Rustic Pathways employs 30 full-time headquarters staff and 300+ seasonal program leaders across 38 countries. Since 1983, this team has guided 155,829 students through transformative travel experiences. What sets Rustic staff apart: a verified 4.37:1 staff-to-student ratio (83% better than industry standards), 80+ hours of training per leader, and a 4-month vetting process that includes background checks, CPR, First Aid and wilderness medicine certification. 92% of program staff are local to their countries and embedded community members who live and work in these places year-round.
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
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
Anna Beckerman
Head of School Group Travel
Anna leads educational travel partnerships with 400+ 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
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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.