Area Administrators

Hometown: Scarsdale, NY
Time with AIFS/ACIS: With AIFS as an Area Administrator since 1977, and ACIS since 1987
E-mail: artbacisny@aol.com

Perpetual packer:

Art first went abroad in 1971 following college and hasn’t stopped since. From that first trip when he hitched rides and stayed in youth hostels, to his many experiences with AIFS (beginning in 1973) leading students on 37 day summer programs, to leading students on 9 day trips with ACIS, to now traveling with his wife, rarely has a school vacation passed for Art without any travel.

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The science of travel:

Art often draws from his travels to pass along important information in his biology classes. Whether showing slides of biomes like the tundra in northern Norway, the tropical rain forest in Malaysia, the savanna of Kenya or the Sahara desert, all of his destinations have a strong impression on students.

Call of the penguins:

Art has visited over 50 countries (too many to name and many on more than one occasion!) on every continent around the globe except for Antarctica. 

Not one to play favorites:

Finding it impossible to pick just one favorite destination, Art is drawn to many spots for each of their unique qualities: Switzerland (for the mountains), France (for its diversity), Scotland (for the people), Tanzania (for the amazing wildlife), Israel (for its history), Russia (for the fascination), and Tahiti (for paradise!).

The Journey Continues:

For his next adventure, Art plans to travel nearly 8,000 miles to visit India and Nepal.

Travel Tip: Be as prepared as you can for any eventuality.

“My travel experience allows me to speak knowingly with almost any teacher that I talk to about what trip they are planning. It’s easy to speak passionately about educational travel when I’ve been practicing it since 1973! I first became an AA with AIFS in 1977, and began with ACIS in 1987, and have been at it ever since. When you have a superior product to sell and one that you believe in, it is easy to be passionate about it.” - Art Bloom

Hometown: Beechhurst, NY
Time with AIFS/ACIS: Since 1976
E-mail: berniejudy@aol.com

The family tree:

Both born in Brooklyn, NY (in the shadow of Ebbets Field), Judy and Bernie grew up there, moved to and lived in Commack, NY (the ‘burbs) for 37 years, and moved back to Queens (in the shadow of the Throgs Neck Bridge) in 2004. They are the proud parents of Elissa and son-in-law David, who live in Maryland, and of Steven and daughter-in-law Pelin, who live in Brooklyn. When not helping their teachers plan tours, they also play the doting role of grandma and grandpa to Jessa and Gabe.

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The science part of travel:

Before “retirement,” Bernie was an English teacher and Asst. Principal in the New York City Public Schools, and Judy was an early childhood teacher and library/media specialist in the New York City Public Schools, private nursery schools, and a private Catholic Academy. They both teach courses on “Methods of Education and Literacy” at St. John’s University and Bernie also works with student teachers from Queens College.

Six out of seven isn’t bad!

Judy and Bernie’s passion for travel has taken them to 46 states in the US, to other countries in North America, to South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. There is little doubt that they will someday get to Antarctica and complete their list of continents. 

All around the compass:

When asked about their favorite destinations, Judy and Bernie’s picks run the gamut from northern Norway to southern Australia, to the equator hovering Galapagos, and, of course, London.

Travel Tip: Keep your sense of humor and be ready to adapt to the culture of wherever you are—savor its uniqueness.

"As educators, we enjoy seeing the discoveries and connections that our teachers and students are able to make through their ACIS experiences. ACIS always views travel as a learning experience that provides a base for continued exploration and enrichment. For over thirty years, we have been delighted to work with teachers who are planning their trips and to hear the returning teachers and students talk about the impact that their ACIS trips have had on their lives." - Judy and Bernie Leif

Hometown: Hershey, PA
Time with AIFS/ACIS: Since 1969
E-mail: dksmith10@verizon.net

Planting the seed:

When David and Kay were in elementary school, their textbook was Alice and Jerry Reader’s, If I Were Going. Those stories of traveling the world imparted at such a young age formed the foundation of their desire to travel later on. Kay eventually went on 22 various student trips with AIFS/ACIS with Dave’s students to most of Western Europe and Russia. Their lives have turned out to be an unbelievable journey for two people from a small town in Pennsylvania who thought traveling to Hershey Park was a big trip as high school students!

