Our student leaders fill very important roles on our programs.  Safety and the quality of a student’s education and experience are our biggest concerns, and the people that join our organization to fulfill these goals are unique individuals.  They have a deep respect for the natural world, are well educated in conservation biology, and have years of experience conducting international fieldwork and travel.  They are also well versed in the various aspects of conservation and able to communicate those perspectives and experiences with students whether it is through ecology, policy, or poetry.

On each program two student leaders stay with the student group for the entire term.  On average, our semester programs have 8 students, making the leader to student ratio 1:4.  Oftentimes, the group is joined by visiting instructors, researchers, local community members, local partners or other Round River staff, reducing that ratio further and providing ample opportunity for students to engage with a host of people intimate with the place.

Below is an excerpt from the job announcement for our Program Leader position:

Responsibilities:

Schedule and lead program activities, manage logistics and safety, collaborate with local partners on student projects, teach biological field methods and natural history, facilitate group discussions, and encourage students’ understanding of complex conservation issues in the context of the program region.

Qualifications:

Because of the interdisciplinary nature of the student programs, preferred program leaders must have well-rounded experience in education, field research, and community outreach.

*MS in natural science or a related field, and at least 2 years of field experience

*Experience managing field-based student programs

*Demonstrated ability to design field research studies and/or community projects

*Current Wilderness First Responder and CPR certification

*Prefer previous experience traveling in the country of program site, and ability to communicate proficiently in local language

Meet our Student Program Leaders and Advisors!

Janelle Bashant graduated with a BSc in Biology with a concentration in Field Ecology from the State University of New York College at Oneonta in 2007. In 2009, she earned a BSc Honours degree in Wildlife Management from the University of Pretoria, South Africa. She then went on to study the diet and abundance of brown hyena in relation to the presence of lion in the Waterberg region of South Africa, earning an MSc in Wildlife Management from the university. Janelle will be joining Round River to co-lead the Spring 2012 Namibia program.

Nickolas Butler, Advisor.  Nick is an alum of the 2003 Taku Program and a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a professional coffee consultant, coffee roaster, and freelance writer.  His poetry, essays, fiction, and other writings have appeared in: "Progressive," "Madison Magazine," "Wisconsin State Journal," "Roast," "Wisconsin People & Ideas," and he is a regular writer for "Fresh Cup."

"Light Travels Faster Downhill"

A literary blog by Nickolas Butler

Susie Dain-Owens, Associate Director. Susie holds a BA in Anthropology from Dartmouth College and an MA in Anthropology from the University of British Columbia.  She first became involved with Round River as an intern in 2005 in Atlin, British Columbia, and returned to the Taku to conduct her MA research in 2007.  Her research focused on the power dynamics and knowledge sharing in co-management of the Taku salmon fishery.  Susie has led student programs in the Taku and Namibia since 2008, and is excited to be involved in Round River's future endeavors.  She is from Seattle, though now lives in Squamish, BC, and loves rock-climbing, hiking, skiing, and sea-kayaking in her free time.

Kylan Frye, Advisor.  Ky is not only a believer in Round River’s education mission, she is a product of it. Beginning as a student on the 2002 Namibia program, Ky went on to be a Teaching Assistant on two Ecuador programs, as well as a leader there in 2004.  Ky has researched Mexican Spotted Owls in the Gila National Forest of New Mexico, and has contributed to avian ecology projects in Colorado, Arizona, California and Montana. Ky has a Masters of Environmental Management degree from Duke University.  Currently she is the Raptor Biologist at the US Army Dugway Proving Ground in Utah. In her spare time, she escapes to the wilds of Utah - to mountain bike, ski, fly fish and run rivers.

Rebekah Karimi graduated with a BSc in Zoology with a concentration in Animal Behavior from Michigan State University in 2003.  She worked as a field assistant studying baboon behavior for two years in Botswana and Kenya.  In 2009, she earned her MSc from Georgia Southern University.  Her research focused on human-elephant conflict, specifically crop damage and potential elephant deterrents, in a rural Tanzanian community. She will be returning to Namibia in Spring 2012 to lead her fourth consecutive program there.

Vehihama ‘Willy’ Kasupi is a Namibian citizen and member of the Himba Tribe of northwestern Namiba.  He has been involved in conservation work in the Kunene Region for over 10 years, working as a naturalist and guide for Wilderness Safaris, and participating in the communal conservancy movement since its beginnings in the latter half of the 1990’s.  He joined Round River in 2006, assisting with the Namibia student program and taking a lead role on the Kunene Regional Ecological Analysis (KREA) project.  He has been a full-time leader on the student program since Spring 2011.

