Strength to Serve
6-Day Backpacking Journey for Service Professionals
Strength to Serve 2025
June 22 – 27 | Siskiyou Mountains, Oregon
Strength to Serve is a 6-day backpacking and leadership program designed to foster growth, purpose, and renewed sustenance in your life.
This unique expedition invites you to step into the wilderness of Southern Oregon’s breathtaking Siskiyou Mountains and reconnect with your true self while building the skills necessary to lead with empathy and courage.
In today’s fast-paced world, the need to pause, reflect, and find purpose has never been greater. Strength to Serve offers you a rare opportunity to retreat into nature, away from daily distractions, and immerse yourself in the beauty and solitude of the wilderness.
Guided by experienced leaders, you will explore the rugged trails and the depths of your heart and mind.
Discover Purpose Through Nature
The Siskiyou Mountains provide the perfect backdrop for this transformative experience. As you traverse scenic landscapes, climb rugged peaks, and breathe in the crisp mountain air, you will find clarity and connection that only nature can offer.
Each day of the journey brings new physical and mental challenges, helping you cultivate resilience, self-awareness, and a profound sense of purpose.
This 6-day wilderness expedition is a game changer to get beyond stuck patterns, recognize what is at the heart of your next phase, and embrace a purpose-driven life.
We have found no more efficient tool for change than the simplicity of traveling deep into the wilderness and combining that with listening circles around the fire, individual coaching on the trail, and a 24-hour solo where all the noise inevitably disappears.
By the program's conclusion, you will emerge with a clear sense of purpose and empowered to serve others and integrate enduring principles into your everyday life.
This program enables you to:
- Embrace a purpose-driven life
- Cultivate a crystal clear vision for driving positive change within your organizations and communities.
- Create alignment between purpose and your work in the world
- Foster endurance and resilience in following your purpose in the world.
- Lean into adaptive skills to navigate uncertainty and rapid change.
- Facilitate cross-cultural collaboration to nurture an inclusive environment where diverse perspectives contribute.
What's Included?
- Two 1:1 Coaching Sessions: Meet 1:1 with our certified coach before and after the backpacking expedition.
- Physical Training: We include a specific physical training program for the trip by MTNTOUGH Fitness, so it is accessible to all, no matter your experience level.
- Certified Guides: Combining leadership, coaching, and wilderness certifications, our trip leaders offer a unique guidance experience.
- Online Curriculum: Gain access to our online course with leadership lessons from nature and community-based practices.
- Gear: Backpacking gear available to rent.
- Meals: All meals are included.
- Custom T-Shirt: High-quality custom Strength to Serve 2025 t-shirt to remember this experience.
Program Timeline
- June 10th: Team Prep Sessions (Online)
- June 22nd–27th: Wilderness Journey (Siskiyou Mountains, Southern Oregon)
- July 9th: Team Integration Session (Online)
- 1:1 Coaching sessions will be scheduled after enrollment.
Full and partial Scholarships are available for those in full-time service roles. To apply for a scholarship, contact [email protected].
Pricing options
Pay in full or save your spot with a deposit.
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$1,950.00
Regular price
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4 x $500.00
4 month payment plan
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$150.00
Deposit
Limited spots available!
This expedition is limited to a small group. Save your spot now and join us in this life-changing adventure.
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Online Course Curriculum Overview
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Welcome: Strength to Serve
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Expedition Prep: Logistics and Planning
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1. Strength to Serve: Welcome
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The Nature of Change: Practice of the Wild
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Resources
At a glance
- 2 Online Group Sessions
- 6-day Wilderness Experience of a Lifetime
- Invaluable Group Sessions and Online Learning Modules and Inspiring Expert Guest Teachers
What Do People Say About Working With Open Circle?
“As a leadership consultant and master coach with 30+ years of experience working all over the world and facilitating groups, teams, and circles, I had some trepidation about going into this training as a participant. Would the workshop challenge me? Would it hone my understanding of power relations in facilitation? Would I learn something about myself? Would I develop new and useful skills? Would it embody a truly experiential, dialogical, improvisational and exploratory ethos? Would I find the workshop leaders mature, stimulating and inspiring? The answer to each of these questions was a resounding 'YES!' Miriam and Adam held the space and danced between their different roles with clarity and grace. I found them to be honest, kind, insightful leaders who brought finesse and depth to each moment of the work. I look forward to continuing the journey together.”
