Preston began his formal career in the late 1980’s leading 60-day remote wilderness trips with adjudicated youth out of New Jersey. Trained as a Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician, a NAUI Rescue Diver and an Ocean Lifeguard Trainer, Preston has led both terrestrial and marine Search and Rescue teams, which has meant that he has been the lead on primary, secondary and tertiary responses to a number of critical and catastrophic incidents. In addition, he has served as an incident investigator, an expert witness and a critical incident stress manager on cases involving fatalities in remote environments.

Prior to coming to Wharton, Preston ran Adventure Management, an operational risk management consulting firm that worked with governments and universities around the world on issues related to teaching and working in remote environments.   Preston graduated with honors from Rutgers University, with Bachelors of Environmental Science and a minor in Professional Youth Work, as well as a Masters of Education from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education, Risk and Prevention Program, where he completed formal research in the etymology and epistemology of risk. Currently, Preston lives with his amazing wife Amy and together they are looked after by Sydney the super dog, while the two cats Kittery and La Paz plot their eventual downfall.