Our Leaders
Adam Platz
Adam Platz is a three-time Overland leader and 2008 graduate of Dartmouth College. Adam is from Auburn, Maine, and has led New England Explorer in 2007, Alaska Explorer in 2008 and the Alpine Challenge in 2009. As a sophomore, Adam participated in a ten-week foreign studies program at Universidad Argentina De La Empresa in Buenos Aires, where he lived with a Spanish-speaking family and took courses in Argentine literature, history and art history. At Dartmouth, Adam was an active member of the Dartmouth Ski Patrol, a student run organization serving the safety needs of the nearby Dartmouth Skiway. Through this program, Adam received certification in Outdoor Emergency Care, Red Cross First Aid and CPR/AED and as an Outdoor Emergency Care Phase 1 instructor. In college, Adam also spent three years volunteering his time as a mentor for the DREAM Program, working with underprivileged children in Vermont and New Hampshire's upper valley. Adam enjoys chess, Scrabble, and backcountry skiing around New England. This past year, he successfully completed a thru-hike of the entire Appalachian Trail. He now lives in Boston and is a director at Urban Escapes, a social adventures provider for young professionals in cities around the country.
Alec Norton
Originally from Denver, Colorado, Alec Norton graduated from Stanford University in 2008 with a major in History. He returned to Stanford for a graduate year, receiving his MA in Environmental and Central Asian History. At Stanford, Alec played ultimate frisbee and worked as an RA in the spatial history lab, where he made maps. He led Vermont to Montreal in 2007 and stepped it up a notch with the American Challenge in 2008. This past summer, he led Overland's Alaska Leadership Course. Alec now works full time for Overland on the logistics team, planning the American Challenge and Alaskan and European outdoor trips. Alec enjoys reading, cycling, skiing and frisbee.
Alyson Guillet
Alyson Guillet graduated from Dartmouth College in 2008 where she was a Geography and Spanish double major. She was director of the Dartmouth Ski Patrol in addition to leading and supporting freshman orientation outdoor trips. Alyson led our four-week Language Immersion Spain program in 2009 and will lead our European Explorer hiking trip in 2010. Alyson is originally from Rochester, New York, but currently lives in Vail, Colorado, where she enjoys skiing, hiking, biking, reading, traveling and baking bread.
Andrew Kraus
Originally from Devon, Pennsylvania, Andrew Kraus graduated from St. Lawrence University in 2009 with degrees in Environmental Studies and Spanish. At school, Andrew was a member of the Varsity Crew Team, worked as a Spanish tutor and helped to run the Spain and Costa Rica abroad programs—after he had participated in them. Andrew is currently working on federal policy through an internship with the Sierra Club and is living in the Philadelphia area. In his free time, Andrew skis in the winter and competes in triathlons and marathons in the warm weather. Andrew led Language Immersion Spain in 2009. He writes: “While my program was filled with high points, a simple dinner with our Spanish neighbors stands out. My co-leader and I were so happy to see our students eagerly interacting in Spanish with our friendly neighbors.”
Andy Flick
Andy Flick grew up in Hamilton, Ohio, and is a recent graduate of Washington University where he studied Political Science and Spanish and swam on the varsity team. In 2009, Andy led our Costa Rica Service program. Since his summer with Overland, Andy has been living in Washington DC where he works for Missouri Congressman, Ike Skelton. When he's not working, Andy loves to hike, read and spend time with friends.
Anna Sobotka
Anna Sobotka grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, and graduated from Washington University in 2009 with a major in English and a Spanish minor. In 2008, Anna backpacked and studied abroad in Chili for a semester and then traveled around South America for three weeks. In 2009, she led our four-week Language Immersion Spain program. She is currently working for the Americorps emergency response team in St. Louis helping to organize community leaders and increase their capacity to take more responsibility for long-term recovery efforts in times of disaster.