Sara 'Zora' Boas, MCC, MA, RDMP, Founding Director, Boas Partners
“I would recommend Open Circle's training because one can learn a creative way of providing a space with care to enter a dialogue that connects participants/trainers in personal ways of finding human commonalities that form conscious ways of challenging beliefs.”
Carolynne Abdullah, Racial Equity and Inclusion Consultant
“Going into this trip, I was hoping for a life-changing experience, but I didn't know the depths of that change and what would be required to elicit it. The guides "lead without leading" and steered me up the mountain. In only 6 days, I came out with a renewed belief in myself and my capabilities. This trip definitely changed my life, and I am now putting in the work to ensure others receive value from the work that was done up there. ”
Antonio DeAscanis, Founder and CEO BlkOps Fitness
“The highly skilled team members at Open Circle have a range of listening and facilitation skills that span from formal to informal, inviting to challenging, easy to highly advanced. They are clearly on a mission to humanize the workplace.”
Don Lubach, UC Santa Barbara Ombudsman
“This in-person nature experience for leaders and facilitators led us to a collective environment where we were challenged to grow in ways I thought were not possible. It was an amazing experience. I describe their work as both mystical and practical, simultaneously and at once both beyond this world and functional preparation for navigating and being in it!”
Mark Funkhouser, Consultant – Coach – Trainer – Facilitator
Meet Your Guides
Adam Rumack
Open Circle Co-Founder and CEO
Adam brings a wealth of experience in driving organizational and individual transformation across diverse sectors, including corporations, large-scale non-profits, and the education and criminal justice systems.
His profound passion for the outdoors serves as a catalyst, offering insights into the interconnectedness of humanity and the wild, shaping his approach to human-driven systems.
In his pursuit of knowledge, Adam has delved into various disciplines, studying under spiritual and religious mentors and exploring the intricacies of economics, human behavior, and performance sciences.
A practitioner of holistic stewardship, Adam applies his insights on his land in Coastal Oregon, USA, where he also oversees a nature-based preschool.
His multifaceted background uniquely positions him to bridge the realms of organizational transformation, ecological mindfulness, and holistic education.
Miriam Jones
Open Circle Co-Founder
I am a facilitator and guide of transitions. I am a mother, an entrepreneur, a woman growing and expanding into myself in the world. I am committed to contributing my gifts and whatever wisdom I have gained from my experiences to supporting people, organizations and communities moving and growing through change in themselves and in the world.
I am offering these retreats and trainings to serve people strengthening their inner compass and heart to be courageous in how they use their gifts and voice in the world.
You can find my professional background here and more on Open Circle website here: https://www.weareopencircle.com/about/our-team
Jeremy "coach" Moore
Guest Teacher
Jeremy "Coach" Moore is executive director and founder of More Then Fitness, a non profit dedicated to equipping people with the tools to build strong bodies, resilient minds, and unbreakable spirits.
With over 20 years of working in human and youth development, Coach Jeremy Moore has received many certifications and awards, but is most proud of his military service record including two Army Commendation Medals, Three Purple Hearts, and a Bronze Star with Valor earned during Deployment to Afghanistan. Jeremy received the Jefferson Service Award which is a national service recognition for his contributions to his community.
After the Army Coach Moore earned a Masters Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and a Masters Degree in Nonprofit Management and Leadership. Coach Moore is also the President of the VA Mental Health Advocacy Council for the Wilmington VAMC.
Through his decades of experience in working with youth and adults, his military service, and personal life experiences of perseverance and overcoming adversities, Jeremy Moore is uniquely qualified to coach social and emotional wellness. The program of More Than Fitness is a culmination of that experience in working with youth with disabilities, his experience coaching high school sports, and the tools he used for his physical and mental recoveries.
Guest Teachers
Phil Kornachuk
Guest Teacher
Building top performing leaders and teams has been a critical part of Phil Kornachuk’s life for the last three decades.
Corporate leadership, collegiate sports teams, elite military units, non-profit leaders, emergency services and other organizations have all been impacted by Phil's unique approach to forging elite leaders and teams.
He leverages over 22 years of experience serving, leading and developing elite teams within the US Army Special Operations Community. Phil brings this unique, proven brand of improving high performing leaders, teams and culture to organizations that partner with StoneWater Training.
