Since graduating from Western State College in Colorado with dual degrees in Business Administration & Entrepreneurship and Recreation & Outdoor Leadership, Dr. Zimmer has excelled in both the academic and business spheres. For the following ten years Dr Zimmer was a co-owner of two outdoor guiding outfitters and the sole owner of The Colorado Wilderness Institute (an Adventure Education program for young adults and adolescents), and guided in various settings during the summers including rock climbing, mountaineering, whitewater kayaking and rafting, mountain biking, canyoneering and more. Winters were spent ski patrolling and snowcat ski guiding and working with his 2 certified avalanche rescue dogs.

After working in the seasonal outdoor industry for 10 years and working for over 20 different outdoor programs he pursued his Master’s degree and then his Ph.D. in Outdoor Education. Prior to Wyoming Catholic College he held many positions in an educational setting, including serving as director of Outdoor Education for a therapeutic boarding school (2006-9); Camp Wojtyla Risk Management Director (2008 to present); Adjunct Instructor in the Department of Physical Education and Recreation at Utah Valley University (2005-06); Adjunct Instructor for the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism at the University of Utah (2006-09); and Visiting Professor in Western State Colorado University’s Department of Recreation and Outdoor Education (2009-11).

Dr. Zimmer teaches WCC ELP courses both in the classroom and spends nearly 10 weeks in the backcountry each year with WCC students. Dr. Zimmer is also the executive director or COR Expeditions, WCC’s daughter program that provides outdoor trips for non-WCC students. Some fun facts for Dr. Zimmer is that he has logged over 20,000 river miles and he has led outdoor trips all over the US from Alaska to West Virginia as well as internationally in Ecuador, Austria, New Zealand and Costa Rica.