Kevin Porter

B.A. International Relations and Comparative Politics, secondary field of concentration in Social Anthropology; Harvard University

Kevin first nurtured his passion for experiential education as a Steering Committee member of Harvard University’s First-Year Outdoor Program, orienting hundreds of students per year to the college experience through backcountry group travel. His interests also led him to South Korea, where he worked for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, producing a report on best practices in the reception of asylum seekers. After graduating, Kevin was among the first people to through-paddle the Northern Forest Canoe Trail, a 740-mile wilderness waterway created to follow historic indigenous migratory pathways in New York, Canada, and New England. Following that experience, Kevin moved to Kenya where he consulted for various NGOs completing projects such as developing an inventory system for clinic pharmacies and conducting needs assessments in remote communities.  

These experiences refined Kevin’s determination to build models for travel as a force for good both in the development of the traveler and in the outcomes for host communities. Kevin spent a decade in that work at Rustic Pathways, where he held various roles including International Outreach Manager, Ghana Country Director, Director of Global Program Operations, and Vice President of Program Operations. His focus was on building the capacity of in-country teams to drive more sustainable operations in the areas of representation, risk management, economic impact, and environmental concern. Now, as Partnership Program Director at Where There Be Dragons, Kevin is excitedly championing the development of transformational programming for students through fostering long-term collaborative relationships with educators.  

Kevin resides in New Hampshire with his partner, Giulia, and their dog, Ruby, where he is currently involved in reinvigorating his 1770s farmhouse. Kevin has learned and grown in more than 60 countries and seeks to say “yes” to adventure wherever it may find him.