The Insight Team
Our exceptional staff members are the backbone of our organization. Their incredibly diverse backgrounds provide us with a profound understanding of the destinations we visit and offer our students one-of-a-kind experiences. Our exceptional staff members are the backbone of our organization. Their incredibly diverse backgrounds provide us with a profound understanding of the destinations we visit and offer our students one-of-a-kind experiences.
Why We’re Different
Build schools. Dig wells. Teach children. These are three of the most common types of international development experience youth pursue today. The voluntourism industry, though in its infancy, has become a major player in global education and travel.
It is our core belief that if you want to change the world for the better, then you need to really learn about it first. Good intentions do not always have good outcomes, and while some international volunteer projects really do have good outcomes, many others simply do not.
Our university and high school travel programs are rooted in local leadership and are built in partnership with a local stakeholders. Students participating in our programs – be it one of our 12-week university summer travel programs, or one of our 2-week immersive high school travel programs – don’t build anything. They don’t teach, nor do they impart; they meet, they experience, they engage, and they learn.
Our global education programs are different; we place the emphasis on learning through observation, through inquiry, through engagement with local change makers, and through experiential learning. We’re different because we get to know each one of our students’ names, their stories, and their ambitions. We are deeply committed to developing global education programs that suit our students’ needs, while having a net benefit in communities we work in.
Meet the Team
Craig Vandermeer
CEO / Founder
SFU | M.A International Studies
Carleton | BA Political Science
Holding a Master’s Degree in International Studies, Craig’s first experience in a developing country saw him researching the growth potential of the Ugandan oil industry. After spending 5+ years in sub-Saharan Africa, and having witnessed countless poorly designed education abroad programs, Craig decided to take action. Craig founded Insight in 2013 with the goal to create educational travel programs rooted in experience-based learning. Craig has extensive international development experience, having lived and worked in a handful of countries, and traveled to more than 40.
Jared Lim
VP Business Development
UNBC | B. Commerce
Jared leads the Insight sales and business development team. After graduating from UNBC and spending a year abroad, Jared decided to pursue entrepreneurship. After numerous successful businesses, Jared developed a passion for social business, educational travel and a desire to make a positive difference on a global scale.
Dana Fallis
Operations Director
BACHElors Concurrent Education - queen's
With an academic background in education, and an extensive career in project management, Dana expertly manages the home and away teams of Insight Global Education. Dana is also extremely well traveled, and like the entire Insight team, she believes that experiential education to be an essential part of development for students.
Clint Omelaniec
VP Marketing
SFU | BA International Development
Clint manages the marketing and creative departments of Insight Global Education. Clint graduated from SFU with a degree in International Studies, having participated in the pilot Semester in Development program (Insight‘s first study abroad / international internship program) in 2013. When not working with Insight, Clint can be found filming and editing for organizations like TED.
Erica Altomare
Queen’s | BEd Experiential Education
Queen’s | BEd Experiential Education
Queen’s | BA History
Erica’s passion for education has her currently pursuing her Masters of Social Justice Education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) within UoT. She is interested in anti-colonial and indigenous education, environmental justice and disability studies. Outside of the classroom, Erica has a vast amount of experience working with youth as a swimming instructor, camp coordinator, conference leader, and non-profit director. As the High School Program and Curriculum Director, Erica collaborates with like-minded educators to build alternative programs and curriculum based on global citizenship.
Jessie Castello
University Program Director
University of Waterloo | Master of Peace and Conflict Studies
University of Toronto | BA International Relations and Peace, Conflict & Justice Studies
After completing her undergrad from the University of Toronto, Jessie’s interest in the role of civil society in advancing peace and social change led her to pursue a Master’s degree in Peace & Conflict Studies at the University of Waterloo. Jessie has an extensive background working with youth through various leadership roles in a summer camp setting, as well as with a variety of non-profits focused on peace and social justice education. Her passion for youth engagement, social justice education and community-led development led her to Insight. As a Program Director, Jessie coordinates the Semester in Development program and is currently based in Suva, Fiji.