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Program Leaders Overview | Leadership Philosophy | Hiring Process
Meet the Mentors Who Make Rustic Transformative
With over 300 seasonal staff members helping students travel to 20+ countries, our Program Leaders are the passionate educators, adventurers, and cultural ambassadors who create life-changing experiences. More than half return each year, bringing increased expertise and deeper connections to the communities we serve. Read their stories, understand their backgrounds, and discover what drives the people behind every Rustic Pathways program.
Curious how we select and train our Program Leaders? Explore our hiring and leadership philosophy
Featured Leader Stories
Mat Millard
Australia – Epic Outback Specialist Kulpara, South Australia
Mat led our Seven Wonders program until 2011 and has since led programs in numerous countries, including two gap semesters. He’s down to earth with heaps of experience and a huge passion for traveling, specifically learning and exploring while teaching the next generation about different cultures around the world. His deep knowledge of the Australian Outback and genuine approach to leadership make him a student favorite.
Yusos Sles
Cambodia – Access to Education Program Leader Kampong Chhnang, Cambodia
Full of energy and always smiling, Yusos is the first one to the project site and the last one to leave. Born in a small Cham village outside of Kampong Chhnang, he now resides in Phnom Penh where he is a recent graduate of Royal University of Law and Economics. Yusos enjoys traveling, seeing new things, and meeting new people. He has traveled to the United States, Australia, and all around Southeast Asia with Rustic. He especially loves meeting new students and showing them around his country.
Hailey Savage
China – Panda Conservation Specialist Waitsfield, Vermont
Raised in ten locations across the United States and Canada and adopted at a mature age, Hailey grew up curious and able to adapt to new surroundings. A volunteer trip to China to work with giant pandas when she was 12 drove her to learn Chinese and focus on international education. Hailey has led Rustic programs in China and Australia, lived in Shanghai for a year, and backpacked by herself through Europe. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in East Asian Studies from Columbia University and works as a part-time professional dog walker in New York City.
Cristian Arce Valverde
Costa Rica – Turtle Conservation Project Leader Cartago, Costa Rica
Cristian has worked with Rustic Pathways since 2015. He has a degree in Ecotourism from the University of Costa Rica. Since he was a child, Cristian has been passionate about nature and ecology. He also enjoys spending time traveling and discovering new places in his own country. As a tourism professional, Cristian is always excited to explore new cultures and meet new people.
Individual Leader Profiles
Featured Stories
- Allison Kuney – Thailand & Southeast Asia Programs
- David Mota De La Parra – Costa Rica & Latin America Specialist
- Halle Alberto Jackson – Peru & Andes Programs
- Max Veenema – Fiji & South Pacific Adventures
Leaders by Region
Southeast Asia
Richard Cross – Thailand
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Leading: Life on the Margin
Originally from the UK, Richard worked on programs for young people in Switzerland, Hawaii, the Amazon, and across Southeast Asia. He has a degree in social science and geography from Cardiff University and is interested in deepening his understanding of international social issues.
Theresa Brecker – Thailand
Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
Leading: Ricefields, Monks, and Smiling Children; Intro to Community Service; Come With Nothing: The Mekong Expedition
United States-born but Amazon jungle living, Theresa loves dancing, nature, and meeting new people. Between summers leading programs in Costa Rica and now Thailand, Theresa teaches English in Colombia through Fulbright.
Wang Hong Yen (Karen) – China
Beijing, China
Leading: Panda Conservation and Wild China; Chinese Language Immersion
Karen has been an amazing program leader for Rustic Pathways for the past four years. From Hubei Province, she’s made her home in Beijing with her husband and daughter. Karen loves leading Rustic programs for the opportunity to explain her culture to students from around the world.
Sothea Aom – Cambodia
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Leading: Off the Map: Cambodia
Born in a small village south of Phnom Penh, Sothea graduated from Cambodia’s National University of Management. Prior to joining Rustic Pathways in 2012, he worked for an NGO supporting children in indigent communities and now serves as our Community Impact Manager.
Mai Mao Yang – Laos
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Leading: Sticky Rice Service Adventure
Born in Thailand and raised in Minnesota, Mai Mao is an outdoor enthusiast and active community member advocating for human rights and women’s rights. She’s a big believer that kindness is contagious.
Olivia Nordling – Laos
Jörlanda, Sweden
Leading: Wonders of Laos
An avid nature and animal lover, Olivia enjoys being around people from different cultures and loves learning new languages and traveling around the world.
Thein Than Aung – Myanmar
Inle Lake, Myanmar
Leading: Documenting Democracy
Aung’s famous smile and laid-back attitude make him a favorite among both staff and students. He previously worked at a five-star hotel in his hometown of Inle Lake, where he serves as our regional specialist.
