This year the Philadelphia Outward Bound School is proud to honor two legendary women of Outward Bound: Jennifer Raymond and Katie Newsom. Both will be celebrated at the 2024 Trailblazer Gala on June 5th for their 25 years of service, inspiration, and compassion.
Jennifer Raymond has been an Outward Bound instructor, mentor, and leader since 1999, and was one of the first staffers hired to run Outward Bound programs in Philadelphia.
Today, she continues to provide guidance and inspiration to thousands of students and adults by leading expeditions, overseeing our merit scholarship courses, and administering the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award USA program at POBS. In addition, Jennifer serves on the Conservation & Natural Resources Advisory Council for the state of Pennsylvania.
Read more about Jennifer on this website here and here.
Katie Newsom is the longest-serving Executive Director of the Philadelphia Outward Bound School, coming aboard in 1999.
For nearly two decades, Katie led POBS through several phases of growth and change, culminating in the capital campaign that led to the opening of The Discovery Center in 2018. In the 20 years after Katie took the helm at POBS, the number of students served annually grew from 100 to over 8,000.
Katie remains in the Outward Bound family, serving as Outward Bound USA’s Chief Advancement Officer. Read more about Katie on the Outward Bound USA website.
The 2024 Trailblazer Gala is Wednesday, June 5. The event will take place at The Discovery Center from 6:00-9:00 pm. Tickets may be purchased online.