Charlie Walkinshaw, Director

Charlie is the Executive Director and Founder of Experience International with a lifetime of international experience and service.  He holds a graduate degree in Agricultural Education and has over 30 years experience in Latin America as a private consultant, workshop facilitator, project evaluator and trainer in fields related to agriculture, resource management & conservation. He has taught in an agricultural school in Kenya; was an Agricultural Education Peace Corps Volunteer in Paraguay; is a founding member of and facilitated the initial meetings that led to the birth of the Forest Stewardship Council; and designed training programs for FSC Certifier Assessment Teams. Charlie is a Washington State native, sings with the Kulshan Chorus in Bellingham and is passionate about his family, fly fishing and skiing.

Lori Anderson, Program Manager

Lori Anderson is the EI J-1 Program Manager. She joined EI in 2006 with a background in Natural Resource Management. Her experience includes 7 years with the US Forest Service as a wildlife biologist and 8 years in environmental consulting. She is interested in increasing international exchange opportunities in the Pacific Northwest with its diverse agriculture, natural resources, and quality of life. From winemaking to watershed management, forestry to farming, and landscaping to livestock, the Northwest has a wonderful experience waiting for you! In her off-work time, Lori is mom to an energetic 7-year-old named Hunter and wife of a University biology professor named Roger.

Sarah Smith, Program Assistant

Sarah has travelled far and wide, and has met people from all over the world. She comes from an agricultural background, but studied art and history in college. After spending years as an archivist at a regional branch of the National Archives in Seattle, WA, she married and moved north to her husband's home. She now lives right near the EI office and says ?I feel very fortunate to have found this job, working in an international community, and for such fine folks as Lori and Charlie!?

Santiago Levy, Ecuador Program Manager

Santiago is Program Manager for our Ecuador program. Born in northern Ecuador, Santiago runs all Experience International programs in the country, including an outbound program to partners worldwide, study tours, and an inbound volunteer program. He holds a BS in Social Management focusing on rural development, agriculture and conservation. Santiago also farms potatoes and runs a small tilapia fish hatchery.

Where We Are

Within the United States, the Northwest includes most of Idaho, Washington, and Oregon states, and a portion of northern California. Ecologically speaking, the Northwest extends northward through Canada, and includes much of British Columbia and southeast Alaska. The Region contains the world's largest temperate rainforest zone, stretching from Alaska to northern California. It also contains the Cascade Mountains (up to 14,000 ft. [4,300 m] in elevation), and the dry deserts of eastern Washington and Oregon.

Our office is located 100 miles north of Seattle, WA in a small town called Everson. We are about five miles south of the U.S.-Canadian border.