Meet Our Faculty
Experienced, Skilled, and Supportive Instruction
Outdoor Leadership faculty at COCC provide students with industry insights, hands-on learning opportunities, and knowledgeable advising.
Full-time, tenure-track faculty members/advisers are featured below. Most COCC academic programs include a roster of adjunct and part-time instructors who add diverse expertise and personal experience to the learning environment.
View the Health and Human Performance Directory for a full listing of faculty and staff.
Faculty Profiles
Timothy Peterson
Professor of Outdoor Leadership
Email: tmpeterson@cocc.edu
If students wonder how far a career in outdoor Leadership can take them, they need only spend a few minutes chatting with Tim. With a job that led him on adventures from Ireland to China, Alaska to Bolivia, Tim knows firsthand the options are unlimited for students who want to turn their passion into their life’s work. “With dedication and planning, students can map out a career path that combines their love of adventure with helping others reach their potential.”
Originally from western Massachusetts, Tim migrated west in 1998. He has worked for a private high school travel program and served on the Shasta County Search and Rescue Mountain Team, conducting backcountry rescues in the varied terrain of northern California. For many summers, Tim worked as an alpine guide on Mt. Shasta.
Tim has a bachelor’s degree in history and creative writing from Bucknell University, a certificate of completion in outdoor leadership from Greenfield Community College, and a master’s degree in adventure education from Prescott College. He has completed several certifications during his career, including the American Mountain Guide’s Association’s Single Pitch Instructor, American Canoe Association’s (ACA) Whitewater Canoe Instructor (solo and Tandem), the ACA’s swiftwater rescue course, the American Avalanche Association’s Professional Avalanche Worker School (AvPro/Pro Level 2), as well as Rescue 3’s vertical and swiftwater rescue courses.
Tim has worked in the Health and Human Performance department at COCC since 2008, with a particular focus on instruction in the Outdoor Leadership program.
Lara D'Orvillier
Adjunct Instructor
Originally from New Jersey, Lara D’Orvilliers earned her Bachelor of Arts in Physical Education with a concentration in Athletic Training from Kean University and her Master of Education in Administration and Supervision from The College of New Jersey. Post graduation, Lara moved west to Colorado and then later to Washington before moving to Bend. She has worked in the professional, collegiate and high school athletics settings.
Following a 15 year career as a Certified Athletic Trainer, Lara earned her AAOT in Outdoor Leadership from COCC. Lara continues to maintain her Athletic Training Certification and Licensures, is a Wilderness First Responder, and is a CPR and First Aid instructor through the American Heart Association and the Emergency Care & Safety Institute. Lara is active in the Bend community, also working for Cog Wild Bicycles Tours & Shuttles and volunteering with Central Oregon Trail Alliance (COTA) and Go Beyond Racing.
Outdoor pursuits have shaped her adult life, bringing adventure, personal-growth and an ever-growing appreciation for nature. She has hiked, mountain biked, bikepacked, skied or run in all 50 states and internationally while keeping up a 160+ month ski streak wherever the snow allows. She regularly enjoys these activities around Central Oregon.
Lara has been teaching for the COCC Health and Human Performance Department since 2023.