behind the scenes” magic of the natural world. This led him back to school to obtain a B.S. in Biology from Appalachian State University with a focus on ecology, evolution, and environmental science. He is especially fond of plants, insects, and the intense interactions that occur between these two kingdoms of life.

Jace is very excited for this new chapter with GRP and cannot wait to see you this summer!