Board of Directors - Guatemalan Humanitarian Tours

Tobie Spears

Founder

Tobie graduated from the University of Utah with degrees in Sociology and Political Science and a Certificate in Criminology. She is lucky enough to have an awesome husband, two amazing daughters and three crazy cats.

Tobie fell in love with traveling when she was 17 and backpacked through Europe and drove from Utah to Canada. During college she traveled to Mexico to participate in a study abroad program and after college she started traveling with her husband and daughters. In 2002 they spent 3 months backpacking through central Mexico and in 2013 they spent 12 days driving from Utah to Guatemala where they lived, worked, and volunteered. Tobie stays busy working as a birth and postpartum doula and running Guatemalan Humanitarian Tours.

Tobie's favorite life adventures have been mothering two awesome daughters, marrying her best friend and raising praying mantis in her garden.

Darrin Baxter

Co-Founder

Darrin works as a Controller. He's also an RN and a Contractor who pretty much loves solving problems and seeing the bigger picture. Darrin also goes to great lengths to keep a healthy supply of Guatemalan coffee on hand.

Marrying my best friend and the multiple adventures we've experienced together, whether it's travel, raising our girls, eating delicious food, or playing pickleball. My life is an adventure every day and I wouldn't change it a bit.

Dana Ball

Board Member

Dana is a small business attorney, and she has seen too many good business owners end up in bad situations because of common legal mistakes. She loves helping small businesses get their act together so they can focus on running their business. Dana writes a lot of contracts, sets up legal entities and spends a lot of time encouraging clients to care about their employer obligations. Outside of work, Dana has always loved travelling. She was 8 years old when she took her first trip abroad to Sweden with her parents. In high school, she lived in France as an exchange student. She has travelled all over and joined Tobie on a service vacation with GHT. Dana’s experience travelling to Guatemala was heart wrenching and joyous at the same time.

Focusing on the present and figuring out how to answer the daily question from my kids, ‘what’s for dinner.’

Michael Swensen

Board Member

Michael is an active attorney in the state of Utah. He currently works for an international company as their Chief Compliance Officer and General Counsel. Michael brings a lot of different skills to the board and is willing to help in all areas. He aids in drafting content for the website, grant applications, and other areas. Michael has a love for Latin American culture, having lived in Panama for two years. Michael is excited to be part of the GHT Board! He lives in Utah with his wife and son and loves to get outdoors with them whenever possible.

Finding the hidden treasure of the soul in the mountains.

Jennifer Wright

Board Member

Jen has lived in Utah most of her life. She and her husband, Jeremy, have six children who bring her a great deal of joy. Jen is naturally organized and enjoys the bustle of a busy household, the smell of freshly baked bread, and making delicious food.

She and her husband own a print and design firm and Jen manages the customer service and fulfillment. Jen has served on the school community counsel at the elementary school for over a decade, has sat on several committees in the community, and serves in her church.

She finds fulfillment watching her children perform on the field, in the gym, and on the stage. She serves her neighbors and keeps track of old friends. She loves the feeling of fresh mountain air in her lungs, the feel of the beach between her toes, hiking ruins, and the bright, starry night sky.

Life is the adventure - raising a family, navigating the day to day of being an entrepreneur, experiencing as much of the world as we can, and enjoying all the pieces of being at home.

William Bessette

Board Member

Based out of beautiful Costa Rica, William likes to consider himself an adventurer and entrepreneur. He takes pride in helping guide businesses with their marketing and web design needs and individuals who want more adventure out of life!

I would definitely have to say visiting Patagonia was my top adventure. Standing at the end of the road on the farthest road south before Antarctica and gazing upon giant glaciers was cool.

Danka Orellana

Board Member

Danka is a seasoned traveler, birth assistant, doula & childbirth educator. She loves all things food & one day hopes to go to culinary school. After growing up in Kiev, Ukraine & then NYC, she currently lives in Utah.

Learning how to navigate motherhood to my 3 children & 2 dogs.

Jonathan De Leon

Board Member

Born and raised in Guatemala, you could say that Jonathan is a "Chapin de Corazón". He traveled to the USA to get his college education. He received a B.S. in Communication and Business from Brigham Young University-Idaho (BYU-I). Then, he pursued a Master's in Business Administration (MBA) from Utah Valley University (UVU). Currently, he works as a Technology Consultant in the area of client and experience management (XM). Jonathan has been conducting group and individual training sessions in English and Spanish for over seven years to people from all over the world. Jonathan enjoys traveling, the outdoors, and doing activities like hiking and swimming. He also loves spending time with his wife, Kate, doing Latin dancing (especially, bachata, merengue, and salsa), watching movies, cooking, interacting with their horse (Dastan), and going to the park with their rabbit (Jay).

Selecting one Favorite Life Adventure is tough. I've had so many! From taking my wife to Guatemala and traveling all over the country with her, to coming to study in the US in freezing, but beautiful Rexburg, ID. Life is an adventure and love that about life!

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