About – Rising Man | Forging Men and Leaders

About RISING MAN

HONOR. DISCIPLINE. GROWTH. LEGACY.

Our MISSION:

Rising Man exists to restore a healthy model of masculine leadership and to create a safer world by building men we can trust.

WHY RISING MAN EXISTS

When a culture fails to develop dependable men, families suffer… Communities suffer. Society suffers.

Suicide is the #1 cause of death for men under 45

7 million children in the U.S. (1 in 4) live without their biological father

Young men raised without fathers are 2× more likely to end up in jail or idle in their 20s

Men are struggling. Not because they’re broken, but because they were never taught how to lead, how to belong, or what it truly means to be a man.

Rising Man exists to change that.

Introducing Our Founder

Jeddy Azuma — Executive Director

Jeddy founded Rising Man to restore a culture of initiation, brotherhood, and leadership for men. His work began through his own rites of passage in 2014 and the path of rebuilding his life with purpose. What started as a podcast in 2017 has become an international movement supporting thousands of men worldwide.

Board of Directors

Governance • Mission Protection • Organizational Oversight

Norberto Jose Acevedo

Board Chair

N. José Acevedo is president of New World Consulting and an expert in facilitating the development of leadership skills and the creation of high-performing teams and organizations. José has spent the last 35 years helping different groups deal with the implications of the reality that “culture eats strategy for breakfast” and that we can’t do our best work without breathing space. José was a lead trainer for The Rockwood Leadership Institute for 20 years. He has also designed and taught special programs on team alignment, communicating for action and organizational change, both in English and Spanish, for organizations such as The Center for Popular Democracy, Drug Policy Alliance, Community Change, Make the Road NY, SEIU, The Rockefeller Brothers Fund, and The Ford Foundation.   He received his BA from The City College of New York, and his law degree from New York University. He was also on staff at Landmark Education for 2 years and in 2022 completed The Rising Man 4 day wilderness vision fast.

Eric Farewell

Board Member

Eric Farewell is an entrepreneur, coach, and advocate for aligned living. From starting his first business at 13 to building Aviator Paramotor into an industry leader, Eric’s journey reflects his belief in blending passion with purpose. Having overcome personal tragedies and the burnout of overworking, he now helps others discover freedom in their lives and businesses through coaching and consulting. A devoted husband, father, and lifelong learner, Eric focuses on creating a legacy of meaningful connection and service.

Shawn Berry

Secretary of the Board

For over 20 years, Shawn Berry has served as a vision fast guide, outdoor educator and mentor, group facilitator, and creator of ceremonial containers. With a deep love for nature and a commitment to a regenerative environment and culture, Shawn brings his passion and creativity forward to inspire people of all ages to engage with their own unique journey in connecting deeply with nature.

Advisory Council
Rising Man is also supported by an emerging Advisory Council that contributes strategic insight and supports long-term organizational development.

Leadership Team

Operations • Programs • Strategy

Rising Man is stewarded by a committed team who lead our operations, programs, and mission.

Asa Tyne

Head of Marketing

Asa has become a prime example of the effectiveness of Rising Man programming. At 18, Asa saved up to achieve the one dream he had at the time: He bought a one-way ticket to India, and began backpacking around the world, as the beginning of his own rite of passage. Around this time, Rising Man was just beginning, and he sought out mentorship from Jeddy. In 2019, Asa began working remotely for Rising Man supporting with media and marketing, and went out to the desert for the first round of Compass. After being asked to become the first apprentice for Compass, he began years of studying under Shawn, Jeddy, and Phil to become a certified Wilderness Rite of Passage Guide, guiding 60+ men out through Compass. Over the last eight years, Asa has designed a life on his own terms, and built his career to become the founder of Wayfinders Media Agency. Now living in Puerto Rico, Asa supports the mission of Rising Man through marketing, operational strategy, and systems thinking.

Ray Blue

Strategic Advisor

Ray Blue has spent more than three decades supporting organizations at the intersection of mission, people, and partnership. His work spans the nonprofit, public, and private sectors, where he has helped build durable relationships and development strategies that allow good work to last. Ray’s approach to leadership is shaped by his early years as a trail guide. Those experiences taught him how to move with intention, prepare for uncertainty, and build teams that know their roles and trust one another. This lens continues to inform how he works with leaders and organizations today. At Rising Man, Ray brings steady leadership and strategic perspective in service of clarity, alignment, and long term sustainability for the organization’s mission.

Shawn Berry

Head of Programming

Brian Christian Jenkins

Head of Community Services

Brian Jenkins is a leading expert in human performance and organizational excellence, drawing on over 22 years of experience in team management—from international sales to high-impact non-profit and men's organizations. After earning his MBA in London in 2010, he faced a personal crisis that reshaped his understanding of identity and relationships, propelling him on a profound spiritual quest through radical introspection, including a five-day fast in Death Valley. For over six years, Brian has guided individuals, couples, and teams to operate at their highest potential. His expertise is grounded in his work as a dedicated Brother and Community Leader for Rising Man since 2018, where he develops men to live powerfully and authentically.

Sam Morton's

Head of Operations

Sam Morton is a father, creative, and business strategist who has participated for 3 years in Rising Man men's work programming. He views Rising Man as some of the most important personal development work he has ever taken part in, and believes in a big future for the organization, in which he will be contributing his operational skillsets to help execute the vision of Men Rising around the world.