Latin America
Adrián González Navarro – Dominican Republic
Cartago, Costa Rica
Leading: Life in the Bateyes
Adrián is a tourist guide from Costa Rica working his fourth summer with Rustic. He has a degree in tourism management and also studied gastronomy. He is passionate about sustainability and volunteers with animals rescue centers and environmental organizations.
Hunter Cortelyou Smith – Dominican Republic
Fort Collins, Colorado
Leading: Life in the Bateyes
Hunter joined Rustic as a program leader in 2006. A former firefighter and EMT since age 17, Hunter worked for the Bureau of Land Management and National Park Service before returning to Rustic as a full-time program leader in Latin America.
Jasmine Hardy – Costa Rica
Meriden, New Hampshire
Leading: Summer Camp Leadership in Costa Rica
An educator and adventurer who loves spending time outdoors, losing herself in good books, and preparing all kinds of foods. A former basketball player, she now enjoys exploring new trails while training for ultra-marathons.
Hannah Schulte – Peru
Delray Beach, Florida
Leading: Off the Map: Peru
A Florida native with a bachelor’s in linguistics and master’s in speech-language pathology. After teaching English in Italy, she led programs for two summers in Costa Rica before joining Team Peru.
Max Carine – Peru
Killington, Vermont
Leading: Off the Map: Peru and Sacred Valley Service
Eight years ago, Max quit his job as an emergency medical technician to go play outside. He now patrols the slopes of Killington Ski Resort in Vermont all winter and works in outdoor education during the summer.
South Pacific
Jon Kroeck – Australia
Balaclava, Victoria, Australia
Leading: Seven Wonders of Australia, Epic Outback, Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve Project
While finishing his Masters in International Sustainable Tourism, Jon likes to spend his free time exploring nature. He grew up in Northern California and through Rustic has been able to discover many cultures while gaining more appreciation for his own.
Sarunas Genys – Fiji
Panevezys, Lithuania
Leading: Sun, Sand, and International Service
Sarunas has enjoyed participating in experiential education in China, Fiji, and the United States. He believes intercultural dialogue has the power to bring students and cultures together to solve pressing issues of our time.
Hollie Wolfinger – Fiji
Findlay, Ohio
Leading: Sun, Sand, and International Service; Big Fiji Explorer
Exceptionally passionate about the education side of service. When not working with Rustic, she loves hiking, biking, and playing with her Siberian husky. Hollie is passionate about art, music, and adult coloring books.
Caitlin Morrison – Multiple Pacific Programs
Newport Beach, California
Previously led in Fiji and Australia. An avid day-venturer who adores sea otters and slightly underdone cookies. Has extensive travel experience from working on Disney Cruise Lines and studying abroad in Sweden.
Africa
Jackson Paul – Tanzania
Karatu, Tanzania
Leading: Culture and the Crater
Always full of energy and entertaining students with jokes and stories, Jackson is an invaluable member of our Tanzania team. Using his knowledge of the region, he constantly looks for ways to innovate and improve experiences for students and communities.
Emma Ramirez – Tanzania
Yosemite, California
Leading: African Wildlife Conservation
A naturalist by nature, Emma is an outdoor educator who loves getting to know new places and people. She’s worked for Rustic the past three summers in different regions. When not hiking, Emma loves sea kayaking, snorkeling, and wood burning.
Khadija Sadik – Morocco
Marrakesh, Morocco
Leading: Moroccan Wanderer
A Ph.D. student majoring in mathematics with a passion for education. Born in Casablanca but has lived most of her life in Marrakesh. In her free time, Khadija enjoys learning foreign languages, watching documentaries, and hiking.
Juanita Riveros Villamizar – Morocco
Paris, France
Leading: Moroccan Wanderer
Born and raised in Colombia, Juanita is passionate about cross-cultural learning and global diversity. In addition to Spanish, she speaks English, French and Portuguese. Optimistic and charismatic, a smile never leaves her face.
South Asia
Jerel Cutia – India & Nepal
John Day, Oregon
Leading: Service in the Clouds; Himalayan Village Service
When not working for Rustic, Jerel works as an environmental educator in Oregon. An active basketball player and outdoor enthusiast, he also enjoys video games, reading, and making music.
Caitlin Morrison – Nepal
Newport Beach, California
Leading: Yeti Expedition
This is Caitlin’s third summer with Rustic, bringing her adventure spirit and love of the outdoors to high-altitude programs in the Himalayas.
Other Regions
Anya Buyan-Erdene – Mongolia
Bayanzurkh, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Leading: Off the Map: Mongolia
An avid learner who believes every chance to travel is a vital learning opportunity. Always seeking to learn about diversity of people, history, culture, and nature.
