From The Home Office

Our Roots

Summer 2005 marks the 15th year that Global Works has offered service and adventure opportunities for teenagers. We celebrate this special anniversary by taking a look back. Prior to 1989, Global Works founders Pam and James "Biff" Houldin, had dedicated more than two decades to enriching the lives of young adults. They taught in schools, provided horseback-riding programs for the disabled, facilitated outdoor adventure programs, and started Stone Mountain Adventures (SMA), a community-oriented summer camp at their family farm in Central Pennsylvania in 1983. Soon, the Houldins dreamed about starting an international program that combined community service and adventure travel as a way to give back to the world and provide further opportunity for kids who had out-grown SMA.

In 1989, Biff scouted Puerto Rico as the destination for the first four-week service program. In an unfortunate coincidence, Hurricane Hugo devastated much of Puerto Rico that September.
Amidst the devastation, Biff realized that meaningful service and cultural exchange might be achieved through the clean up and reconstruction of homes after this terrible storm. In the summer of 1990, 25 students and 5 staff embarked for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands under the name Caribbean Adventures.

After two successful summers in Puerto Rico, Biff expanded to British Columbia (now the Pacific Northwest) in 1992, thus changing the name of his brainchild to Global Works. Since then, Global Works steady expansion to other destinations around the globe has included: Russia (1993-95), the Czech Republic (1996-98), Fiji (1994-present), Costa Rica (1994-present), Ecuador (1994-present), Ireland (1995-present), France (1995-present), Spain (2001-present), New Zealand (2001-present), Mexico (2002-present).

The home office has also experienced its fair share of expansion: what was once a small office at the Houldin family farm has grown into a close-knit staff based in State College, PA.

Our Home Office Staff

Erik Werner is a former Peace Corp Volunteer who received undergraduate degrees in International Studies and Spanish and a Masters degree in Education. Between his years working as a high school Spanish teacher and coach, he enjoyed five summers leading Global Works programs to Costa Rica. Erik joined the home office team in August 2000 and became the new owner of Global Works in January 2004. He continues to keep his Spanish language skills fresh by coordinating our programs to Latin America and Spain.

Susan McCormick found her dream job with Global Works in 1995 after four years of teaching high school art and a year of traveling abroad. Her Quaker upbringing roused a fire in her soul for social justice and service work, while her sense of humor, fifteen years of experience directing teen summer programs and her love of travel makes her a thoughtful, enthusiastic coordinator to our Ireland and Pacific Northwest programs.

Craig Fahey, our resident Kiwi from Dunedin, New Zealand, joined our home office staff in 1998 after spending four years exploring the globe and working with teens each summer. In addition to his passion for travel, Craig is an avid white water kayaker, mountain biker, and skier. He brings a wealth of experience to his role as coordinator of our programs to New Zealand, Fiji, and France!

Anne Millar joined the Global Works team full time in September of 2003. She is a former high school English teacher from Montana with a Masters degree in Educational Leadership, and currently coaches a local girls basketball team. Along with her role as Enrollment Coordinator, Anne has been a staff member on and assists in the planning of our Pacific Northwest program.

Jessica Lees (not pictured), our newest addition, joined Global Works in 2004. A Penn State graduate from the school of Health and Human Development, her volunteer work with Youth Hostel Organization Australia sparked her desire to work in a global community service environment with teens. Jessica spent the past summer as a leader on our Fiji program.

Anne Millar, Craig Fahey, Erik Werner, and Susan McCormick

Our reputation has grown as one of the most professional and personal of the student travel organizations.  Yet, the bottom line beyond all the glitzy photographs, exciting adventures, and meaningful work, is health and safety.  We have a tremendous responsibility to make sure these trips:

n Are well planned and organized
n Travel to safe, low risk areas of the world
n Have mature and experienced staff
n Include plans to handle any sort of situation

We know that caring about each family and their child is where it all begins and ends.

-Erik Werner,
  Director