Meet the Team

Founder and CEO

Phil started Living and Learning in 2006 while living in Quito, Ecuador. He oversees the academic semester program, summer internship program, and short-term academic trips known as Study Tours. Phil is based out of central Washington state but frequently travels to our program locations.

Vice President

Greg is on the US team. He oversees our partnerships with universities and other organizations. Greg also manages organizational operations. Greg is based on the Central Coast of California.

Director of Enrollment

Ashleigh is on the US team. She manages the enrollment process for students interested in our semester programs in Ecuador and Italy. She'll help you from initial interest to getting on the plane! Ashleigh is based out of Long Beach, California

BUS Enrollment Manager

Vincent oversees the student enrollment, recruiting, and onboarding for our Baltimore Urban Studies program

University Relations Manager

As the University Relations Manager, Bethany works closely with our institutional partners and interested students. She also advises students enrolling in our Summer Internship programs. Bethany is based on the Central Coast of California.

Director of Experiential Tours

Rachel is responsible for the design and oversight of all custom programs and faculty-led study tours. She works closely with L&LI program staff abroad as well as designs programs for L&LI globally. Rachel is based out of Austin, Texas.

Experiential Tour Program Manager

Ashley works alongside the Study Tours Director to ensure teams have a successful experience from ideation to execution. Ashley is based out of Nashville, Tennessee.

Virtual Programs Coordinator

Diana Yepez-Hock has served on the Living and Learning team for over 8 years both on the Ecuador side as well as on the US Team. She currently lives and works out of Indiana and coordinates all Virtual Programs.

L&LI Intern

Maddie Solomon is a two-time Living and Learning Alumni having studied abroad in both Ecuador (Spring 2022) and Italy (Fall 2023). She is currently a senior at Southeastern University completing her final semester while interning with Living and Learning. She is supporting our Director of Enrollment and aiding in the launch of a new L&LI Alumni Initiative.

Grand Canyon University Global Fellowship Coordinator

As the GCU Global Fellowship Coordinator, I serve at GCU to inform and guide any interested student. I work closely with students in giving them more information about our programs and aiding them in applying. I also work with the study abroad office to make your application and acceptance to the Global Fellowship as smooth as possible.

Ambassador at Grove City College

My name is Abby Berk, and I am a Spanish Education major at Grove City College. I studied abroad in Quito, Ecuador fall of my Junior year. Since I was in middle school, I have wanted to study abroad but never could have known how impactful my experience would be. Studying abroad with Living and Learning helped me combine all of my passions because I was able to study Spanish, live with an Ecuadorian family, travel, and work in the field of education. One of the highlights of my semester was being able to do an internship at a local Christian school. Here, I was able to teach both English and Spanish as well as grow as an educator and in my faith. I was able to teach lessons and develop so many relationships with my students and coworkers that I will carry with me forever. I feel incredibly blessed to have already taught my first class before even leaving college.

Ambassador at Cornerstone University

I am a student at Cornerstone University studying Spanish, and I recently had the privilege of studying with L&LI in Ecuador Fall '23. I had the best semester of my life there! My homestay family was made up of truly the kindest, most loving, godly people I have ever met. They immediately welcomed me as a new member of their family even though they didn't know me at first. Through their intentional care, they showed me what godly hospitality and godly love look like in a family. Along with homestay, I saw firsthand the beauty that God created in Ecuador! I was able to see so many wonderful things, from cascading waterfalls and rising mountains to white sand, shimmering oceans, and peaceful sea turtles. Studying abroad allowed me to see what it's like to immerse yourself in another culture while God is using that experience to shape you and your relationship with Him for the better.

Ambassador at John Brown University

Hi! My name is Ansley Mapstone and I go to John Brown University. I studied abroad with Living & Learning during the fall of 2023 in Quito, Ecuador and it was one of the most amazing and transformational experiences of my life. Studying abroad allowed me to step outside my comfort zone to learn another language and immerse in another culture, but also feel the love and support of an amazing community of staff and students. One of my highlights from my semester was the week we spent in the Jungle where we were able to serve a community together as well as see the amazing creatures and nature of the Amazon.

