In Motion Together
Leadership, Growth, and the Next Chapter at AWExpeditions
AWExpeditions has always taken shape in motion: on long approaches, in early-morning alpine sunrises, and in the quieter moments where trust is built step by step. Just like any mountain adventure or expedition, AWE has grown through shared effort, through honest conversations, and through the kind of learning that only happens when people commit to something a little uncertain together.
Over the past several years, a central part of that evolution has been the working partnership between AWE founder Sunny Stroeer and Shea McCrary. What began as operational support during the challenging post-pandemic environment has steadily expanded into shared leadership, clearer direction, and a broader sense of what AWExpeditions can and should offer women who want to go deeper into mountain environments.
As Shea steps into the role of General Manager at the beginning of 2026, the following conversation between Sunny and Shea offers a window into that progression. The reflections that follow speak to how the AWE has changed, what has remained constant, and how the future is all about thoughtful growth, long-term experience building, and the very relationships that make the mountains feel like a place of belonging rather than bravado.
Setting the Line: a Conversation in Context
Do you remember the first time you met in person?
Sunny: Truth be told – I don’t! But I think it must have been Day 0 of one of our AWE Paria trips in the fall of 2022, not long after Shea started at AWExpeditions. I do remember thinking: wow, Shea is of small stature, but she’s mighty!
Shea: The first time we met in person I was safely incognito as a client on a Paria trip. With a few extra permits for the trip and Sunny acting as the Expedition Leader and Guide, she had invited me up from Las Vegas to get our first in-person meeting over a week long backpacking trip. This was only the first of many absolute pinch-me type work trips that I’ve been able to attend.
Honestly, I was nervous for the hike, wanting to impress, bring all the right gear and not show any green in my backpacking skills. Though I’d been booking the dinners and hotels for these and other trips, I failed to bring any non-hiking clothes for the welcome dinner. Despite feeling out of place for a moment, what came next was formative.
I met with Sunny and her warmth enveloped the entire group. I watched her usher in a new group of intrepid hikers and first-time backpackers, sharing a very real love for her home in the deserts of Southwest Utah. During that week long first in person impression with one another I saw first hand how to have impactful conversations around what it means to be a woman in the outdoors, epic stories that form the foundations of why AWE exists, and what true mentorship could mean.
That trip was my first time ever leaving the tent behind and sleeping out under the stars and the first time I felt the power contained in experiences in the outdoors.
What three words would you use to describe the other?
Sunny: Shea is tenacious, determined, and adventurous.
Shea: I think of Sunny as steady, tenacious, and trailblazing.
How have you both changed or grown after working together for several years?
Sunny: Doing the math, I realize that it must be going on four years already! That’s wild. Over that time period, I have seen Shea grow from a passionate rock climber into a high altitude mountaineer with a good head on her shoulders and a solid high altitude resume. I have also seen her evolve from an organized project manager into a vision-driven entrepreneur, thinking not just about how to best get things done, but asking the bigger questions of which direction to set.
As for myself, I think I have become much more aware of the fact that just because I can do something doesn’t automatically mean I should do it – which is true in business and in life.
Shea: Over the past three years, Sunny has evolved from doing nearly everything herself to clarifying vision and making space for others to lead, while I’ve grown by learning how to better support that vision, make some of it my own, take responsibility where needed, and stay sure-footed through complexity.
I can only really speak for myself, that now I am more self-assured, passionate and activated for the things in my life that give me purpose. I have also seen a marked increase in passionate energy and joy from Sunny each year as the Summit Scholarship program grows and evolves into the organization envisioned at its start. It’s been inspiring to watch Sunny tackle its growth while also aligning with her own projects running, skiing, or trail blazing in other ways. I feel like year over year I’m learning by example how to work harder and play harder.
How has AWExpeditions changed during that same period?
Sunny: When we first started working together, the pandemic was still fresh in the rearview mirror and AWExpeditions was just barely starting up international trips again. In some ways, AWE now is still very much the same as back then – small and nimble, with a keen focus on offering all-women expeditions and climbs in a space that is primarily male-dominated.
At the same time, we’ve added new high-altitude destinations (just take a look at the Cordillera Blanca and Lenin Peak expeditions!) and expanded our partnerships with like-minded organizations such as WHOA Travel.