R.J. Partington III – Mongolia
Southampton, New York
Leading: Off the Map: Mongolia
Has led programs with Rustic for five years, including gap year semesters in Southeast Asia. Has traveled to more than 35 countries with eight visits to India. Grew up in a solar house on an animal farm.
Katie Bailey – Cuba & Morocco Photography
Raleigh, North Carolina
Leading: Intro to Photography in Cuba; Advanced Photography Workshop in Morocco
A photojournalist who has spent summers with Rustic in Costa Rica and Southeast Asia since 2016. Has a degree in global studies from UNC Chapel Hill.
Lukas Keapproth – Cuba
Chicago, Illinois
Leading: Intro to Photography in Cuba
An award-winning independent editorial photographer whose work has appeared in TIME Magazine, The Washington Post, USA Today, and ESPN Magazine. An avid cyclist and craft beer lover.
Christine Collins – United States
Fleischmanns, New York
Leading: Off the Map: Alaska
An avid traveler who has lived out of the country almost as much as in the United States. Works in experiential education and is equally happy in NYC as in a tent in the middle of nowhere.
Malik Blue – United States
Malden, Massachusetts
Leading: Race in America
A university study abroad advisor who supports students preparing for international experiences. Joining Team USA after leading programs in Cuba and Thailand.
What Makes a Great Program Leader?
Core Qualities We Seek
Cultural Humility Understanding that every community has wisdom to share, great leaders facilitate learning rather than lecturing. They model respectful curiosity and help students move beyond stereotypes.
Adaptive Leadership When plans change — weather, logistics, group dynamics — exceptional leaders pivot smoothly while maintaining program quality. They see challenges as learning opportunities.
Emotional Intelligence Reading group dynamics, supporting struggling students, and celebrating quiet victories requires deep empathy. Our best leaders create space for every student to shine.
Safety Mindset Beyond certifications and protocols, great leaders anticipate risks and create environments where students can challenge themselves within appropriate boundaries.
Leader Development Pathways
Growing With Rustic
Many Program Leaders build long-term careers with Rustic Pathways, progressing through:
- Assistant Program Leader – Supporting experienced leaders while learning systems
- Program Leader – Leading programs independently with full responsibility
- Senior Program Leader – Mentoring new leaders, designing program elements
- Country Manager – Overseeing multiple programs and leader development
- Country Director – Strategic leadership for entire country operations
Alumni Leaders
Some of our most impactful Program Leaders are Rustic alumni who return to give back. They bring unique perspective having experienced programs as students first.
“As a student, Rustic showed me what I was capable of. As a leader, I get to create that same discovery for others.” – Alumni Program Leader
Leadership Philosophy
The Rustic Approach
Student-Centered, Not Schedule-Driven While maintaining program structure, leaders prioritize student needs and learning moments over rigid timelines. The best experiences often emerge from unexpected conversations or spontaneous cultural exchanges.
Process Over Product Leaders focus on the journey rather than destinations. A successful service project isn’t measured just by work completed but by student growth, community connections, and mutual understanding developed.
Challenge By Choice Creating environments where students feel supported to try new things while respecting individual comfort levels. Leaders celebrate effort and growth over achievement.
Testimonials from Students
“My leaders didn’t just show us places; they helped us understand them. They turned every moment into a chance to learn about the world and ourselves.”
“When I was struggling with homesickness, my Program Leader helped me see it as strength, not weakness — caring deeply about home while being brave enough to explore.”
“The way our leaders interacted with local communities taught me more about respect and cultural exchange than any textbook could.”
Testimonials from Parents
“The Program Leaders’ daily updates showed not just what my daughter was doing, but how she was growing. Their attention to each student’s individual journey was remarkable.”
“When my son had an asthma episode, the leaders handled it with such professionalism and care. Their training was evident, but so was their genuine concern.”
Join Our Global Team
We’re Always Looking for Exceptional Leaders
If these stories inspire you and you’re ready to make a difference in students’ lives, we want to hear from you.
Ideal Candidates Have:
- Passion for youth development and education
- Cross-cultural experience and language skills
- Outdoor or medical certifications (or willingness to obtain)
- Flexibility, humor, and endless patience
- Commitment to safety and student growth
Explore Program Leader opportunities
Why Their Stories Matter
Every Program Leader brings a unique background, perspective, and approach to their work. This diversity enriches our programs and ensures every student finds mentors who resonate with their journey.
When students see leaders from various cultures living purposeful, adventurous lives, it expands their vision of what’s possible. Leaders model that success has many definitions and that following your passion while serving others creates deep fulfillment.
These testimonials represent just a fraction of our global team. Behind every Rustic program are dedicated individuals who’ve chosen to invest their talents in developing the next generation of global citizens.
Inspired by these stories? Ready to experience Rustic leadership firsthand?
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