Dr. Will White

For nearly four decades, I've had the privilege of helping individuals, leaders, and organizations navigate growth, change, and uncertainty. Whether working as a psychotherapist, executive, educator, entrepreneur, consultant, or coach, I've found that meaningful and lasting change begins with alignment—between who we are, what we value, and how we lead.

My professional journey has taken me through hospitals, community mental health, private practice, higher education, entrepreneurship, executive leadership, and even a period of studying Buddhism in Thailand. Each experience challenged me in different ways, but all pointed toward the same lesson: meaningful growth begins with self-awareness, thoughtful reflection, and living in alignment with our values. As the co-founder and former CEO of Summit Achievement, I helped build one of the country's most respected adventure based adolescent behavioral healthcare programs, serving families and developing leaders for more than 25 years. Those experiences strengthened my belief that leadership is never just about strategy or results—it's about creating environments where people can thrive.

Throughout my career, I've supervised clinicians, coached emerging and experienced leaders, taught graduate students, consulted with behavioral healthcare organizations, and worked alongside teams facing both opportunity and adversity. I have learned that every organization is only as healthy as the leaders who guide it.

The outdoors has also been one of my greatest teachers. Whether leading expeditions, facilitating retreats, or simply walking alongside someone on a trail, I've seen how stepping away from daily demands creates space for clarity, perspective, and thoughtful decision-making. Nature doesn't provide the answers—it creates the conditions for us to discover them.

I hold a Doctorate in Leadership from Franklin Pierce University and a Master's Degree in Social Work from the University of Denver. I am a licensed clinical social worker with nearly 40 years of clinical experience and have spent my career at the intersection of mental health, leadership development, and organizational growth. As the host of Stories from the Field: Mental Health and the Outdoors and producer of the Fear Less podcast, I've also had the opportunity to learn from hundreds of innovators and leaders who continue to shape my thinking about leadership, resilience, and human development.

Today, through the White Mountain Adventure Institute, I partner with individuals and organizations who want to lead with greater intention, strengthen their teams, and create lives and workplaces that reflect their deepest values. My work includes executive and leadership coaching, organizational consulting, facilitated retreats, and professional development experiences designed to help people align their leadership with their purpose.

My Approach

I don't believe leadership is about having all the answers.

I believe it's about asking better questions.

My role is not to tell people or organizations what to do, but to serve as a trusted thought partner—someone who brings perspective, experience, and accountability while helping others discover solutions that are authentic, practical, and sustainable.

Whether we're working together one-on-one, with a leadership team, or in the outdoors, my goal remains the same:

To help people and organizations align their values, leadership, and purpose so they can do meaningful work and make a lasting difference.

 
Will White is a nationally recognized practitioner, researcher, and speaker on the history of adventure and wilderness therapy.  He received his Master of Social Work degree from the University of Denver and his Doctorate in Leadership from Franklin Pierce University. His dissertation is the first in-depth chronicle of the history of wilderness and adventure therapy.  He contributed a history chapter to the book Adventure Therapy: Theory, Research, and Practice.  He is the author of the book, Stories from the Field: A History of Wilderness Therapy.  He is also the host of the podcast, Stories from the Field: Demystifying Wilderness Therapy. He has been profiled in Outside, the Today Show as well as Beautiful News.As co-founder of Summit Achievement, Will has helped to establish Summit Achievement as the premier adventure therapy program in the Northeast for teens.He is a passionate advocate for the use of wilderness/ adventure therapy as a catalyst for change. He has taught Adventure and Wilderness Therapy classes at Plymouth State University for almost two decades.Will lives in Northern New Hampshire with his lifelong partner and sons.

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