Shea: I feel that I’ve watched AWE change significantly. When I was first coming into AWE, I was seeing small curated teams with Sunny as the connector for almost every location or climb. The design process for trips is still a creative and fluid process, but now with a new backbone that makes sharing these adventures even more accessible. Our network of alumni and guides and expedition leaders now is much larger and more diverse. While the mission has stayed true, I think together Sunny and I have brainstormed a lighthearted, but powerful stance on how important it is to center women’s impact and women’s storytelling at the forefront. Furthermore, I think we are still realizing what our climbers are really needing from a network like AWExpeditions.
What vision do you each have for AWExpeditions’ future?
Sunny: I’ve always said that I want AWE to pick up where many women-run guide services and adventure travel companies naturally top out. Adventures like Kilimanjaro or Peru’s Salkantay Trek are often framed as the most rugged or demanding high-altitude experiences on the menu; which makes sense, because they are powerful, accessible entry points, and for many, they are exactly the right place to start. The future that I see for AWE is one where we continue to support women who are ready to go a little further: higher peaks, more committing routes, longer timelines, and environments that ask for deeper preparation, stronger decision-making, and greater self-trust. I’d love for AWE to create a clear pathway for women who want to build real mountain experience over time, in spaces where competence, humility, and care for one another matter more than bravado and bragging rights.
Shea: My vision for AWE is that our trips come to represent a new way of imagining expeditions for women’s teams in alpine and high-altitude environments. I want to squelch the possibility that women don’t venture into the mountains because they don’t see the community or support system to make it possible. That vision becomes clearer with each trip we embark upon. It’s no secret that when you can see examples of incredible achievement or community in the sport it cements the idea of belonging. Really, I want AWE to come to represent tenacious and ambitious women coming together and standing out on any mountain as the team with the most grit, inclusivity, style and savvy. Because women are capable of that and so much more.
What’s a favorite off-the-beaten-path destination in the AWE lineup?
Sunny: I’m actually a huge fan of the Paria Canyon, which is maybe the most “un-AWE-like” trip that we offer – it’s not mountaineering, it’s not technical, and it’s not high altitude. But it is such a powerful backcountry expedition that I have seen change lives not just once but many times over.
Shea: While the Paria will always hold a special place in my heart as the path of many firsts, I have to say the place that sticks out to me the most is our upcoming inaugural trip to climb Lenin Peak in Kyrgyzstan. It’s a mountaineering objective and place that is understated and, for world travelers, an “if you know, you know” sort of destination. I’m excited to take a strong team of AWE climbers there and set boot tracks for many creative and inspiring climbs in the future. I actually think some of our most exciting climbs are still in the formulation stage, and that is a pretty neat feeling.
What’s one surprising thing people might not know about you?
Sunny: I was not an athlete or outdoor person as a kid – in fact, I’m a bit of a dork. I grew up playing the piano and the violin, and being active on the Model UN circuit. Extreme outdoor adventure didn’t enter my life until my mid-20s. It all started with a marathon and a 4,000-meter (13,100-foot) peak in 2010, which led to an ultra marathon and a 20,000-foot (6,100-meter) peak in 2011. And since then, it’s been all down-(up?-)hill!
Shea: It might not surprise some folks, but I love to be bad at things. Picking up a new sport, instrument, video game, language or hobby and falling a little flat at first doesn’t scare me. I’m pretty far from a perfectionist in that way. I often joke during treks that I’m far from the fastest hiker, strongest back or altitude-defying in any way. But I love the practice of mental flexibility and grit.
The Path Forward
As AWExpeditions looks ahead, this moment marks both continuity and momentum. The heart of the organization remains unchanged: thoughtful, challenging expeditions designed for women who want to grow real mountain experience over time. What continues to evolve is how that work is supported behind the scenes, with clearer leadership, shared stewardship, and space for the community around AWExpeditions to deepen and expand.
For those who have already traveled, climbed, or trained alongside AWExpeditions, this next chapter builds directly on that foundation. For those considering stepping into an expedition for the first time, it reflects a commitment to doing this work with care, intention, and long-term vision.
The mountains remain the proving ground. The relationships formed there remain the reason the work matters. And with this leadership transition, AWExpeditions continues forward with steady footing, clear direction, and an open invitation to go a little further.
Curious to learn more about Shea? Follow her on Instagram, or check out her article about AWExpeditions and the Summit Scholarship in Summit Journal below.
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