Name: Lance Evander
Role: Founder, Chief Volunteer Organizer, Events Manager, Sneezy Pooh-bah
Interests: Hiking, Kite surfing, Traveling, wild side events, rafting, bungee-jumping, Lion Taming

Lance grew up in Alexandria, Minnesota, and graduated from a University in FARGO, ND.. If you get a chance, ask him to speak Minnesotan, because yes, he really can sound like the guys in the movie, "Fargo"! He received his BS from the University of North Dakota, then headed to Germany to visit a friend, and ended up staying there for five years studying at the University of Tubingen. After graduating, he worked as a software consultant for IBM. His passion for travel kept him moving from country to country. After several years overseas, he returned to the states, where he continued to work as a java architect consultant. After Mile High Adventures went under, he knew that San Francisco needed something to make everyone's everyday-life more enjoyable. He came up with the concept behind Silk City Club (now Urban Diversion) after years of organizing and promoting many successful events for friends, and stumbling across the perfect clubhouse....

"Why do something today when you can blow it off until tomorrow"

Name:Corey Montie
Role: Outdoor/Adventures Manager, Super-Guide, Jr. Pooh-bah
Interests: Anything outdoors from mainstream sports to: rock climbing, backpacking/camping, mountain biking, paddle sports (kayaking/canoeing…), snow sports… also computers, games, movies, music. Is it safe to say Corey loves life?

Moving over the mountains after leaving his mark on the marvelous Midwest state of Michigan, Mr. Montie has made his way to California. Corey has been traveling all over the US and through parts of Canada as an outdoor guide and coordinator. Now he brings his knowledge and experience to San Francisco and Urban Diversion. The former bartender has a hard time sitting still and thrives on good times… and a wide variety of them at that. If you can manage to track Corey down, you’re sure to be in for a good time. He definitely knows how to hold his own in any situation from the outdoors, to the city, to drinking! Other staff members may try anything once, but Corey tries things twice… just to make sure!

"Smile, it makes people wonder what you are up to!"

Name: Sarah Evans
Role: Marketing Manager
Interests: Pink Champagne, anything that doesn't require good coordination, pink champagne, sunsets,  pink champagne, good food and good conversation, pink champagne, world travel, pink champagne, organizing, pink champagne, being bad at sports but doing it anyway for other peoples amusement, musicals, laughing, oh, and did I mention pink champagne??

Quick thinker, fast talker.........Sarah traveled to the US in pursuit of the American Dream; after growing up in a small town near London she knew that it was time to spread her wings and make her way in the world. Coming from a large family where she is the oldest of six, Sarah soon learn't to create order out of chaos; and after watching the movie "The Wedding Planner", she thought she could do a better job than Jennifer Lopez, so she set out on a degree in Marketing&Events Management in Gloucestershire, England. Parties are her specialty, and she cannot wait to host some incredible events for you soon!!

“Glucustostunutsenshirewhat?!”

Name: Julia Kernitz
Role: Assistant Events Manager
Interests: Exploring SF, meeting people, finding the best secret bars, cephalopods, GIS, funny maps, trying anything new, adrenaline, delicious wheaty beer, sustainability, dancing, theremins, Kraftwerk, surprising people, discounts, German, the outdoors, hiking, climbing trees, party planning, eating.

Julia came to Urban Diversion ready to put some of her strange and creative ideas to life. A transplant from the East Cost, Julia grew up north of Philadelphia and her fast stride shows it. Four years studying in North Carolina slowed down her Northeast pace and gave her the perfect mentality and skills to move to California and plan some creative new events for Urban Diversion. Get one beer in her and she’ll tell you about all of her wacky entrepreneurial ideas to make this world a much funnier place. A lover of anything green, anything outside, and anything unexpected- Julia will make you laugh and make you think! But most of all…she’ll make you have an incredible UD experience!

Name: Will Simonds
Role: Events Manager, adrenaline junkie
Interests: Water sports, bungee jumping, water sports, sky diving, water sports, snowboarding, water sports, white water rafting, water sports, hiking, water sports, mountain biking, water sports, generally anything to increase adrenaline! Oh did I mention he likes water sports! Basically as he once said, "I’ll try anything once..."

Shipped in from England, London – Will is over the moon to be part of the Urban Diversion team.  Raised on the Isle of Wight by the coast, as well as London, means that this limy knows a thing or two about water sports, “good ol’ English rugby” and large bustling cities with extravagant night lives.  Back home he is a student by profession studying Events Management, at Leeds Metropolitan University and in his spare time loves nothing more than getting out on the water – whether it be teaching, racing or just going for a burn.  In fact he is so passionate about sailing, he has only bought a one way ticket – as he is planning to sail back home across the Atlantic!  Will is always seeking his next hit of adrenaline and is looking forward to taking you on an awesome event soon. There is no event too big or small for him!

“Where there is a Will there is a way!”

Name: Ellie Bernbom
Role: Events Manager
Interests:  Sports of all sorts including Golf, Netball, Swimming, horse Riding, Rugby, Volleyball, anything extreme and loads more!... I love food, and drink and great company to go with it.

Ellie has come in from England from the country coast of Norfolk, a pure country bumpkin this girl is up for anything and so has found her way into the wonderful life of Urban Diversion.  She hopes that San Francisco will show her the time of her life through dancing, adventure and whatever surprises may be along the way.   After a heavy first year drinking sorry studying at Leeds Metropolitan she has found the light in Events Management.  Ellie has hit the ground running and only tripped a few times, but with her bubbly personality and fantastic humor (sometimes a bit slow) she is sure to have a great time with all you UD members!...

