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Brian Morgan
CEO and Adventure Lifer!
I wanted friends and family to experience the same excitement and wonder
that I enjoyed while living and working in such fascinating places as
Ecuador, Peru, and Russia, and friends and family wanted authentic travel
experiences. They didn't, however, want to go it on their own. So I used
my own experiences and lots of help from friends in Ecuador and Peru to
create a travel company that offers everyone the chance to discover the
culture and places that I love. It's an honor to be part of a community
of such discerning travelers and to be part of planning their most perfect
adventures.
Read my travel journal:
View my travel photo album:
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Jonathan Brunger
General Manager
Since starting at Adventure Life in 2003, I have had great opportunities
traveling to destinations in Central and South America as well as Antarctica.
People will often ask me which of my trips has been my favorite or the
best, and it is certainly hard to decide. It is hard to compare hiking
on Inca ruins with our great guides in Peru with floating in the Antarctic
waters on a zodiac while a minke whale playfully pushes us along. Every
experience brings a chance to learn, reflect, and most importantly, have
fun. I enjoy sharing my enthusiasm for travel and especially like hearing
from our guests when they return from their own adventures.
Read my travel journals:
View my travel photo album:
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Julia Kocubinski
Financial Controller
Growing up in the beauty of Montana, I have always been on the lookout
for an adventure. Whether it is hiking my favorite trail, skiing at our
local mountain, playing volleyball with my friends, or floating along
one of Montana's beautiful rivers, I love to get out there and enjoy what
our world has to offer. Working for Adventure Life fits right in with
my lifestyle. I have had the amazing opportunities to bike in the Galapagos,
climb a volcano in Guatemala, kayak in Antarctica and snorkel in Belize,
just to name a few. Next on the list? Trekking in Peru!
Read my travel journals:
View my travel photo album:
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Aaron Conway
IT & Web Director
I joined the Adventure Life team in 2002. I have always been fascinated
with the world community and had an unwavering desire to learn about other
cultures. Throughout my life I have traveled halfway around the world
including several trips to Western Europe. I moved to Missoula from Mankato,
MN with my wife and daughter after earning BFA's in graphic design and
ceramics. Being part of Adventure Life allows me to keep remain politically,
environmentally and culturally aware and to educate others. I also like
pizza.
View my travel photo album:
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Monika Sundem
Sales & Marketing Director
A Pacific Northwest native at heart, the call of the great outdoors has
always beckoned me to come and play. Enjoying all varieties of sports,
hiking and camping, I love to use activities to develop relationships.
I have traveled extensively in Central America and parts of South America,
and have forged many cross cultural friendships that I hold dear. I am
eager for others to experience their own unique memories with the beautiful
people our planet holds. I love to play outside with my husband and three
kids in the summertime, and cozy up with some chocolate chip cookies in
the winter.
Read my travel journals:
View my travel photo album:
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Mary Curry
Voyage Product Director/Trip Planner
I'm a Missoula native who has been with Adventure Life almost from the
beginning. With its family friendly policies and adventure- minded staff,
Adventure Life is the perfect fit for me. I love to travel, especially
on multisport trips such as the breathtaking Class V Futaleufu whitewater
adventure. I also enjoy spending time with my fantastic family on outdoor
adventures around Montana. I graduated from the University of Puget Sound
with a Masters in Occupational Therapy. As a Watson Fellow, Presidential
Scholar and mom, I hope to instill a passion for international travel
and global consciousness in my four young kids. They've started their
travels early, accompanying me to the Galapagos, Ecuador, Belize, Panama,
Germany, the UK, Costa Rica and Guatemala. I hope that is only the beginning!
Read my travel journals:
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Marissa Jensen
Trip Planner
Growing up in Montana with family from Latin America inspired my love
of the culture and the language. I started studying Spanish at a young
age and pursued my degree in Spanish. Studying in Spain and Mexico proved
that the Latin American culture would be in my blood forever. I enjoy
speaking Spanish every chance I get! While traveling, I enjoy navigating
narrow streets, stumbling upon "hidden gems" and interacting
with the local culture. My favorite thing to do on a trip is to have a
meal with a random stranger while asking them about their day to day and
learning about how they view the world. In my interactions with these
people, I have learned that the world truly is a small place. I am excited
to help you make your world a little smaller!
