Meet the Team
APEX began taking shape at Prescott College in 2014, where Alex met co-founder and wife, Libbey Holewski. Together, they developed a program that emphasizes the resilient strengths and spectacular beauty of the Central Appalachian region.
Alex Snyder
Co-Founder / Director / Field Instructor
Alex has deep roots in Davis, West Virginia. His family settled here during the timber boom of the 1890s and early 1900s. Alex has always enjoyed paddling, hiking, and biking in the Central Appalachian region. In 2014, he moved to Prescott, Arizona to pursue a graduate degree in adventure education. Alex’s passion for outdoor adventures inspired him to start APEX, and his education formed the foundation of the program. Alex is a trained Wilderness First Responder, and has led trips for Deer Hill Expeditions, the High Mountain Institute, and the National Youth Science Camp.
Libbey Holewski
Co-Founder / Program Director / Field Instructor
Libbey’s love for the outdoors began in the hardwood forests of the east. She spent her summers playing in creeks, searching for fossils, and cooking over campfires in Cincinnati, Ohio. Libbey headed west for college and spent the next twenty years sharing her passion for wild places through outdoor education—sea kayaking in Alaska, backpacking in the canyons of Utah, and skiing in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. In 2016, she earned a master’s degree in adventure education from Prescott College. While Libbey loves the varying landscapes of the west, she is continuously awed by the four seasons of beauty in West Virginia, and by the deeply rooted connection between the people and the land. She is thrilled to be on this journey with Alex and is patiently awaiting her next chance to play outside! Libbey is a trained Wilderness First Responder, and has led trips for the National Outdoor Leadership School and High Mountain Institute.
Kate Preston
Field Instructor
Kate was born and raised in Canaan Valley, WV. She was on skis before she could walk and on her dad’s back while he skied before that. Snow is her first choice of environment. If it’s not winter, you’ll find her backpacking with APEX, seeking a new place to go sailing, or riding horses and hanging with her dog, Beacon. In 2012, she graduated from Plymouth State University with a Bachelor of Science in Adventure Education. Returned to schooling to attend trade school at the International Yacht Restoration School, finishing their 2 year Wooden Boat Building & Restoration program in 2019. Kate now runs her own woodworking business on the side: Mountains to Water Woodshop. She is a trained Wilderness First Responder, a sailing instructor for NOLS, worked as a Field Instructor for The Mountain Institute, and is stoked to be playing in her hometown mountains and valleys with APEX.
Join the Team!
Interested in joining our instructor team? We are always looking for motivated individuals who love going on adventures and sharing their passion for the outdoors.
Appalachian Expeditions is an equal opportunity employer and service provider who operates in Monongahela National Forest under a special use permit.