Jon Kedrowski

Dr. Jon Kedrowski is a high-altitude mountaineer and an expert in environmental geography, weather, and climate. Kedrowski is recognized for being the first person to summit and bivouac overnight on all 55 of Colorado's Fourteeners—peaks exceeding 14,000 feet—completing the challenge in 95 days. He holds a bachelor's degree from Valparaiso University, a Master of Arts in environmental geography from the University of South Florida, and a Ph.D. in environmental geography from Texas State University. Kedrowski has served as an assistant professor in the Department of Geography at Central Washington University, combining academic research with practical experience in mountain environments.

Kedrowski has led multiple expeditions to Mount Everest, reaching the summit three times, and participated in a winter expedition to K2 that marked the first successful winter ascent by Nepali climbers. During a previous Everest summit attempt, Kedrowski was present during one of the deadliest days in the mountain's history, when severe weather and a "traffic jam" near the summit resulted in fatalities. His experience was featured in the Dateline NBC documentary "Into the Death Zone," which received the Edward R. Murrow Award for best Sound and Video. Kedrowski was also at Everest Base Camp during a major earthquake in Nepal, where he assisted with rescue efforts. He has summited Manaslu at 8,163 meters without supplemental oxygen.

As an author, Kedrowski has written four books, including "Sleeping on the Summits: Colorado 14er High Bivys," "Skiing and Sleeping on the Summits: Cascade Volcanoes," and two editions of "Classic Colorado Ski Descents." His work has received honors such as the Bill Berry Literature Award from the Far West Ski Association, recognition as a Colorado Book Award finalist, and the IPPY Bronze Medal for Western United States. Kedrowski's adventure skiing 20 Cascade Volcanoes in 30 days, camping on the summits of seven, is chronicled in "Skiing and Sleeping on the Summits: Cascade Volcanoes of the Pacific Northwest."

Kedrowski's climbing and skiing expeditions have been featured on Discovery Channel, Smithsonian, NBC, Dateline NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, and CNN. He served as a mountain guide for artist Mike Posner on an Everest climb and delivered a TEDx talk titled "Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone" at TEDxFrontRange. Kedrowski is a regular contributor to KDVR Fox 31 Denver and KWGN CW2 in Denver, providing expertise on outdoor adventure, mountaineering, and weather in Colorado. He also leads the N.O.D. Everest Foundation, a nonprofit supporting community initiatives in Colorado, Nepal, Pakistan, and other regions.

In keynote speeches to corporate and educational audiences, Kedrowski shares insights from his mountaineering, adventure travel, and scientific research. He addresses topics such as risk management, resilience, and goal-setting, drawing on experiences from high-altitude expeditions to provide lessons applicable to business and life.