Leah Larsen, Advisor. Leah received her Master's Degree in Biology from Humboldt State University.  Following graduate school, she led student programs for Round River Conservation Studies in Ecuador, Namibia, and British Columbia.  She loves being in the field with students and working on conservation projects with diverse people around the world.  But when her first little girl came along she settled down with her family in her hometown in northeastern California.  She is currently happy teaching biology at a junior college and spending time with her family.

Libby McDonald, Advisor. Libby participated on both the Ecuador and Taku River student programs.  She has spent over three years working in various roles at the Center for Whole Communities in Vermont, most recently as the Educational Programs Coordinator. At this nonprofit, she worked for healthy connections among people, land and community. She now towards healthy food and food education in schools in Vermont with Vermont FEED—a collaboration between the Northeast Organic Farmer’s Association of Vermont, FoodWorks, and Shelburne Farms.  Libby studied Environmental Sciences at the University of Vermont.

Doug Milek, Director of Student Programs. Doug received a BA from the University of Wyoming, and has since been involved with numerous wildlife research projects throughout the Western United States. Doug is recently completed a Master’s degree in Environmental Studies at the University of Montana.  He has conducted fieldwork and led many programs in the Taku, and recently developed the first program in Wyoming.

Philip Nyhus, Advisor. Philip Nyhus is an Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies at Colby College in Waterville, Maine.  His scholarship in environmental studies is highly interdisciplinary, straddling the natural and social sciences.  He has a particular interest and expertise in tiger conservation, human-wildlife conflict, the human dimension of large mammal conservation, GIS, interdisciplinary approaches to wildlife risk assessment, and environmental policy.

Joshua Porter will join Round River to lead the first Patagonia Chile student program in 2012. His background integrates conservation field science and education. Joshua earned a MS in Ecological Teaching & Learning from the Audubon Expedition Institute at Lesley University. He also teaches expedition based courses for the Wild Rockies Field Institute. His field work includes restoration ecology projects on the Colorado Plateau, forest predator surveys in the North Cascades, and breeding bird surveys in interior Alaska. Joshua is passionate about facilitating conservation projects while inhabiting wild places.

Lindsey Rich received her BS in Wildlife Biology from Colorado State University and her MS in Wildlife Biology from the University of Montana. Her MS research focused on developing a time- and cost-efficient method for monitoring wolf packs across Montana and studying the spatial behavior of wolf packs under different ecological and   management scenarios.  Lindsey enjoys working in a wide variety of ecosystems and has conducted wildlife-related research in the western United States, Panama, Bhutan, Spain, and Portugal. She will be joining Round River as a co-leader in Botswana for Spring 2012.

Amanda Salb earned her BA in Biological Sciences from Mount Holyoke College, her DVM from Louisiana State University, and her MSc from the University of Calgary.  Her master's research focused on the epidemiology of anthrax in wild wood bison in northern Canada.  A lover of all things furred, feathered, and scaled, she practiced as a veterinarian for 7 years.  Most recently, she served as a project manager with Ya’axché Conservation Trust, promoting neotropical migratory bird habitat conservation in Belize. Amanda will be co-leading Round River's first Botswana program in Spring 2012.

Kari Signor obtained a Bachelor's degree in Wildlife Science from Virginia Tech in 2002 and a Master's degree in Wildlife Biology from Utah State University. She has encountered a wide range of outdoor enthusiasts - humans included - while working on various projects along the east and west coasts, and throughout the intermountain west. She also studied abroad in Kenya and Costa Rica and has traveled extensively throughout Central America and Peru. Kari will be co-leading Round River's first Patagonia program in Spring 2012.

John Tuxill, Advisor.  John is an Assistant Professor with Fairhaven College of Interdisciplinary Studies at Western Washington University in Bellingham, WA, where he teaches ethnobotany, applied conservation biology, and environmental studies.  His research centers on understanding how small-scale agrarian households manage different aspects of biological diversity—from crop varieties to habitats and landscape patterns.  John conducts field research on these themes in collaboration with Maya communities and Mexican scientists in central Yucatan, Mexico.  He has a PhD in Economic Botany from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and the New York Botanical Garden, and an M.S. in Conservation Biology and Sustainable Development from the University of Wisconsin.