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Community Service | Seeds for Progress

Alaska

BETH SLATER: St. Lawrence University, B.A., cum laude, English Writing and Government; University of Vermont, M.A. Candidate, English Literature. Beth grew up in Zurich, Switzerland, London, England, and Williamsville, New York. As an undergraduate at St. Lawrence Beth was an active member of the Outing Club and led pre-orientation trips for first year students canoeing in the Adirondacks and sea kayaking on the St. Lawrence Seaway. She has worked as a trip leader and head of trips at a number of summer camps, including Camp Tanamakoon in Algonquin Park, Ontario, where she spent eleven incredible summers. Beth spent three seasons working as a ski instructor for Challenge Aspen, a nonprofit program for people with physical and cognitive disabilities in Snowmass, Colorado. This past winter, she taught skiing at Aspen and also worked at Colorado Mountain College, Aspen. Beth is currently finishing her thesis work at the University of Vermont focused on postcolonial Anglophone novels.

NOAH BALAZS: Colby College, B.A. American Studies, Minor in Philosophy. At Colby, Noah worked as Photo Editor for the college newspaper, The Colby Echo, played on the water polo team, and spent a lot of time in the pottery studio. Noah came to love leading trips while at Colby, leading backpacking, canoeing, and cross country ski excursions for The Colby Outing Club. His junior year brought him to Florence, Italy, studying with Syracuse University and exploring the country on foot, bicycle, and by train. Noah has spent two years teaching in a first grade classroom and will be making a move to teach 6th and 8th grade history this fall. An unabashed lover of music, Noah is patiently struggling to teach himself to play the banjo. He also loves backpacking, telemark skiing, and the outdoors. He is a trainer of Leave No Trace Outdoor Ethics and is certified in Wilderness First Aid. This will be Noah's second summer with Putney. He led a Community Service program in Hawaii in 2007.

Argentina

MADDIE OATMAN: Middlebury College, B.A. English. Originally from Boulder, Colorado, Maddie spent her years at Middlebury writing and editing for on-campus publications, singing in an a capella group, working as a Peer Writing Tutor and Teacher's Assistant in creative writing, playing intramural soccer and hockey, and pursuing her love for the outdoors by hiking, camping, and telemark skiing. She wrote a senior critical thesis on contemporary hybrid novels and also composed poetry as part of a senior creative project. Maddie studied for a semester in Northern India where she learned Hindi and conducted an independent project on self-employed women in Varanasi. She also spent summers working as an English teacher at Italian summer camps.  This past year Maddie worked for three months as a Project Supervisor for the volunteer organization Amigos de las Américas in Asunción, Paraguay.  Projects focused on health and leadership education in rural Latin America.  She enjoys reading, yoga, cooking, and playing guitar.  Maddie is fluent in Spanish and proficient in Italian.

ALEX BRAND: Wesleyan University, B.A., Government. At Wesleyan, Alex majored in government with a focus on comparative politics. His love for Latin America began in high school when he traveled to Central America with his father for a medical service trip. Later, on a year of solo travel though South and Central America, Alex explored the mountains of Patagonia before moving to Buenos Aires to study Spanish.  While at Wesleyan, he studied in Grenoble, France, for six months where he also was able to pursue his love of rock climbing and telemark skiing.  This past year Alex split his time between the mountains of the American West and rural Kenya, where he worked for a United States based NGO.  This will be Alex’s second summer with Putney.  He led a Community Service program in Nicaragua in 2007.  He currently holds a Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician certificate, and is fluent in Spanish and French.

Costa Rica - Group A

PERRI DEVON-SAND: University of Michigan, B.A. Literature Science and the Arts.
While at the University of Michigan, Perri volunteered as a participant and team leader for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. During college Perri studied abroad at the University of Seville in Spain where she focused her studies on the Spanish language and culture. In addition to her time in Spain, Perri traveled extensively in Costa Rica while still in high school. Perri worked for five summers as a senior camp counselor and assistant athletic director at Camp Wingate Kirkland in Yarmouthport, Massachusetts and served as a mentor for high school students during her time at the University of Michigan. She has also worked as a community relations intern at Philadelphia Eagles helping with the coordination and development of community and charity-related organizations. Perri is fluent in Spanish.

NAVÉ STRAUSS: St. Lawrence University, B.A. Environmental Studies. While at St. Lawrence Navé had the great joy of studying abroad in San José, Costa Rica through St. Lawrence’s program. He had the opportunity to travel extensively throughout the country visiting nearly every corner of Costa Rica. Upon his return to campus Navé became a student ambassador for the Costa Rica study abroad program and was later awarded an Environmental Studies research grant to return to study at Universidad EARTH in Costa Rica during his senior year. During college Navé was a music director for the college’s men’s acapella group, The Singing Saints, and worked as a tutor in the Spanish Writing Center for fellow students and as a reading and math tutor with local children. During his summers, Navé worked as a camp counselor at Smithtown YMCA day camp. Navé is fluent in Hebrew and Spanish.

Costa Rica - Group C

ISABELLE McKUSICK: Hamilton College B.A., Cultural Anthropology, Honors, Minor in Religious Studies. During the summer after her junior year in high school, Isabelle joined a Putney Student Travel program to Nicaragua and from that moment on knew she wanted to lead trips in the future. She spent her first semester of college in Ireland and had an opportunity to travel extensively throughout Europe. During her junior year at Hamilton, Isabelle studied in South Africa for a semester abroad with the School for International Training. After a backpacking adventure around Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Botswana, she returned to South Africa for three months to intern at an NGO for disadvantaged youth and to teach therapeutic photography. Her photography has been published and exhibited. She has volunteered in orphanages in Panama and Guatemala and has traveled throughout other Central and South American countries. Isabelle loves to horseback ride, snowboard, swim, hike, dance, and pursue new sports. She is proficient in Spanish.

BEN THOMAS: College of Idaho B.A., International Political Economy, Minor in History. During high school Ben was an exchange student in Japan and Spain. After graduation he lived and studied for a year in Ecuador. He returned to the Andes during college, this time to Peru. He participated in an Anthropology field semester and volunteered in a rural agricultural development project. While at the College of Idaho, Ben acted as the director of the college’s Outdoor Program. He spent three fabulous summers working in the North Woods of Wisconsin at Camp Nebagamon. This past fall Ben completed the 500-mile Camino de Santiago de Compostela hike across Northern Spain. Most recently he worked as a professional ski instructor in Montana and is currently a field volunteer for the Barack Obama campaign. Ben is proficient in Spanish and is a certified Wilderness First Responder.

Costa Rica - Group D

MERRILL STABLER: St. Lawrence University, B.A., Spanish & Performance and Communication Arts, Minor in Caribbean and Latin American Studies. Merrill spent her time at St. Lawrence working in the University’s Spanish Writing Center, and volunteered in the local middle school as a teaching assistant for Spanish classes. She participated in SLU Buddies, an after-school program connecting college students and children from the local community. She enjoyed performing in multiple theater and dance productions, and worked behind the scenes as a Teacher’s Assistant for Stage Lighting. Merrill was a choreographer for the St. Lawrence Dance Team, as well as a University tour guide. During college she spent a semester in Costa Rica, attending the University of Costa Rica, where she lived with a host family. In the near future she hopes to pursue a Master’s degree in Spanish. Merrill loves traveling, dancing, music, Latin American culture, and the outdoors. She is fluent in Spanish.

DANNY DELCAMPO: University of Chicago, B.S., Biology, B.A., Music, University Honors and University Scholar Award. During his first year in college, Danny studied in Cusco, Peru. He had the opportunity to travel extensively throughout the country, helping local communities build homes while furthering his Spanish skills. During his senior year of college, Danny studied Art History and Spanish Studies in Barcelona, Spain. While in Spain, Danny regularly performed music at various venues in the city and connected with the local artistic culture. During the summer of 2005, Danny led a group of 30 college students on a bicycle ride from Baltimore to San Francisco while raising money and building homes for Habitat for Humanity. Danny has volunteered at a local hospital, tutored at-risk youth, composed music of all types, and led various student clubs on campus. He is currently applying to medical schools across the country for entrance in 2009. During his gap year he plans on pursuing music and advocating biking culture in the Chicago area. Danny is fluent in Spanish.

Costa Rica - Group E

REBECCA EATON: Grinnell College, B.A., Spanish Literature; Columbia University Teachers College, M.A., Elementary Education. Rebecca first became interested in travel during her junior year of high school when she lived and worked on a kibbutz in Israel. While at Grinnell, she lived in Valparaíso, Chile, for a year, where she lived with a host family and studied literature at La Católica de Valparaíso. After graduation, Rebecca took a post-graduate Grinnell Corps Fellowship to teach English in Nepal. A year later she moved to New York City, completed a Masters degree in elementary education, and began working at a public school in Manhattan, where she now teaches first graders. In addition to her love of travel, Rebecca enjoys reading, cooking, swimming, and going for long walks, both on city streets and in places where there’s not a car to be heard. Rebecca is fluent in Spanish.

