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The Rustic Pathways Team

The Rustic Pathways Team

Need Help? Contact the Right Team:

School trips or group travel → Anna Beckerman (Head of School Group Travel), Patrick Ziemnik, or Matija Paunovski
Enrolling your teen in a program → Scott Ingram (Director of Admissions), Emily Green, or any Personal Travel Advisor
Parent questions or support → Personal Travel Advisors
Any issues or urgent matters → Kayla Anzalone 

General inquiries: Call us at 440-975-9691 or email rustic@rusticpathways.com

Learn more: Our mission • Our impact • Our vision

Rustic Pathways employs 30 full-time headquarters staff and 300+ seasonal local staff across 38 countries. Since 1983, this team has guided 155,829 students through transformative travel experiences.

What sets Rustic Pathways staff apart: One staff member for every 4.37 students ratio (more than 2x better than the ACA’s 10:1 teen overnight standard), 80+ hours of training per staff member, and a 4-month vetting process that includes background checks, CPR, and First Aid certification (40% of leaders also hold Wilderness First Responder certification). 92% of program staff are local to their countries and embedded community members who live and work in these places year-round.

Leadership

Scott Ingram

Director of Admissions

Scott helps families find teen travel programs and gap year programs at Rustic Pathways. His global teaching and experiential education experience shapes how he matches students with life-changing adventures that connect personal growth learning with real-world impact.

Scott joined Rustic Pathways in 2018

See Scott’s Profile Page

 

Anna Beckerman

Head of School Group Travel

Anna leads educational travel partnerships with 321 schools worldwide at Rustic Pathways. Her experiences from Beijing exchange student to leading programs across six continents shape how she creates school group travel experiences that connect students with authentic learning.

 

Anna joined Rustic Pathways in 2010

See Anna’s Profile Page

Kayla Anzalone

Director of Parent Experience & Portugal Operations

Kayla leads parent partnerships at Rustic Pathways, ensuring families feel supported before, during and after their student’s travel journey. A Bay Area native and SJSU graduate, she combines her passion for global adventure with helping parents discover how travel shapes their teens’ growth and worldview.

Kayla joined Rustic Pathways in 2020

See Kayla’s Profile Page

Dr. William R. Smith

Medical Director

Dr. Will Smith is the Rustic Pathways Medical Director and a board-certified emergency medicine physician with more than 20 years of wilderness medicine experience. Dr. Smith holds the rank of Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve and practices emergency medicine in Jackson, Wyoming.

Dr. Smith designed Rustic Pathways’ medical protocols and oversees the health and safety infrastructure across all 38 countries. He has participated in Rustic Pathways programs to Kilimanjaro, Fiji, and the Dominican Republic, field-testing protocols alongside students and staff.

Dr. Smith joined Rustic Pathways in 2015

See Dr. Will Smith’s Profile Page

Patrick Ziemnik

Training and Development Manager

Patrick leads U.S. Group Travel sales at Rustic Pathways. His experience directing teen travel programs in Tanzania, Mongolia and Costa Rica—combined with his Harvard education and outdoor expertise—helps him match schools with transformative travel experiences.

 

Patrick joined Rustic Pathways in 2012

See Patrick’s Profile Page

Emily Green

Admissions Counselor

Emily matches students with gap year and teen travel programs at Rustic Pathways. She evaluates applications, interviews candidates and guides families through enrollment using her own international experience as a Program Leader to help teens find the right personal growth adventures.
 

Emily joined Rustic Pathways in 2022

Team

Gabrielle Alquinga Acosta

Personal Travel Advisor

Gabby supports families through their Rustic Pathways journey. She brings experience from 23 countries and humanitarian work in Russia to help students prepare for their adventures.
 

Gabby joined Rustic Pathways in 2022

Amy Au

South Korea Operations

Amy leads South Korea operations for Rustic Pathways, overseeing program development, retail sales and the Seoul office. She drives strategic growth in the Korean market.

 

Amy joined Rustic Pathways in 2025

Anya Buyan-Erdene

Mongolia Country Manager

Anya leads Rustic Pathways operations in Mongolia, bringing students into her homeland. A graduate of Ikh Zasag International University with NGO experience across 21 Mongolian provinces, she teaches students to honor the land and communities they visit.

