James, 21, was born and raised in Franklin, TN and just finished his junior year at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. James loves all things outdoors—backpacking, rock climbing, kayaking, fishing and more! He credits his Moondance leaders on his two trips, Pacific Northwest and Northern Lights, for helping him find these passions and appreciation for nature. Before leading our British Columbia trip last summer, James spent the prior two summers as a Youth Director at Monteagle Sunday School Assembly where he assisted in coordinating events and led multiple outdoor trips and activities! We couldn’t be more excited for James to take his leadership to the next level during his second summer as a Moondance leader–sharing his love for the outdoors and serving as a role model to his students! We can’t wait to see James thrive on our Big Wild trip!

Kate, 22, first joined the Moondance family as a student on our South Africa and Chamonix trips in 2018 and 2019 and was absolutely loved by her leaders! As a Trip Leader, Kate spent the summer of 2022 in Maui and 2023 in Spain + Morocco! Kate is originally from Greensboro, North Carolina and is a recent graduate of Clemson University where she studied Political Science and Communications. On campus, Kate was involved in an array of organizations–ranging from the University Guide Association, the Judicial Board, and the Panhellenic Association. During her college summers prior to leading for Moondance, Kate worked as a counselor at Camp Illahee in Brevard, NC. Kate has an incredible work ethic and passion for investing in any opportunity she is pursuing. Kate is joining our HQ team in Nashville this fall, but before that she has spent the last few weeks leading our Kilimanjaro trip in Tanzania, and is now heading out to Jackson, WY to finish the summer leading our Big Wild trip! We are so grateful to have Kate back on staff this summer, and can't wait to continue to watch her Moondance journey unfold!