JESSE WEISZ
Founder and Executive Director
Jesse founded GEEO in 2007 to share his passion for traveling with America’s teachers. Jesse discovered the wonders of travel during high school when he made two trips to Europe as a member of the US National Ultimate Frisbee team. Later Jesse studied film in Sydney and landed a three-month all expenses paid trip to Asia to shoot stills and video for an Australian tour company. From there Jesse was hooked on travel and has visited over 90 countries.
In 2003, Jesse started his own new business development consulting company for European advertising agencies. In 2006 he cut back his consulting hours to start GEEO. In September of 2010 GEEO received funding, hiring Jesse to work full time for a job he had been doing as an unpaid volunteer for the previous four years.
JOSH BARBER
Senior Program Manager
Josh joined GEEO after a decade in the higher education side of international education, having worked with both inbound (international students) and outbound (study abroad) services. His own study abroad experiences while completing his undergraduate degree in International Relations kindled his interest in the field of international education as a possible profession, and he went on to receive an M.A. in International Education from SIT Graduate Institute. He is passionate about the transformative power of international and cross-cultural experiences and has visited 25 countries, hopefully with many more to come!
When he’s not working or traveling, he’s probably walking his dogs, putting together puzzles, or watching Liverpool Football Club.
KATIE DESCIEUX
Travel Support/Technology Coordinator
Katie found her perfect fit at GEEO, combining her commitment to support educators and her passion for global exploration. Holding a Master of Liberal Arts degree from the UNC Asheville, and with nearly a decade of experience working in higher education, she brings a background in administration, customer service, and data management. Katie’s curiosity and interest in exploring diverse cultures has been a lifelong pursuit, leading her to travel to nearly a dozen countries, including a semester abroad in England and two years teaching English in Spain.
In her free time, you will find Katie working on her Spanish fluency, or outside, training for her next marathon (or ultramarathon) while listening to one of her favorite podcasts.
AARON MUDERICK
Board Member and Treasurer
Aaron is President of Crazy Aaron Enterprises, a toy and promotional merchandise manufacturer based in Philadelphia, PA. Aaron helped found GEEO and is an essential part of the organization. As a successful entrepreneur, Muderick brings to GEEO his experience in managing all aspects of small organizations including marketing and advertising, organizational startup, outsourcing, and business finance.
ZACHARY KLUGHAUPT
Board Member and Secretary
Zach is Asst. General Counsel & Associate Compliance Officer at Ansell, where he specializes in transactional and corporate work throughout the Americas. Prior to joining Ansell, he practiced law at a number of law firms and companies in New York and Sao Paulo. Zachary received his law degree from Duke University, where he was a Lead Editor of the Duke Journal of Comparative and International Law and spent a semester at the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México. He graduated cum laude from Duke University in 1999, where he earned a B.A. in Economics with a minor in Spanish. He is fluent in Portuguese and Spanish, and now lives in New Jersey with his wife and two rambunctious kids.
IAIN ROBERTSON
Board Member
Iain currently works as Deputy Managing Editor of the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab, which has a mission to identify, expose, and explain disinformation and malign influence campaigns. He is a 2017 MBA graduate of Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, where he was also a part of the inaugural class of students to receive the Certificate in Nonmarket Strategy. Prior to Georgetown, he held a number of positions within the Obama Administration, including with the Office of Presidential Correspondence and in the National Security Council. A firm believer in the power of travel to open minds, Iain has extensive international experience, both personal and professional.
JOELLE HAUGHEY
Board Member
Joelle is currently Chief People Officer for Spectrum Chemical Manufacturing where she has responsibility for managing all aspects of HR globally. Joelle has broad experience across multiple industries where she has led teams from all regions of the world to transform and continuously improve their business. Her roles in small to large organizations have provided Joelle with vast exposure to global business, cultures and human resources. A champion of diversity, Joelle has witnessed firsthand how traveling beyond our own boarders can profoundly influence our empathy and understanding of other people and societies. Joelle holds a Master’s in Human Organization Science and a Bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering from Villanova University.
MATT KEMPLER
Board Member
Matt Kempler has a wide range of business experience across multiple disciplines. He has over 15 years of experience in corporate strategy and M&A and in 2015 created Ansell Limited’s Digital Innovation Team. Matt started Baroudr late 2017 to help companies develop “breakaway” strategies, improve customer experience, and provide general transaction advisory. He also works with two startups: Iterate Labs and Mareana.
As GEEO Board Member, Matt provides guidance and supports improvements in our teachers (customers) experience from increasing awareness of GEEO, to improving the booking process and through post trip support and advocacy.
ED CAMPOS JR.
Board Member
Ed currently works for Brown University’s Bootstrap program that integrates Computer Science into Core Content areas like Math and Science. He was a software programmer in the Bay Area for 3 years before becoming a teacher. He has taught high school math and computer science for over 15 years in Central California. While in the classroom, Ed created an innovative math learning space that allowed his students to express themselves, present, and teach their peers in a multitude of ways.
Committed to eradicating math anxiety by bringing more visible thinking, creativity, and fun to math classrooms, Ed has made it his mission is to treat the math trauma that has plagued our educational system.
Ed has traveled with GEEO on four different trips and those experiences have had a large impact on his career in education. “I’ve been able to travel all over the world because of my education and encourage my students and colleagues to do the same. I try and use as much technology available to encourage my students to become better Global Digital Citizens. I know that getting students to think globally is a huge part of their vision for their future and I’m excited about the global nature and possibilities that current technology makes possible.”
MADDIE HUNT
Board Member
Maddie Hunt teaches 8th-grade students in Taiwan through Banyan Global Learning’s digital learning program. She also has a background teaching as an Elementary Teacher as well as Gifted and Talented Education. She has experience serving as a Learning and Technology Framework lead and as a Digital Learning Coach. Maddie has participated in a Personalized Learning cohort and is a leader in differentiated instruction and flipped learning for K-5 environments. She has completed training in the SEED (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity) program and serves on her district’s Equity and Inclusion Advisory Board. She has her BA from the University of St. Thomas in Business Communications. She also has her MA in Elementary Education from the University of St. Thomas. She is a Certified Digital Marketing Professional and has Executive Education certifications in Data-Driven Decisions, Influential Communication, Strategic Social Media Marketing, Nonprofit Fundraising, and Strategic Negotiation. In addition, she is a Myers Briggs Type Indicator practitioner. When she is not in her classroom or with her family, you can find her traveling around the world. She is an avid traveler and has been everywhere from Egypt to Laos to Iceland. She looks forward to continuing her exploration of the globe and sharing her experiences with her students!