Inspiring Faculty

Exceptional Mentors
Students and parents alike rave about EXPLO faculty. Each year we interview hundreds of people, looking for bright, dynamic, innovative, and engaging individuals to help us create the incredible learning environment you will find at EXPLO. 

Passionate Educators
Yet EXPLO staff possess more than just talent. As teachers, they exude a genuine interest in helping young people become open to all types of learning — a trait they themselves embody. Year in and year out, students and staff tell us how much they learn from working together.

Most of the faculty is comprised of exceptional college and graduate stduents. They're supported and supervised by experienced teachers, educational administrators, and professional practitioners.

Teachers Who Are Involved in All Aspects of Student Life
Our faculty — residential and day advisors, instructors, event MCs, discussion facilitators, and trip leaders — will engage you in myriad ways and encourage you to broaden your global point of view. It's not unusual for a staff member to teach developmental psychology in the morning, lead a West African drumming session in the afternoon, debate the merits of public versus private schools over dinner, star in a staff improv show in the evening, and serve as residential advisor for a living group of students at night. With a passion for teaching that goes beyond the classroom, our staff are exceptional guides for an EXPLO summer.
 

Heads of Program

Brent Ruter
Down-to-earth, curious, quick to laugh, and imbued with common sense, Brent Ruter has taken to heart EXPLO's mission of "learning about the world of people and ideas." Since 1996, Brent Ruter has worked at EXPLO in positions ranging from teacher to Director of Curriculum, Dean of Students, and Assistant Head. After graduating with honors from Bowdoin College, Brent went on to teach earth science, chemistry and biology at public secondary schools in Massachusetts and Minnesota. He earned his Masters in Public Policy with distinction at the University of Minnesota. As a doctoral candidate in Comparative and International Development Education (University of Minnesota), Brent worked with faculty at Mwenge University Teachers College (Moshi, Tanzania) on inquiry-based learning. He's also led training sessions for secondary school teachers in the region. In addition, he's worked for CARE-Bangladesh on assessing girls' education initiatives across eight countries.

Sarah Ruter
Sarah Ruter is a singing, dancing, English teacher who detoured into practicing law before returning to her first love: education. Sarah started her education career at EXPLO in 1996, where she's held numerous positions including teacher, residential advisor, admissions officer, residence director, and Dean of Students. She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin — Madison, where she was a Robert C. Byrd Scholar. For years, she taught high school writing, public speaking, and literature at a public school in Massachusetts. She also headed the school's Theater Society, where she directed three plays per year for the 100-member drama organization. Sarah attended the University of Minnesota Law School, where she earned her J.D. cum laude. She practiced general, commercial and employment law with regular appearances in state and federal court. Minnesota Law and Politics called her a "Rising Star" and Minnesota Lawyer named her to their list of "Up and Coming Attorneys."

Meet Some of our Summer Faculty

The following is a partial listing of our 2012 EXPLO at Yale faculty and staff:

Janelle Richardson, named Meritorious New Teacher by the Virginia Department of Education in her first year of teaching, now teaches middle school language arts in Charlotte, North Carolina. She holds a B.A. summa cum laude in English and secondary education from the College of William and Mary. Janelle was selected as one of six undergraduates to participate as an instructor in the William and Mary Bosnia Project, for which she developed and taught English language and non-violent communication curriculum to Bosnian middle school students. She continued to serve the project by selecting and training future instructors. In past years, Janelle has served EXPLO at Yale as an Instructor and as a Curriculum Advisor; she returns to EXPLO for her third year as Director of Curriculum.

Kelly McQuillan teaches high school economics and psychology at the St. Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists. She holds a Masters of Education and has served as a curriculum developer at the Academy of Holy Angels in Richfield, Minnesota. At her current school, Kelly serves as a member of the school board. She has been responsible for developing and implementing an elective AVID program for SPCPA students. In her spare time, Kelly has worked with developmentally challenged young adults, helping and coaching them on building life skills and participating in mainstream society. Kelly’s desire to serve has also brought her to Costa Rica where she worked with Habitat for Humanity International. Kelly previously worked with EXPLO as a Curriculum Advisor. This year, she joins the administrative team as Main Office Director.

Susan Semmler is a veteran science teacher with experience in the United States and abroad. She currently teaches and serves as technology coordinator at a charter school in St. Paul, Minnesota. Susan received her B.A. in biology from Augustana College and earned her Masters of Education in educational technology from Lesley University. After dedicating several years to teaching and serving as head volleyball coach in public high schools in her home state of Minnesota, Susan moved abroad to teach science at an international school in Myanmar. Susan spent five years in Myanmar, serving as a teacher and later as the technology coordinator for the school. She has led numerous international travel, study, and service trips with high school students. Susan returns to EXPLO as Director of Programming.