CASEY HUDETZ: DePaul University, B.A., Developmental Psychology, High Honors. While at DePaul, Casey was a member of Psi Chi, the National Honor Society in Psychology, and the Omicron Delta Kappa Leadership Society. He worked as a Resident Advisor for two years, led a service trip to an Apache Indian Reservation, and welcomed new students as an Orientation Mentor. Casey was a Teaching Assistant for a class about Chicago Film and also a research assistant for a psychological study on race. His final year he received the Outstanding Senior Leader award. Casey spent part of his childhood living in Belgium, and has backpacked through much of Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. After spending four months studying Spanish, Guaraná, and apiculture in Paraguay, he returned to Chicago where he is now a Middle School Computer Teacher. He is fluent in Spanish.

Costa Rica - Group F

SCARLETT SHAFFER: University of Delaware, B.A., Anthropology and Latin American Studies; School for International Training, M.A. Candidate, Sustainable Community Development. Scarlett grew up in the hills of West Virginia where she first became involved in a family tradition of support for rural and marginalized populations. At the University of Delaware, Scarlett found a love of cultural anthropology through her initial study of material culture and art conservation. She conducted research and worked in Latin America, Africa, Asia, and Europe. Aside from anthropology, her work and studies have included grassroots community organizing, activism, and policy advocacy related to her passion for protecting and promoting a multiplicity of cultural and artistic expression. Scarlett is currently studying Sustainable Community Development at the School for International Training in Brattleboro, VT. She is proficient in Spanish.

STEPHEN BROWN: University of North Carolina, Wilmington, B.A. Spanish, Minors in History and Latin American Studies; New York University, M.A. Candidate, Latin American Studies and Journalism. While at college, Stephen spent a summer in Ecuador studying at La Universidad de San Francisco in Quito, where he lived with a local family. A year later Stephen was abroad again, this time in Curitiba, Brazil, studying history and literature. Stephen has traveled extensively throughout southern Brazil, Argentina, Chile, and Peru. His most recent travels include time spent in Costa Rica. After graduating, Stephen worked for UNC-EP, a statewide university exchange program in North Carolina. He interacted with students planning to go abroad and also helped with orientation prior to students' departure. Currently Stephen is pursuing a Masters degree in Latin American Studies and Journalism at New York University. He is specializing in social movements in Brazil and Ecuador and immigrant stories. He was awarded a Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship to encourage further study of Portuguese. This will be Stephen’s second summer with Putney Student Travel. In 2007 he led a Community Service program in Ecuador. Stephen is fluent in Spanish.

Dominica - Group A

LIZ PETERMAN: Elon University, B.A., Political Science and Public Administration; Temple University, Beasley School of Law, J.D. Candidate. During college, Liz served as the president of Elon College Democrats, coordinated volunteers for the Safe Rides campus-wide designated driver program, and was appointed as the student representative on the university safety board. She was also the vice president of Pi Sigma Alpha, the political science honor society, and a member of Omicron Delta Kappa, the national leadership honor society. She interned as an event coordinator for the National Foundation for Women Legislators in Washington, DC. After graduating, she spent time in Namibia as a Peace Corps volunteer. Throughout high school and college Liz spent 8 summers working at a YMCA summer camp in Kentucky in various leadership roles. She has also been a Young Life leader, a substitute teacher, and has volunteered on numerous political campaigns on the state and national levels. Liz is currently pursuing her Juris Doctorate at Temple University Beasley School of Law. She enjoys the outdoors, back country camping, cooking, skiing, and bluegrass music.

DANIEL ASSAEL: Ithaca College, B.S., Communications: Television/Radio, Mathematics Minor. While at Ithaca, Dan worked on and off campus as an audio engineer for concerts and other events, as well as a Teacher’s Assistant for several Communication courses. During the summer of 2006, Dan traveled to Ghana, West Africa, where he studied traditional African drumming and dance at the Dagara Music Center. Upon his return to campus, Dan spent several semesters assisting the African Drumming and Dance classes that were held at the college. Dan worked as a camp counselor for two summers in Troy, New York, where he facilitated sports events and assisted teachers with classroom learning. At Ithaca, Dan participated in intramural soccer and was a specialty show DJ on the local radio station. After the program, Dan plans to revisit Africa and make a trip to Israel.

Dominica - Group B

ARYN FLEEGLER: Colgate University, B.A., Sociology; New York State Elementary Education Certification. During college, Aryn was a Resident Advisor, a member of a sorority, and rowed on the crew team. Her love of travel began during a semester abroad in Stockholm, Sweden. Aryn’s travels have included trips to the Middle East, Belgium, the Czech Republic, and Mozambique. After graduation from Colgate, Aryn joined the Peace Corps and moved to South Africa as a school and community resource volunteer, serving and residing in a remote Limpopo Province village. While there, she started the Limpopo Holiday basketball camp, was active in community discussions about HIV/Aids, and demo taught in her village’s school. Upon completion of 2 years of Peace Corps service, Aryn stayed in South Africa, relocating to Pretoria, to teach a diverse group of 4th and 5th graders at an international school. In the fall, Aryn will be attending the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education, where she will be a M.S.Ed candidate. Aside from foreign adventure travel, Aryn enjoys hiking, reading, sewing, and dancing. Although this is her first summer as a leader, she has been a Putney participant in the past, attending Excel at Williams College when she was in high school.

MICHAEL KAVALUS: Bucknell University, B.A., Psychology, Minors in Philosophy & Religion. Michael caught the travel bug at seventeen when he backpacked through Europe for five weeks with a friend. He has studied in Spain and the Virgin Islands, surfed in Hawaii and Mexico, and done philanthropy work in Nicaragua and Costa Rica. Upon graduating from Bucknell, Michael took a job teaching inner-city students in south central Los Angeles. Following a year in education, Michael moved to New York City to pursue another of his passions—acting and film. He has become very involved with Water in New York—a non-profit initiative that serves to bring clean water and sanitation to impoverished areas in Africa, India, and Bangladesh. Michael enjoys surfing, reading the New York Times, live music, yoga, black and white photography, and soccer.

Dominican Republic

BRITT DORAN: Brown University, B.A., International Development. What began as a quick trip to Spain in high school to visit a family friend, has turned into a life of travel for Britt. While at Brown, she studied abroad in Ecuador and volunteered with an adolescent health education project. Her travels continued with the Brown University Chorus, touring to Costa Rica, Finland, and Russia. Britt moved to Costa Rica upon graduation where she worked as a dorm supervisor and music teacher at the Country Day School in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. She then moved to Segovia, Spain, for two years and worked as a co-director of Proctor Academy's high school study abroad program. When not preparing paella, swirling through sevillanas, or hiking the rolling hills of the Spanish country side, Britt led programs for Putney Student Travel to Costa Rica - first leading a Language Learning program, and then as co-director of the Costa Rica Foundations program. Britt is an Associate Director of Putney Student Travel, coordinating programs in Costa Rica. When not traveling, Britt enjoys spending time near the water in her home state of Rhode Island and chasing sticks with her dog. She is fluent in Spanish.

ROBERT BERRETTA: Pennsylvania State University, B.A. Political Science. During his junior year in college Robert spent a semester in Salamanca, Spain. He took classes at the Universidad de Salamanca and traveled extensively throughout Spain. At Penn State, Robert helped raise money for and organize Penn State's Dance Marathon, the largest student-run philanthropy in the world. His college summers were spent working as a carpenter and as an HR intern hiring international students to work in the U.S. for the summer. After graduation, Robert spent 2 years as a bilingual 2nd grade teacher in Houston, Texas, as a Teach for America corps member. He continues to teach 5th grade language arts in a public elementary school. In the Fall he will move to Washington, DC, to teach 7th grade in an inner-city public charter school. In his spare time, Robert enjoys soccer, fly-fishing, reading, writing, cooking, playing guitar, drums, and piano. This will be Robert’s second summer with Putney. He led a Community Service program in Costa Rica in 2005. He is fluent in Spanish.

Ecuador - Group A

CAITLIN BOURASSA: Lewis & Clark College, B.A., Foreign Language. Caitlin grew up in a small coastal town in Maine. She discovered her love for travel during a school trip to Spain and France when she was fourteen and has been traveling ever since. When she was sixteen, Caitlin spent a year in Fribourg, Switzerland, where she lived with a host family and attended a local high school. While at college in Portland, Oregon, Caitlin became involved in numerous human rights issues such as, the US-Mexico immigration debate and the expansion of education for the indigenous of Ecuador. She spent fall semester of 2006 volunteering in Otavalo, Ecuador, through Global Visions International and then spent the following semester in Dakar, Senegal, studying the culture, language, and history of this pre-colonial country. This Fall, Caitlin will be returning to Ecuador to intern with Global Visions International for six months. She is fluent in French and proficient in Spanish.

BEN PACHT: Carleton College, B.A., Anthropology and Sociology; University of Nevada - Las Vegas, M.A., Special Education. While at Carleton, Ben studied abroad in Ecuador and completed an internship with homeless youth in Quito. He also did an independent study project documenting the treatment of prisoners in Quito's largest prison, and reported his findings to a local human rights organization. After graduating from Carleton, Ben moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, where he teaches middle school special education in a low-income school. He runs an after-school soccer program for both boys and girls, and is working on starting a middle school soccer league in the Las Vegas valley. Ben is fluent in Spanish.
  
