Jonathan grew up around Syracuse, New York, leaving at 18 to join the US Air Force. He spent a short career as a Tactical Air Control Party Specialist (TACP) where he deployed three times to Iraq and Afghanistan. After five years in Colorado with the Air Force Jonathan left for Maryland and studied Government and International Relations. He graduated with a Bachelor’s in government from the University of Maryland and received a graduate certificate from the Institute of World Politics in Washington DC in peace building, stability and humanitarian development. Jonathan later completed his Master’s in finance while living remotely in Costa Rica. He fell in love with the country and currently resides there in the mountains near San Isidro with his wife and three kids. Jonathan Is passionate about playing video games and loves to study history. He enjoys running, hiking, and enjoying the sun and air in Costa Rica.
Learn more in our interview with Jonathan.
How long have you been working with Rustic Pathways?
I began working with Rustic Pathways in February of 2024.
What do you like most about Rustic Pathways?
It is really a joy to see how excited students are about their experiences with Rustic Pathways. I have not yet had the chance to go on a summer program myself but it is obvious how exciting, fun and meaningful the experience is for so many. I love playing a small part in helping students have such a cool and impactful experience.
How did you first go about getting a global perspective?
My first real global perspective came during military tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. For a young man who grew up in the middle class suburbs of upstate New York, going overseas was an experience that changed my outlook on nearly everything.
When you go to other countries and live in the culture, when you see the people and the problems they face, you gain context in your own life that is utterly invaluable. The projects with Rustic Pathways are thankfully not in war zones, but they are designed to give students that context and eye opening experience that will shift how they think about themselves and the world.
Why do you view travel as an essential part of every education?
If you want to make a difference, a subject cannot solely be studied in a book. What will seem like solid knowledge on a subject will usually start to fall apart when you arrive at a place you have studied and you begin to realize the complex realities of the issue on the ground.
The problems facing humans are plentiful and varied around the world. Travel will not only give you context in your life but it will make these issues real for you. It is easy to ignore everything when you have only experienced it in a book or on television. The impact of a genuine experience on the ground will unavoidably show you that the problem is real and it is experienced by people every day. Travel grows your empathy and your compassion and it brings a tangible quality to something that cannot be achieved through study.
What makes you proud to work at Rustic Pathways?
I am a believer in the Vision of Rustic Pathways. The Vision is to help create a world that makes travel a part of every education to show that all people are connected by a shared humanity. To help in creating a future where all decisions can be made with a global perspective. We share this planet and many of the important problems we face are global issues. The more students can travel the more compassionate people we will hopefully have in the world.
The other reason I am personally proud to work here is that I can see our entire team believes in the importance of our mission and are truly motivated every day to make that experience as fun, relaxed, safe and impactful as possible for the students who travel with us.
Read more about the Rustic Pathways team. Learn about Rustic Pathways summer programs.