Chad Dayton

Chad Dayton is a seasoned outdoor educator, a passionate advocate for public lands and waters, and a dedicated campaigner for impactful connections between communities and nature.

Having taught college English and Writing for nearly a decade, Chad fully transitioned to outdoor education in 2009. Since then, Chad has worked widely in the fields of outdoor, place-based, and environmental education: as an instructor for the National Outdoor Leadership School and Wilderness Medicine Institute; as Associate Director for Wilderness Inquiry, where he developed the national youth engagement program known as the Canoemobile; and currently as owner/principal of Outdoor Solutions, LLC, a small firm dedicated to advancing experiential education, broadening engagement with public lands and waters, and increasing equitable opportunities to engage with nature through program advising, policy advocacy, and community engagement. Chas is also the current President of Northland College in Wisconsin.

Chad also teaches courses on outdoor programming, environmental, and place-based education for the University of Minnesota. Chad is the current President of Northland College, serves on the Board of Directors for Friends of the Mississippi River and the Minnesota Zoo Foundation, and is a member of the Minnesota State Water Trails Advisory Council. In his free time, Chad can usually be found paddling a canoe on Minnesota rivers—preferably with one of his lovely daughters.

“I am thrilled by the opportunity to join the NPT board not only because NPT’s mission is aligned with my personal and professional values, but also because I am extremely passionate about the opportunity to positively impact the lives of children all across the country – facilitating meaningful connections to public lands and waters while addressing the disparities of academic achievement and opportunity gaps – and to work with NPT’s board, staff, and partners to ensure the sustainable future of our public lands and equitable access opportunities for all.”