 Ecuador - Group B

SHARON LEBENKOFF: University of Richmond, B.A., magna cum laude, Race and Gender Studies. Sharon spent her junior year of college as an exchange student in Cape Town, South Africa, where she conducted primary research on the topic of interracial couples in the post-apartheid era. From 2005 to 2006, she was an ESL instructor in Quito, Ecuador. During her time in Ecuador, she lived with a host family and volunteered with two non-profit organizations promoting gender equity. Upon returning to the US, she continued teaching ESL and also worked on a national campaign for the cancellation of Africa’s foreign debt. Currently, she resides in Brooklyn, New York, and is the program director of Leeza’s Place, a non-profit support and resource center for people impacted by Alzheimer’s disease. Sharon has traveled widely throughout Africa and Latin America as well as Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Spain, China, and New Zealand. When she is not working or planning her next overseas adventure, she enjoys photography, cooking, creative writing, running, and yoga. This will be Sharon’s third summer with Putney. She spent two summers working as a Resident Assistant and Teaching Assistant for photography at Excel at Amherst College. Sharon is fluent in Spanish.

NATHANIEL MARCUS: Middlebury College, B.A., Political Science. Nate spent his summers in high school in Spain traveling, taking classes, and working. While in college, Nate served as an intern teaching English in Costa Rica. He spent three months in a small Costa Rican community working in a school, living with a host family, and building a community center. Nate studied abroad with Antioch College's Buddhist Studies Program in Japan, where he lived in several monasteries and meditated with Buddhist monks. For three summers Nate taught Spanish at Concordia Language Villages in Minnesota, and also at the Marianapolis Preparatory School in Thompson, Connecticut, last year where he was a dorm parent. He has lead semester trips with LEAPNow and Carpe Diem Education to Central America and India. Currently he is an Avatar master and assists with the delivery of international Avatar courses. This will be Nate’s fourth summer with Putney. He has led Language Learning programs in Spain and Argentina. He is fluent in Spanish.

Ghana

KELSEY BURNS: Saint Lawrence University, B.A. cum laude, Spanish. Kelsey spent her junior year studying literature, art history, ecology, and theater at Colegio Mayor Isabel de España in Madrid, Spain. At Saint Lawrence, Kelsey worked as a peer tutor, a teacher's assistant for the Spanish department, and in the International Office for the Spain Study Abroad program. She was a member of the women's lacrosse team and the Outing Club. Kelsey has traveled extensively in the United States, Europe, Latin America, and Africa. This will be Kelsey’s seventh summer with Putney Student Travel. She has led a Language Learning program in Spain, Community Service programs in Ecuador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic, and assistant directed the Global Action programs at Yale this past summer. Kelsey works full time at the Putney Student Travel office in Putney, Vermont as an Associate Director and Leadership Coordinator. She is responsible for organizing Putney’s programs in Spain, Ecuador, and Ghana and hiring the Putney leaders. When she isn’t traveling, Kelsey loves to hike, bike, read, and dance. She is fluent in Spanish.

DAKOTA CASSERLY: University of Vermont, B.A., Business Administration, Minor in Environmental Studies; University of Nevada, Reno, Master of Land Use Planning degree candidate. While at UVM, Dakota was an active mentor with the Vermont DREAM Program, a youth mentoring organization. He also played varsity lacrosse, was a member of the Consortium for Ecological Living (CEL) and attended UVM's Costa Rica Travel-Study Program, where he studied ecotourism and culture. After graduation, Dakota worked as an AmeriCorps volunteer with the Tahoe Rim Trail Association, and received the State of Nevada's AmeriCorps Volunteer
of the Year award. The following year Dakota taught English in Thailand and explored Southeast Asia. Presently, when not working on his graduate studies, Dakota enjoys life as a bike commuter and explores the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

Hawaii

EMILY WHYTE: University of Michigan, B.F.A. magna cum laude, Musical Theatre. During her undergraduate studies, Emily spent a semester studying theatre in London, England. She has since backpacked all over the world; favorite stops included India, Cambodia, Thailand, and Italy. Emily lives in New York City where she works in the theatre and does voice-overs for commercials. She teaches classes to college students on the ins and outs of thriving in New York City as an artist. Emily is also an AmSAT certified teacher of The Alexander Technique and has her own private practice in Midtown Manhattan. Her community service work began in high school with impoverished families, and she now volunteers with Our Time, an artistic home for young people who stutter. Emily loves nature above all and to hike, swim, and dance.

RYAN KLOBERDANZ: University of Iowa, B.A. Political Science with Honors and Journalism & Mass Communication. While at the University of Iowa, Ryan was the recipient of the Journalism School award given to the student who best demonstrates academic success and leadership on campus. He was a member of the Journalism Honor Society and was featured as one of the University’s “Six to Watch in 2006.” Ryan was an active member of Greek life during college serving as the IFC Chapter President and President of the University’s Inter-Fraternity Council. He has also been involved in local and national politics serving as a staff intern for Congressman Jim Leach and Precinct Captain for the 2004 John Edwards presidential campaign. Ryan has traveled in the Caribbean. He currently works as a Teach for America Corps Member in Phoenix, Arizona where he has been since 2006.

India

PRIYANKA VAKKALANKA: University of Virginia, B.S., Biochemistry; B.A., Sociology. Born in India, Priyanka moved to the States when she was three and has traveled to both central and south India several times to visit family. During her time at the University of Virginia, Priyanka worked with local elementary schools students counseling them on health safety, served as a peer advisor in the International Studies Office, and spent her summers working for Air France at the Washington-Dulles International Airport. During her junior year, Priyanka participated in an exchange program at the University of Birmingham in England, where she taught English to international students and traveled around Europe. Priyanka currently works in Washington, D.C. where she assists with projects promoting research and advocacy for food aid, capacity building, and infrastructure in Africa. She is also a teacher and supervisor at a private learning center where she works with high school students in math, chemistry, and reading. This fall, she will attend Johns Hopkins University to pursue a Masters in Epidemiology. Priyanka is proficient in French, Hindi, and Telugu.

TED SAMUEL: Kenyon College, B.A., magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, Departmental High Honors in International Studies, Sigma Iota Rho Honor Society. After graduating from Kenyon College, Ted served as a Fulbright Scholar in South India. There, he researched the social movement of the Aravani community, focusing on the ability of community leaders and activists to utilize creative technology and event programming to promote their agenda to the public. During his tenure as a Fulbright fellow, Ted had the opportunity to present his research and also perform Karagattam at various Fulbright conferences and Fulbright alumni association events in India, Pakistan, and Nepal. After returning to the United States and spending a year as a Marketing Associate at the Corporate Executive Board in Washington, DC, Ted was named a 2007 Peace Fellow by The Advocacy Project. As a Peace Fellow, Ted spent six months working with the Jagaran Media Center, a Dalit rights advocate in Kathmandu, Nepal, where he helped revitalize their print media division and led creative projects profiling the arts of lower caste communities. Ted brings several years experience in South Asian Studies to the program as well as proficiency in Tamil and Hindi.

Nicaragua

ANNA MARKS: Middlebury College, B.A., International Studies, magna cum laude. Anna has loved exploring new countries and cultures since her junior year at Middlebury when she studied abroad in Spain and traveled extensively through Europe. Since then she has jumped at any opportunity to travel and learn about different cultures and people. After graduation from Middlebury, Anna worked for a year with AmeriCorps in Boston, developing and facilitating the Cultural Kitchen program which uses food as a vehicle to help public school students gain a greater understanding of and appreciation for different cultures. Anna spent this past year outside of the United States; first in Costa Rica getting certified to teach English as a foreign language, and then in the Dominican Republic volunteering as a teacher at a bilingual school. In her free time Anna can be found latin dancing, running, and playing soccer. This will be Anna´s third summer with Putney. She has led Community Service programs in Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic. She is fluent in Spanish.

BLAKE CHALFANT: The University of Georgia, B.B.A., Marketing. B.A., Spanish. Blake's passion for traveling was first sparked when he traveled throughout Europe as a junior in high school. Since then he has been fortunate enough to visit over 20 countries in Europe and Latin America. He lived in Costa Rica for the first half of 2006 where he studied business and Spanish and volunteered as a Physical Education teacher at a local elementary school. After graduating, Blake moved to Argentina where he interned with an international public relations firm and earned his second degree in Spanish. He traveled to several other countries in South America including a visit to Antarctica. Most recently he has worked as a kayaking guide in La Jolla, California. In his free time Blake enjoys playing tennis, basketball, surfing, snowboarding, and, of course, travel. This will be Blake’s second summer with Putney Student Travel. This past summer he led a Community Service program in Costa Rica. He is fluent in Spanish.

Nusa Penida and Bali

MEHA PRIYADARSHINI: Wesleyan University, B.A., East Asian Studies. Meha moved to the United States from India when she was ten years old. Since then she has returned several times and has maintained contact through her work and studies. Currently Meha is pursuing a Ph.D. in History at Columbia University. She has been on leave this academic year in order to continue her training in Bharatanatyam, a South Indian classical dance form. At Wesleyan, Meha studied Chinese history and language. One of her most formative experiences during college was a summer spent in India conducting a survey on maternal mortality in tribal areas for an NGO in Rajasthan. After graduating, Meha continued with her interest in non-profits working at the Women's Foreign Policy Group in Washington, D.C. for a year. Meha enjoys traveling, writing, cooking, watching Bollywood movies, and learning new languages. This will be Meha’s third summer with Putney Student Travel. Meha worked as a Mandarin instructor on Putney's Excel China program and last summer she led a Community Service program in South India. Meha is fluent in Hindi and Mandarin.