Dr. Brian Paris

Head of Organizational Development

Dr. Brian Paris is an entrepreneur, father, and transformational leader who has spent more than twenty years building businesses, guiding teams, and helping men reconnect to purpose and presence. Brian blends his experience owning and scaling multidisciplinary healthcare companies with his commitment to men’s work, emotional intelligence, and embodied leadership. He joined Rising Man in 2020, completing his Rite of Passage, and helps lead its strategic growth, partnerships, and fundraising efforts. Brian brings a grounded blend of vision, integrity, and relational skill to help men lead their families, communities, and missions with greater clarity and impact.

Aymard Dudok Du Wit

Head of Finance

Aymard is a strategic operator and systems architect dedicated to building the scalable structures that ensure mission-driven organizations thrive. With a decade of experience, he transforms undefined processes into sustainable foundations at the intersection of strategy, finance, and operations. Aymard brings his expertise in systems thinking and financial discipline to help Rising Man strengthen its decision-making and accelerate its vital work.

Guides & Facilitators

Program Leaders • Team Mentors • Wilderness Guides

Phil Gomez

Compass Guide

Phil is an organizer and facilitator of men’s work focused on cultivating integrity, emotional intelligence, and trustworthy leadership. For over a decade, he has guided men through structured group work and rites of passage experiences, and community-based leadership development. His approach is shaped by long-term participation in traditional ceremonial practices and years of disciplined service within transformational spaces. These experiences ground his work in accountability, self-honesty, and responsibility—moving beyond concepts into lived practice. Phil creates environments where men are challenged to lead themselves well, stand by their word, and develop the emotional maturity required for meaningful leadership. His work emphasizes consistency, embodiment, and service to something larger than the self. Guided by a long-view perspective, Phil supports personal transformation as a foundation for stronger communities and leadership that endures.

Mark Rose

Facilitator & Content Creator

Mark Rose, a veteran member and co-facilitator of Rising Man Weekends, brings his marketing strategist lens to the work of clarity, leadership, and legacy. He is devoted to helping men transform challenge into power and purpose.

Albert Chavez

RM Teams Mentor

Albert Chavez became and initiated man in Fall of 2020. He experienced "severance" like no other-He broke his leg 16 days before stepping foot over the Threshold of Rainbow Rock Canyon. HIs rebirth was one of many phases to become the standard for himself and raise the bar within. Albert is a grandfather of 2, and father of 3 grown kids. He prides his failures, his adveristies faced, as fuel for growth. Albert has emersed himself in programs such as Dojo, and Infermo, while also being a founding member of his current men's team "Threshold." He has served as a captain for two seasons and a co-captain as well. Wanting to help men gain more experience in confronting their "edges" , Albert now serves as one of the Senior Captains within Rising Man family. His motto is "when a man is right, his world becomes right. Self-respect, Self-discpline, holding standards and keeping your "word" are pillars for Albert's medince for others.

Ryan Wilcox

Compass Guide

From the moment Ryan discovered Rising Man existed (2019) he has been all in, servicing as an intern, a facilitator, & in advisory. You'll find Ryan outdoors & in service most often. As a Naturalist, BodyMind Maturation Coach, & Wilderness Guide, he aims to guide culture through its naturalization & maturation.

Johny Abercrombie

Compass Guide

Johny Abercrombie is an apprentice Wilderness Rites of Passage Guide with Rising Man. He joined the organization in 2022, bringing more than a decade of experience in men’s work, including leading men’s circles, coaching, and supporting in a wide range of ceremonial spaces. With 25 years of professional experience as a private jet captain Johny finds his deepest fulfillment in serving men on their journeys of growth, resilience, and purpose.

Matt Cochran

Compass Guide

Matthew Cochran is an apprentice guide with the Compass program. He brings decades of experience at the intersection of wilderness, depth psychology, and men’s work. Trained and influenced by Nature itself and Animas Valley Institute, he also co-leads Inner Forest Journey (an 8-month long ROP Immersion) with his longtime partner Constance Lynn. He is the founder of Raven Dream Tracking, and supports individuals and groups through dreamwork, teaching mythic inquiry and the language of dreams. His grounding in psychological and imaginal traditions comes from an MA in Depth/Eco Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute. He has published writing that weaves ecology, imagination, and the lived reality of modern life into actionable initiatory frameworks. A seasoned wilderness guide, he navigates people through challenging terrain—outer and inner—with a steady blend of practical competence, story, and symbolic fluency. He leads the Boulder Men’s Council, cultivating durable brotherhood, accountability, and initiation-oriented practice within the community he resides.

Eric Ely-Blase

Compass Guide

Eric is a compass guide, co-facilitator, resident chef and active member in the fire circle teams. His passion for the wilderness and background in outdoor recreation has given him the opportunity to share his unique experiences while supporting others in reclaiming their relationship with nature. He became an apprentice guide in the spring of 2021 and became a guide in the fall of 2023. His mission to support men as they grow and evolve is a lifetime commitment. His passion for men's work is a testament to how doing the work really reflects back on how much you can accomplish in a short time. The ultimate vision he has is supporting the community by leading with strong standards, inspiring questions and encouraging leadership.

Brandon Spires

Facilitator

Brandon is a mentor, healer, and teacher. Blending a background in sports medicine with the wisdom of our roots in nature, he helps people move from survival mode into embodied power. He has been a part of Rising Man since 2020, serving as a Senior Captain since 2022. Brandon is dedicated to creating the stillness and space necessary for people connect deeply to themselves, nature, and the Divine to finally hear the truth of their own heart.

Financial Transparency

As a nonprofit, Rising Man is committed to full transparency. Our 2026 financial overview will be published here when available, including:

Revenue sources
Program expenses
Scholarships awarded
Operational costs
Donor impact