Meet the trip leaders

2009 South Africa Leaders: Anna Knutson and Dan Shafer

ANNA KNUTSON: University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, B.A., summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, Global Studies and English Literature, minor in French Studies. While in school, Anna studied international human rights, literature, politics, and the culture of southern Africa. She spent 5 months in Durban, South Africa, studying international and grassroots development, as well as other social issues. Upon her return, she completed an honors thesis on how land reform is manifested in South African politics and literature. Throughout college, Anna worked as a mentor to high school youth, was involved in student government, taught adult ESL classes, and led after-school programs for young African immigrant girls through the MN African Women’s Association. After graduation, Anna joined Teach for America and continues to teach 8th grade English Language Arts in the New York City public schools. She is currently completing her Masters in Secondary Education and is looking into graduate programs in human rights, international development, public health, and law. In her spare time, she plays volleyball, dodgeball, enjoys distance running, biking, and yoga, and spends time cooking, exploring the arts and music scene in New York and, of course, traveling. This will be Anna’s second summer with Putney. She led this Global Action program to South Africa in the summer of 2008. Anna speaks conversational French, basic Norwegian, and basic isiZulu.

DAN SHAFER: St. Lawrence University, B.A., Global Studies, Sociology, and African Studies. At St. Lawrence, Dan was president of the Outing Club and led students on outdoor trips around the East Coast. An alumnus of the National Outdoor Leadership School, he studied a semester in the Rockies, focusing on environmental ethics and local ecology while learning whitewater paddling, rock climbing, canyoneering, and horse packing. Dan studied abroad in both Kenya and Ethiopia, during which time he worked with the Social Development Network addressing problems faced by community-based organizations. He later received a grant to return to Kenya to write his two senior honors theses on socio-political problems there. His research and outreach allowed him to build relationships with numerous NGOs in East Africa ranging in scope from HIV/AIDS outreach in the slums of Nairobi to rural education in Uganda. In the summer of 2007 Dan led a community service program in Thailand, teaching English, rehabilitating schools, and helping rural communities. When he's not working or studying Dan spends his time volunteering and traveling. In this past year he worked with IWOKRAMA Rainforest Conservation and Research center in Guyana, as well as built homes for a squatter community outside Granada, Nicaragua, with Casas de Esperanza. A travel enthusiast, Dan has found himself hiking in the Alps, train trekking in Egypt, biking around Thailand, and driving across the United States among other trips. Dan is certified in Wilderness First Aid by the Wilderness Medical Institute and Wilderness Medical Associates. This will be Dan’s second summer with Putney. He led a Community Service program in Tanzania in 2008. Dan is proficient in Kiswahili, French, and Spanish.