Following his military career, he channeled his experience into helping other leaders and teams achieve their maximum potential through academic and experiential training with his company, LEAD 406. This company served senior leaders and teams in athletics, academia, business, non-profit and emergency services. LEAD 406 subsequently was acquired by Allegro Group where Phil assumed the role of Managing Director of Leadership and continued to capitalize on experiential learning to maximize healthy, purpose-drive and value based leaders and teams. He earned a Bachelor of Science and a Masters in Organizational Leadership from Gonzaga University.
Phil is now based out of Lake Oswego, OR where he lives with his wife and their 7 teenage children. Although most of his time is now spent trying to remember high school geometry, teaching kids to drive on the hills of LO or cheering on his family at a myriad of sporting events, Phil can occasionally be found climbing, backpacking, boarding, riding, hiking, fishing, rafting and hunting in the mountains and water of the PNW.
You can learn more about Phil on the Beyond Listening podcast, Purpose, Principle and Performance: https://weareopencircle.com/blpodcastblog
Tjanara Goreng Goreng
Guest Teacher
"This is about transformation; transforming ourselves, our workplaces and the planet." - Tjanara Goreng Goreng
Tjanara is a Wakka Wakka Wulli Wulli Traditional Owner from Central Queensland who was born in the outback at Longreach in Central Western Queensland and has had a fascinating, at times challenging, life plus a diverse and accomplished career.
Drawing on her research, accomplished career and tens of thousands of years of oral knowledge, not found in any book, Tjanara will share her leadership insights and stories on Sacred Leadership. These ideas are captured in her doctorate ‘The road to Eldership: How Aboriginal culture creates sacred leaders’.
Tjanara diverse career has included academic adjunct professor at ANU, community development worker and Senior Policy Director in the Australian Public Service in particular at the Department of Prime Minister & Cabinet and in the Australian Foreign Service. Tjanara has also worked in the private sector as a transformational leadership senior consultation at Zaffyre International working with overseas and national Australian companies in the energy, insurance, finance and mining sectors.
You can get to know Tjanara on her episode on Sacred Leadership on Beyond Listening Podcast with Tjanara Goreng Goreng (https://weareopencircle.com/blpodcastblog/2021/5/11/beyond-listening-podcast-sacred-leadership-and-leading-through-collective-trauma-with-dr-tjanara-goreng-goreng)
Pranidhi Varshney
Guest Teacher
Pranidhi Varshney is a devoted yoga practitioner and founder of Yoga Shala West, a community-supported Ashtanga yoga studio in West Los Angeles.
Pranidhi aims to cultivate, for herself and for her students, a sense of balance—simultaneous strength and surrender. Her goal is to inspire those she teaches and works with to build a regular every day practice of breath and awareness, for committing to practice is the surest way she's found to live an authentic, compassionate life.
Pranidhi is active in the global yoga community, working as a Yoga Gives Back ambassador and sitting on the advisory board of the Yoga and Body Image Coalition. She also works with Service Space's Laddership Circle to continue to ignite transformation in herself and others. Through all her work, she aims to inspire, provoke, build community, and ultimately touch the heart.
You can learn more about Pranidhi in her Beyond Listening Podcast with this link: https://weareopencircle.com/blpodcastblog/2022/12/17/e38-how-to-share-your-voice-compassionately
FAQs
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Where is the trip taking place? How do I get there?
In the breathtaking Siskiyou Mountains of Southern Oregon, we will pick you up from Medford International Airport at 9 AM on June 22nd and drop you off at Medford Airport by 4 PM on June 27th. Depending on your flight times, you may need to book accommodation in Medford. If you are driving, we will be sure to provide directions on where to meet us and car parking.
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Do I need prior backpacking experience?
No prior experience is required. Our guides are trained to support all experience levels. The MTNTOUGH fitness training program is included to help prepare you physically.
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What’s a typical day like on the trail?
Each day includes hiking, group reflection, leadership exercises, meals in nature, and time for solitude. Evening fire circles foster shared learning and connection.
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How are meals handled?
All meals are provided during the expedition and are designed to be nutritious, satisfying, and trail-friendly. Meals will assist you in preparing for the day of fasting, and we encourage you to bring snacks that suit your taste.
Before you go!
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