I love films and have always thought that Forrest Gump summed it up to a tee in that....

“Life is like a box chocolates, you never know what your gonna get”

Name: Meg Hall
Role: PR & Special Projects
Interests: Volleyball, tennis, bon fires, hiking, camping, sailing, beaches, live music, coffee shops with a good book or conversation, world travel, cultural diversities, and most of all good food!

Born and raised in Santa Cruz, this Bay Area girl has set off on her adventure in life. She attends a small liberal arts college in the greater Boston area, Endicott College. There she studies Sport Management as well as leads her volleyball team to victory! Looking for an internship she found Urban Diversion and it has been bliss ever since. She can not wait to get to meeting all of the member’s lovely faces and get off to the adventures!

"Just go with it"

Name: Kate Furnifer
Role: External Events Manager, British Goddess
Interests: Snowboarding, hiking, camping, biking, traveling, history, anything else that involves having fun, educating oneself and being a little British!

This Brit has come all the way from England just for Urban Diversion. She is a nerd by talent and a extrovert by upbringing. She was raised in a small village called Combe Martin in North Devon on the South West Coast of England. In England she was studying Management, Tourism and to take over the world at the University of Surrey in Guildford. Two years into her course Kate realized that England was not enough so she set out to find a bigger world, the US of A or an internship. She then found Urban Diversion and has been with us ever since. Kate is the one on our team that you have to thank for putting all of those great events up. She has become the backbone and manager to our monthly calendars and is always willing to make you try anything once.

I wish we could say that she has moved to the Bay area and will never return to England however she will eventually leave us to finish her BS Degree. So for now you should make the most of her! My father always said....

"If you get no worse than that in your life, you'll be alright."

Kate has returned to England; she is an amazing person and will be sorely missed by all...

Name: Chris (Topher) Thiessen
Role: Founder, Financial Officer, Event Coordinator, Grand Pooh-bah
Interests: Sports (football, basketball, golf, kayaking, river rafting, paint ball, skiing), geeky stuff (computers, gadgets, X-box), Business, Motorcycles, Investments (stocks, options), reading, coffee shops and music (a little of everything depending on his mood)

Chris grew up on a ranch and farm in Lambert, Montana, a budding metropolis in Eastern Montana, (pop. 250.) While most kids were riding bikes, Chris was riding horses and roping cattle. Chris loved his childhood - how many people in San Francisco can say they were run over by a cow and lived to tell about it? But, alas, the big city soon called and Chris headed to Seattle and the University of Washington. Graduating with a degree in Economics, Chris became a retail stock-broker and then an investment analyst. Along with his close friend Lance, Chris started Urban Diversion in order to create a social community of active, friendly people. Chris considers himself a former portfolio manager, ex-jock, part cowboy, part yuppie part computer geek, and a die-hard Washington Husky fan. (Go Dawgs!)

Name: Candace Clark
Role: Super Host, PR Director, Eternal Ray of Sunshine
Interests: Traveling, hiking, art, and any new adventure!

Candace is one of the few that actually grew up in San Francisco.  After graduating from the University of Redlands with a degree in English Literature, she embarked on a life of adventure that included being a flight attendant, living  abroad and becoming a certified massage therapist.  In between all of this, she still found time to pursue a career in marketing and public relations (only to pay the bills).  Her 10 years experience includes being Marketing Director of  Enterprise Rent-A-Car in Minnesota, Creative Services Director at FOX  5 in Atlanta, and Director of Big Brothers, Big Sisters in Columbus, GA.  She returned home to San Francisco in 2003, and continued her marketing and public relations work with local non-profit agencies.  She loved being a member of Urban Diversion so much, she decided to dedicate her life to the pursuit of fun and adventure.  Candace joined the staff full time in spring of 2006.  She is a little wild, a little crazy, and always a lot of fun!

Name: Kumiko (Kumi) Yoshida
Role: Partner, Marketing Director, Event Coordinator, Princess of Persuasion
Interests: Camping, river rafting, hiking, traveling, and dancing all night long!

Kumi was born in Japan and moved to the United States when she was 6 years old. As a teenager, she hosted an all-kids network cable show called “Just 4 You.” A child star who did not go bad, Kumi went on to graduate from the University of California at Santa Barbara in Business Economics. The lure of the camera was in her blood and shortly thereafter, Kumi became the host of the TV Talk Show “Bay Style” doing feature stories and interviews with people on how to live a luxury lifestyle on a few dollars a day. When the show lost it’s funding, Kumi began her “more traditional” career, landing positions at AT&T and Sony before serving as Director of Marketing at Composite Rotor, zMedia and Antara. Kumi has traveled extensively and it is this love for travel and organizing events that led her to Urban Diversion. Kumi believes in always looking for the positive in everything. She loves dancing, being adventurous and wild, and is very excited about making Urban Diversion the premier social adventures club in the Bay Area . . . and in the world

We are a community.

We are a group of people who are dedicated to creating a social community where our members know they will always have fun.

We are friends and friends of friends - people too countless to name, who have helped us put Urban Diversion together.

We are investors, large and small, who believe in our dream of a national organization.

We are people like you - our members, who by participating, and sometimes hosting events themselves, make the club what it is, the fastest growing activities club in the area.