PETER HALPERN: American University, B.A., magna cum laude, International Studies, Spanish, and Latin American Studies. During his junior year at American University, Peter lived abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina where he attended Univerisdad Torcuato di Tella. He has interned at the National Endowment for the Arts Literature Department, where he worked with up-and-coming writers from across the United States, and at the Argentine Fulbright Commission, where he aided with translation and cross-cultural understanding. During his summers Peter worked for the Shambhala Sun Summer Camp in Red-Feather Lakes, Colorado, developing leadership among second generation Buddhist youth. As a child he spent considerable time in Bali, Indonesia, where his mother led study abroad programs for Naropa University. He spent a semester studying Indonesian language, culture, gamelan, batik, painting, and dance while traveling throughout the archipelago after his high school graduation. For the last two years Peter has worked for the Department of Justice Criminal Antitrust Division in Washington, D.C., where he investigated procurement fraud and other anticompetitive activities. This fall Peter will begin studies at the Berkeley School of Law. This will be Peter's third summer with Putney Student Travel. He led this Community Service program in Nusa Penida in 2005 and 2006. Peter is proficient in Indonesian and fluent in Spanish.

Senegal - Group A

KAREN PHILLIPS: Saint Lawrence University, B.A. cum laude, French. Karen caught the travel bug between high school and college while spending a year as an AFS exchange student in Switzerland. While at Saint Lawrence, Karen studied abroad in France and Senegal, focusing her studies on francophone literature and culture. During college she worked as a writing mentor, teaching assistant, and French tutor, ran track, and was an active member of the Laurentian Singers and the Swinging Saints, a student run swing dancing club. Karen has traveled extensively in Eastern and Western Europe, the United States, and West Africa. Karen currently works full time at the Putney office in Vermont as an Associate Director coordinating programs in France, Switzerland, Italy, and Senegal. In her free time, Karen enjoys running, skiing, rock climbing, and painting. This will be Karen’s second year with Putney. She led a Language Learning program in France this past summer. Karen is fluent in French.

BENJAMIN FIERBERG: Georgetown University, B.S.F.S., International Politics, Certificate in African Studies. Having spent his childhood summers sailing at his family's home in Nova Scotia, Ben developed an early love of the outdoors and traveling. During his junior year of college, Ben spent a semester in Dakar, Senegal, studying both historic and contemporary West African issues. After visiting the Dakar office of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, Ben developed a strong interest in migration issues. This culminated in a year-long internship at the U.S. Political Asylum office in Arlington, VA, during which Ben participated in the refugee admission process. Ben enjoys sailing, hiking, and ultimate frisbee. He is currently pursuing a career with the U.S. State Department. Ben speaks French and Wolof.

Senegal - Group B

LAURA SENNETT: Georgetown University, B.S.F.S. Culture and Politics, African Studies Certificate. While at Georgetown, Laura’s studies concentrated on analyzing the role that culture plays in various forms of government and the creation of national identity. She also completed a certificate program in African Studies. To pursue such academic interests, Laura studied abroad at the Baobab Center, Université de Cheikh Anta Diop in Dakar, Senegal during her junior year of college. While in Senegal, Laura taught English at a community center, interned at a women’s right NGO, and traveled extensively throughout the country. At Georgetown, Laura was a tour guide for visitors on campus and a Senior Editor of The Hoya, the main campus newspaper. Laura spent her summers as a camp counselor in the north woods of Wisconsin, and as an intern at Washington Post Newsweek Interactive and ABC News. In September, Laura will be moving to Hong Kong as a Princeton in Asia fellow teaching English at Shue Yan University. Laura is fluent in French and proficient in Wolof.

TODD MINER: Colby College, B.A., English. After graduation from Colby, Todd moved to Mali, West Africa for two years where he served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in a small village in the pre-sahel region of Mali. Upon his return to the United States, Todd worked in the Gulf Coast area for FEMA in the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita managing natural resources. He also had the opportunity to work on a variety of agricultural, health, and small-business projects. Currently Todd lives in Washington, D.C. where he teaches history at the Saint Albans School. He also coaches baseball, soccer, frisbee, and wrestling. Todd spent the past two summers working for the School of Public Service, a program that brings high school students to Washington to learn about public service by examining subjects affecting our nation and to meet with the leaders whose task it is to deal with those issues. He is proficient in French.

Tanzania - Group A

JESSIE DAVIE: St. Lawrence University, B.A., cum laude, English and Environmental Studies. During her junior year Jessie spent a semester abroad in Kenya participating in a cross-cultural experiential learning program. She considered this experience so valuable that after graduating from college, she traveled back to Africa and lived and volunteered in a small rural village in Ghana for nine months. She worked for the Kopeyia Ghana School Fund and was responsible for administering activities at the local school as well as teaching English classes to Junior Secondary students. Jessie has also traveled to southern Africa where she explored Mozambique, Swaziland, and South Africa. She has worked for Clean Air-Cool Planet as a coordinator for a global warming campaign in New Hampshire. Jessie currently lives in Missoula, Montana, where she is pursuing a Master's degree in Environmental Studies at the University of Montana. This will be Jessie’s second summer leading a Putney Community Service program in Tanzania. She is proficient in Kiswahili.

DAN SHAFER: St. Lawrence University, B.A, Global Studies, Sociology and African Studies. Dan’s love for travel has found him hiking in the Alps, train trekking in Egypt, biking around Thailand, and driving across the United States. Dan spent a semester with the National Outdoor Leadership School in the Rockies, where he studied environmental ethics and local ecology while learning whitewater paddling, rock climbing, canyoneering, and horse packing. At St. Lawrence Dan was president of the Outing Club and led trips up and down the East Coast. Dan studied abroad in both Kenya and Ethiopia, and received funding to return his senior year to do further research. During his time abroad in East Africa, Dan worked with the Social Development Network addressing problems faced by community-based organizations. In the summer of 2007 Dan led a community service program in Thailand teaching English, rehabilitating schools, and helping rural communities. Dan is certified in Wilderness First Aid by the Wilderness Medical Institute and Wilderness Medical Associates. He is proficient in Kiswahili.

Tanzania - Group B

FRANCESCA NICOSIA: DePauw University, B.A., Sociology & Anthropology, Conflict Studies, cum laude; University of Colorado Denver, M.A., Anthropology. During college, Francesca studied abroad in Northern India, Nepal, and Tibet with the School for International Training. After graduating, she was awarded a fellowship with Humanity in Action, where she researched human rights, culture, and immigration in Berlin before returning to work in DePauw's Anthropology Museum. Francesca first went to Tanzania in 2005-2006 and lived in a homestay on the slopes of Mt. Meru while she studied Swahili and backpacked through the Eastern Arc mountains. Currently in graduate school for Medical Anthropology, her studies focus on the relationship between health, culture, and the environment. Francesca lives in Boulder, Colorado, where she serves on the Board of Directors of Natural Transitions. She is a Certified Yoga Teacher, and teaches free adaptive yoga classes at Boulder's Center for People with Disabilities. Francesca recently completed her first documentary film. This will be Francesca’s second summer with Putney Student Travel. Last summer she led Putney's Global Awareness in Action program in India. Francesca is proficient in Swahili.

BARRETT MILES: St. Lawrence University, B.A., Environmental Studies, Economics, and African Studies. At St. Lawrence, Barrett was active in the Outdoor Program as a student guide and was president of the Outing Club. His enthusiasm for the outdoors has led him to paddle numerous Canadian rivers in the southern James Bay watershed. Barrett participated in St. Lawrence’s Kenya Semester Program, during which time he joined a Kenya Marine and Fisheries research team studying tropical mangrove ecosystems. After graduation from St. Lawrence, Barrett worked on a dude ranch in Dubois, Wyoming. Since then, he has been a draftsman for a small civil engineering firm in Victor, Idaho, where he skis in his free time. Barrett is proficient in Kiswahili.

Tanzania - Group C

KATIE GAUTHIER: St. Lawrence University, B.A., Government and African Studies. Katie was first introduced to East Africa on the Kenya Semester Program, where she concluded her semester with an independent study on Swahili culture and religion on the island of Lamu. At Saint Lawrence, Katie captained the Women’s Varsity Lacrosse team, and worked in the summer as a camp counselor and assistant soccer camp director in the Adirondacks. After graduation Katie spent two years working in higher education. Currently, Katie is a Master’s student at the University of Oregon in International Studies. When her nose is not in the books you can find her exploring the Oregon Coast, rock climbing, or learning to salsa dance. This will be Katie’s third summer leading a Putney Community Service program in Tanzania. Katie is proficient in Swahili.

JAMES IVASKA: University of Illinois M.S., B.S. highest honors in Kinesiology minoring in African Studies. James was born in Nakuru, Kenya where he lived for 4 years with his family. He has returned numerous times to visit family friends. At the University of Illinois, James studied the migration of African soccer players in relation to issues of Diaspora. He was a Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellow through the African Studies department allowing him to study Kiswahili. He also worked for the University teaching a number of classes in the Kinesiology department. James enjoys playing volleyball and soccer, and camps whenever he gets the chance. He is proficient in Kiswahili.