Read my travel journals:
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Kassandra Miller
Trip Planner
Growing up in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains and the waters of
Puget Sound, I developed a passion for exploring the outdoors. While attending
the University of Montana, I spent weekends exploring Montana and the
summers traveling through Europe. Most of my free time is spent skiing,
running, hiking, fishing and kayaking - always seeking opportunities to
develop a new skill or master the old. I spent two years developing ecotourism
programs in rural Guatemala and later earned a graduate degree. My extensive
travels throughout Latin America have ignited a strong passion for adventure
travel and learning about new cultures. My favorite trips with Adventure
Life have been Peru, Ecuador, the Galapagos and most recently, Antarctica!
Next up: I can't decide! Should it be Costa Rica or Patagonia?
Read my travel journals:
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Erin Correia
Trip Planner
Born near Chicago and growing up in Michigan, I decided to venture out
of the Midwest to work as a Disney character for a semester in college
and haven't been able to keep my feet planted since! My travel addiction
grew as I spent the next year studying abroad and traveling in Australia
and Ireland. I next joined the Missoula Children's Theatre where I married
my tour partner and spent the next 6 years traveling the world to bring
the arts to children in such locations as Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and Anjung-Ri,
South Korea. After visiting 48 states and over 15 countries, I joined
Adventure Life in 2011 and am excited to share my passion for travel by
helping others plan their adventures. I hope to one day visit all 50 states
and 7 continents.
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Jenny Passuccio
Trip Planner
The travel bug first bit me in high school through family vacations, adventure youth camps and international study abroad programs. Through these I discovered a deep passion for exploration and learning about our amazing world! Now with two young children, husband and friends I try to instill this eagerness to explore in them - whether it's in our backyard in beautiful Montana, "hiking in the mountains" as my daughter would say, or miles away from home. I'm excited to help you cross the next great destination off your "list"! I also teach Pilates, enjoy a good book, and strive to make the perfect batch of popcorn!
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Laura Cahill
Trip Planner
Coming from a military family the travel bug bit me early on. Born in
Honolulu and raised in the Chicago-area, I traveled all over the US with
my family, particularly to the Rocky Mountain West. I moved to Montana
after college to work in Glacier National Park as a boat captain and naturalist
for several summers. I have my MA in Cultural Geography, where my research
took me to the Republic of Georgia for several months to research families
involved in rural to urban migration. My love of travel has taken me to
Ireland, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Turkey, and Peru. When not
traveling I love to hike with my husband and two dogs, roller skate with
Missoula's local roller derby league, and I am forever on the hunt for
the perfect chocolate malt.
Read my travel journal:
View my travel photo album:
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Sullivan Peraino
Trip Planner
Raised in the wilds of Montana, I spent my formative years considering
moose to be standard neighborhood fixtures. I first left the US to finish
high school in Australia, and from there the travel seed was planted.
While earning a BS from Purdue University, I studied tropical ecology
in Costa Rica and Panama. I lived in a biological station in Monteverde,
and found a passion for both the plants and people of Latin America. After
completing my degree, I worked for a commercial diving company in Seattle
and saved my pennies until I could get down to South America. In 2010
I spent three months gallivanting through Peru, Chile, and Argentina,
and loved every minute. When not helping others plan their own adventures,
I love to fish, play in the woods, and hula hoop.
Read my travel journal:
View my travel photo album:
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Jenny Johnston
Trip Planner
Born and raised in Nashville, making beautiful Montana home has been
a wonderful adventure and a great opportunity to introduce chocolate gravy
& biscuits and the word "y'all" to the West! My interests
include, but are not limited to: card making, music, eating Big Dipper
ice cream with my husband, hiking, tea-drinking, the Audrey-Sinatra era,
my family, and trying new foods/restaurants. I discovered my appreciation
of different cultures through multiple family trips to sample street food,
ride elephants, bargain at markets, and visit mountain tribe villages
in amazing Thailand. My love of travel has also been inspired by visiting
the Great Wall in China, going to Paris for a dance program, snorkeling
in the Bahamas, exploring the jungle and Mayan ruins in Belize, and living
in Spain for a semester of study and the search for the ultimate tapas
bar! I look forward to helping you plan your next adventure!
Read my travel journals:
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Beth Conway
Media and Communications Specialist
I have been an Adventure Lifer since 2004. But the adventure life spirit
has been an important part of my makeup since I was young. I grew up in
Minnesota exploring its rivers and lakes -- and even today I tend to always
be a little dirty or have a sunburn. At Adventure Life, I've been able
to take this passion for adventure and let it run; exploring some of the
best of Latin America from the top of the Andes to the underworld of Belize.
With degrees in English, history and politcal science, I also have an
MFA in creative writing from the U of Montana. I've put these degrees
to good use (wink wink) in the mountains of Alaska's Denali Park to the
shores of Antarctica. It's been a pleasure sharing these experiences with
fellow travelers, and I look forward to seeing where the journey will
take us next...
