About Rise
We are a team of educators and travel industry professionals who have seen firsthand the empowering force that travel has on the minds and spirits of young people. We can see this in the faces and eye shine of the students before and after experiencing one of our hands-on and experiential tours. Students become more curious about the world around them, more empathetic, and more engaged and open to new perspectives and possibilities.
What's in a Name?
Andrew’s father, Richard Isador Selinka, loved working with children; Andrew inherited this passion. We are honored that Rise Expeditions is named after this incredible man, and continues his legacy.
Andrew Selinka, Managing Director
Andrew grew up near New York City and has traveled and lived extensively throughout the United States and the rest of the world. Andrew founded our partner company, Academic Expeditions, over a decade ago after working with many different educational travel tour companies and international schools over the years. He realized that there was a real need for a new ideal for a company that offered a high-quality travel experience that was delivered with integrity and a focus on the client’s needs. Andrew is proud of what he and his incredibly talented staff have been able to produce and is committed to the success and satisfaction of every traveler’s experience.
David Stritch, Director of Program Development
Among other descriptions, David is a caring husband and father, a compassionate educator, and a community organizer. His experience with Academic Expeditions for over a decade and background in non-profit administration is invaluable for Rise Expeditions, as he searches out and applies for funding to make travel experiences more accessible for our students. David currently resides in Bellingham and is pursuing a Ph.D. in Curriculum Studies from the University of British Columbia, Vancouver.
Isaiah Mosteller, Director of Program Development
While Isaiah grew up on the plains of Oklahoma, the seeds of curiosity for the larger world were planted in him. In college, he earned a Bachelor’s in Elementary Education and a Masters in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management, and found open doors into the global education of travel and cultural exchange. His experiences abroad include working in the UK, Peace Corps in the Marshall Islands, recreation work in Japan, and cultural explorations of Latin America. These unique experiences have inspired him to both plan and guide relevant travel experiences for others. In addition to leading trips in Eastern US over the last 14 years, he has also led trips around Europe and South America. Isaiah, his wife Kim, and son Walker live in Asheville, NC where they enjoy being outdoors, playing music with friends, and partaking in all the local Asheville eccentricities.
Kara Williams, Director of Finance
Kara grew up in Charlottesville, Virginia. She is a 1999 graduate of the University of Virginia. Kara spent nine years working as an Underwriter for a large insurance company. After being introduced to student travel she decided to leave the corporate world to manage the financial operations and traveler registrations for Academic Expeditions, and by extension does the same for Discovery Expeditions. Kara and her family reside in central Virginia where they enjoy a recreational life in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Joe Rivera, Program Director
Joe is a native Angelino who spends much of his time learning about his own city by continuously exploring others. Before becoming a tour director, he taught English and Science to Deaf middle and high school students in his hometown of Los Angeles and then served as a Language and Culture Ambassador to elementary students in Torre del Mar, Spain. It comes as no surprise that as a jack of several trades, Joe is expanding from simply leading tours to designing them. He’s here to inspire our travelers to pursue new possibilities through new destinations.
Contact: jrivera@riseexpeditions.com
Keith Doane, Program Consultant
Keith Doane was born and raised in Minnesota. After leaving his anchor he moved West, then South, and now the East Coast Washington D.C. metro area has been his home for the past 10 years. Keith graduated with a BA in Government with a concentration in International governments at Gallaudet University. He interned at Representative Mark Takano’s office and helped with the Congressional Deaf Caucus. Keith has contributed to the DeafSpace research at Gallaudet for over 13 years. DeafSpace is a study on how Deaf and Hard of Hearing people occupy space and how architecture should reflect the needs of Deaf and Hard of Hearing people. He is an avid traveler and has embarked on numerous road trips across America (visiting 47 states across the USA except for Vermont, Alaska, and Hawaii), and has also traveled to Europe, South East Asia, Canada, and Mexico. Keith was on the US Deaf Ski team for the 14th and 15th Winter Deaflympics – The Winter Olympics for the Deaf people. When not traveling, Keith can be found hiking, cycling, and repairing furniture.
Contact: kdoane@riseexpeditions.com