Meet Our Team
Troy Peden
Director
He is the founding father of GoAbroad.com and the charitable GoAbroad Foundation. Troy’s extensive travel experience have included studying, working, and volunteering throughout Europe and Russia, Africa, Latin America, South America, and Asia. Troy currently lives in Colorado with his wife and children, though he continues to advise and influence all the organizations he has helped develop throughout his career as well as provide advising for new organizations.
Vanessa Vy
Marketing Specialist
Vanessa is a mom and a baker in Tacloban City, Leyte, Philippines. Vanessa was a part of GoAbroad.com’s sales team for several years.
Being part of GoAbroad.com opened her mind to the concept of international volunteering, as they conducted outreach activities every year with Volunteer for the Visayans (VFV) to help communities in rural areas of Leyte. Vanessa knows the importance of having organizations like the GoAbroad Foundation is fundamental to connecting people and extending help to global communities.
GoAbroad Foundation Board of Directors
Rachael VanDerWerff
Board of Director – Officer
Rachael first experienced the world of travel while receiving her undergraduate degree from South Dakota State University, through a study abroad program in Sweden. After that experience she fell in love with travel, culture, and the outside world, and knew those necessities would always be a part of her life. In January of 2012, she started working for GoAbroad.com and for the GoAbroad Foundation. She enjoys having a hand to play in the organization and is overcome with gratitude to each and every donor that makes the GoAbroad Foundation’s efforts possible.
Elsa Thomasma-Alingasa
Board of Director – Officer
Her international career began when she started volunteering in Southeast Asia, which was followed by years of fundraising and traveling between Asia, Europe, and the U.S. Eventually, Elsa became an intern at a local nonprofit in the Philippines. A survivor herself, Elsa helped organize relief operations following Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines in 2013. Following this experience, Elsa devoted herself to increasing the span of the organization’s reach in order to help small nonprofits around the world fulfill needs in their communities and continues to play an important role to the GoAbroad Foundation as a Board of Director officer.