Nathan Kumar Scott • Executive Director
Email: nscott at sageprogram.org    Skype: nathan.k.scott
Nathan was born and raised in India, speaks fluent Hindi, and studied at Woodstock School in the Himalayas. He holds an M.A. from the University of Washington in South Asian Studies and a B.A. from Oberlin College in anthropology. Nathan has been a Watson Fellow, studying non-formal education throughout South and Southeast Asia, as well as a Fulbright Fellow in India, studying Indian puppetry and performing arts. Besides his many years and extensive experience in India, Nathan has travelled and worked throughout the developing world: in both East and West Africa (he speaks some Ki-Swahili); Central and South America (teaching college courses in Spanish at Universidad de las Americas in Mexico, volunteering in the Ecuadorian rainforests); and East and Southeast Asia (studying Bahasa Indonesia while doing research in Indonesia, living and working in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and the Philippines). Nathan is a “Global Nomad” and yet there are still many places he would like to go – Patagonia, Easter Island, the Great Barrier Reef…

Ruth Brodeen • Program Director
Email: ruth at sageprogram.org    Skype: ruthbrodeen.sage
Throughout her professional career, Ruth has consistently found a way to connect a dedication for volunteerism with her passion to experience different cultures. As the SAGE Program Director, her drive has been to inspire and engage youth to move into action through appreciating diversity through cultural immersion and service learning projects. As a CU Boulder journalism graduate, Ruth has continually combined her own personal journey to experience cultural diversity and developed hundreds of customized travel programs and itineraries around the globe. Her wanderlust began while studying abroad in Heidelberg, Germany and has taken her trekking in Nepal, scouring bazaars in India, discovering temples in Thailand, volunteering in Guatemala, exploring the back roads of Costa Rica, meeting with indigenous tribal leaders in Panama, sailing in the Caribbean, hiking in New Zealand, and backpacking throughout Europe. In her free time, Ruth advocates for anti-human trafficking organizations and develops sustainable programs for victims of abuse. She enjoys spending time with her family in the great Colorado outdoors.

Todd Newcomer • Marketing/Outreach Coordinator
Email: outreach at sageprogram.org
Todd Newcomer was born and raised in Colorado growing up in the outdoors. Skiing, mountain biking, rafting and exploring the Colorado backcountry dominated his free time. After graduating high school Todd took a gap year in Australia exploring the desert and the most remote locations of the sun burned continent. After his travels down under Todd attended the University of Colorado where he majored in Marketing with an area of emphasis in Tourism Management. Combining those two disciplines Todd has developed a wealth of knowledge about global travel and the benefits of sustainable tourism. Todd continues his love of travel and the outdoors and doesn't miss an opportunity to take his wife and two daughters on extended family adventures.

Rhea Maze • Educational Travel Manager
Email: EduTravel at sageprogram.org
Rhea Maze grew up in Northern California and attended colleges in Monterey, Hawaii, San Diego, and finally Colorado where she earned a MA degree in English and a teaching license from Colorado State University. Rhea devoted her career to working as a teacher, writer, and coordinator for nonprofit organizations that provide young people with opportunities to engage in experiential learning and explore the world. Her professional work in travel and education, and personal passion for exploration, has taken her to 15 countries where she designed meaningful curriculum, taught a variety of academic classes, led outdoor adventures, and took part in several inspiring service projects. Her professional background also includes media communications and writing for environmental organizations and magazines. Rhea enjoys working with SAGE because she believes that engaging students in transformative experiences overseas will inspire them to make the world a better place. In her spare time, she loves to travel, play outside, and practice yoga.

Mona Thornton • Volunteer & Gap Year Coordinator
Email: volunteerabroad at sageprogram.org
Mona graduated with a BFA from CSU in 1987 and then three days later moved to Italy where she spent 2 years perfecting her Tuscan accent. After returning she worked for various architects and designers in Colorado and Oregon and then returned to CSU to get her Master’s Degree in Design. Always saving up for the next big trip she has traveled widely throughout Europe, Asia, and Central America. Mona has experienced firsthand the transformative power of travel and she is excited to help bring that experience to others. Soon, Mona, her two well-traveled boys, and her husband are off to spend three weeks in Nicaragua and Belize investigating the possibility of adding a new gap and volunteer program. The four of them will be heading to San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua to volunteer in the first lending library in Central America. They will be blogging about their adventures on the SAGE website under the engage tab.

Shelley Kawamura • Travel & Cultural Programs Coordinator
Email: travel at sageprogram.org
Shelley Kawamura has a passion for art, design and sustainability as she has earned advanced degrees from CSU in these areas. Putting her skills to use, Shelley spent time in Kenya working with Dinka Villagers on developing sustainable craft projects which help fund the community school and local elephant conservation project. Shelley has also worked on sustainable building service-learning projects in St. John, USVI, explored the Yucatan and studied art in Tuscany. She is enamored with the vast differences, yet fundamental similarities, that we all share, which is what inspired her to join the SAGE team. She weaves her love of travel, conservation, education and world cultures into programs that aim to enlighten, transform and create inspired global citizens. Shelley lives in Windsor, Colorado, where she loves to spend time with her husband and son, get outdoors, and satisfy her creative addictions through a variety of artisan adventures.