Our Trip Leaders
Candice Young
Program: Nepal
What I love about being a Trip Leader for Trek Relief is getting to build my relationships with the local people. Coming back repeatedly to the same place in a foreign land, recognizing familiar faces, and having them recognize me in return, is something that the average traveler doesn’t often get to experience.
I am not just returning to assist strangers, I am returning to see friends and their families. Mutual trust and understanding are built with familiarity.
I get to watch children grow up. I deepen friendships over the years. I love telling stories I’ve learned over time with the group, and it is a pleasure to see the tangible progress of our project and the changes in the community over time.
I love sharing what I’ve learned about the country and the people with my groups. I love knowing that the decisions I make are important ones that make a difference. I love being an ambassador of good and making a globally positive footprint on this earth in a place that I’ve come to love.
Join us as a Trip Leader, and discover your own golden path of philanthropy.
Sarah Nguyen
Programs: Patagonia, Mongolia, Nepal
It’s been my greatest pleasure to lead treks for all of our programs and lead participants through the wonder every year since Trek Relief was founded.
I love connecting people to great causes within the grandeur of nature. Through works of heart-filled service, vigorous trekking, and cooking delicious food, together we dive deep into natural and cultural adventure.
Guiding trekkers on journeys of connectivity to the world around us is symbiotically powerful and just simply fun!
Leading a trip takes the mode of a participant a step further, as it inspires true collaboration with the locals who own the service project. Liaising with leaders of our beneficiary communities is crucial and fulfilling. The best part: it’s not difficult, yet the impact is huge.
I love being a trip leader, as I’m as much a participant enjoying the ride as I am an enabler for maximizing impact: by providing the opportunity for other individuals to be a collective part of the change.
Win-win-win.
Dr. Rob Williams
Programs: Nepal, Mongolia, Patagonia
I’ve served as an assistant trip leader for our pilot project in Mongolia, and a trip co-leader for scouting our pilot project in Chile’s Patagonia region, working on both projects with my irrepressible BOD colleague Sarah Nguyen.
Serving as a trip leader is so rewarding in three ways.
1) Being on the ground with Trek Relief gives me the opportunity to be an ambassador for an organization in which I deeply believe.
2) The camaraderie that comes with assembling and traveling with a Trek Relief team, too, is a wonderful chance to work and travel with other adventurers committed to good work, fun, and adventure.
3) Finally, being a trip leader creates opportunities to meet and work with remarkable individuals and organizations in other countries and from other cultures - creating “win-win” collaborative projects that enrich everyone involved and make the world a better place.
I encourage you to consider joining our Trek Relief community and consider, too, being a trip leader and work with us to expand Trek Relief’s mission and work.
#TravelWithPurpose!
Harmony Riveros
Program: Peru
I first joined Trek Relief on their Patagonia journey in 2023. I absolutely love Trek Relief’s mission, and was inspired to create a program in Peru for 2024.
Peru inspired me to connect with nature in a way I never had, and I fell in love with the land and the culture. Bringing support and connected energy to this region of the world is something I am very much looking forward to.
Currently I’m living in Mexico City, working remotely, learning Spanish, and creating a home. I am thrilled to have led my first Trek Relief trip in 2024 and to build out the Peru program further.
See you there!
Julia Roca
Program: Mongolia
Born in California and raised on a coffee ranch in Colombia, Julia's journey to becoming a trip lead for Trek Relief is as diverse as the landscapes she traverses.
Inspired by a transformative expedition to Nepal with Trek Relief in 2023, she was compelled to immerse herself in the organization's blend of adventure and humanitarianism.
Julia's extensive background in founding and helping operate nonprofits seamlessly merges with her role as a freedive instructor, where her expertise in breath work adds a unique dimension to her leadership.
With a passion for community empowerment and environmental conservation, Julia embodies the spirit of Trek Relief, weaving together her love for exploration, service, and the transformative power of nature into unforgettable experiences for all involved.
Dan Halu
Program: Nepal
I embarked on my first trek with Trek Relief in March of 2017, and simply put, it has changed my life. Since then, I have been heavily involved with the organization, working to build and expand our operations to new heights. I have since been on four expeditions with the organization, the most recent one being my first Trip Leader experience. Every trip is something I'll keep with me forever; however, my Trip Leader experience in Langtang was exceptional in that it offered me a unique and more intimate way of participating in a trip.
I got an opportunity to be a champion and ambassador of Trek Relief while in Nepal, helping to build new connections and strengthen old ones. Getting a behind-the-scenes look helped me further appreciate the fantastic relationships we have built with these communities in Nepal.
Furthermore, being a Trip Leader helped me step into a new, exciting, yet challenging role, and it helped me grow in many ways. This was a unique experience, and I would recommend it to anyone who loves to have a good adventure.
Ruriel Pete Montayre
Program: Nepal
Why did I want to be a trip leader?
My goal to heal the soul of the world began with an intimate group of volunteers that heightened and enlightened my perspective of life. After my experience in the Langtang Valley as a volunteer, I came to realize the amount of privilege I had and just how powerful and capable I am to change the world. I always had an admiration for people who actually sought and volunteered their skills and services to those in need; and after having the opportunity to experience that, I wanted to share this excitement and joy with everyone I loved. After being on the other end of the spectrum, I thought, “What better way is there to continuously effect change towards a better future than by fostering a new group of individuals to heal the soul of the world?” By this action, taking on the role of a trip leader, it’s not about the deed, it’s about the movement. In my lifetime, I may or may not be witness to the positive changes that I work so strongly for. But in knowing that I can contribute to paving the way for others taking on after me, I can only do what I can with what I have, and live life every moment as if it’s the last time I ever will.
What did I gain from my role?
From my role as a trip leader, I gained humility and new strengths as a leader. Coming into my role I had read a quote, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” In other words, what is predictable is also preventable. The journey with my team was formidable; we encountered setbacks, miscommunication, and illness. But even through it all, we all carried the same passion. I came to my own understanding that leaders don’t wait to take action, they take steps to prevent negative outcomes. But when negative outcomes do occur, taking a step back to reevaluate and assess with the team allows everyone opportunity to lead. After all, my role is not just to lead, but to foster great leaders. I am grateful for my team and am humbled to be a part of their life journey.