Meet the trip leaders

2009 Ecuador A leaders: Suzanna Elkin and Josh Luckens

SUZANNA ELKIN: Brown University, B.A., Community Health; Lesley University, M.Ed. Suzanna’s travels began at the age of seven when her family left her rural hometown in Maine to live and work in Micronesia for a year. Since then, she has eagerly sought out opportunities to see the world. Her studies at Brown focused on the connections between health and social justice on a global scale. She worked with community health programs in India, Lesotho, and Ecuador. Suzanna spent a year in Ecuador during college, studying at a university in Quito and working at a rural health project in an indigenous community outside of Otavalo. She has been involved in leading a variety of educational programs with students of all ages, including an urban community garden program in Providence, RI, and a marine environmental camp on the coast of Maine. She is currently completing a Master’s degree in Education. When she’s not traveling or in a classroom, Suzanna loves to kayak, hike, play music, and grow vegetables. She is fluent in Spanish.

JOSH LUCKENS: Vassar College, B.A., Religion. Josh’s love for travel and the outdoors began as a child on family trips to national parks. At Vassar, he studied Social Sciences, was involved in campus arts organizations, and studied abroad in Italy and in New Zealand. After graduation, Josh spent a year as an Americorps volunteer, working in elderly outreach and community organizing in Washington, D.C. He has worked as an environmental educator, teaching 6th grade students earth science and ecology through Outward Bound and the Teva Learning Center. Last summer, Josh led a high school travel and service trip to a Native American Reservation in South Dakota. He lived in Latin America for 10 months, traveling, volunteering, and studying Spanish, and has spent time in Ecuador. Josh recently returned from leading a trip and traveling in Israel. He spent this spring leading camping trips for middle schoolers. Josh is fluent in Spanish.