Ambassador at Colorado Christian University

Hi there! My name is Becca Goertz and I am currently studying Psychology at Colorado Christian University. I studied abroad in Quito, Ecuador with L&LI in the Fall of 2023, my second semester of junior year. This semester with L&LI was absolutely one of the most incredible and transformative experiences of my life. There is something so unique about fully immersing yourself in a new culture and language and I seriously learned so much. I felt so connected to the Lord through those four months and could see his character in every place and person I came into contact with. Not only was I able to soak in and learn from the culture in Ecuador, but I also got the opportunity to do an internship in psychology and a neurology clinic in Quito. Along with this internship I was deeply impacted by the various trips we took around Ecuador, particularly the Amazon jungle. This was one of the most incredible places I've ever seen and I truly learned so much about the Lord and myself.

Ambassador at Colorado Christian University

My name is Christina Summers, and I am a junior at Colorado Christian University with a global studies major and an education minor! I studied abroad in Ecuador last spring semester of 2023, and it has had my heart ever since! I am a huge advocate of studying abroad (especially with Living and Learning!!!) because it is such a unique opportunity to take academics internationally while discovering a different way of life and exploring new geographical and architectural places! One of my favorite memories of my semester abroad was the thrilling feeling of riding in open-air taxi truck beds with many other L&LI students through the lush jungles and rainforests of Ecuador!

Ambassador at Liberty University

Hi everyone!! My name is Kailey Elliott and I attended Liberty University. I studied aboard in Rome Italy in the Spring semester of 2023. The draw to Rome was the history of the city and the history of my faith, Christianity, there, and well the food of course. It truly was an enlightening experience to have hands on learning surrounded by wise professors and not just the pictures in a text book. The biggest highlight for me was the adventures I got to go on with my friends including swing dancing, visiting a deaf church, the Sound of Music tour in Salzburg, every moment in Greece, and seeing the Appian Way. I hope you join us for a semester abroad!!

Ambassador at Geneva College

My name is Kayla! I studied abroad in Quito, Ecuador during Spring of 2023. It was important to me that I study abroad so that I could get a better understanding of Latin America and have an opportunity to be immersed in the Spanish language. As someone who has commuted to college, I really wanted to experience community in a new way that would teach me how to serve those in my current context. One of my favorite memories is cooking a nice meal with my homestay partners for our family. We all dressed up in fancy outfits and shared testimonies over the meal. It was such a sweet moment to hear what the Lord had done in the lives of one another.

Grand Canyon University

Hi, my name is Mia Penrose, I am a senior at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix Arizona. I am studying Psychology and a minor in Christian Studies. I studied abroad in Quito, Ecuador with Living & Learning Fall of 2023 and it was truly the most incredible experience in my life. I learned so much about the culture of Ecuador and fell in love with it! Although it was scary to step into such a big change as studying abroad in another country it was all worth it. I met and made the best friends of my life and continue to talk to so many of them daily! There were so many amazing things I loved about my experiences in Ecuador some of those include my homestay experience where I was fully immersed in a Spanish-speaking home with the sweetest Ecuadorian mom. This is where I faced the most challenges speaking Spanish, but it turned out to be the experience where I learned the language the fastest! The Lord taught me so much in every adventure, every class, friendship, challenge, etc. I am so thankful for every experience in Ecuador.

Ambassador at Bioloa University

My name is Rebecca Ball and I am so pumped to be an ambassador for L&LI. I go to Biola University in Southern California. I studied abroad in Quito, Ecuador in Fall of 2023. Studying in Quito was one of the most incredible experiences I have ever had. The people I met were some of the most kind, Jesus-loving people, and I now get to call them all dear friends. While being in Ecuador, I took some incredible classes, lived with a wonderful family, and travelled to some amazing places. I learned things about the Lord and his people that I will cherish forever. One of my favorite parts of the semester was our trip we took to the Amazon Jungle. The week was full of loving each other, children, and the Lord. I am so grateful to be able to have such a formative experience abroad this past year.

Ambassador at Biola University

Hello!! My name is Riley Jones & I am currently a student at Biola University in California! I studied abroad in Rome, Italy for the Fall 2023 semester. I am so excited to be an ambassador for L&LI because my experience in Rome truly transformed who I am and who I live to be. This opportunity gave me a new appreciation for different cultures because I was able to experience what life is like in Europe and travel to 9 different countries! One of the most valuable parts of my experience was the lifelong Christ-centered friendships that I made within my cohort. One of the most memorable experiences that I had while abroad was during our trip to Athens, Greece. While watching the sunrise on the Acropolis/Mars Hill, I read Acts 17. It was such a surreal experience because it suddenly hit me that I was sitting where Paul was preaching the scripture that I was reading. Paul had literally stood right where I was standing and looked out onto the city, just like I was doing! I am so grateful for my time in Rome, and I am so excited to share my experience with others!!