Team

Jessemin is the senior director of programs for Sustainable Travel International and the founder of the Rustic Pathways Foundation. A sustainable tourism specialist with 12 years international experience in planning, developing, and managing sustainable travel programs, he is experienced in the management of community development projects that leverage tourism resources to achieve community and conservation goals. Jessemin has traveled and worked in over 50 countries, coordinating with private, public, and non-profit sector partners to develop unique, community driven travel experiences. He has expertise in community development, research, training, and risk management. Prior to joining Sustainable Travel International, Jessemin acted as director of global sustainability and director of Latin America for Rustic Pathways. He has also consulted for the Mozambican Ministry of Science and Technology on the Millennium Villages project and led field research for Columbia University’s Earth Institute on projects in the Brazilian Amazon and Southern Africa. Jessemin has an M.P.A in development practice with a focus on tourism from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs in New York, NY, as well as a B.A. in government and a minor in environmental science from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

Since graduating from Harvard University in 2001, Chris Stakich spent the last 13 years working in the fields of education, travel, and community service. He believes that travel should be an essential part of every education, and that travel can be a model of sustainable development. After serving in almost every capacity within Rustic Pathways, Chris now leads the company with an eye for excellence and innovation as the CEO and Chairman of the Board. In addition to his roles at Rustic Pathways, Chris is also the Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board for Thinking Beyond Borders, and sits on the boards of University School (Ohio) and Compass Academies. Chris now lives in San Francisco with his wife and two young sons, and is committed to developing future leaders who embody compassion and global understanding.

Hillary Proctor is an experienced youth and agriculture, youth enterprise, and livelihoods specialist with over twelve years of international experience providing assessment, project design, and capacity building services for USAID, foundations, and other bilateral donors. She is adept at understanding youth perspectives, recognizing where opportunities lie in rural economies and specific value chains, and matching them through the design and implementation of appropriate livelihood development programs.
As Director of Technical Services, Hillary oversees Making Cents International’s work in youth capacity building, agriculture development, and rural livelihoods activities. Her passion for development work started during her first experiences overseas as a gap year student. Hillary’s spent three summers as a Rustic Pathways trip leader in the South Pacific. As a board member she is able to apply her professional experience and knowledge while giving back to where she started her adventure of life.

Robb Gibson is a Product Manager at Cisco Systems, a worldwide leader in information technology. As a product manager Robb is responsible for developing business strategies and product innovations. Previously, he worked in strategy consulting at Simon-Kucher & Partners and helped open the Sydney Australia office. As a consultant he helped companies ranging in size from venture backed startups to Fortune 500 companies grow their business. Robb’s experiences as a Rustic Pathways student and then as a trip leader solidified his passion for adventure travel and giving back to local communities. He earned his B.S. in Product Design and B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies in the Humanities from Stanford and his M.B.A. from the Kellogg School of Management. He lives in the Bay Area with his wife and daughter.