Leader Bios

Meet Our Leaders

Browse last summer's leaders by program:

Experienced Educators, Professionals, Mentors, & Experts

Putney Student Travel selects our leaders through a highly competitive process. They are educators, researchers, and professionals from leading institutions worldwide. They are photographers, biologists, social workers, artists, economists, historians, psychologists, mountaineers, and outdoor adventurers. Many hold advanced degrees and bring expertise directly aligned with the programs they lead, from environmental science and engineering to international education and public policy.

This depth of expertise ensures that students are guided not only safely, but by mentors who bring real-world knowledge, academic rigor, and professional experience to their programs. Throughout the winter we will be finalizing leadership teams for the upcoming season. Putney prides itself in hiring exceptional leaders and in typical years more than 65% of our staff are returning veteran leaders.

University of Pennsylvania, M.F.A., Photography and Video; University of Illinois at Chicago, B.F.A., Graphic Design and Moving Image

Duke University, B.S.E., Mechanical Engineering, Teaching License Candidate

Universidad Intercontinental, B.A., Tourism

Stanford University, PhD, Environment and Resources, Climate Change Adaptation (in progress): Colorado State University, M.Sc., Human Dimensions of Natural Resources; B.Sc., Biology

University of Innsbruck, M.Sc., Strategic Management with Innovation; Universidad Carlos III, B.S., Business Management

Free University of Bozen-Bolzano / University of Innsbruck, International M.Sc., Environmental Management of Mountain Areas; Universidad Pablo de Olavide, M.Sc., Biodiversity and Conservation Biology; Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, B.Sc., Biology

University of Massachusetts, Boston, Ph.D., Educational Leadership and Policy; University of North Texas, M.A., French and Spanish; University of Texas, Arlington, B.A., French and Spanish

University of Chicago, M.F.A., Painting and Art History; University of Pennsylvania, B.A., Environmental Design, Painting

Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, M.A., International Education Management; Elon University, B.A., International Studies & History; American University, Graduate Certificate, Nonprofit Management

New York University Abu Dhabi, B.S., Biology, Minor in Arabic Language and Culture

Arizona State University, M.S., Biomimicry; Lehigh University, B.S., Mechanical Engineering

Trinity College, B.A., Anthropology and Marine Studies

Harvard University, B.A., Near Eastern Languages & Civilizations; Arabic Literature

The London School of Economics and Political Science, Master of Public Administration; Columbia University, University of Florida, B.A., Political Science

Harvard Graduate School of Education, M.A., Teaching and Teacher Leadership; Oberlin College, B.A., History, Minor in East Asian Studies

Arizona State University, M.S., Global Technology and Development; B.A., Innovation in Society

Escola da Cidade Faculdade de Arquitetura e Urbanismo, Brazil, B.Arch.

Loyola University Chicago, M.A., Social Work; DePaul University, B.A., Psychology

Emory University, B.A., English and Creative Writing, Political Science

University of Minnesota, M.S., Nursing; Middlebury College, M.A., French Language and Civilization; Colorado College, B.A., Art

Miami University, M.A.T., Teaching Biological Sciences; University of Vermont, B.A, Zoology, Mandarin Chinese

West Chester University, B.A., English

Auburn University, B.S., Marine Biology, Marine Fisheries and Aquatic Parasitology

University of British Columbia, B.Ed. International Baccalaureate Secondary Education in Business; University of British Columbia, B.Com., Finance, Real Estate, International Business

Stony Brook University, M.A., Ph.D, Spanish; University of Georgia, B.A., Spanish, Comparative Literature

Brown University, M.A.T., Secondary Science; University of New Hampshire, B.S., Electrical Engineering

University of São Paulo, M.A., History; University of São Paulo & Virginia Commonwealth University, B.A., History

Brown University, M.A.T., Secondary Science Education; University of Virginia, B.A., Biology

Belhaven University, M.Ed., Curriculum and Instruction (in progress); Lee University, B.A., Secondary Spanish Education, Minor in TESOL

UC Berkeley, B.A., Geography (Earth System Science focus)

University of Southern Mississippi, M.Sc., Marine Science; Rhodes College, B.S., Environmental Science

Universidad de Alcalá, M.A., Education; Skidmore College, B.A., Health and Exercise Sciences