Austin Rand
Austin Rand is from Groton, Massachusetts, and is currently finishing his senior year at the University of Colorado at Boulder with a major in Environmental Studies and a minor in Religious Studies. He is a member of the CU cycling team, and during his first three years he raced mountain bikes. He also works with a group of students on the Climate Change and Energy Outreach Team to create more awareness on campus about climate change and our impact on the issue, and he co-manages the CU Ski Bus, which is a charter bus program that gives students a ride to the mountains in an effort to limit the number of single occupancy vehicles heading from Boulder to the mountains every weekend in the winter. In his free time, Austin likes riding his bike, skiing and yoga. As a student, Austin went on New England Explorer in 2002, and he has led two biking trips for Overland and has signed on to lead another in the summer of 2010. In 2008, he led Cape Cod & the Islands and Vermont; in 2009, he led New England Coast; and he is incredibly excited to lead the American Challenge in 2010. Austin writes, "I love leading for Overland because it gives me a chance to share with others my passion for cycling while also instilling a sense of self-sufficiency in my students that will hopefully serve them well through the rest of their lives."
Bryan Mazaika
Originally from Hopkinton, Massachusetts, Bryan Mazaika is a senior Outdoor Education major at the University of New Hampshire. As an Overland student, Bryan went on New England Explorer in 2002, Teton Challenge in 2003 and Rainier Challenge in 2004. In 2009, he led Northwest Explorer. At UNH, he is the Intramural Supervisor and Outdoor Adventures trip leader with UNH Campus Recreation and a teaching assistant for the summer backpacking, winter backpacking and water-based experience technical classes for the Outdoor Education department. He is a graduate of a NOLS Alaska Outdoor Educator Backpacking Course, and in his free time, he likes to ski, mountain bike and whitewater kayak. Bryan writes: “Overland is a great network of people who hold similar values with me. I am proud to still be friends with students on my trips from years past as a participant, and now, as a leader, I have become friends with those with whom I have worked. Overland is like family.”
Byron Meinerth
Byron Meinerth grew up in Ridgefield, Connecticut and graduated from Colby College in 2009 with degrees in International Studies and Spanish. At Colby, Byron was a mentor to a six year-old boy through Colby Cares About Kids. He was also the coordinator for Adults Reading to Children, a program designed to get young school children excited about and interested in reading. During his junior year, Byron spent five months in Salamanca, Spain, studying government and literature, and he loved returning to Spain in 2008 with his Overland group. During his senior year, Byron was co-director of the Colby Volunteer Center along with Jess Palffy, another terrific Overland leader. He also helped lead the Colby mountain biking team to a championship win, toured Argentina with the college chorale and led three-day backpacking excursions for Colby Outdoor Orientation Trips for incoming freshmen. In 2008, Byron led Language Immersion Spain, and in 2009, he led the four-week Language Immersion & Service Costa Rica program. Byron is now teaching English to children, teenagers and adults in Changchun, China. In his free time, he is busy reading, studying for the Foreign Service Officer oral exam and dreaming about his next ski trip. Byron writes: “Early on my Language Immersion & Service Costa Rica program, I was very impressed when my students learned an essential component to language learning and learning in general. I had come back from buying food with our shopping group for the day and noticed that my room was plastered with pieces of paper with Spanish words written on them. Everything was covered: from my pillow to the ceiling, from my books to the toilet. My toothbrush even had a recommendation on it: cepíllalos, or brush your teeth. My students realized that learning can, and should be, fun. The more fun we have while learn, the more effective that learning process becomes.”
Caroline Gignoux
Caroline Gignoux is a three-year Overland leader who graduated from Amherst College with a double major in History and Spanish in 2009. At Amherst, she played lacrosse and intramural soccer, led first year orientation trips and worked in the Music and Science libraries. During the summer of 2007, she led Nova Scotia & Acadia; in 2008, she led Alaska Service, Berkshire Adventure and New England Adventure; and in 2009, she led Teton Adventure. She has loved her “awesome experiences with Overland.” Caroline, originally from Washington D.C., currently lives in Bangkok, Thailand, and she enjoys running, yoga and crossword puzzles.
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