Neal graduated from Gig Harbor High School and attended college at Eastern Washington University where he was a guest writer for The Easterner collegiate newspaper. An avid snowboarder and outdoors enthusiast, he also enjoys donating his time and expertise to the "Outdoors for All" program which enables him to share his love of the mountains with others. Neal also maintains the local blog Get Out of the South Sound, highlighting some of the outdoor opportunities in the south Puget Sound area. You can follow Neal on Twitter or send him an email.