Who We Are: Staff and Volunteers

JASON HIRSCH
Educational Programs Manager

Jay comes to HI-USA Golden Gate Council after five years with the Chill Foundation, a nonprofit that works to change the lives of inner-city youth through the sport of snowboarding. During his tenure at Chill, he began by providing direct service on the snow with the youth, and worked his way up to General Manager. As GM, Jay was overseeing all aspects of programming, implementing national events, directing fundraising efforts, and managing the staff of this program.   

Jay is excited to join the dynamic staff of Hostel Adventures, and to bring his strong background in running outdoor recreation and educational programs to the table. His educational background is in business administration and management, and he is committed to applying his knowledge and skills to help grow nonprofits and social services whose missions closely align with his passions.

Exploring new lands and cultures is one of Jay's biggest passions, and he has always taken full advantage of hostels while traveling, embracing the intercultural experience that they provide to travelers. Jay welcomes the opportunity to showcase these amazing experiences to the underserved youth of the Bay Area. 

As Jay's other biggest passion is snowboarding, he has always surrounded himself with the biggest and best mountains. He has most recently relocated from the Green Mountains of Vermont but originally hails from the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, and he can’t wait to explore the Sierra’s finest. 

LINDSAY CARVER
Community Walls Intern

Originally from Santa Fe, New Mexico, Lindsay has a true passion for the arts and being a part of an artistically driven community. She studied graphic arts and painting at San Diego State University where she fell in love with the ocean. Now relocated to San Francisco, Lindsay is excited to share her love of the arts and the art of creating with children.

While living in Santa Fe, Lindsay worked with elementary school children as an art teacher's assistant. She also started and ran an art collective with 12 of her friends. Lindsay has spent much of her time seeing the world, traveling to Africa, Guatemala, and Europe to name a few. New to the Bay Area, she spends her time at the public library, biking through Golden Gate Park, camping in the redwoods, and cooking fresh veggies with her friends.