University of California, Los Angeles, B.S., Education and Social Transformation

Rose Bruford College, M.F.A., Devised Performance; Muhlenberg College, B.S., Anthropology; B.A., Dance Performance

Binghamton University, B.A, Political Science, English Literature and Global Culture

Cambridge University, M.A., M.Sci., Natural Sciences

Bocconi University and Keio University, M.Sc., Economic and Social Sciences; Bocconi University, B.A., Finance

George Washington University, B.A., International Affairs

Tufts University PhD, Performance Studies (Candidate); Columbia University, M.A., Clinical Psychology; UC Berkeley, B.A. East Asian Languages and Cultures

Portland State University, B.A., International Development

University of Colorado Boulder, Ph.D., Geological Sciences and Astrobiology, non-degree in Astrophysics; York College of Pennsylvania, B.S., Biology, A.S., Chemistry

Wageningen University, M.A., Food Technology; University of Thessaly, B.A., Food Technology

Duke University, B.A., Philosophy and Sociology

Tufts University, M.A.T., Arts Education; Massachusetts College of Art and Design, B.F.A., Photography & Art History

University of La Rioja (UNIR), M.A., Spanish Teaching as a Second Language; University of Valencia, B.A., Translation and Interlinguistic Mediation, Interpreting

University of Montana, B.A., Journalism

Columbia University, M.S., Sustainability Management (in progress); Princeton University, B.A., Art History and Archeology

University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain, Ph.D., Marine Science and Technology; San Diego State University, M.S., Geographic Information Science; Cornell University, B.S., Policy Analysis & Management

Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Colombia, B.S., Industrial Design

College of Charleston, B.S., Business Administration; B.A., Spanish

Montana State University, M.S., Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Addiction Counseling; B.A., Global Multicultural Studies, Francophone Studies

Colorado College, B.A., Asian Studies

Tour Guiding, Karatu Lutheran Vocational Training College, 2012

Emory University and Columbia College Hollywood, B.A., Cinema & TV Production

William Paterson University, B.A., Communications/Media Production

School of Economics & Law, Berlin, B.A., Business Administration; Zhejiang University, M.A., China Studies

National University of Costa Rica, B.A., Sustainable Tourism

Scripps Institution of Oceanography, M.A.S., Marine Biodiversity and Conservation; University of California, Davis, B.S., Environmental Biology and Management

Appalachian State University, B.S., Appropriate Technology & Environmental Design

Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Colombia, B.S., Industrial Design

Mahatma Gandhi University, Bachelor of Commerce

University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration, A.M. (Clinical Social Work); Goucher College, B.A., French, Art History

Fort Lewis College, B.A., Adventure Education

University of Illinois, Ed.D., Policy, Organization, and Leadership (in progress); Arizona State University, M.Ed.; University of Minnesota, B.A., Global Studies: Human Rights & Justice

Salem International University, M.B.A., Sports Management; B.A., Sports Management

University of Connecticut, M.A., Educational Psychology, concentration in Giftedness, Creativity, and Talent Development (in progress); West Chester University, B.S., Elementary Education

University of California, Santa Cruz, M.S., Ocean Sciences (in progress); University of Notre Dame, B.S., Chemical Engineering

Camilo José Cela University, Spain, M.A., International Education and Bilingualism; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, B.S., Earth, Society, and Environmental Sustainability, Geography & GIS

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, B.S., Biology; B.A., Studio Arts

Northeastern University, M.S., Environmental Science and Policy (in progress); Cornell University, B.S., Environment and Sustainability

University of California, Berkeley, M.A., Journalism and Documentary Filmmaking; Boston University, B.A., English Literature

Universidad de las Americas, M.A., 3D Modeling and Animation; B.A., Multimedia and Audiovisual Production

Drexel University, B.A., International Area Studies, concentration in Justice and Human Rights

Northeastern University, M.S., Global Studies and International Relations; Cornell University, B.A., Biology & Society, French

Tulane University, M.Arch., B.Arch.