Tanzania - Group D

SAJANA BLANK: St. Lawrence University, B.A., Global Studies. Growing up Sajana spent her summers traveling through New England as an aerialist performer in Circus Smirkus; an international youth circus based in Vermont. At St. Lawrence, she was actively involved in the SLU Dance Team. She was president of SLU Oxfam, and a dedicated member of Amnesty International. Sajana was adopted from Calcutta, India, when she was three months old. Her first opportunity to return to her native country was as a high school student attending the World Social Forum in Mumbai. While at St. Lawrence she had the opportunity to travel and study in Kenya twice and most recently spent a semester abroad in India. Sajana’s experience teaching dance and acrobatics to youth in Nairobi’s informal settlements motivated her to pursue research towards her senior honors thesis. She returned to Nairobi in January 2007 to attend the World Social Forum and conduct fieldwork on the plight of underprivileged girls. She continued her research during her semester abroad in India the following fall. Sajana is proficient in Kiswahili.

JOSEPH MILLER: DePauw University. B.A., Biology. Joseph was first introduced to East Africa in 2001 through the School for International Training's Wildlife Ecology and Conservation semester abroad in Tanzania. He returned to Arusha the following summer as a volunteer with Aang Serian Peace Village, an indigenous rights organization, where he facilitated a course on 'Globalization and Indigenous Knowledge'. In 2006 Joseph embarked on a 6 month journey to Tanzania, traveling to remote areas of the country less traveled by tourists. He is currently pursuing an Master’s degree in Geography as a Kiswahili Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellow at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His research examines the intersection of community-based wildlife management, conservation policy, and social development in Northern Tanzania. Joseph spends his free time reading, playing guitar, long boarding, and hiking with his dog. This will be his second summer with Putney Student Travel. He led a Community Service program in Tanzania in 2007. Joseph is fluent in Kiswahili.

Vietnam - Group A

EILEEN VO: University of Toronto, B.A, East Asian Studies with honors. Eileen is currently a PhD student in the East Asian Literature Department at Cornell University where she is studying Vietnamese culture and history through film and literature. Having studied and lived in Vietnam for approximately two years, Eileen has become familiar with the country where she was born and lived until the age of four. During college, Eileen studied abroad in Vietnam for a year where she studied language and Han-Nom, Vietnamese demotic script. After graduation she returned to Vietnam and worked as a Sales and Operation Manager for a leading shoe brand, Gosto, where her responsibilities included consulting brand image and establishing the company’s sales and operation policies. She also taught English as a second language to overseas Koreans in Vietnam and local Vietnamese. Eileen loves to travel and has traveled throughout the Asia-Pacific region. She is fluent in Vietnamese.

ANDREW KITCHELL: Duke University, B.A., History. While at Duke, Andrew focused his studies on history, philosophy, science, math, and writing. He spent a semester traveling with his twin brother to the northern reaches of Mongolia to meet with the Tsaatan, the 'Reindeer People', before descending through China by bike, reaching Vietnam and spending three weeks exploring the country and touring the demilitarized zone. Upon returning to Duke, he created an independent study focusing on the viability of nomadic cultures in modern society. Since graduation, Andrew has worked as a bike and kayak guide in the San Juan Islands of Washington were he paddled with Killer Whales and lectured on marine ecology between paddle strokes. Now, Andrew lives in San Francisco and is beginning a career in the field of renewable energy. Andrew enjoys cooking and bread making, rock climbing, biking, and learning through experience and interaction.

Vietnam - Group B

SARAH TA: University of Houston, B.S., Consumer Sciences and Merchandising. As a Vietnamese American whose family was fortunate enough to come to the United States in 1994 through the Orderly Departure Program, Sarah has identified her life's dream of working toward building a better future for her motherland. With expertise in Vietnamese language and marketing, she was offered the opportunity to work with the Queensland Australian Department of Education to establish the first fully foreign-owned English School in Vietnam. In her free time, Sarah enjoys travelling, volunteering at a children’s hospital, and providing free English tutoring to Thai Buddhist Monks at a temple. This spring Sarah served for a month as a volunteer through Global Volunteer Network to the DaNang and Quang Ngai regions of Central Vietnam to teach English to Vietnamese orphans and disabled children. She is fluent in Vietnamese.

JAMES CUTLER: Loyola College, B.A., Economics & B.A., Philosophy and Political Science. At Loyola, James received a Presidential Scholarship, volunteered in inner-city Baltimore, and was a member of the College’s ice hockey team. During his junior year, he studied international trade and economics, Thai history and politics, and Buddhism at Assumption University of Thailand in Bangkok. While abroad he also volunteered teaching English at a local elementary school and traveled extensively throughout South East Asia. After graduation, James returned to Thailand to teach at Assumption University as an English professor, and also worked part-time at a government high school. He has traveled to Cambodia, China, England, France, India, Indonesia, Laos, Maldives, Malaysia, Nepal, Scotland, Switzerland, and Thailand.
 

Global Awareness in Action

Yale Program Director

DIEGO MERINO: Indiana University, B.A., Religious Studies & B.M. Jazz Studies, Phi Beta Kappa. After college, Diego joined Teach for America and taught for two years in a Mexican immigrant neighborhood of Chicago. He then spent a year in Mexico as a researcher, educator, and translator for nonprofit organizations dedicated to analyzing the impacts of globalization on Mexico's rural and indigenous populations. Diego then moved to New York and spent a year as Dean at a college preparatory charter school for low-income students of color. Now, he continues his solidarity and social-justice work at American Jewish World Service, supporting grassroots organizations in Latin America to promote human rights and sustainable development. This will be Diego's fifth summer with Putney. In addition to his work as an instructor on Putney's Excel Madrid/Barcelona program, Diego has been closely involved with the Global Action program since its inception, leading the first Global Action program to El Salvador in 2005 and serving as Yale Program Director in 2006 and 2007. He is fluent in Spanish.

Yale Program Assistant Director

MELISSA EXTEIN: Yale University, B.A., Rutgers University, Psy.D. Candidate. While at Yale, Melissa focused on counseling as both a peer and resident counselor and co-founded the College Resource Center for New Haven high school students. After graduating, she worked in New York City as an art teacher and assistant camp director. Melissa is now an advanced doctoral candidate in Organizational Psychology at Rutgers University, where she received a Center for Research on Emotional Intelligence in Organizations Fellowship. While at Rutgers, she has published work in the Educational Psychologist, lectured on emotional intelligence, and worked as an organizational consultant, focusing on education, the arts, and nonprofits. A love of travel has led Melissa to study in both Spain and Brazil, and to backpack throughout South America. Last year, her international and social justice interests brought her to the American Jewish World Service, where she has since been supporting grassroots organizations in Southeast Asia through grant making. Melissa spent three months in Thailand consulting to EarthRights International, an NGO that defends the environment and human rights. Melissa first came to Putney Student Travel as a student on the France, Holland, and England program. She has since spent six summers as a Putney leader with Excel Madrid/Barcelona, Cuba, and Amherst, as well as with Cultural Exploration Thailand/Cambodia. Besides traveling, Melissa enjoys dance, rock climbing, and gardening. She is fluent in Spanish and proficient in Portuguese.

Public Health

Malawi

MELAINA SPITZER: Brown University, B.A. History of Divided Societies. Melaina began working with high school students in 2003 running dialogue programs for Cypriot and Northern Irish teens at the School for International Training. Deeply impressed by the potential teens had to build peace in their communities, she spent the following summer in Cyprus facilitating a youth peace program and making a documentary. After graduating from Brown, Melaina became a freelance radio journalist with NPR, the BBC, and PRI. She also founded her own consulting practice, Media for Social Change, helping nonprofits like Oxfam America improve their advocacy campaigns through the use of new media. Melaina first visited Southern Africa during her senior year at Brown to attend a symposium on conflict resolution in Cape Town. She returned in 2006 to create a multimedia website documenting HIV/AIDS prevention in Zambia (http://hivaids.righttoplay.com.) Melaina currently produces for the national public radio program The World, and teaches a university class on Arab-Western relations. Her students are Egyptian, Jordanian, American, Palestinian, Turkish, and Wabanaki. Melaina has traveled throughout Africa, The Balkans, Latin America, and Europe. She is fluent in Italian.

JOE COLLING: University of Minnesota-Duluth, B.S., Biology. Joe served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Malawi from 2002-2004 as part of a Community-based Natural Resource Management Project. While in Malawi he worked extensively with women’s groups on various projects including small scale aquaculture, tree nurseries, and beekeeping. Joe has taken interest in the social, environmental, and health issues facing Malawi and its neighbors. He believes integrated agriculture and community involvement can be powerful tools in confronting an array of challenges. Since returning from Malawi, Joe’s experiences include conducting wildlife surveys in the Sierra Nevadas and collecting fisheries management data aboard fishing vessels on the Bering Sea. When he’s not at sea, Joe enjoys hiking and camping as well as a good road trip or a day at the ballpark. Joe has traveled extensively throughout Malawi. He is proficient in Chichewa.