Drew Baumgartner has recently joined EXPLO’s year round staff as an Admissions Officer. He is a graduate of Lawrence University, where he earned degrees in biology and music theory and composition. Drew has spent the past two summers in the EXPLO at Yale Dean's Office; first, as a Residence Director and last summer as Assistant Dean. Drew has also served as an Assistant Residential Coordinator for the Center for Talented Development at Northwestern University’s School of Education and Social Policy, a national gifted education organization. He was also a Resident Advisor and Program Director of a radio station at Lawrence. Drew returns to EXPLO this summer as Assistant Dean of Students.

Solveig Harriday currently teaches high school mathematics in the greater Twin Cities area. She holds a Masters of Education and her teaching experiences have provided opportunities to work with a broad range of student needs in various academic settings. These include teaching, tutoring and mentoring English language learners, students with learning disabilities, and students from various economic backgrounds. Her studies and volunteer experience have brought her to Australia, Brazil, England, India, Morocco, New Zealand and Wales. Having worked with EXPLO previously as a Curriculum Advisor, this year, Solveig joins the administrative team as the Assistant Director of Curriculum.

Mary Frances Weatherly holds a Masters of Teaching from the University of Virginia. She currently works with 2nd graders at a charter school in Washington, DC. Over the years, Mary Frances has gained experience with students in grades 2-12, primarily working to develop competency in English, Spanish and reading. Mary Frances has served as the head of the tennis department at a summer program for girls in her home state of Alabama. In her spare time, Mary Frances enjoys running and volunteering with organizations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters. Last summer, Mary Frances served as a Residence Director. She returns this summer as Assistant Dean of Students.

Jennie Seidewand is a graduate of Hobart and William Smith Colleges where she studied English and Art + Social Change. At school, Jennie worked as a writing colleague, mentoring and tutoring college students through the writing process at the Center for Teaching and Learning and in freshman seminars. In addition, Jennie was the editor-in-chief of the colleges’ alternative newspaper, managed a co-operative arts house, and researched and wrote an honors thesis on art in the peace movement. Jennie is a member of EXPLO’s year round staff as an Admissions Officer and will return for her sixth summer at EXPLO, this year as Curriculum Office Manager.

Leigh Bennett is a veteran English instructor whose experiences include teaching at colleges around the Boston area. Her work was awarded the Gilman Prize from Boston University, where she earned her Masters degree in English and American Literature. She has also worked with English language learners, working towards greater literacy and comprehension. Leigh returns to EXPLO this summer as a Curriculum Advisor.

Esther Biesse studies psychology at Macalester College. Born in Paris, Esther lived in India, Tunisia, and Morocco, before moving to St. Paul, Minnesota as a college student. Esther has served as freshman orientation leader at Macalester, and currently serves as a resident assistant for sophomores. Esther has earned her brown belt in Karate and has studied ballroom dancing since a young age. In her spare time, she tutors with the organization People Serving People and participates as a member of the Caribbean Students Organization. Esther is fluent in French.

Jake Cassman studied political science at the University of Pennsylvania before pursuing his passion for music. Now a senior at the Berklee College of Music, Jake is a veteran songwriter, pianist and vocalist. He has recently taken up the guitar and drums. Originally from California, Jake earned his International Baccalaureate Diploma from the Leysin American School in Switzerland. He has spent time in Mexico and Romania, building houses for impoverished families. This one-man-band and world traveler returns to EXPLO to teach Songwriting and Rock Performance.

Natalie Davis currently attends St. Olaf College where she studies chemistry and vocal performance. In 2011, Natalie was awarded the title of Miss Minnesota. She is the founder and programming director of Awesome Club, a social skills program for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Natalie recently completed the Multi-cultural Education Program in Hawaii, where she taught earth science and chemistry to students from economically diverse backgrounds. After graduating and completing her year of service as Miss Minnesota, Natalie plans to pursue medical school and a career as a pediatrician.

Alex Fernandez is currently pursuing a master’s degree in social work at New York University. Holding a Bachelor’s degree in psychology, Alex has completed various internships around New York City and southern Connecticut. Her passion for serving others has also led her to New Orleans and Houston. In these varied experiences, she discovered a passion for supporting young people. Most recently, she has served as a social work intern at a charter school in Norwalk, Connecticut. Alex also has a long history of teaching dance to students ages 3-17. Alex joins EXPLO this summer as a Residence Director.

Amanda Kreun attends St. Olaf College where she is pursuing a major in psychology. Amanda works in her college admissions office and serves as an advocate and educator for her school's Sexual Assault Resource Network. Amanda serves as a TA in for Intro to Psychology, mentoring students who are new to the discipline. Currently, Amanda is a residential advisor in a first-year residential hall at St. Olaf. In her free time, she enjoys softball and “extreme” ping-pong.