Read my travel journals:
View my travel photo album:
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Jennifer Barile
Alumni Coordinator
Lured by my passion for travel and interest in cultures different than
my own, I was lucky enough to land a job with Adventure Life in 2008.
For two years, I worked as a Trip Planner, specializing in tours to South
America, Antarctica and our small-ship cruises. I currently manage Adventure
Life's Traveler Loyalty Program where the best part of my day is chatting
with our fabulous Adventure Lifers about the exciting trips they've taken.
While working for Adventure Life, I have roasted marshmallows over lava
in Guatemala, dove with sea turtles in Belize, drank caipirinhas on the
beach in Brazil, and been scrubbed vigorously in a Turkish bath.
Read my travel journals:
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Lynessa Nelson
Office Manager
My passion for travel began in college while studying abroad in Spain,
Scotland, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Mexico. Upon graduation,
I became a resettlement counselor in Seattle for refugees arriving from
around the globe. I enjoyed the relationships made while learning to cook
spicy Ethiopian foods, experiencing the art of Somali henna, and occasionally
joining in a Liberian dance party. Now at Adventure Life, my desire lives
on to help others experience new cultures for themselves and learn about
the adventures awaiting in a foreign country. When I'm not working, I
like getting out to enjoy hiking, horseback riding, zumba, and cooking
new ethnic dishes!
Read my travel journals:
View my travel photo album:
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Haley Rowell
Office & Operations Staff Support
My love for travel began as a little girl on a cross-country road trip
to the Oregon coast. I was carted around the Pacific Northwest by my family
for several years, who eventually introducing me to Hawaii, the Southern states,
the Gulf of Mexico, and the mid-west. As a college graduate, I was gifted with
the opportunity to spend a summer in Europe with my mother and sister, which
ruined my 'content in the United States' mindset. Experiencing culture after culture and crossing borders left and right inspired me to see all fifty states, swim in every major ocean, and set foot upon all seven continents. I narrowed down my checklist after a study abroad in New Zealand and a trip to Australia, and now need to visit only three of the seven continents before I can start re-tracing my way through those I have already seen. I am currently and ambitiously planning five different trips for myself and can't wait to see where my passport takes me next. At all times, I carry a deck of playing cards and a camera, as I am constantly on the lookout for National Geographic's next
cover photograph.
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Tami Doughty
Trip Planner/Web Content Editor
Even as a kid I poured over dog-eared copies of National Geographic,
captivated by far off places. As a teen I started my wanderings and the
more I travel the more entranced I become by different cultures and people.
Sipping coffee in Europe, walking dusty roads in Africa, or exploring
jungle trails in Central America is when I feel truly alive and it's wonderful
to be able to assist others in their plans to explore our world. I can
whip up a mean batch of pad thai and am a closet sci-fi aficionado. Life
in Montana also offers plenty of ever changing landscapes to explore with
my husband, infant son and overly hyper springer spaniel.
Read my travel journal:
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Meet Some of our Overseas Partners
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Milagros Polo
Peru Coordinator
I was born and raised in Peru and then lived abroad in Europe for almost
a decade. I returned back home and my husband and I opened the friendliest
hotel in Pisco (Posada Hispana). I love to ensure that our travelers always
get extra special hospitality when they pass through. As the Adventure
Life coordinator, I am based in Lima and I manage all of our guides, hotels,
and local crews for your trip. When you travel with us in Peru, I will
strive to make it a special trip of a lifetime!
Read my travel journals:
View my travel photo album:
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Betty Jaramillo Zurita
Ecuador Coordinator
I am excited to greet you and share my contagious enthusiasm for my country!
I love to ensure that all our clients enjoy their visit here to the fullest
and that everything runs smoothly. Before joining Adventure Life, I worked
with a Quito-based Galapagos yacht company and also as a tour guide in
the city. My husband and I live in Quito with our two young children.
I love to join our travelers on day trips around the area when I get the
chance.
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Fabio Salas
Costa Rica Coordinator
I grew up in Orotina, a small town at the foot of the western plateau
of the Turrubares Mountains in Costa Rica. My childhood was mostly spent
wandering around the neighborhood chasing iguanas and parrots, playing
in the local stream, climbing trees, and generally exploring the forests
and valleys of Machuca River Canyon. This is likely where my passion for
the countryside and all things natural originated. I have traveled extensively
throughout Costa Rica, Central and South America and have been coordinating
trips with Adventure Life since 2002. I love a challenge, especially to
create a new itinerary! My favorite adventures include whitewater rafting,
horseback riding, hiking and visiting rural communities to meet new people.
View my travel photo album:
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