Rwanda

MELANIE WATTS: Dartmouth College, B.A., Geography, Women’s Studies, Latin American Studies; M.D., Brown University Medical School. During college Melanie spent time studying Geography in the Czech Republic and Latin American Studies in Chile. In addition to her studies, she worked as a translator and grant writer for a Women’s Health NGO in Santiago, Chile. While at Brown, she headed the International Medicine Interest group. After obtaining her M.D., she spent a year as an Applied Epidemiology Fellow at the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, researching rare infectious diseases such as Rabies and Q Fever. She then completed her Medical Internship at Harvard, working at the Brigham and Women’s and Massachusetts General Hospitals where she worked with Partners in Health. Melanie has worked in Utah as an EMT and also as a professional snowboard instructor. She was the Medical Director of the Upper Valley Wilderness Response Team – a search and rescue organization. Melanie is now living in Oakland, California, completing her Emergency Medicine residency in the urban underserved county hospital. Melanie has traveled extensively in South America, the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. This will be Melanie’s second summer with Putney. She led a Community Service program in Ecuador. Melanie is fluent in Spanish and proficient in French.

MIKE LE CHEVALLIER: Willamette University, BA, cum laude, Religious Studies & French; University of Chicago, MDiv Canidate. During his studies at Willamette, Mike took every opportunity to explore opportunities to learn and serve both at home and abroad. Upon completing his studies, Mike was selected as a Thomas J. Watson Fellow and given funding to explore Africa, focusing on the intersection of the catholic religion and local indigenous cultures. He interviewed priests, sisters, anthropologists, missionaries, catechists, monks and lay people throughout South Africa, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Egypt, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Senegal. Mike’s memories include climbing Kilimanjaro, dancing with dogon people in Mali, dressing wounds at a clinic in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and eating bat soup in Burkina Faso. Mike has spent the past year teaching English to High school students in Nantes, France. Mike enjoys reading, hiking, and travel. He is fluent in French and proficient in Kiswahili.

South Africa

ANNA KNUTSON: University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, B.A., summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, Global Studies and English Literature, minor in French Studies. While in school, Anna studied international human rights, literature, politics, and the culture of southern Africa. She completed her honors thesis on how land reform is manifested in South African politics and literature. She spent five months living, studying, and working in and outside Durban, South Africa, in order to better understand international and grassroots development, as well as social issues such as HIV/AIDS, education, and health care. Throughout college, Anna also worked as a mentor to high school youth, was involved in student government, taught adult ESL classes, and led after-school programs for young African immigrant girls through the MN African Women’s Association. After graduation, Anna joined Teach for America and currently teaches 7th and 8th grade English Language Arts in the New York City public schools. She is also the school’s volleyball coach. Anna speaks basic isiZulu.

THOMAS BETJEMAN: State University of New York at Buffalo, B.A., Philosophy, minor Spanish, Advanced Honors, Most Outstanding Graduate in Philosophy, magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa. Thomas studied abroad in Chile as a Rotary Club scholar. He returned again later to study philosophy at La Universidad Catolica in Santiago. After graduation, Thomas joined the Peace Corps and served as an agricultural extension agent in Mali, West Africa for two years. While in Mali he lived with the Dogon tribe and worked on many community development projects including a millet grinder, a cattle vaccination park, and educational seminars for the local women’s organization. Thomas returned to New York City after completing his Peace Corps Service and worked as a medical interpreter with the African Services Committee in Harlem. In 2006 he returned to Mali for five months as a technical consultant with the Carter Center. He was stationed near the Niger border where he worked alongside a team of Malian doctors and village level health workers for Mali’s National Guinea Worm Eradication Program. Thomas is currently living in New Paltz, New York, where he works as an EMT and as a math tutor. He is applying to medical school where he plans to focus on rural family practice and global public health. Thomas is fluent in Spanish, French, and Dogon.

World Issues

Cambodia

SHANTI SATTLER: Tufts University, B.A., International Relations and Peace and Justice Studies. At Tufts, Shanti developed a deep interest in international conflict resolution and global reconciliation initiatives. During college she worked in Cape Town, South Africa, as a research assistant to a former member of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and completed a senior honors thesis on issues facing war-affected youth in Northern Uganda. She spent a semester of her junior year studying in Valencia, Spain and participating in an educational exchange program in Morocco. She was a member of the International Student Planning Committee for the second Women as Global Leaders conference in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Following her graduation from Tufts, Shanti moved to Southeast Asia. She currently serves as the International Fellow-in-Residence at the International Center for Conciliation office in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, assisting with community-based reconciliation projects with survivors of the Khmer Rouge and with an ongoing dialogue initiative with Cambodian and Vietnamese youth. She is proficient in Spanish and conversational in Khmer.

ANDREW MARANTZ: Brown University, B.A., Religious Studies and Literary Arts with Honors. Andrew spent the first semester of his junior year in Hyderabad, India, where he studied ancient Indian philosophy. He spent the next semester traveling throughout northern India, Thailand, and Japan. He then returned to Brown to continue his studies and to complete his honors thesis, a book-length essay about a prison town in upstate New York. After graduating, Andrew returned to South Asia to work on a cognitive science study at Mount Everest Base Camp in Nepal. He has traveled to Israel, Hong Kong, Morocco, Guatemala, and France. He works as a freelance journalist and lives in Brooklyn, New York.

China

MICHAEL LEVY: Cornell University, B.A., magna cum laude, Philosophy; Columbia University, M.A.T., History. Mike has taught and traveled in Israel, Europe, and China. Most recently, he and his wife completed a tour of duty with the Peace Corps. They were stationed in western China where they taught classes in English and American culture. Mike was also on the Guizhou Provincial basketball team, and earned the nickname "Shaq" despite being only 5'11''. Before joining the Peace Corps, Mike taught U.S. History and American Literature at Moorestown Friends School in New Jersey, and next Fall he will join the faculty at St. Paul's School in New Hampshire. He is highly proficient in Mandarin.

JULIA TONG: Tufts University, B.A., magna cum laude, International Relations. While at Tufts, Julia spent two semesters studying in Beijing and in Hangzhou with the CET and CV Starr-Middlebury programs. During her year abroad she also served as a member of Tuft’s Engineers Without Borders in Tibet, building sustainable infrastructure projects and facilitating educational workshops on village health, sanitation, water quality and technology. Her other volunteer experiences include mentoring recently immigrated Chinese high school students and initiating a series of educational programs on diversity, global resources, and the rise of China and India at Tufts. She has also backpacked extensively through China, photographing minority villages. Julia is fluent in Cantonese and Mandarin.

El Salvador

MELISSA MUNDT: Macalester College, B.A., History and Latin American Studies. Melissa has studied and worked extensively in Latin America, starting with a Human Rights Fellowship from the University of Minnesota to work with indigenous people involved in ecotourism in Oaxaca, Mexico. She spent two years coordinating international volunteers and leading delegations concerned with human rights and sustainable development in Chiapas, Mexico. For the last year and a half she has focused on immigration issues and worked with Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project providing legal services to detained immigrants in Arizona. Melissa is fluent in Spanish.

SHEREEF ZAKI: Bucknell University, B.A., Economics and International Relations, magna cum laude. Shereef was born in Cairo, Egypt, and moved to the United States with his parents as a 2 year old. He traveled back and forth to Egypt to see family throughout his childhood and at 13 went to Australia and New Zealand with People to People Student Ambassadors. During his second year at Bucknell, Shereef was a participant in the Bucknell Brigade, a sustainable community development and service learning trip. He spent a year studying, living, and adventuring in Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil and Chile. Upon returning to Bucknell, Shereef became a leader of the Brigade and guided 20 students through their own service experiences. Currently, Shereef runs the office of International Fundraising at the University of Pennsylvania and volunteers with Kiva microfinancing. He is fluent in both Arabic and Spanish.

India

PAYAL SHAH: Colby College, B.A, cum laude, International Studies, concentrations in International Relations and French; Indiana University, M.S., International and Comparative Education; Indiana University, M.A.. Sociology. During college, Payal studied French and Arabic and conducted research on language education policy and non-formal schools with a Berber community in the High Atlas Mountains. While at Colby, she played lacrosse and was active in community service, volunteering with local middle school youth. She also led week-long hiking orientation trips in the backcountry of Maine. Payal has worked for EF Education, a cultural exchange program; served as an AmeriCorps member coordinating an inner-city literacy program; lived in India for a year as an American India Foundation Fellow working for an Indian education NGO; and conducted research in India for the past two summers. Currently, she is a Ph.D. candidate in International and Comparative Education Policy Studies at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. Her research focuses on gender, education, and development. She will begin her dissertation research in India this fall. Payal is an avid athlete, and greatly enjoys swimming, cycling, running, skiing, and hiking. This will be Payal's second summer with Putney. She led the Community Service program in India in 2005. She is fluent in Gujarati and proficient in Hindi.

