MEET THE TEAM
BOARD MEMBERS
RYAN KUPERUS
President/Co-Founder
Ryan "Koup" Kuperus spent 17+ years in the Infantry, Reconnaissance, and Force Reconnaissance Communities before being Medically Retired in 2017. He has always had a passion for the outdoors and hunting, and that passion has only grown over the years.
Hunting has helped heal what many therapies couldn't, and since retiring he has enjoyed not only hunting for himself, but in getting others involved in hunting and the outdoors. He has mentored many Veterans hunting, and looks forward to sharing his experience, passion, and hunting abilities with many more in the coming years.
TONY COWDEN
Vice President/Co-Founder
Tony is a 27 year veteran of the Special Operations community. He's been hunting and fishing since childhood and wants to share all the positives hunting, fishing, and just being outdoors brings to his life with other, deserving veterans, first responders, and their children.
ANDREW SOMPLASKY
Secretary/Co-Founder
Andrew "Drew" Somplasky is a Coast Guard Veteran who spent his career in the Deployable Specialized Forces community deploying domestically and around the globe in support of Maritime Counterterrorism Operations and Countering Transnational Organized Crime.
Through a love for outdoor activities and a desire to pursue new challenges, he developed a passion for hunting. Every hunt provides a new and exciting challenge. The desire to share the experience with fellow veterans and first responders is the way that he feels he can best serve the growing community of veterans and first responders searching for their next challenge.
JOSHUA PLUMMER
Legal Advisor
Josh, a retired Marine Corps Intelligence and Ground Reconnaissance Officer, is currently an attorney in Winston-Salem, NC, focusing part of his law practice on legal assistance for veterans and veterans’ issues. A lifelong outdoor enthusiast, Josh found solace and a renewed sense of purpose in hunting during his transition out of the Marine Corps, discovering it provided the physical challenge, intellectual stimulation, and camaraderie that he valued in military life. For Josh, hunting is more than a hobby; it’s a therapeutic passion that has been instrumental in his adjustment to civilian life. He has committed to The Reasons Outdoors to share the healing power of hunting with fellow veterans, their families, and our communities.
JOEL SCHRAM
Financial Advisor
Joel Schram is the Chief Financial Officer at Milam Plumbing located in Leland, NC and a tax accountant at Norton Collar Lund Lilley, PLLC. Prior to beginning his career, Joel had served as an 0311 Infantry Rifleman with 3rd Battalion 2nd Marines. Joel has been hunting and fishing since his childhood and is excited to be a part of an organization which shares the experience with fellow veterans and first responders.
MARKETING DIRECTORS
JAMES MARTINEZ
Director of Marketing
James Martinez is a Marine Corps veteran of the Global War on Terror, who later served in the National Guard and alongside Kurdish Peshmerga forces as a freedom fighter. Now the Marketing Director and content creator for The Reason Outdoors, James shares stories that connect veterans, first responders, and families to the healing power of nature.
Connect with him via email at james@thereasonoutdoors.org or on instagram @Vet_dad0311.
HUNTING OPERATIONS
NICK MAKI
Head of Western Hunting
A Marine Corps Infantry veteran and dedicated outdoorsman, Nick built a successful post-military career founding a construction company and civil consulting. After transitioning from service, he found profound therapy and purpose going back to chasing big game throughout the Rocky Mountains. Nick’s mission is clear: to ensure our nation's heroes have the same opportunity to experience the healing power of the great outdoors. He believes that hunting and fishing are the best therapy and is committed to sharing that opportunity with as many veterans and first responders as possible.
CHRIS WAHL
Head of Northeast Hunting & Fishing
Chris Wahl is an Infantry Marine veteran who swapped combat boots for hiking boots and hasn’t looked back since. After years of structured chaos in the Marines, he found his new mission somewhere between the mountains, the campfire, and the nearest body of water. The outdoors became his therapy, his church, and his favorite excuse to dodge paperwork. Now, Chris channels that energy into helping veterans and first responders reconnect with nature, each other, and themselves. Whether he’s leading a backcountry trip or swapping stories under the stars, his goal is simple: heal, laugh, and maybe catch a fish or two along the way. He’s still serving just with less chaos & better chow.
MARITIME OPERATIONS
SHAUN YANCY
Director of Maritime
Shaun Yancey served as a Reconnaissance Marine in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1991 to 2004. A graduate of elite programs including Airborne, Military Freefall, and Marine Combatant Dive School, his 13 years of service led to a decade of foreign operations across the Middle East and West Africa. After retiring, self-guided ecotherapy became key to his healing. An avid fisherman and outdoorsman, Shaun now channels his experience into helping others find restoration through the water, nature, and shared camaraderie.