The Discovery Expeditions Team consists of experts from a wide variety of professional fields, as well as members from our partner organization Academic Expeditions, Inc(opens in a new tab), which has been organizing and leading successful student tour to domestic locations for over 20 years. We’re proud to be able to extend each of our skills and experiences to provide experiential tours for adults to both domestic and international destinations. In reality our “team” that comes together to create an engaging and authentic travel experience is not just those of us who are employees, but we see our travelers and their local community as partners along with the local people and amenities that we build relationships with in the destinations visited. So we invite you also to become part of “Our Team.”
Andrew Selinka
Managing Director
Andrew grew up near New York City and has traveled and lived extensively throughout the United States and the rest of the world. Andrew founded Academic Expeditions over a decade ago after working with many different educational travel tour companies and international schools over the years. He realized that there was a real need for a new ideal for a company that offered a high quality travel experience that was delivered with integrity and a focus on the client’s needs. Andrew is proud of what he and his incredibly talented staff at Academic Expeditions have been able to produce and are committed to the success and satisfaction of every traveler’s experience.
Tim Krepp
Managing Director of Operations
Tim has worked in student travel for almost two decades, beginning with showing visitors around his hometown of Washington, DC and eventually leading to fascinating travel across the globe. Born in New York and growing up in North Carolina, he came to DC to study history at George Washington University. Finding himself at home in the nation’s capital; he returned (after a spell in the Navy), married, and raised two kids on Capitol Hill. In addition to a passion for travel, Tim enjoys backpacking. kayaking, writing, and traipsing through old cemeteries.
Elitsa Somelva
Program Director
Elitsa was born and raised in Bulgaria where she received her Bachelors in Italian and Masters in Alternative Tourism. Travel has always been a big part of her life from the early family vacations to the Black Sea to the latest road trip exploring the coast of Uruguay. She has over 6 years of experience developing programs in the United States and Canada for international visitors. Her other big passion is food and she strongly believes that the best way to experience new cultures and places is through their cuisine. When she is not planning the next trip, you can find Elitsa urban hiking in search of the most buttery croissant.
Emilia Cedron
Program Director & Guide
Emilia grew up in Los Angeles and moved to Wisconsin where she stayed until she graduated from university with a degree in Elementary and Middle School Education. She then traveled the world teaching in various countries until she found herself on a riverboat on the Danube working as the director of the Multi-generational Family program onboard. It was then she decided to leave the classroom and enter the world of student travel. She’s been in the tourism industry for seven years. She now lives in Saint Paul, Minnesota with her partner and their two children.
George Mastrovaselis
Program Director & Guide
A product of the Midwestern United States, George has devoted his entire professional career to education and travel. With a bachelors in International Relations and a Masters of Science in Education, George synthesizes these two fields to motivate young adults to explore the world. He believes there is fun, beauty and knowledge to be found in all places…one just needs to seek it out. Although his pastime is exploring the ‘out of reach’ places, he is just as comfortable at the local county fair or neighborhood barbecue.
Tracy Hale
Director of Convention Services
Tracy was born in Washington, DC and now resides in quiet Chesapeake Beach, Maryland which is just a short drive to our Nation’s Capital. Tracy started out in the group travel industry right out of high school by working at her family owned motor coach company. Working her way up the ladder she became the operations manager and after 22 years she decided to pursue her love of Washington and American history by becoming a DC Tour Guide. She loves sharing her love of history and the city with groups of all ages! When she is not guiding, you will find her at home with her sweet boys, Kirby & Murph, Golden Retrievers and Loki a Mastiff.
Isaiah Mosteller
Director of Program Development
While Isaiah grew up on the plains of Oklahoma, the seeds of curiosity for the larger world were planted in him. In college, he earned a Bachelor’s in Elementary Education and a Masters in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management, and found open doors into the global education of travel and cultural exchange. His experiences abroad include working in the UK, Peace Corps in the Marshall Islands, recreation work in Japan, and cultural explorations of Latin America. These unique experiences have inspired him to both plan and guide relevant travel experiences for others. In addition to leading trips in Eastern US over the last 14 years, he has also led trips around Europe and South America. Isaiah, his wife Kim and son Walker live in Asheville, NC where they enjoy being outdoors, playing music with friends, and partaking in all the local Asheville eccentricities.
Kara Williams
Director of Finance
Kara grew up in Charlottesville, Virginia. She is a 1999 graduate of the University of Virginia. Kara spent nine years working as an Underwriter for a large insurance company. After being introduced to student travel she decided to leave the corporate world to manage the financial operations and traveler registrations for Academic Expeditions, and by extension does the same for Discovery Expeditions. Kara and her family reside in central Virginia where they enjoy a recreational life in the Blue Ridge Mountains.