Get to know the Putney team.
Jeffrey Shumlin: Wesleyan University, B.A. Jeff first traveled on his own to Guatemala when he was nine years old to spend the summer on a coffee plantation. Travel has been the primary focus of his life ever since. He has worked in France and Spain, ridden a horse across the Patanál in Brazil, and cycled almost everywhere. As a director of Putney Student Travel for 29 years, Jeff has led numerous educational programs for young people, designed programs worldwide, and sent his own daughter to Vietnam on a Putney program. Jeff coordinates programming in Africa and Asia.
Peter Shumlin: Wesleyan University, B.A. In November, 2010, Peter was elected Governor of Vermont. He is on leave from Putney while he serves Vermonters but, after 30 years as Co-Director, he stays in touch with the goings-on at the Putney Barn. Like his brother Jeff, Peter was born into educational travel. He has traveled extensively throughout Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Asia, and his daughters are alumnae of Putney programs in the Dominican Republic and France.
Tim Weed: Middlebury College, B.A. Spanish Literature, Economics, University of California, M.A., International Affairs, Warren Wilson College, M.F.A., Creative Writing. Tim has led Putney programs throughout the world, including programs in Spain, Australia, Ecuador, Argentina, and Cuba. He directed the Williams College, Oxford/Tuscany, and Excel Cuba programs, and directed college semester abroad programs for the School for International Training. Tim coordinates programming and hiring for our collaboration with National Geographic Student Expeditions. He is a published author and is currently at work on a novel.
Debbie Derrig: Debbie has been the linchpin of Putney Student Travel’s admissions team for the past 12 years. She also coordinates office management at the barn. Debbie enjoys Vermont in autumn, kayaking with her husband, and spending time with her daughter, a nursing student at a nearby university.
Jim Olivier: Middlebury College, B.A., History, Harvard University, Ed. M., J.D. As a boy, Jim lived for extended periods in Brazil and Switzerland, and he has traveled extensively in Europe, Central America, Africa, Southeast Asia, China, and North America. His children are Putney alumni and have worked in leadership roles at Putney as well. A lawyer, educator, and former college president, Jim’s interests include European and Asian history, soccer, sea kayaking, and baking bread in his wood-fired oven. He coordinates programs in Asia.
Lauren McDowell: Washington and Lee University, B.A., Spanish, Economics. Lauren lived in Spain during college, and has been on the go ever since. She led Putney programs to Ecuador, Cuba, Costa Rica, and Spain. When not traveling, Lauren enjoys yoga, reading, and being a mom. Her two young sons will one day join Putney Student Travel groups themselves. Lauren coordinates programming in Latin America and acts as our liaison to the Putney Open Door Fund scholarship foundation.
Kelsey Burns: St. Lawrence University, B.A., Spanish. A Vermont native, Kelsey has led programs in Spain, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, and Ghana, and has co-directed Putney’s Global Action programs at Yale University. Kelsey has worked as an associate director at Putney Student Travel for the last seven years. She currently coordinates outreach efforts and directs various programs in Spain, Latin America, and Africa. Kelsey loves to travel, ski, dance, and eat good food.
Patrick Noyes: Georgetown University, B.A., Spanish. After living for five years in Spain, Patrick joined Putney ten years ago as leader of a Spain Language Learning program. He spent five summers with Excel in Spain, and has directed Excel at Amherst College, Excel China, and Excel Spain. Patrick oversees leader hiring, and has an unhealthy fascination with technology, which he tries to balance with healthier fascinations of camping, architecture, and arthouse Spanish Cinema.
Joseph Lambert: Montserrat College of Art, B.F.A., Graphic Design. Joseph has taught art and photography at our campus-based Excel Oxford/Tuscany program and led programs to Australia, Alaska, Iceland, and Peru. He designs Putney’s print publications and website, and coordinates programs in Latin America and the Middle East.
Karen Phillips: St. Lawrence University, B.A., French. Karen caught the travel bug in high school while on a music tour through Europe, and later studied abroad in Switzerland, France, and Senegal. She has led Putney’s Language Learning and Community Service programs in France and Senegal, and coordinates programs in Europe, Africa, the West Indies, and Indonesia. Her interests include rock climbing, painting, singing, and adventure racing.
Jaime Woods: Jaime is a member of Putney’s admissions team, coordinates group flights, and facilitates communications for the Putney Open Door Fund scholarship foundation. Jaime has worked with our campus-based Excel at Amherst College program. She spends her free time with her family, gardening, and cooking.
Hannah Gilkenson: University of Michigan, B.S., Anthropology, Zoology. Before joining Putney as the ecology instructor on the Foundations program, Hannah spent six years studying monkeys in Costa Rica. She has led programs in Costa Rica, Peru, Ecuador and the Galapagos, Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji. She has also served as the director of the Foundations program. Hannah coordinates programs in Latin America, Australia, New Zealand and Fiji and oversees curriculum and hiring for Excel Programs. A Vermont native, Hannah loves hiking, snow shoeing, and camping in the Green Mountains.
Maggie Strassman: University of Wisconsin, B.S., Geography, International Studies. A former National Geographic intern, Maggie has lived in Austria and the Czech Republic and has traveled throughout Europe and beyond. She has led programs in Dominica and at Amherst College. Maggie coordinates Putney programs in North America and Turkey, and is also part of the Admissions Team. She enjoys trivia, riding her bike, and playing frisbee.
Troy Shaheen: Kenyon College, B.A., English, Spanish. Troy oversees programming in Latin America and Spain and coordinates Putney’s new media and web outreach. He has previously led Putney programs in Spain and Costa Rica and worked in bilingual education and journalism in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain, Quito, Ecuador, and Kerhonkson, New York. He enjoys soccer and the outdoors.
Dave Lawver (not pictured): Dave is Putney Student Travel’s bookkeeper. He enjoys working with computers, composing and listening to music, stone carving, working in his garden, raising animals, and is an avid fan of his step-son’s high school soccer team.
Alex Ossola (not pictured): Hamilton College, B.A. Comparative Literature, Geosciences. During college, Alex studied abroad in Lima, Peru, and took full advantage of the opportunity to explore the country. She went back to her native Washington, D.C. to work with City Year in an elementary school after graduation. Alex coordinates programming in Peru, is part of the Admissions team, and has led a Putney trip to Peru. In her free time, Alex likes to cook, read, write, hike, and play music poorly.
