Our Team
Skillful Nature is guided by educators, outdoor leaders, and community members who share a commitment to reflective, place‑based learning. Our board brings together decades of experience in teaching, youth development, nonprofit governance, and outdoor adventure.
Pat Florence, President & CEO
Pat Florence is the President and CEO of Skillful Nature and the organization’s founder. His academic path spans biology, history, law, and geology, with degrees from Ripon College and the University of New Mexico, along with graduate studies in geology at UNM. That broad foundation shapes his approach to designing outdoor learning experiences that are interdisciplinary, reflective, and grounded in real places.
For more than 25 years, Pat has guided students in adventure‑based education. As a club sponsor, outdoor teacher, and Director of Outdoor Programs he has led countless field experiences that blended academic learning with time outside. His work centers on helping young people build confidence, curiosity, and practical skill through direct engagement with the natural world.
Pat has also served on the boards of two regional youth camps, contributing to program development and organizational leadership. These experiences, combined with his classroom background and curriculum design work, guide Skillful Nature’s mission to make outdoor education accessible, thoughtful, and rooted in New Mexico’s landscapes and communities.
As President and CEO, Pat leads the organization’s vision, program development, and partnerships, drawing on decades of experience in education and a lifelong belief in the value of learning outdoors.
Quentin Florence, Vice-President
Quentin Florence is a retired pharmacist whose long career earned him numerous professional recognitions and a wide network of connections throughout New Mexico. His leadership in the field, combined with decades of community involvement, brings valuable perspective to Skillful Nature’s board.
Quentin has been exploring New Mexico’s outdoors since his childhood in the 1950s. Over the years he has camped, skied, hiked, fished, hunted, and ridden motorcycles across the state’s mountains and deserts. Though he has slowed down in recent years, he remains deeply engaged with outdoor culture and continues to follow trends in recreation, conservation, and public land use.
His lifelong relationship with New Mexico’s landscapes and communities strengthens Skillful Nature’s commitment to place‑based learning and responsible outdoor leadership.
Aaron Allen, Treasurer
Aaron Allen has lived in New Mexico since 1991 and currently serves as Treasurer on the Board of Directors. He earned his B.A. in Sociology from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and his Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology from the University of New Mexico.
A seasoned GIS Analyst and digital mapmaker, Aaron has been working with geographic information systems since the mid‑1990s. His decades of experience in spatial analysis, cartography, and data visualization bring a valuable technical and analytical dimension to Skillful Nature’s governance and planning.
Aaron is also a dedicated climber and hiker with extensive experience throughout the region. His long-standing connection to New Mexico’s landscapes, combined with his academic and technical background, strengthens the organization’s commitment to place‑based outdoor education and responsible stewardship.