Education Leader, Mentor & Outdoors Adventurer — Gould Academy Welcomes Newest Academic Skills Teacher, Galen Staats

Gould Academy is excited to welcome Galen Staats to its faculty as our newest Academic Skills Teacher. An experienced outdoor enthusiast, leadership mentor, educator and passionate advocate for student growth, Galen brings a dynamic, student-centered approach to academic support.

Galen grew up in southern Virginia, where he spent much of his youth exploring the Shenandoah Mountains and hiking stretches of the Appalachian Trail. After serving in the United States Marines, he pursued higher education at Prescott College in Arizona, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Wilderness Leadership and a Master of Arts in Outdoor Program Leadership.

His career in education has included a wide range of leadership roles — Rock Climbing Supervisor, Assistant High Ropes Director, Outdoor Program Manager, and most recently, Outdoor Adventures Operations Manager at the University of Utah. There, he also instructed college-level courses in rock climbing, backcountry skiing, and avalanche safety.

At Gould, Galen focuses on helping students build personalized academic toolkits, exploring how they learn best, and unlocking the confidence to self-advocate. “Working at a school that encourages experiential learning allows us to meet students where they are,” he says. “It’s about giving them the tools to grow beyond their time at Gould, replicating successful outcomes throughout their lives.”

Outside of work, Galen is a devoted trail runner, climber, and mountaineer who enjoys long, scenic routes — ideally ending with a great view and crisp mountain air. He and his wife, Amy, enjoy spending time in the mountains with their two dogs and embracing all that outdoor life in Maine has to offer.