THE DIRECTORS
Gabriel Duncan – Luke Mueller – Paul Laurie
Walking Tree was founded by three childhood friends who, through extensive time abroad, have come to share a deep respect for the transformative power of travel. Since our inception, Walking Tree has grown into a team of exceptional, like-minded individuals who help to share this passion with our participants. Our international staff has an intimate understanding of the local land, language and culture which helps ensure we pursue the best adventures as safely as possible. Our leaders have traveled extensively and hail from the world’s top colleges and universities. They are exceptional guides, teachers, mentors and friends.
Paul Laurie
Santa Clara University B.A. Marketing and International Business.
During college, Paul spent a semester abroad in Madrid, Spain studying Spanish and European Commerce and graduated early with two degrees. Next, Paul embarked on a three-year journey that took him all over the world. First was a road trip from Times Square to the Panama Canal, which included a stop on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica to help create an organic farm and eco-tourism destination. He continued to South America, where he traveled from Columbia to Tierra del Fuego, settling in Buenos Aires long enough to realize that he would never be a professional tango dancer. Eager for more, Paul made his way to Asia and traveled overland from Siberia to Singapore, enjoying distinct cultures and great food every step of the way. After all of this travel, only one city felt right: New York. Paul worked as a fashion photographer, on Wall Street, and in a multitude of other positions before returning to his real passion for travel and starting Walking Tree. Since, he has led Walking Tree programs in Costa Rica, Peru and China and is active in all aspects of the organization’s operation. Paul has traveled to over 55 countries, is certified by the Red Cross in CPR and First Aid, and is proficient in Spanish.
Luke Mueller
Emory University B.A. Sociology and minor in Latin American History.
While at Emory, Luke spent a semester living in Cuernevaca, Mexico, studying environmental science and gender issues. During those four months, he traveled to Guatemala and then El Salvador, touring makeshift refugee camps set up in the wake of two devastating earthquakes. His experience sparked a fascination with Latin America and a commitment to community service. Upon graduating from college, he joined WorldTeach, a volunteer program run by the Center for International Development at Harvard University. He was sent to a small village in southern Costa Rica to live with a local family and teach English in the public elementary school. After his term of service ended in December of 2004, he moved to San José, Costa Rica, where he wrote for the national English language newspaper The Tico Times. Recently returned to Denver, he nevertheless continues to crave massive helpings of rice and beans. He has led Walking Tree programs in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Senegal and is active in all aspects of the organization’s operation. Luke has traveled throughout Southeast Asia, China, Eastern and Western Europe, Western Africa and Latin America. He is fluent in Spanish and certified in CPR and First Aid.
Gabriel Duncan
Colby College B.A. International Relations and Government.
While at Colby, Gabriel spent a semester in Spain at the University of Salamanca, studying contemporary Spanish politics and Spanish language. On campus in Maine, he lettered for four-years on Colby’s lacrosse team, and senior year he was elected team captain and earned All-American honors. After graduating from Colby, Gabriel began to explore the world. He spent a summer commercial fishing in Alaska, a year teaching in Santiago, Chile, led programs for high school students in Spain and Costa Rica, interned at a law firm in Denver and worked at a private boarding school in China. In between these jobs, he visited many more wonderful places around the world and deepened his respect for the importance of travel. Gabriel returned to Denver to help start Walking Tree and share his enthusiasm with others. Since then, he has led programs in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Perú and China and is active in all aspects of the organization’s operation. Gabriel’s travels have taken him to six continents, including the Middle East and Central America, to more than 40 countries and all 50 states in the USA. He speaks Spanish fluently, likes to cook, loves to eat, is certified in CPR and First Aid and is consistently haunted by his blind faith in Colorado sports teams.
