FIELD STAFF 2009 VIEW FULL-TIME STAFF
Superior leadership is critical to the success of our programs. Therefore, a great deal of time and care goes into assembling a superb team of leaders in the field. In addition to being warm, bright, compassionate, energetic, creative and competent, each leader also has extensive experience working with high school students. Global Routes leaders must be at least 24 years of age, certified in CPR and First Aid, have far-reaching travel experience and complete Global Routes' intensive training program. Our highest priority is sustaining excellence in leadership. It is with great pleasure that we offer you our 2009 leaders.
BELIZE
Jane Sarouhan See Full-time Staff
COSTA RICA
Selby Abraham M.Ed., Lesley University; B.A., Psychology & Spanish, Tufts University, magna cum laude. California First teaching credential. Campus director of a California Citizen School. Studied, worked, volunteered and traveled through India and Latin America, including Chile, Argentina, and Ecuador. Fluent in Spanish and conversant in Malayalam. Enjoys playing ultimate frisbee, hiking, dancing salsa, and running through the hills of San Francisco. Two seasons with Global Routes.
Corry Banton M.A., Service, Leadership and Management, School for International Training; B.A., Education, Antioch College. Certified K-9 Teacher. Wilderness First Responder. Founding member of Boston Interpreters Collective. Volunteer for the Mexico Solidarity Network. Has studied, worked and volunteered in Mexico, Honduras, Costa Rica, Belize, Brazil and New Zealand. Speaks Spanish and sings in Portuguese. Loves mangoes and her bicycle. Five seasons with Global Routes.
Fabio de Oliveira Coelho Masters Candidate, Linguistics, San Jose State University; B.A., Social Communications/Journalism, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil. TOEFL certified. Former sea kayak guide and environmental science instructor. Traveled throughout Latin America and Europe. Fluent in Portuguese, English and Spanish. Spend free time cooking, talking to friends about changing the world and listening to Brazilian music. Five seasons with Global Routes.
Megan Kelly B.A., Hispanic Studies, Wheaton College, cum laude. Wilderness First Responder and rescue diver. Taught English in Japan and Greece. Led semester-long programs in Central America and the South Pacific. Currently teaching English in The Bahamas. Loves reading, cooking, swimming, scuba diving, karaoke, and dancing. She wants to go to Brazil and learn Portuguese. Two seasons with Global Routes.
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Shannon Aucoin M.A., Teaching of Languages, University of Southern Mississippi, Mexico Program; B.A., Spanish and Communication, University of Massachusetts, Amherst. High school Spanish teacher. Has lived and taught in Costa Rica and traveled throughout Latin America and Europe. Enjoys learning and teaching languages, playing piano and guitar, dancing, and constantly discovering new hobbies. Four seasons with Global Routes.
Priya Chandrasekaran PhD Candidate, Cultural Anthropology, The CUNY Graduate Center; M.F.A., Creative Writing, The New School; M.A. Secondary Education, University of Mississippi; Secondary Education Teaching Credential; B.A., Independent Major, Cornell University, cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. Wilderness First Responder. Former high school teacher and Outward Bound instructor. Studied, worked, volunteered and traveled throughout Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Fluent in Spanish. Loves to read, write, do yoga, run, hike, and eat chocolate. Program Director (one year) and group leader (seven seasons) for Global Routes. ECUADOR
Elise Roberts MSW Candidate, Columbia University, International Social Work and Services to Immigrants and Refugees; B.A., Sociology and Modern American Literature, Macalester College, cum laude. President of the Columbia University Partnership in International Development. Certified Hatha and Ashtanga yoga instructor. Studied and volunteered throughout South and Central America, Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, Europe and the South Pacific. Fluent in Spanish. Loves riding roller coasters, scuba diving and eating good food. Three seasons with Global Routes.
Matt Shamey B.A., Political Science, Grinnell College. Former Grinnell Corps Fellow specializing in educational outreach for a domestic violence center. Currently working in elementary education. High school indoor track and ultimate frisbee coach. Studied, traveled and volunteered throughout Central and South America. Accomplished arborist. Enjoys making maple syrup and working in his salsa garden. Four seasons with Global Routes. 
Mike Sobel B.A., Biology, Reed College. Advanced scuba certified. Former teacher with the Peace Corps in Malawi and former high school teacher at Verde Valley School in Arizona. Led experiential education programs for youadults in India, Nepal, Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines. Enjoys playing the piano, guitar and mandolin, backpacking and writing. Currently taking courses toward a Masters in Buddhist Studies at Maitripa College. Two seasons with Global Routes.GHANA
Laurel Barton M.A., Peace and Conflict Studies, United Nations University for Peace, Costa Rica; B.A., Humanities, Fort Lewis College, Cum Laude. High School History Teacher. Teaching Fellow at Colorado Rocky Mountain School. Kayak instructor and river guide. Studied and worked throughout Central and North America in outdoor education, art education and conflict resolution. Potter and sculptor. Spends free time traveling and being with family and friends. Two seasons with Global Routes. 
