Hey Lauren!

Hi Trekkers! My name is Lauren and I can't wait to meet you all this summer! I love meeting new people and working together to accomplish our goals. I have been working in homeless outreach, school social work, and case management for several years and now finally have a year left in school before I get my Masters in Social Work. I also do puppetry and stilting all over Baltimore, and am involved in setting up a community arts group with my sister and some friends. I also love riding bikes and running! I sometimes take a weekend and ride to a campsite with my fiancé. It’s the best way to get quality time and really connect with others cause all you have is what you're carrying on your back!

Say hello to Kaitlyn!

Hello everyone! My name is Kaitlyn and I can’t wait to lead for Teen Treks! In December I will be graduating from Tennessee Tech University with a degree in Environmental Journalism. I moved from my hometown of New Braunfels, Texas four years ago to play tennis in college. Now that it is all coming to an end, I am ready for new adventures in my life! Growing up traveling from tournament to tournament, I gained a love for the open road and discovering new destinations. I have been all over the U.S, Mexico, the Caribbean and Europe where I spent some time learning Spanish in Spain! I have found biking is one of the best ways to travel around and see all the beautifully land around you, which is why I love it so much. Biking is just one of many hobbies of mine though. I also really enjoy hiking, running, river rafting, music, photography and writing. I have found writing and photography is a great way to reflect on all this world has to give you and allows you to appreciate all you have seen. Nothing makes me smile more than good people, which is why I am so thrilled about meeting all of you. I can’t wait for some fun in the sun this summer!

It's Todd!

Hey Teen Trekkers, I’m Todd. I have a bachelor’s degree in recreation management from SUNY Brockport. I enjoy camping, hiking, backpacking, trail running, rock climbing, and of course biking! (Pretty much anything outdoors) I also love to travel and experience new things while learning about other cultures. Just last summer, I backpacked throughout Costa Rica and I hope to do the same in other countries sometime in the future. Recently, I’ve been working as a substitute teacher, and eventually, I plan on going to grad school to become a certified teacher. Needless to say, I just love having a good time while discovering new things, and I'm very excited about working with Teen Treks this summer!

Welcome Alicia!

Hey Teen Trekkers, my name is Alicia. I was born and raised in beautiful southern California but moved to Toronto, Canada for my career. I’m a professional toy designer, a.k.a., I’m an adult who gets to play with toys for a living! Currently I work as a freelance designer in Buffalo, NY and use my bike as my primary source of transportation. I absolutely love cycling and the knowledge that I am not only doing something good for myself but also for the environment. In addition to biking I enjoy hiking, camping, swimming, Kan Jam, gardening, knitting, sewing, screen-printing, drawing, music and the fun that comes from random adventures! I love meeting new people and experiencing new cultures. I have traveled throughout the U.S., Canada, Italy, France, U.K., Switzerland, Germany, and Mexico. There is something that you get from traveling on a bike that you just wouldn’t experience otherwise and I am so excited for the journey that awaits! This is going to be one unforgettable summer; I can’t wait to be a Teen Trek leader!

Greetings Kirsten!

Hi! My name is Kirsten and I will be graduating from Cornell University with a degree in Geology. I am originally from Pennsylvania (right on the Delaware border), but haven't spent much time there recently. I have had some pretty cool summer experiences in the past three years, such as being a camp counselor in Maine, working on trails in Alaska, and doing geology research in the back country of Yellowstone National Park. But, I have a feeling this is going to be one of the best summers yet! I like to do anything outdoors including: hiking, rock climbing, swimming, running, of course biking, and tennis. I am so excited to meet everyone and can't wait to start biking!

Hey Mark!

Hello, my name’s Mark and currently I live in Oregon. I have spent the last two years in the Pacific Northwest volunteering as a Math Tutor through a program called AmeriCorps. Before that I received a degree in Information Management (points if you know what that is) from Syracuse University, in my hometown of Syracuse, NY. Since vacating the snowy tundra of Upstate New York and entering the rain soaked northwest I have become an avid biker and hiker. I have spend many a day’s traversing the lush moss coated forests and costing through the miles of desolate farm land, this place is truly unique.

When I’m not on my bike or exploring the woods, you can find me on my skateboard, off taking pictures, editing films, or creating crafts to leave in random places. I cannot control the excitement I have for our summer of adventures and I look forward to meeting every last one of you!

It's Gillian!

Hey Teen Trekkers I’m Gillian! I’ve been an educator for the majority of my life. I began coaching swimming at age 15, and went to Miami University of Ohio for my Bachelor of Science in Education. I worked first in public schools around Cincinnati before moving to Connecticut where I taught English, coached soccer, swimming, fencing, and track, and have been a dorm parent for the last five years. I'm very proud to say that I just completed my Masters in Liberal Studies at Wesleyan University

In high school I lettered in soccer, cross-country, basketball, gymnastics, swimming, track, and softball. During this time, I traveled to Canada, and in college I went to Russia and Italy. All the trips were related to various singing groups of which I was a member. I have sung in chapels and cathedrals in St. Petersburg, Moscow, and St. Peter’s in Rome among others.

In my twenties, I began going out with local groups and biking an average of 36 miles per outing. A few years ago I purchased my dream road bike and get on the road for short and long rides as often as my busy schedule allows. My other interests include reading, mimicking (not mocking) accents, singing, perfecting her French, and learning and experiencing as much as possible. I can’t wait to take on my next exciting challenge, Teen Trek Trip Leader!

Meet Julia!

Hey everyone, I’m Julia! I’m excited for bike adventures with you this summer! I live in Vermont where I work as a potter. At the clay studio I make pottery to sell and I also lead a program teaching teens how to throw pots on the wheel. We all have fun exploring our creativity, laughing at ourselves and getting muddy. I grew up in Massachusetts, went to college in Vermont, studied abroad in Mexico and lived in Nevada for a year. I’ve been lucky enough to do some traveling in the US, Mexico, India, Nepal, Canada, Great Britain and Ireland. What an incredible world we live in! I can’t wait to explore it more with all of you. I love traveling and riding bikes and I’m guessing that you probably love these things too. Some other activities I really enjoy are: making music, hiking, camping, whistling, drawing, star-gazing, kayaking, dreaming, doing Laughter Yoga, cooking, wandering, speaking Spanish, reading, crazy-dancing and finding shapes in the clouds. I’m really looking forward to being a Teen Trek leader this summer. We’re going to have some wonderful adventures together!

Greetings Elise!

Hello Teen Trekkers! My name is Elise. In a couple weeks, I will finish my Masters degree in social work. I live in Buffalo, NY, but have traveled all over the U.S., as well as Mexico, and many countries in Europe. I have an extreme passion for traveling and being outdoors. Through my traveling experiences I have gained an appreciation for different cultures and learned how to enjoy life! On top of traveling, my hobbies include hiking, biking, Pilates, being creative, and spending time with interesting people! It seems like I am always working on planning my next fun adventure, and I can’t wait for the next one to be having a blast while biking and traveling around with all of you!