About GutMonkey
GutMonkey is an adventure education company that helps folks with chronic health conditions live big, bold, brave, healthier lives.
Chronic medical conditions shouldn’t stop us from living our fullest, most epic lives
You deserve to live a wildly big, boundlessly brave life.
A life where you have the guts to explore something new, the confidence to take on a challenge head-on, the grit to struggle through the hard stuff, and the growth from discovering what you’re made of.
A life where you’re not just cared for. You’re cared about. A life that’s packed full. And impactful.
We don’t stand on the sidelines.
We get in there deep. Gut deep.
Ears and hearts wide open, getting real with each other.
Taking good risks and trying new things – with a sprinkle of silliness and a whole lot of imagination mixed in.
At GutMonkey, our whole job is creating experiences that challenge you – so you can safely push your boundaries, reclaim your independence, and start living a bigger, bolder, more limitless life.
Your story is waiting to be written. Ready to turn the first page?
GutMonkey started with a simple question: "Why not?"
Our founder, Pat Torrey, was deep in the adventure education world when he got the chance to work with the bleeding disorder community. Talk about eye-opening!
Their resilience, challenges, and incredible support for each other showed him a whole new perspective on the many people in his own life living with chronic health conditions.
That experience got Pat thinking…
Why should a chronic health condition limit anyone from living adventurously?
After some brainstorming, we saw how adventure education creates the perfect playground for people to challenge themselves while managing risk in smart, meaningful ways.
From there, we created programs that help folks discover their own capacity for awesomeness—identifying which risks are worth taking, building confidence in tackling challenges, and developing the personal agency to live life on their own terms.
Today, after decades of working with patients, we’ve found that the most healing adventures begin when someone looks at what seems impossible and simply asks, “Why not?”
Message from Pat
You are not defined by your diagnosis
After working with patients for over 20 years, there’s one thing I’ve realized:
There’s no “one way” or “right way” to live with a chronic health condition.
Some folks want to climb mountains. Others want to run a race, or become board game champs. And some just want to feel “normal” (whatever that means!).
At GutMonkey, you get to choose what role your condition plays in your life.
We’re just here to lift you up, cheer you on, and help you explore life’s possibilities – at your pace, on your terms.
– Pat Torrey, Founder of GutMonkey
Meet your cheerleaders, challenge-creators & occasional goofballs
Hi! We’re the GutMonkey team—adventure enthusiasts with professional training, a closet of costumes, and a serious commitment to your journey. We’ve got decades of experience creating safe spaces for breakthrough moments (and we’re pretty good at camp songs, too!).
Leadership
Pat Torrey
Founder & Lead Facilitator
Ted Chen
Director of Business and Operations
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Morgan Dazey
Operations and Marketing Manager
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Thomas Hamm
Design Manager and Cohort Supervisor
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Bloom Davis
Program Operations Manager
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Akash Kumar
Finance & Accounting
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Michele Bunke
Business Manager
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Lisa Elder
Community Partnerships & Outreach Manager
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Facilitators
Jake Trusheim
Facilitator
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Niels Damman
Facilitator
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Schaefer Raposa
Facilitator
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Stina Pineyro
Facilitator
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Sydney Lange
Facilitator
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Sunshine Mares
Facilitator
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Kacie Borrowman
Facilitator
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Anthony Stevens
Facilitator
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Jo Linden
Facilitator
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Program Support
The 3 rules we never break:
Be excellent to one another
We believe in the platinum rule: treat others how THEY want to be treated, which means taking the time to ask, listen, and connect — over tater tots at camp or during a team lip sync battle.
Do the right thing
Trust in the power of your internal compass. When faced with tough choices, take a moment for a gut-check—that intuitive feeling is usually spot on (like when you decide to turn your private candy stash into a “Candemocracy” for all!).
Be brave
Not Hulk strong, but “stepping outside your comfort zone” strong. Singing like nobody’s watching. Sharing feelings after rappelling. This kind of courage leads to the most awesome moments on this wild zip-line tour called life.
Serving patients with chronic health conditions for over 20 years
For more than two decades, GutMonkey has served patients, aged 7 to 70, in all 50 states and across the diagnostic spectrum of bleeding disorders and other chronic medical conditions.
Through our partnerships, GutMonkey has helped 30,000 individuals with medical conditions and their families build community and improve health outcomes through innovative and transformative experiences.
Your adventure awaits. Pick your path!
Browse the options below to learn more about partnering with our team.
Patient programs
Live with more confidence and courage by challenging yourself in new and unexpected ways.
Caregiver programs
Get the tools, knowledge, and community you need to be the best caregiver for your child.
Patient advocacy training & events
Provide members with experiences that focus on personal growth, connection, resilience & more.
Corporate training & events
Bring your team closer to patients—through insight, training, and stronger program design.
Not sure where to start? Let’s figure it out together!
Whether you have a question, want to discuss partnering together, or just need some guidance, we’re here to help.