Anya joined Rustic Pathways in 2018

Janette Daneshmand

Social Media Manager

Janette Daneshmand manages Rustic Pathways’ social media presence across all platforms. She creates content that showcases student transformations and program highlights to connect families through storytelling.
 

Janette joined Rustic Pathways in 2021

Leigh Distajo

Personal Travel Advisor

Leigh enrolls students in Rustic Pathways programs. She leverages customer service expertise from leading teams of 20+ and retaining clients across four countries to guide families through program selection, answer questions, and ensure smooth enrollment processes.

 

Leigh joined Rustic Pathways in 2025

John Hsu

Director, Climate Leaders Fellowship 

John is the co-Founder of Climate Leaders Fellowship, an innovative global service and leadership development program for high school students created in partnership between the Stanford Deliberation Lab, Rustic Pathways and The Rustic Pathways Foundation. John was a previously a management consultant with McKinsey & Company, Vice President of Strategy & Innovation at Teach For America and a founding team member of two other education nonprofits, Braven and TEACH.org.

See John’s Profile Page

 

John joined Rustic Pathways in 2020

Ziyoo Hwang

Illustrator

Ziyoo leads illustration at Rustic Pathways. She transforms travel experiences into animations using her Royal College of Art training to capture the wonder of student travel.

 

Ziyoo joined Rustic Pathways in 2024

Candice Jackson

Team Resources Manager

Candice leads Human Resources at Rustic Pathways, managing staff onboarding, benefits, and professional development. She ensures every team member has the support and resources they need to create exceptional student travel experiences.

 

Candice joined Rustic Pathways in 2017

Keegan Kennedy

Southeast Asia Regional Manager

Keegan leads program operations across Southeast Asia for Rustic Pathways. He has deep Thailand expertise, fluency in Thai and Lao, and deep cultural knowledge to ensure every program.

 

Keegan joined Rustic Pathways in 2016

 See Keegan’s Profile Page

Ben Kruger

Program Leader & Digital Marketer

Ben is a former safari guide and English teacher turned digital marketer. He helps maintain Rustic Pathways’ online presence and writes and edits content for the website. Drawing on his background in the tourism industry, Ben has  a unique understanding of travelers’ needs and interests.

Ben joined Rustic Pathways in 2025

Heather Love

Personal Travel Advisor

Heather manages program logistics and shipping at Rustic Pathways. She makes sure every travel document reaches families on time and student data flows smoothly using her Psychology background and Rustic alumni experience to support perfect pre-departure preparation.

 

Heather joined Rustic Pathways in 2016

Matija Paunovski

Director - School Partnerships

Matija develops custom group travel programs for European and Asian schools. Matija partners with educators to design and launch experiences from initial concept through final itinerary.

Matija joined Rustic Pathways in 2012

Danielle Sandland

Personal Travel Advisor

Dani supports families throughout their Rustic Pathways journey. She handles inquiries, resolves issues, and ensures every parent and student has a smooth experience from enrollment through post-trip—focusing on service excellence that drives referrals.

 

Dani joined Rustic Pathways in 2024

Heeju Seo

South Korea Program Coordinator

Heeju coordinates South Korea operations for Rustic Pathways. She supports program delivery, manages influencer partnerships and retail sales and runs the Seoul office ensuring smooth operations while building relationships in the South Korean market.

 

Heeju joined Rustic Pathways in 2025

Quintin Willekens

Program Leader & Sustainability Expert

Quintin shapes sustainable student travel at Rustic Pathways. Quintin has firsthand experience in 20+ countries, eight years in South Korea and a Business Sustainability degree from ASU with honors.

 

Quintin joined Rustic Pathways in 2024

Teryn Williams

Personal Travel Advisor

Teryn matches students with student travel programs at Rustic Pathways and leads programs in Italy, Greece, Germany and Hawaii. Teryn brings firsthand cultural immersion experience to help teens find their perfect adventures.
 

Teryn joined Rustic Pathways in 2023

Former Rustic Pathways Team Members

Alumni Who Shaped Rustic Pathsays

Since the company’s founding in Australia in 1983, exceptional team members have built Rustic Pathways into a transformative teen travel company. These former staff members contributed their expertise, passion, and vision. While they’ve moved on to new adventures, their impact continues.

Note: Links preserved for select alumni profiles below.

Chris Stakich – Former CEO