Born in Brazil, Roberta Zouain has called Oregon home since 2015. Ever the outdoors person, she grew up camping, swimming in rivers, snorkeling/sailing in the ocean. After moving to the Pacific Northwest, she fell in love with the mountains and snow.
Name: Roberta Zouain
Pronouns: she/her
Year Joined Mazamas: 2018
Present-day outdoor activities: Hiking, climbing, all sorts of skiing, and occasionally running and biking
What’s your earliest outdoor memory? Camping with my brother and cousins and swimming in the river
How did you first hear about the Mazamas, and what prompted you to engage
with the organization? I first heard about the Mazamas from a co-worker, but at the time I never thought I would ever get into mountaineering. Years later, after having climbed Mount St Helens, I was planning on climbing Mount Adams and remembered Mazamas members got rescue insurance, so I signed up before my climb. A few months after that, in 2019, I decided to take BCEP, and since then I’ve been involved taking and instructing different classes.
As more people seek to recreate outdoors, what advice would you offer them? Just get out there, don’t worry too much about whether you have the right gear or if you are not necessarily racking up miles or vertical feet. And finding a community you can connect to can really help, too. The Mazamas offers several programs such as hikes and rambles, as well as affinity groups that can provide a safe space to communities who have historically been excluded from outdoor recreation.
What activities/situations/people most inspire you? Pick one: I really admire people working to make the outdoors more accessible for everyone. Organizing these groups is such a tough job, and I’m incredibly thankful for those dedicated to breaking down the barriers to the sports we love. There are so many organizations in our community and within the Mazamas itself, naming just one would be impossible 🙂
What is your favorite book/movie/TV show/social media account that you follow
and why? I love following @pattiegonia on Instagram! The work she does around promoting inclusiveness in the outdoors and environmental activism is incredible. And the memes are always on point.
What’s on your adventure bucket list? I’d love to hike and climb the Dolomites in Italy.