¡Hola! Carol and Topher here, the Cohort Leaders for the Spring 2020 Central America PDXchange semester. We have spent the past several days here in Portland planning our exciting itinerary, honing trip logistics, helping students pack their backpacks, and enjoying our last days in beautiful Pacific Northwest.
Carol hails from Brooklyn, NY (before it was trendy) where she often served as a friend and mentor to her peers in her high school. When she moved to Philadelphia to pursue a degree in International Studies, she focused on Human Rights and Social Justice on a global and local level.
While she believed in systemic solutions, her travels grew a desire to learn more about the human heart and mind.
So, of course, Carol traveled to Portland in 2013 and settled down to acquire her Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, specializing in working with youth and adolescents who have gone through trauma. Carol’s passion for travel, justice, engaging new cultures, and the expressive arts informs her belief in the power of experience for healing and growth.
Topher has been leading Carpe Mundi students on international programs since 2014 and formerly worked as the Program Director for our PDXchange program. Originally from rural southern Appalachia, Topher studied at the University of North Carolina in Asheville, worked as an experiential educator, and co-founded a hand-built banjo business before moving to the Pacific Northwest in 2017.
Having first experienced the positive impact of out-of-the-box learning while studying and living in Costa Rica for a year at age 16, he has since traveled, led, and volunteered in 20 countries and 49 states.
A passionate student of social justice, ecopsychology, and alternative education, Topher is committed to helping Carpe Mundi provide equitable access to meaningful and culturally relevant education for students with diverse backgrounds and learning styles. He is incredibly grateful to be a part of his students’ lives and for the opportunity to learn and grow with them on their journeys.
We are both super excited to be traveling with our group of 11 amazing students to Guatemala and Costa Rica this Spring and look forward to sharing our adventures with you along the way!
