What distinguishes VISIONS among teen community service programs is the longevity of service and high caliber of our summer leaders. We are blessed yearly with dozens of qualified applicants; the sheer volume makes the hiring process challenging, if not painstakingly time consuming. We speak to three work references for every applicant considered, asking over a dozen skills-focused questions. We ask even more questions of our applicants in their interviews in person, via telephone or Skype. Fortunately, the lengthy process is offset by an annual staff return rate of roughly 50%.

A characteristic shared by veteran VISIONS leaders is that they came to us primarily not "for travel and to see the world" but for their intentional attraction to our mission. Two exemplary leaders are Ryan Durkopp and Annie Nagy, VISIONS' long-time Guadeloupe co-directors. In their own academic and professional pursuits each is amazing. Together, Ryan and Annie have delivered an impressive one-two punch as stewards of VISIONS Guadeloupe, marrying their PhD and professional pursuits with their ongoing commitment to VISIONS.