A message from our founders
Ten years ago, Cooper was a tight end on the Seattle Seahawks Super Bowl XLVIII championship team, surrounded by some of the most competitive, driven people in the world. But it was off the field, deep in the Pacific Northwest wilderness, where something unexpected happened.
He took his teammates outdoors for the first time, and there was laughter, genuine conversation, wonder at the world around them, and stretches of silence that nobody wanted to fill. These were some of the toughest competitors on earth, and the outdoors had brought them closer to themselves and each other than the game ever had. His teammates saw it too.
They told him: this needs to exist for kids.
That moment of encouragement became The Nature Project. Cooper found the perfect partner in Charles Post, a scientist, birder, and lifelong outdoor enthusiast who had spent years understanding the natural world and its quiet power to ground, heal, and inspire. Where Cooper brought the athletic world and its lessons of grit and teamwork, Charles brought deep reverence for the outdoors itself and the science of why it matters.
At the heart of everything we do is a belief we’ve seen confirmed time and again: the outdoors is not just a backdrop. It’s a tool. A mechanism. Nature is one of the few places that cares for the whole person, where the body gets stronger and the mind finds room to breathe. When you step outside, away from the noise and the screens and the pressure, something opens up. You connect with yourself. You connect with the people beside you. And perhaps most powerfully, you connect with your own vulnerability, and discover that it’s not a weakness, but the very thing that makes real growth possible.
That belief has been proven right, over and over again across ten years. We’ve watched teenagers arrive guarded and leave open. We’ve seen connections formed on trails and rivers that have lasted years. We’ve witnessed what happens when a young adult realizes, maybe for the first time, that they are capable, that they belong, and that their life can be intentional and full. That’s the work. And we’re just getting started.
The next decade calls us to go further, to reach more young people across the Pacific Northwest and beyond, to deepen our partnerships with the athletic community, and to build programs that meet this generation where they are. The need has never been greater, and our belief in what’s possible has never been stronger.
Thank you to every athlete, donor, volunteer, and young adult who has been part of this story. Thank you to the partner organizations and community groups who have walked alongside us, shared our mission, and helped us reach young people we never could have reached alone.
You are this organization. Here’s to the next ten years.
Cooper Helfet & Charles Post
Co-Founders, The Nature Project
Meet the board
Courtney Aber
Board Member
Courtney is the National Director of BOLD & GOLD (Boys and Girls Outdoor Leadership Development) at the YMCA, where she leads youth outdoor programming across the country. With over three decades of experience leading trips across five countries and three continents, she remains inspired by the outdoors' power to bring out the best in people.
Sidney Rice
Board Member
A Pro Bowl wide receiver and Super Bowl XLVIII Champion with the Seattle Seahawks, Sidney has been a cornerstone of the TNP community since joining in 2017. His contagious energy, genuine enthusiasm for kids, and commitment to connecting youth with nature make him an unforgettable presence at every TNP event.
Paul Tupper
Treasurer
Born in Seattle and rooted in natural resources and environmental education, Paul is co-founder and President of Onda Origins, a social enterprise authenticating businesses' environmental commitments across remote supply chains. He also supports fundraising and partnerships for IslandWood and serves on the board of the Washington School-Based Health Alliance.
Ben Klasky
Board Member
Ben is the Founder of Seismic Philanthropy and a 25-year social entrepreneur whose leadership at IslandWood earned recognition as one of Outside Magazine's Best Places to Work. He has also worked at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and taught graduate courses in Social Entrepreneurship and Nonprofit Management at the University of Washington.
Larry Estrada
Board Member
A Stanford, Harvard Business School, and Harvard Kennedy School graduate, Larry brings experience from Goldman Sachs, Hewlett-Packard, and the World Economic Forum's corporate advisory board. A Bellingham, WA native, he currently serves on the boards of the Seattle Symphony, Why Not You Foundation, KCTS 9, and IslandWood.
Meet the team
Cooper Helfet
President
A Super Bowl XLVIII Champion and two-time NFC Champion, Cooper played tight end for the Seattle Seahawks and Oakland Raiders before pivoting to Seattle's tech industry. Growing up in Marin County with a deep love of the outdoors, he co-founded TNP to open that same connection to nature for underserved youth.
Charles Post
Co-president
An ecologist, filmmaker, and Explorers Club Fellow, Charles holds a B.S. and M.S. in food web ecology from UC Berkeley and channels the power of storytelling into environmental awareness. His consulting clients include YETI, REI, Patagonia, and National Geographic, and his award-winning films span conservation topics from bighorn sheep to golden eagles.
Jane Bierman Seibel
Executive Director
Jane co-founded Passages Northwest, a nonprofit empowering girls through outdoor exploration that has since grown into the YMCA's nationwide GOLD program at 30+ sites. She holds a B.A. from Colorado College and a Master's in Forest Ecology from the University of Washington, and brings 15+ years as a naturalist and expedition lecturer to her work at TNP.
Amy Sun
Head of Brand
With over a decade in the tech industry across in-house and agency settings, Amy brings a multidisciplinary design lens to TNP's brand story, rooted in a lifelong belief that nature fuels creativity. From teaching art to children early in her career to now mentoring at the intersection of design and tech, her passion for working with young people has been a throughline she now channels into TNP's mission.
Deion Collins
Cinematographer
A U.S. Army public affairs veteran and UW Master of Communication graduate, Deion is the owner and creative director of Creators Cliff, where he connects brands to audiences through compelling storytelling. Originally from Hawaii, he knows firsthand the impact of losing easy access to nature and brings that perspective to expanding outdoor access for underrepresented youth.
Angeline Corpuz
Mind Body Coach
Angeline is a dedicated yoga instructor, community advocate, and realtor whose personal practice has shaped her commitment to empowering others through movement, mindfulness, and self-discovery. A loving mother of two, she brings warmth and inclusivity to every space she creates, believing deeply in the unifying power of wellness for the greater good.
Meet the advisory board
Lara Hitchcock
Lara is Senior Executive Director of the Presidio & Point Bonita YMCAs and leads the YMCA of San Francisco's Nature Engagement strategy, giving thousands of youth and families transformative outdoor experiences each year. With 18 years at the Y and prior roles at the Nature Conservancy and Farallones Marine Sanctuary Association, she brings deep partnership expertise to TNP.
Jalen Richard
A Louisiana native and former Oakland Raiders running back with a background in exercise science, Jalen brings both athletic discipline and a passion for community to his role as a TNP advisor. He is especially excited about helping expand TNP's reach into his home state of Louisiana.
Marshawn Lynch
A five-time Pro Bowler, Super Bowl Champion, and one of the NFL's most electrifying running backs, Marshawn has spent his career giving back through his Family First Foundation in Oakland. His lifelong dedication to underserved youth in his hometown makes him a natural and passionate partner for TNP's mission.
Will Post
Will is an outdoor enthusiast and technology expert with 18 years of experience in project management, business development, and IT in corporate settings. Based in Northern California, he is passionate about conservation — particularly protecting clean drinking water — and brings that commitment to his work with TNP.
KJ Wright
A Super Bowl Champion and Pro Bowl linebacker with the Seattle Seahawks, KJ has been a steadfast TNP supporter — dedicating his time and energy to creating meaningful outdoor experiences for underserved youth. His commitment to the community is as consistent as his play on the field.
We are always open to partnerships, mentors, and volunteers.
The Nature Project offers various levels of corporate sponsorship opportunities through events and programs year-round.