Universidad de los Andes, B.A., Fine Arts; Universidad de Nebrija, M.A., Cultural Management

Oswaldo Cruz Institute and University of London, Ph.D., Cellular and Molecular Biology; Oswaldo Cruz Institute, M.S., Cellular and Molecular Biology; Juiz de Fora University, B.S., Biology and Science Education

Brandman University, M.A., Teaching; Western Washington University, B.A., Spanish, Communication

University of Colorado (Boulder) M.A., Bilingual Education; Oregon State University, B.A., Sociology

Columbia University School of Social Work, M.S.W.; University of Rochester, B.A., Psychology

Davidson College, B.A., Spanish and International Studies

Mount Holyoke College, B.A., Religion Studies.

University of Akureyri, M.A., Polar Law; Queen's University, Canada, B.Ed., Education

Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, B.A., Political Science

University of California, Berkeley, M.P.H.; Brigham Young University, Idaho, B.S., Health Education

University at Albany SUNY, M.A., International Education Management; B.A., Communications

Bielefeld University, Ph.D., Ornithology (candidate); University of Bonn, B.S., M.Sc., Ecology & Environmental Sciences

University of North Carolina at Greensboro, M.F.A., Creative Writing; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, B.A., Studio Art and English

Chapman University, B.A., Public Relations and Advertising, Leadership Studies

Canisius University, M.S.Ed., Adolescence Education; Canisius University, B.S., International Relations, European Studies

Columbia University, M.Sc., Journalism; University of Iowa, M.F.A., Creative Writing; Universidad Nacional de Colombia, M.A., Philosophy; Universidad de Los Andes (Colombia), B.A., Literature

Instituto Superior Juan XXIII, B.S., Psychopedagogy

Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, M.A., General Health Psychology; B.A., Psychology Autonomous University of Madrid, M.A., Forensic Sciences; Universidad Complutense de Madrid and Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, B.A., French and Spanish Law

Hallmark Institute of Photography

Brown University, M.A.T., Secondary Social Studies; B.A., History

AAA School of Advertising, B.A., Marketing Communications

Washington University in St. Louis, B.A., Philosophy-Neuroscience-Psychology, Minors in French and Biology

University of Richmond, B.A., Leadership Studies and Latin American Studies

University of California, Los Angeles, Ph.D, Hispanic Languages and Literatures; M.A., Spanish Yale University, B.A., International Studies and Spanish

Slippery Rock University, M.S., Sustainable Systems, M.Ed., Secondary Science; University of Pittsburgh, B.A., Religious Studies

Teachers College, Columbia University, M.A., Philosophy and Education; Boston University, B.S., Communications, Minor in Philosophy

California State University Northridge, B.A., Art

University of Hull, United Kingdom, M.A., Education; STP AMPTA Yogyakarta, Indonesia, B.A., Tourism and Hospitality

College of the Atlantic, B.S., Human Ecology; United World College, Changshu China, International Baccalaureate

University of Northern Colorado, Ph.D., Biological Education (in progress); SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Master of Professional Studies in Conservation Biology; Miami University, B.A., Zoology, minors in Botany and Plant Biotechnology

University of Washington, M.A., Asian Languages and Literature (Japanese); Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, B.A., Japanese Language and Literature

University of California, Berkeley, B.A., Integrative Biology-Evolution and Ecology; B.S., Molecular Environmental Biology- Human Health

Michigan State University, M.Ed., Teaching and Curriculum Development; Calvin College, B.S., Biochemistry

Universidad de los Andes, B.Sc., Biology

University of North Carolina Asheville, B.S, Biology

The Fletcher School at Tufts University, M.A., Law and Diplomacy (in progress); Westminster University, B.A., Spanish and Latin American studies

Universidad de Navarra, Spain, M.A., Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language; Earlham College, B.A., History & Spanish

Universidad San Francisco de Quito, M.A, Teaching English as a Second Language; B.A., Economics

University of the Sunshine Coast, Graduate Diploma of Education (Secondary); Brock University, B.A., Human Geography

Ensenada Center for Scientific Research and Higher Education, Mexico, M.S., Life Science - Marine Biotechnology; Autonomous University of Baja California, B.S., Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics

Long Island University, M.A., Bilingual Education; Georgetown University, B.S., Psychology

Why Leadership Quality Matters on Summer Programs

Leadership is one of the most important factors in student travel safety, mentorship, and educational outcomes. Putney leaders bring academic, professional, and international experience that allows them to mentor students, provide expert guidance, and create meaningful educational experiences.

Interested in being a Putney leader?

Start an Application to Lead