DAVID FUENTE: Colby College, B.A. summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, Geology; School of Public and Environmental Affairs – Indiana University, M.S. Environmental Science and MPA. After graduating from Colby, David spent two years at the Center on Philanthropy, first as a Jane Addams-Andrew Carnegie Fellow and then as a research associate and coordinator of the Fellowship program. David is passionate about development in South Asia, with strong interests in land and water management, drinking water and sanitation, and renewable energy. During a year-long fellowship from the American India Foundation, David worked with the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), India’s largest union of women workers. Through his experience with SEWA and various consulting assignments David has traveled to, and worked in, remote areas across northern and southern India. He has trekked in the Himalayas and India’s Eastern Ghatts and led backpacking trips in New England for 3 summers. David is currently an adjunct faculty member at Indiana University’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs and is the coordinator of Indiana University’s Sustainability Initiative. In addition to his time in India, David has traveled extensively throughout Europe and lived in Dunedin, New Zealand.

Madagascar

MAYA MOORE: Georgetown University, B.S. Biology. Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, M.A., Sustainable International Development. During Maya’s junior year in college, she studied in Niamey, Niger, for a semester where she studied West African language, literature and philosophy, djembe drumming, as well as jewelry making with a Toureg nomad. She also worked on an independent project to produce a rap album about AIDS in native languages. Upon graduation, she joined the Peace Corps and served as an environment volunteer for 2 years in northeastern Madagascar. She worked with the Wildlife Conservation Society and their project to conserve the remaining Makira rainforest by teaching sustainable agricultural techniques. After Peace Corps, Maya pursued her interest in sustainable development and conservation at the Heller School at Brandeis. During her second year of study, she worked with the Sustainable Development Foundation in Chiang Mai, Thailand, on a community forestry project. Maya is fluent in French and Malagasy.

JOSEPH BLOCK: North Carolina State University, B.A. Parks Recreation and Tourism Management. After graduation Joseph worked as an assistant manager at a white water rafting company in Copper Hill, Tennessee working with many school groups and managing the staff. He also spent time teaching at Murphy High School in Murphy, North Carolina. In 2006 Joseph joined the Peace Corps in Ambondro, Madagascar. He spent two years working as a volunteer there in the environmental sector. Joseph focused on improving the conservation of Madagascar’s protected areas by reducing natural resource degradation, increasing agricultural production and food security, establishing locally run, sustainable income generating activities, and enhancing the capacity of the Malagasy to effectively manage their land, water, forests, and other natural resources. He worked with relief agencies, NGOs, and coordinated with many locals. Joseph is fluent in Malagasy.

 Language Learning

Argentina Language Learning

NATALIE COLEMAN: Wesleyan University, B.A. Philosophy. Natalie's love for travel began with three Putney programs in her high school summers. She developed that passion after high school, when she took a year to explore New Zealand and the American West with her backpack. While at Wesleyan, Natalie spent eight months living in Valparaiso, Chile, where she attended a local university and was able to continue her studies in philosophy and art, while also participating in local theater productions and working at a hostel. Her interest in Latin America has taken her from Buenos Aires to high mountain passes in the Patagonian Andes, and, later, from Costa Rica to Mexico overland. Apart from travel and her academic pursuits, she enjoys painting, cooking, dancing, playing guitar, and rock climbing. This will be Natalie's second summer leading trips for Putney. Last summer, Natalie led a Putney Community Service program in Costa Rica. She is fluent in Spanish.

ROBERTO FIERRO: University of San Diego, B.A. International Relations; University of Denver Graduate School of International Studies, M.A. International Studies. Growing up in a dual-culture environment gave Roberto a particular appreciation for furthering the expansion of education and the necessity of global awareness. Roberto lived in Tijuana, Mexico, and commuted to San Diego to school every day until college. This dual-culture upbringing provided Roberto with excellent insight into core issues as well as the dedication to provide opportunities to those who lack them. Roberto continues to demonstrate his passion for international education and the development of people and cultures across the globe through his employment at the Center for Teaching International Relations, where he helps promote global awareness and education to K-12 students. This past November Roberto served as the Graduate Assistant for the University of Denver’s Costa Rica Study Abroad Program. Roberto enjoys cooking, taking photographs, and athletic activities, especially basketball, soccer, and yoga. He is fluent in Spanish.

Costa Rica Language Learning – Group A

MICHELLE LEVINSON: Brown University B.A. Latin American Studies. Eager to explore somewhere new, Michelle left Providence after freshman year to travel and live in Central America. She spent six months living and working in the cloud forest in Costa Rica and six months traveling, volunteering, and studying her way through Panama, Nicaragua, and Guatemala. During her senior year at Brown, Michelle studied History, Geography, and Philosophy at the University of Barcelona, Spain. While at Brown, Michelle taught English to Spanish-speaking immigrants, worked as a community organizer, and volunteered as an interpreter at a free medical clinic. Her most recent travels include Morocco and Israel. When at home, Michelle can be found cycling around Rhode Island, throwing frisbees, practicing yoga and meditation, and enjoying locally-grown produce. Michelle is fluent in Spanish and proficient in Catalan.

DANIEL CASE: Rhodes College, B.A. Spanish major, Psychology minor. Daniel has loved Spanish since the first class he took in the 7th grade. Since then he has taken advantage of any opportunity available to pursue this passion. Daniel spent his junior year of college studying language, culture, and history in Granada, Spain. He took classes in Spanish literature, psychology, and second language education while studying flamenco guitar and history on the side. While his academic pursuits have focused on Spain, Daniel has always had a strong interest in Central America and Costa Rica in particular. Daniel's interests include any and everything Spanish, teaching, learning, all sports, history, music, and travel. Daniel is currently teaching Spanish at Providence Day School in Charlotte, North Carolina, in addition to coaching basketball and tennis. This will be his second summer with Putney. Daniel led a Language Learning program in Spain in 2007. He is fluent in Spanish.

Costa Rica Language Learning – Group B

KELLEY THOMAS: University of Puget Sound, B.A. International Political Economy, Minor in English; Oregon State University, M.S. Water Resources Policy and Management. Kelley has traveled to Mexico many times throughout her life with her family, but it was not until her trip to Spain with her high school Spanish class when she was 16 that she finally had the chance to combine education and travel. During college Kelley spent six months with the School for International Training’s program in Buenos Aires, Argentina. While in South America she took this opportunity to travel extensively throughout Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay exploring development issues in rural and urban communities. In addition to her travels in Latin America, Kelley also spent a semester living and studying in Wellington, New Zealand. She has worked for a non-profit water conservation organization in southern Oregon as an Americorps volunteer and as a Teaching Assistant at Oregon State University. Kelley is fluent in Spanish.

MATT KOSTAKIS: McGill University, B.A. Latin American and Caribbean Studies. Matt began speaking Spanish as a child with his Ecuadorian babysitter. After years of study and travel, Matt is still intrigued by the Spanish language and Latin American culture. He worked for three years as a Spanish teacher and foreign language coordinator at Tuxedo Park School in Tuxedo Park, New York. He made his first trip to Costa Rica two years ago, leading a group of middle school students. Ever since, he's been eager to return. Matt is currently traveling and volunteering in South East Asia. His most recent linguistic pursuits include learning basic Jingphaw, while doing social and environmental work with Kachin people from Northern Burma. In his free time, Matt enjoys drawing, diving, hiking, and dancing to tropical rhythms. Matt has studied 6 languages academically and is fluent in Greek and Spanish.

France Language Learning - Group A

ALYSON STOLPMAN: Texas A&M University, B.B.A. Marketing & International Business with a concentration in French and Art History; Florida State University, M.A. History of Art and Architecture. Alyson spent her senior year of college in Strasbourg, France, at L'Institut Européen de Commerce Supérieur studying global marketing. While in France she interned at Le Musée des Beaux Arts and traveled extensively throughout Western and Eastern Europe. Upon her return, Alyson worked as a French teaching assistant and gave private French lessons. While pursuing her Masters degree, Alyson maintained her level of fluency by conducting art historical research in French. Her love for the outdoors coupled with her passion for locally-grown, organic produce brought her to the Happy Goat Farm, an organic farm in upstate New York, where she worked as a farm intern. Alyson subsequently moved to Austin, Texas. Alyson enjoys biking, cooking, gardening, hiking, camping, and yoga. She is fluent in French.

JOHN HULTGREN: Colorado State University, B.A., Political Science & French; M.A., Political Science. During college, John spent a semester in Clermont Ferrand, France, studying French language, culture, and literary history in an intensive immersion program at l'Université Blaise Pascal. In addition to his travels through France, John has traveled extensively through Eastern and Western Europe. He has worked in politics at several levels; serving as a media coordinator on a successful state legislative campaign, as an intern for a State Representative, and as a legislative coordinator for a Washington, DC, political consulting firm. John is currently working on a PhD in Political Science, focusing on international environmental politics. In his free time, he enjoys skiing, jogging, and reading. This will be John's second year leading a French Language Learning program for Putney. He is fluent in French.

France Language Learning - Group B for 8th and 9th Graders

NATALIE WAGNER: University of Oklahoma, B.A. French, summa cum laude, B.A., International and Area Studies, summa cum laude, minor in Spanish; University of Pennsylvania, M. Ed., Urban Education. After high school, Natalie spent a year living in France through a Rotary Student Exchange program. She lived with a French family, attended a French Lycée, and traveled to Rotary Club meetings throughout the region to speak about cultural differences. At the University of Oklahoma, Natalie was very involved in the international community. She was an active member of the French Club and the Pan-American Students Association, worked in the Education Abroad office, and taught English at the Center for English as a Second Language. During college, Natalie spent a semester studying European history at the Université Michel de Montaigne in Bordeaux, France. After graduation, Natalie joined Teach for America and moved to Philadelphia where she now teaches middle school English and Social Studies. She also teaches French to adults at the Alliance Française de Philadelphie. In her free time, Natalie enjoys traveling and dancing. She has traveled extensively in Western Europe, and has taught ballroom dance for five years. Natalie is fluent in French and is proficient in Spanish.

