Our Team
Sally Steele, Co-Founder & Board Chair
Sally Steele is an experienced nonprofit executive, ordained faith leader, and outdoor enthusiast committed to fostering social impact, equity, and inclusive community. With a proven track record in organizational development and strategic planning, she has dedicated her career to addressing inequities and empowering marginalized communities.
As the co-founder and CEO of Outdoorithm Collective, Sally brings extensive leadership experience from her tenure at City Hope San Francisco, where she served as Co-Executive Director, focusing on cultivating a culture of belonging for San Francisco’s most vulnerable residents and managing a $1.9M budget. Sally is a relentless advocate for equity, having served in parent positions in the Oakland Unified School District as the Vice President of Equity for the Glenview PTA and on the Brewer School Site Council which gives input on the school’s use of federal funds. In addition to looking for ways to connect families with the outdoors, Sally enjoys yoga, trying new recipes, gardening and backpacking.
Justin Steele, Co-Founder & Board Treasurer
Justin brings two decades of professional expertise and personal passion to his role as co-founder of Outdoorithm Collective. As Director of Google.org's Americas team for a decade, he led $700 million in philanthropy and launched Google's AI Opportunity Fund and first racial justice initiative. His commitment to service includes serving as a trustee of the San Francisco Foundation and five years in leadership at Year Up, helping young adults access technology careers.
Justin holds joint master's degrees from Harvard Business School and Harvard Kennedy School, along with an engineering degree from the University of Virginia. When he's not working to help urban families discover camping, you'll find him fly fishing, taking outdoor photos, baking bread, or enjoying trail time with his family.
Michelle Austin, Board Secretary
Michelle Austin brings nearly two decades of experience in community wellness, operational leadership, and outdoor programming to Outdoorithm Collective. As Membership & Fitness Coordinator at the YMCA of the East Bay, she has dedicated her career to advancing health through fitness, building strong people connections and making outdoor recreation accessible to diverse communities. Her unique background spans operational management at faith-based organizations, leadership of hiking groups and backpacking trips for urban youth, demonstrating her commitment to fostering holistic connections between people and nature.
Throughout her career, Michelle has focused on creating welcoming spaces where all feel they belong. As a certified Mental Health First Aid provider and experienced group fitness instructor, she brings valuable expertise in wellness programming and community building to Outdoorithm's mission.
Michelle is married to her high school sweetheart, Larry. They have 3 grown daughters, Amani, Brandy and Faith and twin grandgirls Madisyn and Lexington.
Kay Fernandez-Smith, Board Member
Kay brings over 25 years of experience leading social impact programs, philanthropic initiatives, and policy advocacy efforts. As President and Founder of Tala Strategies, she works with purpose-driven leaders to advance racial equity and drive social change. Kay has led national anti-poverty programs and policy efforts in housing, community and economic development, education, gender justice, and criminal justice, forging partnerships across philanthropy, corporate, nonprofit, and public sectors.
Kay holds a Master of Public Policy from Harvard University and a Bachelor in Social Welfare from UC Berkeley. She also serves on the boards of PolicyLink and Mercy Housing California. Based in beautiful Oakland, she enjoys hiking and biking with her husband and two teenagers on the weekends. As an earth sign, Kay loves being in nature to ground and make her feel rooted to all living things. She has rediscovered her childhood love of camping and the outdoors through Outdoorithm Collective.
Sally and Justin’s Founding Story
Justin and Sally met at the University of Virginia, bringing together two unique perspectives on the outdoors. Justin grew up RV camping in the Pacific Northwest, while Sally's military family response to camping was "Why would we do that?" Both came from mixed-race families with Black fathers and White mothers – a rarity in outdoor spaces that shaped their understanding of belonging in nature.
Sally and Justin on their first hike together in Shenandoah National Park in 2004 (notice the Timberland boots and blue jeans, classic tells that we were early in our understanding of how to stay comfortable outdoors)
The path to founding Outdoorithm Collective emerged from their own evolution as campers and parents. After hundreds of nights outdoors, countless gear tests, and explorations of campgrounds nationwide, they recognized three persistent barriers keeping urban families from camping: finding the right places, having the right equipment, and feeling a sense of belonging. Using their Oakland home as a base, they've turned weekend adventures into a proven system for successful family camping.
Today, Outdoorithm Collective builds on this foundation, making outdoor experiences accessible to urban families. The Steeles believe every family deserves to experience the joy, empowerment, and wonder that nature provides – and they're committed to helping them find their own path to outdoor connection.
Sally and Justin on the last leg of the Zion Traverse in Zion National Park in 2018 (as you can see, we learned a thing or two about equipping ourselves in the 14 years since our first hike in Virginia)
Their journey through marriage, careers, and raising four daughters (Siena, Jaelyn, Zadie, and Eliza) has been grounded by one constant: the healing power of nature. From fumbling through Georgia's Cohutta Wilderness to braving New Hampshire's Presidential Range, from conquering Wyoming's Teton Crest Trail to perfecting family car camping at Lake Tahoe, the outdoors has been their anchor for rest and reconnection.
The entire Steele family in 2022 camping at Kirk Creek campground in incredible Big Sur, California