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.

Wageningen University, M.Sc., Resilient Farming and Food Systems; Skidmore College, B.A., International Affairs and Environmental Studies

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, M.S., Visual Journalism; University of Florida, B.S., Journalism

Cornell University, B.S., International Agriculture and Rural Development, Minors in Global Health and Business

University of Pittsburgh, B.A., Environmental Studies; B.A., Anthropology

Lesley University, M.A., International Higher Ed. & Intercultural Relations; University of Massachusetts Amherst, B.S., Building & Construction Technology

University of California, Berkeley, B.A., Anthropology and Public Policy

Northwestern University, M.F.A., Acting; Metropolitan State University, B.A., Individualized Studies

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

University of Memphis, M.B.A., Business Administration; Rhodes College, B.A., International Business and Spanish

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

Wageningen University & Research, Ph.D., Environmental Science ; ECOSUR Research Institute and Colorado State University, M.Sc., Human Dimensions of Natural Resources; University of Colorado at Boulder, B.A., Anthropology

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

School of International Training, M.A., International Education; University of Pittsburgh, B.A., Communications and Political Science, concentration in History and Linguistics

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

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

Yale University, B.A., American Studies and Music

University of Costa Rica, Lic., Social Work; B.S.W., Social Work

Temple University, M.S.Ed., Concentration in TESOL; University of California, Irvine, B.A., English, Specialization in Teaching, Minor in Education

Santiago de Compostela University, M.Sc., Biodiversity and Conservation; University of A Coruña, B.S., Biology, Specialization in Ecology

University of Texas at San Antonio, Doctoral Candidate in Environmental Anthropology; North Carolina State University, M.S., Plant Biology; National University of Colombia, B.S., Biology

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

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

Gettysburg College, M.A., American History; University of Miami, B.A., Psychology

Wesleyan University, B.A., Science in Society, Hispanic Literatures & Cultures

University of Luxembourg, M.A., Learning and Communication in Multilingual and Multicultural Contexts: University of Virginia, B.A., French Language; B.S., Commerce (Management)

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 Auckland, B.S.W. (Hons), Social Work

University of Montana, B.A., Journalism

Pomona College, B.A., English

University of Denver, B.A., Global Studies

City University of Hong Kong, M.A., Language Studies; Zhengzhou Normal University, B.A., Education; Beijing Normal University and Tufts University, Overseas Chinese Teacher Training Course

University of Texas, Arlington, B.A., Language and Cultural Studies

Johns Hopkins University, M.S., Environmental Science and Policy (in progress); Allegheny College, B.A., Environmental Studies & Spanish

Colorado College, B.A., Asian Studies

Tour Guiding, Karatu Lutheran Vocational Training College

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

Clark University, M.A., International Development; Skidmore College, B.A., Government and International Affairs

Yale University, Ph.D., History (in progress); Princeton University, A.B., History, Minors in Latino Studies, Latin American Studies, and Translation

University of Montana, M.Ed., Math Education; Lewis & Clark College, B.A., Mathematics

The University of Manchester, B.A., French and Italian Studies

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

University of North Carolina at Wilmington, B.S., Marine Biology, minor in Chemistry

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

Ensenada Center for Scientific Research and Higher Education, Mexico, M.S., Marine Ecology; Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur, Mexico, B.S., Marine Biology

Brown University, M.Sc., Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship: University of Guelph, B.A.S., Biology and Philosophy

University of Montana, B.A., Photojournalism

University of San Francisco, B.A., Media Theory

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

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

American College of Education, M.A., Multilingual Education; University of Colorado, B.A., Social Studies Education and Community Leadership

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

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

Georgia Institute of Technology, M.S., Advanced Production; Davidson College, B.S., Physics and Applied Mathematics

Universidad de Costa Rica, B.S.W., Social Work; B.A., Political Science (in progress)

Instituto Superior Juan XXIII, B.S., Psychopedagogy

University of Vermont, B.S., Environmental Studies and Studio Art

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

Universidad de Alcalá, M.A., Bilingual Education; Boston University, B.A., Health Sciences

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

Universidad de Sevilla, M.U., Urban Planning and Design (in progress); Chestnut Hill College, M. Ed., Secondary Education; University of Pittsburgh, B.A., Urban Studies and History

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

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

Miami University, M.A., Biology (December 2024); Purdue University, B.A., Spanish Language and Literature

EAE Business School, M.A., Marketing and Sales; ISAF Institute, M.A., High-Performance Functional Training; Universidad del Pacifico, B.A., Business Administration

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

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Ed.M., Educational Policy Studies; Binghamton University, B.A., Political Science

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

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

Duke University, M.A.T., Secondary English Teaching; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, M.A., Educational Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship; University of Kansas, B.A., English Literature

University of Birmingham, PG Cert Philosophy of Mind and Cognitive Science; University of Nottingham, B.Sc. (Hons), Medical Physiology and Therapeutics

Vanier College, Canada, A.S., International Business and Natural Sciences

University of Helsinki, M.A., Education; Doshisha University, B.A., English

The University of New South Wales, Master of City Planning, concentration in Urban Design (in progress); University of Melbourne, Master of International Relations; RMIT University Melbourne, Graduate Diploma in Art in Public Space; University of Technology Sydney, B.Des., Design in Architecture

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

Universidad de los Andes, B.Sc., Biology

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

Karatu Lutheran Vocational Training College, Tanzania, Certificate in Tour Guiding

Columbia College, B.F.A., Photography and Illustration

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

Valparaiso University, M.A., Digital Media; Luther College, B.A., Communication Studies, Minor in Scandinavian Studies

San Francisco State University, M.S., Physiology and Behavior; B.S., Physiology, Minor in Chemistry

Vogue College of Fashion, M.A., Fashion Styling and Audiovisuals; University of Central Florida, 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