Adam Leibowitz is a chemical engineering student at Carnegie Mellon University. While at CMU, Adam has served as an orientation counselor for the freshman class. During the academic year, he serves as the first vice president of the social organization, KGB. Among other duties associated with this role, Adam helps to facilitate an annual 200-person game of Capture the Flag. He also performs as a member of the No Parking Players Improv troupe and Scotch-n-Soda Theatre.

Katherine Lewiston studies vocal music education at St. Olaf College. She is the artistic and musical director of the St. Olaf Show Choir and a second soprano for the the St. Olaf Chapel Choir. Katherine has been an active participant in numerous theatrical productions and is a member of the Youth Council at the Eau Claire Children’s Theatre. She has served as a camp counselor at an arts summer program in the San Jacinto mountains in California. You may recognize her as a lead vocalist from the 2011 EXPLO band.

Eric Martin is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in applied physics from the Harvard University School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. His long term goals involve uniting his research with science education. To that end, Eric volunteers his time teaching students of all ages about nanotechnology at Boston’s Museum of Science. Eric also helped to develop the Discover Engineering Weekend in Santa Barbara, California. This tremendously successful endeavor gave high school students the opportunity to build small cars under the guidance of University of California engineering students. When he is not conducting research or working with students, Eric enjoys playing ultimate and the Brazilian combat dance, Capoeira.

Lucy McGuigan currently serves as a Teach for America corps member, teaching high school algebra in Chalmette, Louisiana. Lucy graduated with honors from the University of Pennsylvania. At Penn, she studied sociology and art history, writing her senior thesis on graffiti culture in Philadelphia and the tension between public and institutionalized art. In addition to her academic work, Lucy was the captain of the Penn Equestrian Team, features editor of 34th Street Magazine, and social chair of the Bloomers All-Female Musical Sketch Comedy group.

Joli Reichel has dedicated the past several years to arts education in Philadelphia. She serves as a guide and educator at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. In this role, Joli develops and implements curriculum designed to inspire an appreciation for the arts. In addition, she is an assistant teacher in a Docent and Sketch Club program for inner-city high school students. Joli’s passions also include volleyball and ultimate. A veteran EXPLO faculty member, Joli returns this summer as a Curriculum Advisor.

Ivan Salcedo is a working filmmaker, screenwriter, and teacher in New York City. Ivan studied film and television at New York University under the likes of Academy Award winning screenwriter Geoff Fletcher and A-list director Robby Benson. Ivan has spent years working with NYU’s STEP into the Arts program and the FUNGLODE film program in the Dominican Republic. In addition to assisting with curriculum development, Ivan mentored students as they developed their own film projects, many working with film for the first time. He is currently the co-owner of the New York City-based production company Reno Nights LLC which specializes in viral advertising for major corporations like HUGO BOSS and Details Magazine. Ivan returns to EXPLO this summer as a Curriculum Advisor.

Althea Speaks studies political science and economics at St. Olaf College. Originally from Chicago, her studies have brought her to Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Ecuador. Most recently, Althea completed a semester abroad in Buenos Aires. When she is in the country, Althea has served as a resident advisor for first-year students at St. Olaf, and consistently advocates for political awareness on campus. Althea is fluent in Spanish and plays the flute in the St. Olaf College Norseman Band.

Igor Stanceric is a resident assistant and psychology major at Macalester College. Originally from Croatia, he is a graduate of the Red Cross Nordic United World College and currently serves as the chair of the Macalester First Aid organization. Igor has taught first aid to high school and middle school students and spent time in Serbia working with children with special needs. He currently volunteers with The Jeremiah Program as a caregiver for children ages 2-6. He plays soccer, volleyball and is a veteran rock climber. Igor returns for his third summer at EXPLO, serving as a Main Office Manager.

Christie Thompson attends Northwestern University where she studies magazine journalism and international studies. Christie has completed editorial internships with Beyond Profit magazine in Mumbai and Ms. magazine in Los Angeles. At Northwestern, she has served as co-director for the university’s Conference on Human Rights, and as the media and marketing co-chair for the Global Engagement Summit. In her spare time, Christie enjoys skiing and becoming acquainted with Chicago’s various art museums.

Aeryn Williams studies acting and directing at Syracuse University. In addition to performing in several shows, Aeryn has experience in directing and playwriting. Her work has been selected for the Syracuse New Playwrights Festival. Last year, Aeryn spent a semester abroad studying at Shakespeare's Globe in London, UK. Most recently, Aeryn uses her talents in acting and directing to educate students about criminal justice as an instructor in the Syracuse SAY YES to Education program. She has also served as a resident advisor for first-year students.

Sarajean Zocklein is currently studying yoga and meditation at an ashram in Northern India. Sarajean’s past travels have brought her to South Africa, where she taught ocean conservation to young children, and to Homer, Alaska as a photography intern. She has also earned wilderness first aid certification and worked with students in outdoor educational settings in Kentucky and Oregon. She returns to EXPLO this summer as a Residence Director.