Cory Smith is the co-founder of Training Ground, an organization he launched 20 years ago out of a deep desire to invest in the next generation through experiential learning, spiritual formation, and real-life adventure. Before that, he served on staff with Young Life in Virginia, where his passion for discipleship and mentoring young men took root.

An avid outdoorsman, he finds joy and clarity in nature—whether on a trail, in the mountains, or around a campfire. He believes deeply in lifelong discipleship and the transformative power of inter-generational ministry, where wisdom is shared and community spans across ages.

Cory and his wife Christine have lived in Colorado for 24 years and call Colorado Springs home, where he lives with his wife Christine and their two children, Cedar and Sage.

A lifelong teacher at heart, Cory places a high value on hands-on learning and the power of experience to shape character and faith.

Chachi Avirett has spent more than 4,000 days guiding students and leaders through the wilderness—whether trekking along rugged backcountry trails, casting a fly into mountain streams, or navigating the deeper questions of life and faith. With 22 years of ministry experience, Chachi has invested in discipling young men, college students, and middle and high schoolers as both a youth minister and a college minister. His passion is helping young men discover their true identity and calling—learning not just who they are, but who God has created them to be.

Chachi believes the wilderness provides a unique backdrop for spiritual formation: a place where distractions fade, challenges sharpen character, and God’s voice becomes clear. His heart for mentorship and discipleship comes alive in these environments, where adventure meets transformation.

He and his wife, Grace, make their home just outside of Cleveland, Tennessee, where they are raising their two children, Hope and Jonathan. Together, their family embodies the same spirit of hospitality, adventure, and faith that Chachi brings into every mentoring relationship and wilderness experience.