Empowering individuals

Meet our Staff

who inspire as a whole

Kody Smith

General Manager (He/Him)

With a solid foundation in my passion for the outdoors, I decided to further my education in outdoor leadership through a National Outdoor Leadership School in Alaska. Here, I decided that my passion was to help others develop the skills and obtain the resources needed to succeed in the outdoor industry.

I absolutely love Zion Guru and everything that we stand for. I am extremely passionate about our team and helping guests feel welcome in the outdoor community and a sense of belonging in outdoor adventure.

My life today is far beyond what that troubled teen would have imagined. I am a husband, a father, a leader, and most importantly a person who has a sense of belonging and purpose thanks to the way I have been impacted by adventure and the outdoors.

As the current General Manager of Zion Guru, I get the opportunity to help our team connect to our visitors in a meaningful way and relive the awe of Zion in each of these interactions.

I grew up in a small town in Washington State that was greatly influenced by the outdoors in the way of Fish and Game. My earliest memory of being outdoors was a crisp fall morning deer hunting with my father. From the groggy 5am start, hiking into the mountains at dark and hearing the sound of a bull elk bugle in the distance, these expreinces planted a seed that would sprout many years later.

I found myself on a troubled path in high school, out of shape and really longing for a way to feel connected to others and my surroundings. I was re-introduced to the outdoors during an attempt to change my direction in life at a wilderness therapy program in Montana. Here I would challenge myself to change and find peace and belonging in the outdoors.

I continued my journey for 7 years participating in an active lifestyle community in Northeast Georgia exploring the Appalachain Trail and traveling to Colorado to pursue my love of mountaineering and climbing 14ers.