Expedition Leaders
Thailand Community Development Expedition

John Reeves - Staff Training & Development Director

John joined GVI in 2005, originally in the role of Diving Co-ordinator and took over as Regional Director for Mexico and Central America in mid 2006. Originally from Sydney, Australia where he worked extensively in management in the leisure and hospitality industries, and with further diverse jobs that have included working as a chef, helicopter pilot and diving instructor in a wide number of locations around the world, John will also be taking on the role of Regional Director, Thailand for GVI in 2007. John is a PADI IDC Staff Instructor, holds qualifications in Technical Dive Instruction from PSAI and further technical and cave diving qualifications from TDI and IANTD. John is an Emergency First Response Instructor Trainer, DAN O2 Instructor and working towards a Train the Trainer qualification in Off Site Safety Management. John has travelled and worked in a lot of countries around the world, 52 at last count, and is well versed in Spanish, after 3 years living and working in the Medes Islands conservation area on Spain’s Mediterranean coast. John is passionately committed to conservation both of the environment and indigenous cultures. One of the things he loves about his role with GVI is the opportunity to become involved in such a wide range of expeditions and projects and to especially be able to see the real and measurable successes GVI is having in his and other regions. “Getting hands on is what I love, one day I’m picking up all sorts of rubbish on a Caribbean beach clean in Mexico and another I’m teaching maths to children from indigenous communities in Guatemala; I love my job because I know we are making a difference.”

Jill Walker - Country Director - Thailand

Jill is the Country Director for GVI Thailand and is responsible for all GVI’s activities and personnel within the country. Jill has been living in Thailand for 4 years prior to joining GVI where she has been teaching English as a foreign language at a government high school and has completely fallen in love with the culture of Thailand and the vibrant colors and culture of Southeast Asia. Jill is fluent in Thai and enjoys connecting with the community. Jill has organized and led English camps, workshops for teachers and free English classes for rural students as well as salespeople, tour guides, and others who work in the tourist industry. Jill received her Bachelors degree in Environmental Education from the University of North Carolina and has just finished a Masters degree in Environmental Education with Nova Southeastern University. Jill is a qualified Emergency First Response Instructor and has more than 10 years experience teaching English language and ecology to people of all ages and walks of life in a number of formal and non formal settings. Jill is particularly interested in the possibility of integrating environmental education into English language learning and into everyday life.

Watchara “Jack” Sriprasert - Jack of all trades

Jack has spent the last 10 years working for Thailand’s Civil Protection Association, a national volunteer service focused on protecting the safety of people in Thailand. Jack is committed to the health and safety of the community and makes an effort to help others whenever possible. Over the years he has had experience as a Buddhist monk, soldier, musician, builder, and security guard. He comes to GVI as our “Jack of all trades”, assisting in driving, base maintenance and repair, as well as a community liaison. His ability to connect with people from all ages and background and his familiarity with the southern region and the language have helped create a smooth transition for the GVI expedition in Thailand.

Penny Black - TEFL Trainer

Penny started working with GVI at the beginning of June 2007 to assist with preparations for the first Teaching and Community Development expedition at the Thailand base. During this time she has taught in the local community and trained to become a TEFL trainer. She is also a qualified Emergency First Response Instructor committed to the health and safety of the Thailand expedition. She has lived and worked in Thailand for 3 years teaching English to primary and secondary students, as well as providing training classes for local teachers and community members. She describes her experience teaching Thai primary students as, “one of the most enriching and fun experiences in my working career…as well as the most exhausting!” Before coming to Thailand she worked with adults with learning disabilities, developing training programmes and strategies to assist people to live and work within the local community. She holds a TEFL qualification, sought more for an interest in the English language and communication than to travel and teach but after an 8 month travel jaunt it became a much welcomed ticket to new experiences. She is interested in assisting the local Thai people to develop their English communication skills and thus open doors to new opportunities. She is a great team worker and is excited to be part of a new venture helping others recognise their true potential.

Anita Russell - Teacher on Staff

In 2003 Anita graduated from James Cook University with a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology and is currently completing her Masters in Environmental Management, via distance education, through the University of New South Wales. From 2004-2007 she progressed from being an English instructor and trainer onto Assistant Area Manager for a large language school in Nagoya, Japan. In August 2007 Anita joined GVI’s Brazilian Pink Dolphins Conservation Project in the Amazon. This was during a critical time in her life when she was deciding which career path to take. Looking for a way to combine her experience, education, and interests she then applied for the position of Teacher on staff with the Thailand Expedition and in January 2008 was accepted as a full-time staff member. She is looking forward to establishing some additional teaching projects in Ao Luk and being a hands-on member in the development of GVI within the local community.

Monique Konings - TEFL Trainer

Monique first joined GVI as an expedition member for the second Thailand expedition in October 2007. After a 10 week program she was hooked on teaching in the local community and applied for an internship to stay on longer. During her internship she taught classes at the Non-Formal Education Centre, while also teaching classes for staff at the Ao Luk Hospital and training to become a TEFL trainer.

Monique was born in Oudenbosch, The Netherlands. In 2006 she graduated from Fontys Hogeschool in The Netherlands with a Bachelor degree in Teaching English in Secondary Education. During her 4 year study she has taught in several different schools in The Netherlands. After completing her studies, she moved to London where she changed career to work in hospitality. Desperately missing the world of teaching, Monique decided to join GVI, hoping to gain more teaching experience and to learn about a culture much different from her own.

Monique hopes to train future expedition members in a way that motivates and inspires them in the way her trainers did for her. She would like others to get as much out of the training and the experience as she did.