Our Mission
NEO's mission is to help people of all ages and backgrounds lead more outdoor-oriented lives for better health, well-being, and resilience.
Our Focus
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Make activities fun, safe, and affordable.
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Host tons of events year-round.
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Provide plenty of environmental education.
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Offer hands-on outdoor skills training.
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Provide equipment when people have none.
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Build amazing partnerships.
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Diversity is Key
Nature is the great equalizer and unifier. We want everyone to feel welcome and valued at our events. The rich diversity of cultures, belief systems, backgrounds, and life experiences our participants represent makes NEO unique and our events memorable... sometimes even life-changing.
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Our Roots
Humble Beginnings
NEO was founded on January 4, 2013, by a group of nature lovers in Houston who wanted to enjoy a variety of outdoor activities together in a fun and safe way. These activities included everything from hiking and camping to rock climbing and nature photography.
Apparently, others were looking for the same opportunity because 6 months later, NEO had nearly 1000 members in the Houston area! As word spread, founder Jennifer Boley began receiving calls and emails from a variety of people and organizations asking if NEO could help them learn how to spend more time outdoors.
A Need is Recognized
Individuals with no outdoor experience asked for beginner outdoor skills classes. Libraries asked NEO to host public informational sessions. Schools asked if NEO could facilitate field trips for students. Churches asked for better activities for picnics and socials. City governments asked what could be done to introduce family-friendly activities to community events.
We saw a great need and desire by the community to have access to nature and outdoor activities. To many NEO members there was a simple fix...simply go out and do it. But we soon realized that entire generations of people were growing up without ever having built a treehouse, taken a walk in the woods, or pitched a tent. NEO had to help correct this!
The Obvious Solution
NEO began helping where and when we could, but demand grew...along with red tape associated with working with children and schools. During a NEO event, the solution came almost by accident. A member said "We're doing a ton of good for these kids, and we're acting like a nonprofit. Why don't we become a nonprofit so we can help more people more easily?" Smarter than the average bear, right?
Immediately, NEO members chipped in for the nonprofit application fee, we submitted our application, and 2 weeks later it was official. NEO was a 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit. The rest is history! Today, we help thousands of people of all ages and backgrounds live healthier and more fulfilled lives with a little help from Mother Nature.
Our Team
Passion. Dedication. Vision.
Founder and Director
Jennifer Boley
Jennifer is passionate about connecting people to the outdoors and sees nature as a great healer and teacher. She is an experienced outdoorsman and uses every opportunity to pass on her knowledge to others. She also teams with schools and community leaders to develop outdoor programming that is meaningful and accessible to all.
Jennifer is a Texas Parks and Wildlife Master Outdoor Leader, a certified "Project Wild" facilitator, and is NOLS certified in Wilderness Medicine.
​In addition to her work with NEO, Jennifer is active in other charitable activities such as child abuse prevention and disaster response. These interests are reflected in some of NEO's volunteer opportunities.
Lead Activity Specialist
Alex Vickery
Alex has been active with NEO since our creation. He brings a wealth of knowledge in a variety of outdoor recreation activities and hosts events such as bike rides or hikes nearly every week. Alex has endless patience and consideration for others, so he wins "Favorite Event Leader" among most participants.
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If you are just starting out with NEO, any of Alex's events ar going to be a great introduction. In addition to his knowledge of the outdoors, he is also an authority on interesting Houston history and historic buildings.
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In addition to the regular NEO activities he hosts, Alex is instrumental in the work NEO does in partnership with schools and communities, and you can often find him helping to lead camps, field trips, garden volunteer days, park celebrations, outreach events, and more.
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Board Member and Volunteer
Nena Mbawuike
Nena's experience as an x-ray tech serving senior patients compliments her nurturing spirit. Her work reminds her of the importance of living life to its fullest.
After joining NEO at the beginning of 2015, Nena quickly became a staple figure and leader within NEO's volunteer ranks. As part of NEO, she has grown her knowledge of the outdoors and has developed new skills that have opened up her world.
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She enjoys nature and outdoor recreation with her son, Nnadi, a boy scout, and active husband, Ruben. In recent years, Nena has utilized outdoor activities like cycling and swimming to step up her fitness journey, and she recently completed her first triathlon.
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Board Member and Volunteer
Bethany Niazian
Bethany is an educator, a single mother of two, a Master Outdoor Leader for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and an ardent supporter of the diverse and exciting activities offered by NEO.
She happily states that through her involvement both as a program participant and a volunteer, NEO has enriched her life and those of her children. They have been enabled not only to more fully explore and enjoy the outdoors, but also to develop new friendships and gain a heightened understanding of the world.
As a NEO Board member, Bethany feels privileged to be able to further assist in promoting NEO’s mission of helping people lead healthier, fuller, and more outdoor-oriented lives.
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Board Member and Volunteer
Valerie James
Valerie is an Army veteran and the Founder and CEO of VAST (Veteran Advocates, Services, and Training). She is also a Veterans Specialty Court peer mentorship trainer and President of Houston Lady Lions, a Lions International Club comprised primarily of women veterans and their advocates.
Valerie was introduced to NEO when she impulsively took an Uber from midtown Houston to Galveston Island State Park to join us for a camp. She was instantly hooked!
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While she began her journey with NEO as an outdoors novice, she instantly recognized the powerful impact nature had on her. Since that first experience, Valerie has been a tireless champion of NEO and works to incorporate outdoor programming wherever possible to benefit the veterans she serves.
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Board Member and Volunteer
Joshua Lewis
Joshua grew up on a rural 10 acre plot of land in the Texas hill country. His days as a boy were spent building forts out of tree branches, catching horned toads, and hunting for snakes and scorpions.
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Days spent exploring the countryside with his father and friends were a formative part of his childhood. Lessons learned while exploring nature were instrumental in helping him become the man he is today. The appreciation he developed for the land and all living creatures helped him assemble the values and code of ethics he lives by today.
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Joshua understands the importance of nature in a child's development and sense of self, and he strives to teach others how to learn from nature as he did.