staff

THE STAFF

Staff Members are college seniors or graduates (usually teachers) who are selected by using the following guidelines:

~ Counseling ability to form interpersonal relationships with young people.

~ Leadership Experience

~ Moral Standards and Beliefs

~The Staff to Participants ratio is 1 to 10.

~Ability to Provide for All Needs on Expeditions of this type.

Derek Miller - A North Carolina Teaching Fellow Alumni. Currently a Nurse at the Burn Center at UNC- Chapel Hill. Derek is also into Theraputic Massage. He has also served on the NC Teaching Fellows Board of Directors. Specialties: People and their role in the environment. New Games and Initiative Games. Tom Brown Jr. and Early American Ways, Music, Guitar and Native Ameican Flute. STAFF 99, 2001, 2002, 2006, and visited with former Staff and friends on the 2003 and 2004 American West Expedition. Staff on a regular basis for school year Venture Crew Outings 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004. American Odyssey Board of Directors.

Tracy Goodman - Masters Degree from Appalachian State University in Psychology. Undergraduate work at NCSU. Tracy is an Avid Runner and loves to climb both indoors and out. Her specialties include: extraordinary person skills, communications, Team Building activities, and a passion for all outdoor activities. Couple this with her strong religious beliefs and background and her love of driving large vans and trailers, and you have only a small snapshot of this awesome former student of mine. AO 97, STAFF 2001, Joined the AO 2004 Expedition for the Grand Canyon component . Tracy most recently has decided to take up Skydiving. http://www.skydivecarolina.com

Tracy is a member of the American Odyssey Board of Directors

Natalie Miller - Wake Forest Univ. Graduate Degree in Law. Undergraduate degree in Elementary Edu. from the Univ. of Southern California. Estate Planning and Elder Law are her specialty. Check out her Law Office website:www.painterlawoffice.com

Spontaneous, indefatigable, the "Energizer Bunny", a self proclaimed "Adrenaline Junkie". Another one of my awesome, creative, problem solving students known for her love of New Years Day Polar Bear Swims and any and all outdoor activities . STAFF AO 98, Staff on a regular basis for school year Venture Crew Outings 2000, 2001, and 2002, 2003, and 2004. American Odyssey Board of Directors.

Kevin Smith - "The Gambler" A North Carolina Teaching Fellow Alumni, Kevin is an Assistant Principal at Warsaw Middle School in Duplin County, NC. After participating in AO97, Kevin agreed to serve on the Staff of AO 99, AO 2001, and 2003. Has a real love of the American West and wants to help plan and lead the Canyonlands and Utah Odyssey to be offered in the near future. Specialties include great people skills and a keen eye for Photography. Loves Whitewater Rafting, and all aspects of the outdoor experience.

Kevin is now an Assistant Principal in Duplin County NC. He is a graduate of the Principal Fellows Scholarship program at UNC-W. Kevin also serves on the American Odyssey Board of Directors.

Hope Guthrie Smith - Hope is an Active Church Member, Leads a weekly Bible Study, and enjoys running, drawing, painting, reading, and studying the Bible. She has had artwork chosen for 2 Art Exhibits at UNC- Greensboro and has completed one full Marathon and 2 half Marathons. Hope has worked on Staff as a camp counselor and on the Administrative Staff of the camp organizing camping trips once a week for groups of youth campers. She is now serving on the Board of Rock Fish Meadows which is in the process of opening a Christian Youth Camp. When she is not working on these projects, she is busy working on illustrating childrens books. Hope now teaches private Art lessons and runs a frame shop from her home. She has several art Series including a Wilmington Series and an American Odyssey Series. Summer of 2003 was her first Season with American Odyssey. www.hopegsmith.com is the Website where her artwork is displayed and available for purchase.

Justine Wilson A Graduate of NCSU in Biology and Botany. Post Graduate Degree in Ecology from New Zealand University. Justine has found many creative and inexpensive ways to travel and see the world. Her travel experiences include: U.K. (semester abroad), Wales, Western Europe (6 month backpacking trip), New Zealand (Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship), Australia (6 week backpacking trip), and Fiji (2 week backpacking trip and BOOK PROJECT).

With a "Go, Go, Go," all-the-time attitude, Justine has experience with New Games, Outdoor Education, Teambuilding, Camping, and Outdoor Recreation and Travel. Justine is originally from Bloomfield, Michigan but is currently attending Antioch College of New England pursuing a Masters Degree in Environmental Education. Prior to this she taught school in San Bernadino Co. California in an Outdoor Classroom setting. Bellville, Ohio was the location of her earlier educational vocation in a school called Natures Classroom. Check out Justine's Web Page to find out more about this interesting Staff Member including her Life List, Community Service, and Volunteer Activities.

Justine's Web Page

Shawn Villalpando A Graduate Student at Appalachian State University in Biology and Environmental Education. Undergraduate degree in Biology from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Shawn is an avid outdoorsman and competitive Mountain Biker. Shawn owns his own Computer Hardware Company - Trilobite Computers. When he is not out hiking, backpacking, or mountain biking, he is collecting lichens and mosses to upgrade the collections at the University. Shawn has traveled to Alaska with American Odyssey during the summer of 2000 and served on Staff with the American West Expedition Summer of 2003.

Shawn received college credit for this experience and will be a great asset with his biological and geological background and his competitive nature. Shawn is a wonderful motivator and a logistical guru.

Famous Quote: "Okay, let's do it"

Shawn's Web Page

Kristin Kleber - This New Dedicated Staff Member is a Nursing Major at East Carolina University and is scheduled to graduate in May with a BS in Nursing. Kristin is planning on taking her Nursing Boards as soon as possible after graduation. Kristin has been traveling with AO since 2001 taking numerous trips during High School.

A Participant on the 2003 American West Expedition, Kristin jumped at the chance to visit her favorite places on the AO Expedition again in 2007. Her favorite locations include: Mount Rainier, Yosemite, Grand Canyon and more… Her Enthusiasm for the American West is only slightly less than her love of Cocoa Crispies in the morning. A real People Person. Participants will like most about me: “My enthusiasm for the outdoors camping, hiking, and the American West!”