Vincie (she/her/hers), a humane educator and social justice advocate, founded RISE Travel Institute in June 2020 with the commitment to engage young people in important conversations around human rights, animal protection and environmental sustainability in the context of travel. She is also the creator of Paths Crossing, a card game designed to foster cross-cultural connections and inspire mindful travel decisions. She has been involved with Impact Travel Alliance since 2018 and currently holds the position of Chapter Engagement Lead on their global team. Before Vincie started working in the nonprofit world, she was a university French lecturer and linguist for over a decade. As an academic, she had the opportunity to travel around the world for conferences and fieldwork. In 2010, she left academia to work in the area of refugee empowerment in Senegal, a transformative experience that motivated her to pursue a second career in international peace and human rights, as well as sustainable travel. Vincie has a PhD in Linguistics from the University of Hong Kong and a Master of Arts degree from University College London. She has also obtained various graduate certificates and diplomas from the Institute for Humane Education and New York University in the United States, the United Nations University in Japan, and l’Université de Franche-Comté in France. She is based in the Greater New York City Area.

Amanda Kendle (she/her/hers) is the host of The Thoughtful Travel Podcast, a show aiming to encourage travel-lovers to be more mindful in their travels and covering topics like the personal benefits of travel, sustainability, ecotourism and the impact of travel on destinations. She lives in Perth, Western Australia and has spent time living and working in Asia and Europe. She also runs a social media and blogging consultancy business, offering training and coaching to small businesses and creatives.

Hyungjoon (he/him/his) has recently returned to his home state of Kansas and is a humane educator and a biology teacher. Prior to that, he has taught at international schools in Guatemala, as well as worked and consulted for various nonprofit organizations, from supporting professional development of educators in rural regions to developing permaculture projects. He is passionate about social justice, human rights, and protecting and restoring the environment. He has traveled to many countries and regions and truly believes that travel can be an effective a tool to positively influence and shape the worldviews of young people.

Megan (she/her/hers ) brings 12 years of fundraising experience to the RISE team. She has held a variety of fundraising roles at environmentally-focused nonprofits including the Appalachian Mountain Club, Global Greengrants Fund, and Colorado Water Trust. In 2017, Megan and her husband and two boys embarked on a year-long world journey to 20 countries on five continents. It was a life-changing experience for the whole family, and she returned to the U.S. with a passion for sustainable and regenerative travel. Upon her return, she became Senior Manager of Social Impact Journeys at Elevate Destinations where she planned dozens of international journeys for nonprofit donors to visit projects around the world. Megan is currently living in Colorado and is Donor Engagement and Communications Manager at Colorado Water Trust.

Mary Pat Champeau (she/her/hers) is the director of graduate programs at the Institute for Humane Education, and faculty at Antioch University New England. She has lived and worked in the US, France, Niger, Indonesia, and Thailand has learned firsthand the profound power of education to bring about change at all levels of global society, and to promote social justice, animal protection, and environmental sustainability. What better way to educate than to help others use their passion for travel to connect and improve the world? A leader in the solutionary movement, Mary Pat has joined RISE Travel Institute for all the ways in which RISE helps bring passion and purpose together in service of elevating the role of travel, and the traveler, in bringing about longterm, sustainable change.

Cathy Ji (she/her/hers) is a software engineer and environmentalist with a passion for environmental justice, food justice, mental health advocacy, and travel. She previously led the LinkedIn New York office's "Go Green" sustainability group and served as Corporate Engagement chair for Rescuing Leftover Cuisine, an NYC-based nonprofit dedicated to reducing food waste and alleviating urban hunger. While earning her degree in computer engineering & computer science at the University of Southern California, Cathy was fortunate to have been able to travel extensively across the US for various technical opportunities, as well as across the world as part of her language and cultural studies. She has since become an avid proponent of slow travel and loves exploring new places and cultures by bus, bike, and train. Though she typically calls NYC home, she has been spending much of the pandemic exploring the US again (socially distanced, of course) in a camper van.

Christine Winebrenner Irick (she/her) is the founder of Lotus Sojourns and host of the award-winning Soul of Travel Podcast. Recognized as one of 2023’s Most Influential Women in Travel by Travel Pulse, Christine designs transformational journeys for women, partnering with local social impact projects and gender equity initiatives. Lotus Sojourns fosters meaningful connections and supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals related to gender equality, quality education, climate action, and good health and well-being. Her Soul of Travel Podcast celebrates women transforming the travel industry by sharing their compelling stories and exploring how mindful travel inspires personal growth and global change. In 2022, Wanderful honored her podcast with the Bessie Award for its dedication to empowering and representing women. Christine’s 25+ year career has solidified her belief in travel as a catalyst for self-discovery and global understanding. She has a Master of Tourism Administration from George Washington University, specializing in Sustainable Destination Management and Event Planning, and a B.A. in Sociology from the University of Montana. A girl mom, yogi, and avid reader, Christine blends her studies in Ayurveda, yoga, and Reiki with her passion for travel to create journeys that inspire women to connect deeply with themselves and the world. Whether exploring Montana’s mountains or recording conversations for her podcast, Christine is driven by a mission to empower women to live vibrant lives and embrace their value as members of a global community.

Casey Hanisko (she/her/hers) is the owner of Casey Hanisko LLC, an executive coaching and consulting business dedicated to helping women + purpose-driven travel executives be confident leaders, build profitable businesses and create healthy teams. She is the former president of the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) and has been an executive in the travel industry for over twenty-five years, spending 14 years at Zegrahm Expeditions, an outbound tour operator that operated education and conservation-focused tours around the globe. She is a speaker, workshop facilitator, writer, ICF ACC certified coach, and certified in delivering Everything DiSCTM and EQi.20 assessments. Trained in Brene Brown’s Dare to LeadTM, Moe Carrick’s Leading People ProgramTM (LPP), and the Pacific Institute’s Mindsetting for Well-Being and Performance, she uses these tools in her coaching and consulting approach. Casey believes in the power of values first, intentional leadership, with a strong mix of strategic planning. Casey coaches owners, leaders, and executives at SME tour operators, travel agencies, non-profits, and travel tech start-ups. A resident of Seattle, Washington, Casey explores the Pacific Northwest with her family and dogs, hiking, biking, paddle boarding, and adventuring. When not out and about or working with clients, she is an avid reader and dedicates time to a local non-profit, Washington Women's Foundation.