Sarah Shrader – Owner

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Sarah Shrader is the Owner and Co-Founder of Bonsai Design, a world-class aerial adventure course design/build firm based in Grand Junction, Colorado. After starting Bonsai in her basement in 2004, Sarah’s attention to detail and profitability has facilitated Bonsai’s exponential growth, helping to position Bonsai as an industry leader in sustainable outdoor aerial adventure.

Sarah is the founder and President of the Outdoor Recreation Coalition of the Grand Valley (ORC), a group of businesses and organizations committed to economic development in the outdoor recreation industry in Western Colorado. The ORC is a statewide leader of the grassroots effort to bring economic diversity to rural Colorado through the outdoor recreation industry. In 2019, Sarah testified at a Congressional hearing in Washington about the outdoor recreation economy in rural communities, highlighting the ORC’s efforts. She also serves on the executive committee of the State of Colorado Outdoor Recreation Industry Office, the Colorado Forum, and the School District 51 Foundation Board.

Most recently, Shrader created the Outdoor Recreation Industry Studies Bachelor of Science degree at Colorado Mesa University, where she serves as Program Director and Faculty.  The outdoor recreation industry is one of the fastest growing economic drivers in our country, and Shrader is inspired to help build outdoor recreation industry professionals at CMU.

In her free time, Sarah can be found climbing 14ers, adventuring in the backcountry, and skiing with her husband, Thaddeus, and their three teenage boys.