ABBY DALZELL 

Third-year Apogee leader Abby Dalzell is a 2016 Williams College graduate. Despite being a dedicated student of Biochemistry, Abby took every opportunity to get out into the surrounding Berkshire Mountains. Originally from Newton, Massachusetts, Abby is driven by a passion for the outdoors and working with children of all ages. Abby grew up spending her summers in rural Sweden, Maine, boating, hiking, and playing on the lake with her ten cousins. As one of the oldest cousins in her family, Abby learned early on what it means to be a mentor and a role model. By the time she was in high school, she was coaching both tennis and soccer for elementary school kids – teaching various athletic skills and fostering a positive and fun environment. At Williams, Abby was a co-founder of Williams’ Nordic Ski Club, and during her Sophomore year she was involved in a program for troubled teenage boys at the Berkshire Farm Center. She honed her outdoor and leadership skills leading a backpacking trip for the Williams Outdoor Orientation program for incoming freshmen. Before her Senior year, Abby took on an enormous responsibility and co-directed Williams’ entire Orientation Program, hiring and training new leaders, and managing 38 different trips. But Abby’s not all work and no play! She spent a semester traveling abroad in Madagascar on a program that focused on biodiversity and natural resource management. When not in class, Abby went snorkeling, followed lemurs through the rainforest, and spent numerous nights camping out under the stars. This will be Abby’s third summer with Apogee, having spent the past two summers leading our Vermont to Montreal and Pacific Coast cycling trips. Abby will once again bring contagious, positive energy to her trip as she embarks on an incredible adventure with America Coast to Coast!

WEST FOSTER

A recent graduate of Tufts University, returning Apogee leader West Foster spent his early years in Southern California with two younger brothers. West grew up in one of the most hustling and bustling households you can imagine – in addition to the three boys, there were two dogs, six cats, three lizards, two snakes, two tortoises, and three turtles…and very likely a few others kicking around in a corner! Although he loved the action, West found peace and quiet in the water. In high school, he was a dual varsity athlete on the Water Polo and Swimming teams. At Tufts, West took up white-water kayaking. When he wasn’t paddling, West studied Philosophy and Environmental Science, and played a large role in engaging students with the outdoors. With Tufts’ Wilderness Orientation, West was instrumental in facilitating the entire program – not only did he run training and finalize logistics for trips, he also introduced nearly 300 incoming freshmen to Tufts and outdoor living. West has also been a part of the Tufts Mountain Club’s “Outdoor Nation” project which runs hiking and canoeing trips for high school students as a local YMCA’s afterschool program. After leading trips last year along the beautiful Pacific Coast with his co-leader, Abby Dalzell, West couldn’t be more excited to share his love for adventure and the outdoors with his Apogee students this summer on America Coast to Coast!

LUCY BRENNAN 

Lucy Brennan is a 2014 graduate of Bates College where she majored in Environmental Studies. Although Lucy was born in Wellesley, Massachusetts, she moved with her family to Freeport, Maine after high school and has quickly adopted the Maine lifestyle and an adoration for the outdoors. Her family keeps bees, and her mother maintains a farm in their yard. Like her mom, Lucy also got involved with gardening two summers ago as she worked with a local organic garden and a non-profit called “Lots to Garden.” The mission of this organization is to increase the accessibility of healthy food for both youth and low-income residents around Lewiston, Maine. At Bates, Lucy followed her passion for the outdoors. She led trips for the Bates pre-orientation program for incoming freshmen, and was also a member (and Captain!) of the Varsity Tennis team. Additionally, Lucy has plenty of experience working with kids, spending two summers working as a sailing instructor in Sorrento, Maine before joining the Apogee team to lead Caribbean Service Adventure in 2014. Since graduating, Lucy spent a year and a half working at a strategic consulting firm in Portland, Maine, and is now looking forward to passing her days on a bike rather than at a desk. We couldn’t be more excited to have her back this year, fearlessly leading our students across the country on our America Coast to Coast trip!

ZACK DIX

We are thrilled to have Zack Dix back as a part of the Apogee family for another summer! A native of Palmyra, New York, Zack graduated in 2015 from Hamilton College in upstate New York with a degree in Environmental Studies. Zack grew up in a supportive and active family that spurred his love of sports and adventure. As a result, Zack has a healthy curiosity about the world around him and a deep love for the outdoors – a love that prompts him to stop at every summit and vista he reaches to “take it all in.” Zack’s positive energy and strong sense of community have landed him plenty of leadership opportunities as well as opportunities to work with kids. He worked at a summer camp for kids on Lake Placid that aimed to emphasize the importance of being in touch with nature and reducing dependence on technology. In addition, Zack has led several wilderness-based hiking trips for incoming freshmen through Hamilton’s outstanding Adirondack Adventure pre-orientation program. During his time at Hamilton, Zack was an active member of the Swim team, Captain of the Water Polo team, and Chairman of the Farmers Guild for the student farm on campus. His passion for the environment and connection to nature brought him to Reykjavik, Iceland this year for the first year in a two-year graduate program where he is studying Renewable Energy Economics, Policy, and Sustainability. After having led our Coast to Quebec cycling trip in 2015, we’re so excited to have Zack share his joy, thoughtfulness, and sense of adventure with his Apogee students on America Coast to Coast this summer!

ALEX DOIG 

A 2016 graduate of Hamilton College and returning Apogee superstar, Alex Doig will play a huge role as support staff on our America Coast to Coast trips this summer! Hailing from Concord, Massachusetts, Alex has always had a passion for being in the outdoors. The grandson of two Eagle Scouts, Alex’s love for adventure and the outdoors is in his blood, and Alex became a Boy Scout himself at the age of eleven and an Eagle Scout several years later. Today, Alex spends much of his free-time outside chasing various feats of endurance; some of these feats including a running relay-race stretching the length of Vermont, and a 90-mile canoe race. Alex majored in Geoscience, was a leader for Adirondack Adventure, Hamilton’s eight-day outdoor program for incoming students, and an avid member of Hamilton’s Outing Club. He has certainly taken advantage of the opportunities offered by the Outing Club; Alex traveled with Hamilton’s Outing Club to the Ecuadorian highlands and the Amazon rainforest.  After having played a vital role to the Apogee family as New England support in 2014 and as Pacific Coast support in 2015, we couldn’t be more thrilled to have him back in 2016 for his third summer. Alex is looking forward to providing support for both our ACC groups this summer as they make their way across the country!