Maryann Bylander

B.A. Political Science, Rice University M.A., Ph.D. Sociology, University of Texas at Austin

Biography

Maryann is a career academic — teaching, researching and writing on issues of migration and global development. Presently, Maryann is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Lewis and Clark College.

In her own experience travel has been the most powerful teacher. Maryann is a founding board member of PEPY (Promoting Education, emPowering Youth). Maryann worked in Cambodia as PEPY’s Managing Director for several years, and continues to stay connected to Southeast Asia through research and development work.

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Paul Fean

PhD International Education, University of Sussex, MSc Social Research Methods (Education), University of Sussex, BA Arabic and French, University of Manchester

Biography

Paul’s interest in languages led him to study Arabic and French at university. Since then, he has spent five years working in education in Sudan, which included establishing an educational NGO to promote volunteering among Sudanese university students. He returned to Khartoum for his PhD fieldwork, based on facilitating Sudanese teachers doing research about their schools and teaching. Paul used Arabic when conducting research, running discussion workshops and delivering presentations. Since completing his PhD, Paul has worked as a research consultant by distance for a Jordanian education charity and worked extensively with Dragons.

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Democracy Center

Working globally to advance social, economic and environmental justice.

ABOUT

Founded in San Francisco in 1992 and based in Cochabamba, Bolivia, the Democracy Center works globally to help citizens understand and influence the public decisions that impact their lives. The Democracy Center is a U.S. nonprofit organization under the fiscal sponsorship of the San Francisco-based Community Initiatives.

With Where There Be Dragons, The Democracy Center’s team creates space to discuss and engage in topics of climate change, corporate power and citizen action. Through direct engagement with local communities involved in active resistance, local organization and collective strategies for coping with the impacts of climate change, participants are able to build relationships and understanding through immersion and participation.

Local Partner for Bolivia Educator: Climate Change Education.

Cambodia Rural Development Team

Striving for a Cambodia free from poverty and environmental degradation

ABOUT

The Cambodia Rural Development Team is an established, grass-roots organization working effectively to improve food security, incomes, and living standards of poor rural communities in support of environmental conservation in Cambodia. Their goal is to provide sustainable livelihood development through community organization, business growth and environmental protection.

Several Dragons instructors have worked for CRDT over the years and help guide educators into communities where their good work can be experienced first-hand. By living in home-stays with families and getting involved in community-driven initiatives to improve quality of life, educators foster a deeper relationship to the concept of development and the nuanced complexities of international participation in local communities.

Local Partner for Cambodia Educator: Learning Service.

Karen Bovard, PhD

Watkinson School

Participant Quote

“If you are open to process-based and constructivist pedagogies in challenging environments, in service of your own professional growth, I highly recommend Dragons- their work defines ‘state-of-the-art.’”

Karen came to Dragons after having developed and run her own program in Cambodia for many years. Her veteran status did not inhibit profound take-aways and personal growth from her course. As a theater teacher, Karen’s willingness to share tools and strategies for students to overcome awkward dynamics and engage in role-play were deeply valued. We thank Karen for her willingness to share of herself and her powerful skill set, both in Nicaragua and with her students at Watkinson.

Participant on the Nicaragua Educator: Best Practices in International Education.

Vicki Weeks

Founder of Global Weeks

Participant Quote

“Spending two weeks in Nepal on a Dragons Educator Course was the equivalent of taking an entire graduate level class. The course was layered in such a way that I had my own experience as a person in relationship to Nepal, our group members learned a tremendous amount from each other, we constantly discussed the student experience, and we engaged in the meta-conversations to consider the WHY and HOW of everything we did. Even after nearly 40 years working in this field, I learned so much on both personal and professional levels that will serve me well. And, it was a lot of fun!”

Vicki Weeks has had a major impact on global experiential education at the national level. Her work to develop Lakeside’s flagship Global Program and subsequent service on the boards of both the Independent School Experiential Education Network and Global Education Benchmark group have set her apart in the field. In Nepal, Vicki found new strategies for creating depth and meaning, and for pulling learning from complex group dynamics and processes. We are every-grateful for the inspired work that Vicki is doing with schools and organizations across the country.

Participant on the Nepal Educator: Best Practices in International Experiential Education.