Meet Our Staff

At the age of ten, Gina embarked on what was to be the first of many international experiences.  Through her public elementary school in a small town in Wisconsin, Gina participated in a month-long exchange program in Paris, France.  In addition to learning about French family life, history, culture, and coping with being away from Mom and Dad for the first time, the trip left a lasting impression of the importance of directly experiencing difference at a young age.

This first international experience helped shape the trajectory of Gina’s life.  While at Colorado College, she jumped at every opportunity to engage in experiential learning—ranging from archaeological digs in Southeastern Colorado, to courses on languages and cultures of Subsaharan Africa taught in West Africa.  Gina has conducted field research on the spread of Pentecostalism in West Africa, and on the rebirth of Buddhism in Cambodia.  Her worldly interests led to a BA in Anthropology and Religion from the Colorado College, and an MA in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she recently completed the coursework for a PhD in Cultural Anthropology.

Gina’s international interests expand beyond academia.  Before joining Global Explorers, Gina worked as Assistant Producer for “Here on Earth” at Wisconsin Public Radio, created lesson plans for the Peace Corps’ Center for Field Assistance and Applied Research, taught Introduction to Anthropology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and worked as a Development Researcher at Colorado College.  On a recent trip to Vietnam with her husband, she completed a personal goal of visiting 30 countries before turning 30 (just in time!).