SUSANNAH REED POLAND
Stanford University, B.A., Anthropology

While at Stanford University, Susannah studied social and cultural anthropology with a focus on visual arts. She conducted fieldwork amongst the Chagga people of Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, documenting oral histories to understand their usage of beadwork and traditional healing practices. After graduating, Susannah was a curatorial researcher at the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art for exhibitions on emergent African feminisms and contemporary female artists. In spring 2013, Susannah took a leave from the museum to conduct fieldwork on Mount Everest for Umea University School of Business and Economics. She embedded in an expedition of international climbers to study decision-making in extreme environments, and managed the team’s Base Camp while documenting their ascent to Mount Everest’s summit. She now works as a program director for  Putney Student Travel and National Geographic Student Expeditions, where she oversees programs in France, Nepal, and Bhutan. When she’s not working on expeditions, Susannah sings jazz, practices meditation, and studies Theravada Buddhism. Susannah is fluent in French and has led National Geographic Student Expeditions programs in Bhutan, Thailand, and Italy, and a Putney’s Language Learning France program.

ADITYA (ADY) MANRAL
Lucknow Christian College, Bachelors in Commerce; Lucknow University, Post Graduate, Advertising and Public Relations

After spending a couple of years working in advertising, Ady moved to the foothills of the Himalayas in India and joined Woodstock International School as a dorm parent. Currently a high school dorm supervisor at Woodstock School along with his wife, Ady is also a singer-songwriter, a social media consultant to a private nature reserve, and Director & Co-founder of a local music festival called “The Big Gig” in Mussoorie. As an avid outdoor and adventure enthusiast, he had the opportunity to be part of an expedition that successfully summited Banderpoonch, a 20,600-foot peak in the Himalayas in 2011. Besides mountaineering, Ady also enjoys motorbiking  and has biked all over Rajasthan, India, as well as embarking on a six-week trip to Bhutan from Mussoorie, India. Ady is a certified Wilderness First Responder and is fluent in English and Hindi. He has led Putney’s Community Service India program and Community Service Nepal.