MIKE WOLKING: University of Michigan, B.A. with distinction, Economics and Political Science, minor in French and Francophone Studies; Loyola Marymount University, M. Ed., Elementary Education. While at the University of Michigan, Mike served as a French translator for Freedom House Detroit, wrote for the Michigan Daily, spoke frequently as an Overseas Opportunities Advisor, and developed a lethal offensive arsenal in foosball. His junior year he studied abroad in Geneva, Switzerland, and interned at the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development. He followed up his Swiss excursion with a summer in France, drafting speeches and travel surveys for the U.S. State Department consulate in Brittany. An interest in education led Mike to join Teach for America after college. He obtained a Masters degree in education and currently teaches middle school math, science, and social studies to a group of inspiring students in south Los Angeles, who have joined him for snowboarding, sailing, and camping excursions. Life in Los Angeles has led Mike to begin pursuing Spanish. He most recently spent time studying Spanish and living with a family in Guatemala. In his free time, Mike enjoys the Great Lakes, reading, writing, skiing, snowboarding, discovering new music, and playing just about any sport. Mike is fluent in French and proficient in Spanish.

France Language Learning - Group C

MICHELLE BULGER: Yale University, B.A. French. Michelle first began learning French at age 11 and continued her studies through college where she majored in French. While at Yale, Michelle studied abroad at the Université de Nantes in France where she took courses in translation, classic and modern French literature, and comparative politics. She served as a tutor for undergraduate and graduate students in intermediate and advanced French. She spent four years volunteering at the Connecticut Children's Museum and wrote, directed, and performed in productions for Yale Children's Theater, a nonprofit community-service group. Michelle volunteered with the Red Cross, worked at the Yale admissions office and Yale Alumni Fund, and wrote and photographed for the Yale Herald newspaper. In her summers, Michelle helped coordinate summer book clubs for elementary school children and served as a resident advisor for Georgia's Governor's Honors Program, a six-week summer institute for gifted high-schoolers. Michelle has spent the past year living and working in the Guanacaste province of Costa Rica as a teacher and librarian at Costa Rica Country Day School. She enjoys travel, theater, film, dancing, pilates, and reading. Michelle is fluent in French and Spanish.

STEVEN BUTSCHI: Brown University, B.A. with honors in International Relations and French. During his junior year of college, Steven studied Political Science in Paris at L’Institut d’Études Politiques. After completing his year in France, Steven served as a political intern at the U.S. Consulate in Strasbourg, France. At Brown, Steven worked as a teaching assistant for advanced-level French students and served as a student representative for Brown’s Office of Admission. He was a member of the Brown Daily Herald business staff and completed a senior honors thesis analyzing the 2005 French referendum on the European Constitution. Steven enjoys traveling, biking, swimming, playing tennis and eating macaroons (the French ones). Steven is fluent in French and Spanish, and is currently learning German.

Spain Language Learning - Group A

LAURA LITWILLER: Goshen College, B.A. Spanish and Secondary Education; School for International Training, M.A. Candidate, International Education. Laura has traveled far beyond her Midwestern home of Northern Indiana. Her passion for language, culture, and travel began in college when she studied abroad in Costa Rica and Mexico. Hungry for more, she then traveled through Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. More recently, she spent six weeks in Spain exploring and hiking part of the Camino de Santiago. She spent this past summer in Thailand and Indonesia before beginning her Masters program at the School for International Training in Brattleboro, Vermont. Laura has taught high school Spanish in Chicago and Northern Indiana, English as a Second Language in Venezuela, and urban bicycling in Chicago. She also spent three years as an immigration paralegal and was very involved in the Chicago immigrant community as a volunteer and member of the board of directors of the organization Latinos Progresando. When she has time, she loves to dance, bike, swim, eat, and learn about the world through reading, documentaries, and cultural events. Laura is fluent in Spanish.

TIM CHURCHILL: Princeton University, B.A. History and Latin American Studies. While at Princeton, Tim spent seven months living in Santiago, Chile, where he studied at a Chilean university, volunteered teaching English, and conducted research for his senior thesis on human rights violations in Chile. He rowed for several years on the lightweight crew and was active throughout college in Princeton’s Outdoor Action program, leading backpacking orientation trips and serving as a Leader Trainer and Program Coordinator. He has traveled extensively throughout Latin America and Europe, including a recent trip to complete the Camino de Santiago, a 500-mile walk across northern Spain. In his free time, Tim enjoys reading, traveling, good food, almost all sports, rooting for his beloved World Champion Boston Red Sox, and any and all outdoor activities, including backpacking, hiking, running, skiing, snowshoeing, kayaking, and sailing. This Fall Tim will enter medical school at the University of Pennsylvania. This will be Tim’s second summer with Putney. He led a Community Service program in Costa Rica in 2005. He is fluent in Spanish.

Spain Language Learning - Group C

ELIZABETH LEONARD: Dartmouth College, B.A. cum laude, Government, Minors in Spanish and Art History; University of Pennsylvania Law School, J.D. Candidate. Liz first became passionate about Spain in high school during a month-long homestay in Segovia. She lived in Costa Rica for a semester in college where she continued to pursue her interest in the Spanish language while volunteering at a day care center outside of San José, and teaching English through the YMCA Go Global program. At Dartmouth, Liz served as a teaching assistant for the Spanish Department, interviewed prospective students in the Admissions Office, and interned at the Alumni Relations Office. After graduation, Liz worked as a brand consultant for Young & Rubicam Brands in New York City. After 2 ½ years at Y&R and almost a year of travelling through countries as diverse as Turkey and Cambodia, she decided to pursue a legal career and is currently entering her second year at Penn Law School. At Penn, Liz has focused on immigration and human rights law through clinical work and a trip to Mexico where she investigated human rights violations at the US/Mexico border. She is currently an intern with a public interest law firm in Philadelphia that specializes in ensuring equal access to education and employment opportunities for immigrant communities. Aside from traveling, Liz enjoys all things culinary, the daily New York Times, and vintage shopping. This will be Liz’s third summer with Putney. She led a Language Learning program in Costa Rica in 2004 and a Community Service program in Nicaragua in 2007. She is fluent in Spanish.

TRISTAN REITZ: Purdue University, B.A. Kinesiology with minors in English and Spanish; Indiana University, M.A., Western European Studies. While at Purdue, Tristan lived and studied in Madrid, Spain, at the Universidad Compultense. He focused his academics on Art History at the Prado, and Spanish history and interned at the Olympic Training Center in Madrid. After graduation, he moved to Madrid where he lived for two years teaching English to a wide variety of Spanish students. Tristan's interest in European policy, led him to get his Masters Degree from Indiana University where he studied Spanish Politics, Catalan, and European Foreign Policy. At Indiana University, Tristan was a member of the Opinion Editorial Board for the award winning student newspaper, The Indiana Daily Student. He was also a weekly columnist and a volunteer ESL teacher. In the summer of 2007, Tristan interned at a marketing company in Reus (Catalonia), Spain. In early May, he will participate in his first 18 hour adventure race which combines his favorite sports rock-climbing, running, and cycling. Tristan also enjoys traveling, reading, and writing. He is fluent in Spanish.

Spain Language Learning - Group D for 8th & 9th Graders

SEARCY MILAM: Rice University, B.A. English & Hispanic Studies. Searcy's obsession with Spanish began in the tenth grade when she was fortunate enough to have a wonderful Spanish teacher from Costa Rica. She spent eight months living in Spain during college, spending extensive time in Valencia, Santander, and Salamanca. While in Spain, Searcy studied at La Universidad de Salamanca, Spain's oldest university, and tutored elementary students in English. Searcy has traveled extensively in Europe, Turkey, Central America, and South America. During her senior year in college, she served as Editor-in-chief of Rice's undergraduate literary journal and completed a thesis in both of her majors. Originally from Mississippi, she currently lives in Los Angeles where she works for Teach for America as a middle school ESL teacher. This will be Searcy’s second summer with Putney. In 2007 she led a Language Learning program in Costa Rica. She is fluent in Spanish.

KATHERINE FERRO: University of Notre Dame, B.A. cum laude, Spanish Literature and Economics. Katie’s interest in Hispanic culture was sparked early on when she had the opportunity to travel to Cuba her junior year of high school. She attended a medicinal plants and indigenous people’s conference in Baracoa, Cuba. During her time there she also traveled to Santiago, Guantanamo Bay, and up into the mountains north of Baracoa to the village of the last indigenous tribe of Cuba to see a medicinal ceremony. During her junior year at the University of Notre Dame, Katie studied abroad in Toledo, Spain. She lived with a family, traveled extensively throughout Spain, and studied Spanish literature at the University in Toledo. Back at Notre Dame, Katie taught English to Hispanic students through the ESL program at the local community center. Katie has worked with children as a volunteer since high school in