Jeff Halvorson B.A., International Relations, University of Southern California, magna cum laude. TOEFL certified. Former sixth grade teacher in Mexico. Studied, volunteered and led semester-long programs in Latin America, Europe, and the South Pacific. Fluent in Spanish and conversational in Portuguese. Loves to dance, rock climb, swim and scuba dive. Four seasons with Global Routes. INDIA
Samantha Miller B.A., English/American Literature and Anthropology, Brandeis University, Cum Laude; TESOL, SIT Costa Rica. Yoga and AcroYoga Instructor. Studied, volunteered or worked extensively in Latin America, Israel, Thailand, India and Europe. Fluent in Spanish. Spends time collaborating with marginalized peoples for empowerment, human rights and sustainable living. Enjoys walking barefoot on mother earth, Latin and freestyle dancing, Thai massage, playing music with friends, and eating mangos. Six seasons with Global Routes. NEPAL
Todd Beer PhD candidate and associate instructor, Sociology, Indiana University; M.A., Social Science, Environment and Community Program, Humboldt State University; B.F.A., The Savannah College of Art and Design. Completed Outward Bound instructor training program. Led wilderness expeditions for teenagers for seven years. Traveled in Ecuador, Peru, and Costa Rica. Volunteered in Mozambique and Kenya and worked as a photojournalist in Bosnia. Enjoys backpacking, mountain biking, and telemark skiing. Three seasons with Global Routes.
Meghann Flynn Beer M.P.A., Nonprofit Management, International and Comparative Policy, and Swahili, Indiana University; B.A., Art History and American Studies, Tufts University. Executive director of Giving Back to Africa, a nonprofit organization dedicated to education in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Seven years of experience leading wilderness expeditions for teenagers. Volunteered in western Kenya, climbed Kilimanjaro, hiked the Inca Trail, trekked the Andes in Peru, and snorkeled in the Galapagos Islands. Three seasons with Global Routes.PERU
Ryan Demarest B.A., Philosophy, Saint Michael's College. Wilderness guide and Wilderness First Responder. Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, Bolivia. Studied and lived in Spain. Studied, worked, volunteered and traveled in Bolivia, Chile, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. Currently leads wilderness expeditions with at-risk youth in Oregon. Speaks Spanish and some Aymara and Quechua phrass. Loves writing, exploring, photography, reading, snowboarding, backpacking, exercise and a good laugh with good folks while eating good food.
Kate Mitchell MPH, International Health, Boston University; B.A., International Relations, Florida International University. Studied, worked and/or volunteered in Cuba, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Haiti and South Africa. Interested in Public Health and Journalism, specifically issues of Reproductive Health and access to health services for marginalized populations in developing countries. Fluent in Spanish. Loves great food, yoga and the ocean. Two seasons with Global Routes.
Lauren Oleet B.A., Anthropology, Union College, cum laude. Background in sustainable development and aboriginal environmental management. Traveled and led programs in Argentina, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic and on the Hopi and Navajo Reservations. A traveler at heart and at home in the mountains, Lauren enjoys skiing, backpacking, knitting, making sushi, and honing her backgammon skills over copious amounts of coffee. Admissions Manager (four years) and group leader (one season) with Global Routes.TANZANIA
Heather Diamond Graduate Certificate in Environment, Education and Community, University of Washington; B.A., International Affairs, University of Colorado. TESOL Certification, School for International Training. Wilderness First Responder. Environmental and experiential educator. Currently leading semester-long programs in Guatemala. Studied, worked, volunteered and travelled throughout India, Central and South America. Bicycled across the USA. Fluent in Spanish. Spends free time hiking, biking, swimming, playing guitar and practicing yoga. Four seasons with Global Routes.
Adam Fischer B.S. Zoology, State University of New York at Oswego. Wilderness First Aid certified and PADI advanced open-water diver. Community-based Natural Resource Management volunteer for Peace Corps Tanzania from 2003 to 2005. Studied, volunteered, traveled and led semester-long programs in Africa, the South Pacific, South America, and the Indian sub-continent. Fluent in Kiswahili and currently studying Spanish. Enjoys eating ugali, catching up with friends and family and telemark skiing.
Nicole Sheldon-Desjardins B.A., Creative Writing and Communication Arts, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Returned Peace Corps volunteer, Cameroon. Former teacher and deputy director of middle school youth program. Fluent in French. Lived, worked, studied, volunteered and traveled in Australia, Africa, Europe, the Caribbean and the Middle East. Enjoys hiking, running, yoga, writing, traveling and the ocean. Four seasons with Global Routes THAILAND
Matt Fox M.A. Education with ESL endorsement, Lewis and Clark College; B.A., English and Teaching, University of Montana. High School Media Arts Teacher. Lacrosse coach and kayak instructor. Traveled, studied, worked and volunteered throughout Belize, Guatemala, Mexico, Spain and Western Europe. Enjoys racing bikes, rock climbing, mountaineering, kayaking, telemark skiing and most anything that gets him into the mountains or onto the water. Three seasons with Global Routes. 
Ruth Williams M.A. Pacific University; B.S., History, University of Oregon. Social Studies and English teacher. Soccer coach and ski instructor. Traveled extensively throughout western Europe and lived in the U.K. and Spain. Led camping trips throughout various national parks in the continental U.S. and Alaska. Enjoys skiing, hiking, running, camping and playing soccer. Two seasons with Global Routes. VIEW FULL-TIME STAFF