Meet The Founder

Mike Branson – Founder, Carve Your Own Path

Hi, I’m Mike. I started Carve Your Own Path to support kids who don’t always thrive in traditional spaces—because I was one of them. That winding journey is why I do this work today.

My background in education and outdoor leadership reflects my commitment to helping kids learn and grow in ways that feel meaningful and authentic I hold a Master’s in Curriculum & Instruction and a Bachelor’s in Human Development & Education from CU Denver, with seven years in special education and endorsements as a special education generalist, elementary educator, and English learner specialist. These tools help me offer flexible, individualized, affirming support—especially for kids with IEPs, 504s, and learning differences.

Learning doesn’t just happen at a desk. I’ve been skateboarding for 28 years, snowboarding for 25, and coaching competitive snowboarders for 12 with a Level 200 USASA coaching certification. I’ve guided fly fishing trips, launched skateboard clubs at Title 1 schools, and built outdoor programs that spark confidence and joy.

Certified in SafeSport, Heads Up Concussion Safety, and formerly a nationally certified Wilderness EMT-Basic, I create safe spaces where kids can stretch, explore, and be themselves—knowing they’re supported every step of the way.

Carve Your Own Path weaves together my love for education, the outdoors, and advocacy to build experiences around who kids are, not force them into a system. If the traditional path isn’t working—then carve your own! We’d love to welcome your family into this journey..

If the traditional path to “success” isn’t working. Then Carve Your Own!
We’d love to welcome your family into this journey.

A smiling man with a beard, wearing a white short-sleeved shirt with a small floral pattern, standing against a red brick wall.
Person in outdoor water gear holding a fish with a net in a river.
A man and a young child sitting inside a gondola lift at a ski resort, with snowy mountains and trees visible outside. The man wears a helmet and ski goggles, while the child has a yellow jacket, a brown hat, and a pacifier.
A skateboarder performing a trick at a skatepark during twilight, airborne above a concrete ramp with trees and a colorful sky in the background.
A bride and groom in wedding attire wearing snowshoes on a snowy mountain ski slope near ski lift chairs, with mountain scenery in the background.