Raven Wilderness School
Meet our team:
Our team of dedicated instructors have the skills it takes to teach and have gone through many challenges to gain the experience necessary to be able to instruct the many students who pass through our classes here at Raven Wilderness School.
Jeff Hatch
Owner / Founder / Lead Instructor
Jeff Hatch
Owner / Founder / Lead Instructor
Jeff grew up Massachusetts where he spent his younger years fishing, hunting, camping, building forts and shelters. His first introduction to the outdoors was with the Boy Scouts, were he gained a strong foundation in basic wilderness skills. As he got older he studied primitive skills and wilderness survival. Focusing on the indigenous people of Scandinavia, the Sami people. His mentor for many years has been wilderness bushcraft and survival instructors, Lars Falt of Sweden and Ray Mears of the United Kingdom. Jeff holds certificates in Outdoor Leadership / Land Survival and is also a Wilderness First Responder. Jeff’s travels have taken him on many wilderness adventures around the world including Vancouver Island BC, Canadian Rockies and Alaska. Jeff founded Raven Wilderness School in 2015 where he teaches traditional Scandinavian bushcraft and survival skills.
Jon Turner
Guest Instructor
Jon Turner
Guest Instructor
Jon Turner grew up in northern Connecticut before enlisting with the Marines in 2003. Much of his youth was spent camping and learning ways to better understand the natural world. After his last deployment to Iraq in 2006, Jon returned to his roots, utilizing wilderness living skills and food systems as mechanisms for self-care.
For the past 15 years, Jon has worked to assist with the veteran reintegration process and educate communities who seek to be resilient and thrive. He has been a Wilderness First Responder, trainer for Sierra Club Military Outdoors, volunteer for Vermont Adaptive, and thoroughly enjoys winter bushcraft.
Jon currently lives in the Green Mountains with his family and operates Wild Roots Community Farm.
Tony Melendy
Instructor
Tony Melendy
Instructor
Tony has spent most of his life growing up in Northern New Hampshire fishing, hunting, hiking and exploring the woods of New Hampshire and Maine. He was a Boy Scout and Boy Scout outdoors wilderness trainer. Tony has traveled through Scandinavian and Europe learning about different cultures. His real passion is helping people discover the outdoors not only for its beauty but for the happiness and self-reliance we all have within us when we are one with nature.
Rob Bianchi
Guest Instructor
Rob Bianchi
Guest Instructor
Born and raised in Revere MA. Rob has been an avid outdoorsman since his childhood. He has completed many survival skills courses with many different schools such as GBGB, Raven Wilderness School, and AOS. Rob is currently teaching at three different survival schools to make sure his students have the most up to date information available. Rob is a full time national guardsman with over eight years of experience as a small arms expert. Rob is a seasoned instructor with his teachings in rifle and pistol as well as land navigation to many soldiers large and small.
"In the wilderness you are always a student never a master"