Meet Alternative Break Cruise Rombello!

Amie Shipley 30, Seattle, WA

I grew up in Great Falls, MT and moved to Seattle about 5 years ago. Last September I moved to Boston for 10 months to do a year of AmeriCorps with a literacy organization there. Prior to that I'd been working in assorted business environments and while I was in Boston I really fell in love with social services and decided to go back to school to get my Masters in Social Work. I am currently a 1st year student at the University of WA MSW program and psyched to be there! In my free time I love to play soccer, make jewelry and other quirky crafts and I'm pretty sarcastic. My favorite people are the ones I can laugh with! :)

Going on an Alternative Break Cruise means that I get to work with an amazing group of volunteers in the COOLEST space to help promote the work of Calling Alll Crows. CAC has changed my life in many ways and I am excited to share the love with other people. This will also be my first cruise so I am stoked to have it be such an amazing and unique experience!!

Kaitlin DeMarcus, 28, Eagle River, AK

Lover of: FUN, Life, friends, laughing, traveling, FAMILY, reading, THE WORLD, Mexican food, sunsets, reggae, bluegrass, ALASKA, Spanish, EDUCATION, nikipiaq (traditional Inupiaq food), Thai food, accountability, teamwork, coffee, smiling, LEARNING, mountains, beaches, hiking, biking, volleyball, Hawaii, microbreweries, boats, dancing, Colorado, Hawaiian food, art, sunshine, rain, snowboarding, Spain, giving back, LOVE, sleeping, MUSIC, working with YOUTH, salad, empowerment, COMMUNITY, social change, chocolate peanut butter ice cream, connections, ADVENTURES, my dog D.O.G., zumba, HOPE, kombucha, earrings, bright colors, massages, Burberry Brit perfume, documentaries, photography, snuggling, camping, fishing, beach glass, coaching, the Dominican Republic, my grandmother, positivity, hot springs, being ridiculous, reunions, Pump it Up Fests, comfort, wine, games, fate, soccer, yoga, kayaking, confidence, macaroni and cheese, Latin dancing, PEACE, Ted Talks, socializing, self improvement, and I repeat, LOVE.

Alternative Break on Rombello is a combination of all my favorite things! Service and doing good for the world, making connections with people, teamwork, sunshine, relaxation, music, beaches, friends, and new places. YES. I am grateful for this opportunity!

Ilana Marcus, 29, New York, NY

IT Nerd with a passion for music, festivals, and anything NYC has to offer. This will be my 3rd ABT and I’m psyched to be working with CAC again!

The ABT is a way to reach out to fans that have the same passion in music and service that I do. Also a great way to connect with other CAC volunteers that want to make a difference in the community, while rockin’ out!

Trish Becker-Hafnor, 28, Seattle, WA

I am a Colorado kid, currently living in Seattle while I work towards a Masters in Social Work. I currently work in refugee mental health, providing trauma-focused therapy for resettled refugees from around the world. I absolutely love to travel and have been fortunate to work, live and explore in countries across the globe. My professional experience includes working with youth and adults with disabilities, advocating for international human rights, coordinating international service learning programs, and working with a public health program in a refugee camp in Thailand. The most important things in my life are my partner Adam and my wonderful community of family and friends. I live for adventure, service, sunshine and community, so I think Rombello will be the perfect place for me.

I believe that gatherings of like-minded, positive people are prime opportunities for service projects, awareness campaigns and fundraising efforts. Festivals like Rombello provide an opportunity to reach a large amount of energetic people and generate support for causes that are changing the lives of people throughout the world. I am thrilled to support Calling All Crows and Love Hope Strength by sharing their incredible work with the Rombello community.

Dylan Landay, 21, Pittsburgh, PA

I was born and raised in the steel city. Die hard Pens fan and when my playoff beard comes in, it is glorious like Morgan Freeman. I have 12,000 songs in my itunes and worked at a concert venue for 2 years. I'm 21, jewish and want to be a talent agent when I graduate college. I have socks with dinosaurs on them and the mentality of a 5 year old; growing up is over rated. I am a very big activist and believe in equality. Gay marriage should be legal. I would defend Israel to the end of the world and have been and will go back this summer. I considered joining the IDF at one point. I’m pretty average for a college student, go to the sports bars, root for my teams (steelers, pens, and sometimes the pirates) and love to have a good time. I’m very social but will not be afraid to speak my mind. My father has MS and as he grows weaker he becomes more my superman. I have a sister 15 months younger and yeah, that in a nut shell is me.

This has been a very stressful year and to take a vacation and help is I feel the best remedy for the stress in my life. I also have a strong feeling by the end of the trip I’ll know every word to "im on a boat" - just a heads up!

Amanda Braun, 27, Eden Prairie, MN

Growing up in the suburbs, I left the Minneapolis area to pursue my education at Colorado State University where I earned degrees in Spanish and Sociology. I love exploring the wilderness in Colorado and have spent the past five winters working as a ski instructor in Aspen. Cross-cultural understanding is very important to me and I have had the opportunity to live abroad in South America, Central America and Asia. I am very passionate about water development issues and hope to eventually earn a graduate degree in the field. I have spent time volunteering for a number of different water organizations and I am currently working with a start-up outdoor gear company in Nicaragua that donates most of its profits to drilling water wells in Central America. 

Getting to go on Rombello with ABT means that I will get to spread the Crowing All Crows mission with other cruisers. I am excited for the opportunity to be able to combine listening to great music with meeting new friends and making a difference with some great organizations. 

Ryan Thayil, 21, Miami, FL

I’m an advertising student, I make websites and write content for them. I spend most of my free time with friends and family. However, I never underestimate the value of staying in alone and watching The Sopranos or something on Netflix. I love vinyl, one of my favorite things to do is to stop at a record store on my way home from work and pick up something from the bargain bin and listen to it when I get home. Living in Miami, a lot of my time is consumed with sports, I spend almost every Saturday during the fall at UM games tailgating with my brother and friends and every Sunday is spent having a cookout during the Dolphins games. On more quiet days, I like to spend time with my aunt and uncle who live just outside of Miami on a farm and it’s definitely one of the most relaxing places to be. They have animals, hammocks, and a great open pool. The best thing about their house is the seclusion, and it’s one of the few places down here that you can spot a few stars at night.

I don’t even know how to write about how exciting this cruise is for me. I’ve applied to, I believe, 3 other ABTs and this is the first one that I got accepted for. I’m doing my best to try and keep expectations in check but I’m really just excited to get out there, meet new people and work on something that I know will be really cool. After reading about Love Hope Strength and what exactly the murals are going to be for, I’m so excited to help the hospital and those children in Tanzania.

Stephanie Luger, 23, Washington, DC

I am a young, energetic, hard working human rights activist. I grew up in a close knit Jewish community with a strong sense of social justice and the importance of a Jewish value called Tikkun Olam, repairing the world. I went to Amherst College in Massachusetts to study international law, human rights and conflict resolution. Then, I moved to DC to work for an Israeli Human Rights organization that does not present a political position in the conflict but rather advocates for the dignity of Palestinians and Israelis. I am a person that believes in the dignity for all people. I want to spend my life working to help all people live with dignity and basic rights.