
OUR TEAM
President & Camp Director
Emily Johansson
Emily loves the outdoors and the lessons it can teach. Emily grew up in the great state of Michigan. She graduated from BYU-Idaho with a focus in Recreation Management and went on to WGU to earn an MBA. She served in various volunteer and leader positions while attending college, including Outdoor Learning Center Area Directory and Camp Kesem’s Operations, Outreach, and Volunteer Coordinator (yes, that is three positions).
She worked for three years as a counselor, kitchen staff, and staff leader at AFY. In addition to her outdoor experience, Emily has also been actively involved in high school water polo. She served as a head varsity coach for three years, building the program from its humble beginnings. Emily is excited to bring what she learned while working as a coach, at AFY, and Camp Kesem to OFY. She is excited to provide a program where participants can experience fun, build their testimonies, and become something more.
Vice President & Facilities Manager
Brad Burton
Brad is our resident mountain man. Growing up in Utah, his love for the mountains started at a young age. He spent five years working with at-risk and troubled youth, guiding them in adventure-based wilderness therapy. There he saw the power of the outdoors to truly change teens. He loves connecting with youth in spiritual and outdoor settings. Later, he spent three summers as a whitewater guide on the Snake River. He joins OFY after working at BYU-Idaho as the facility manager at Badger Creek.
His thirst for adventure has led him to ride his bike across Canada and down the west coast with his wife, climb several peaks in the Teton Range, and skydive over 50 times. Never bored, he enjoys woodworking, volunteering with local search and rescue, and working as an electrician. In his time off, he can be found adventuring in the mountains with his wife and three sons and perfecting his dad jokes.
Vice President
dan mahler
Dan is a natural manager of projects and leader of people. Graduating with a B.S. in Exercise Physiology from BYU-Idaho, He spent four years as the program advisor and director for BYU-Idaho's Adventure For Youth and a program/student advisor at the Outdoor Learning Center. His time as a program director involved teaching and training youth, university groups, businesses, and individuals through experiential education. Dan finished an M.S. in Management and Leadership from WGU.
Professional qualifications aside, Dan enjoys fishing, woodworking, and being with his family. His four little girls keep him busy giving horse rides, wrestling, and going outside. He also tries to spend as much time as possible with his wife, Jessie. Their family shares a love for life and everything fun.