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AIFS/ACIS family roots:

In addition to their role as Area Administrators and doing public relations in London for ACIS, Dave served, and Kay assisted, as the AIFS Campus Principal at St. Andrews University for three summers and Cambridge University for one summer of study programs. Dave also escorted U.S. educators to evaluate AIFS programs in London, Salamanca and Rome, and was the ACIS tour manager for the Peoples of the Pacific program to Australia and New Zealand. The ACIS tradition continues for the Smiths as their daughter, Nicole, is now leading her own high school students to Europe with ACIS! Dave and Kay are now grandma and grandpa to Nicole’s and husband David’s new daughter, Hannah Fisher. Their son David and his wife Aly live in Ohio.

European affinity:

Dave and Kay’s favorite places include London and the UK, Salzburg, Prague, Venice and the Greek Islands. 

Next adventures:

Always looking for a new destination to explore, David and Kay plan to travel to South America, the far reaches of China, Scandinavia and the South of France!

Travel Tip: Be tolerant as you travel, in a sometimes intolerant world, and keep on traveling - “It’s a small world after all.”

“Our 1st trip in 1969, with 16 students, was a 6 week AIFS Salzburg Campus study program which also visited London, Paris, Brussels, Cologne, Heidelberg, Munich, East and West Berlin and Vienna. We were hooked on travel. The AIFS representative at that time was going to London for a year and asked us to fill in for him. He never returned to AIFS. We’ve been with AIFS/ACIS ever since.” - David and Kay Smith

Hometown: Bethel Park, PA, a southern suburb of Pittsburgh
Time with AIFS/ACIS: Area Administrators since 1977
E-mail: georgeandobbie@comcast.net

Dictionary not needed:

In addition to French, Obbie and George can “survive” in German, Spanish and Italian!

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No strangers to travels with students:

Obbie and George began European travel in 1970 when they led their first student group to Europe for a month with Foreign Study League. They then continued leading groups with AIFS and ACIS of 40-45 students from Upper St. Clair High School in Pittsburgh every summer until the mid-1990’s when George retired from teaching.

Or adults for that matter!

Obbie and George’s first adult-only group went to Europe in 1979, and they have been leading adults ever since, visiting almost all European countries. Obbie and George believe strongly in the concept of foreign travel, and visit Europe a couple of times a year on their own. Every New Year’s Eve since the millennium, a group of 12-15 friends has spent the holiday in Europe, visiting Paris, London, Rome, Madrid, Munich and Amsterdam. 

From the mountains to the sea:

When asked what their favorite destination is, Obbie and George fondly recall their voyages to southern France and the French Alps.

The jet-setters at home:

Obbie and George are also Directors of Music at Hamilton Presbyterian Church, a position they have held since 1964! Their daughter Diane is a music teacher and substitutes for them at church during their many European escapades. George works in the Emergency Department of a local hospital as a technician and dreams of writing a book entitled, Blackboards to Bedpans: There Is Life after Retirement!

Travel Tip: Bring along plastic zip-lock bags in all sizes - they are perfect for wet bathing suits, holding pocket change when going through security, the imperative washcloth(!), and much more.

“We enjoy our role of Area Administrators because we get to help open the world for many teachers and students each year. We follow each group from an initial enrollment meeting through the airport departure, a process that often takes 12-15 months, so we are able to develop a close relationship with our teachers. Because of the tremendous support from the Boston office, we are confident that each travel experience we coordinate will exceed the expectations of the teachers and students. We carry out our role with this confidence.” - Obbie and George McClintock

Current Home: Cumberland, RI
Hometown: Doylestown, PA in Bucks County
Time with AIFS/ACIS: Since 1973
E-mail: gwelav@cox.net

Cultural Growth:

As a veteran teacher of foreign languages (Gwenn’s been teaching since 1969, spending two years at the college level and ten years teaching high school before going back to college level teaching, which she’s been doing since), Gwenn knows the benefits of immersing oneself in other cultures. She finds that this cultural immersion allows her and her students to learn a lot about themselves, deepens their appreciation for their own culture and fosters an understanding of how peoples of all nations fit neatly together like pieces of a giant jigsaw puzzle. Gwenn works with many foreign language teachers as they organize ACIS groups, and she always finds that their enthusiasm for travel is equal to their passion for language learning.

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Travel 101:

Gwenn knows a thing or two about planning travels abroad. Not only does she currently teach romance languages (Spanish and French) at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, RI, she also served, until recently, as their Study Abroad Director.

Building up her jet-lag immunity:

Gwenn has traveled overseas about 120 times and visited 35 different countries all over the globe – too many to try and list!   

Diverse destinations:

Finding it impossible to pick just one favorite destination, Gwenn is enthralled by spots ranging from France (especially Normandy and Dordogne), to Guatemala, to Hong Kong and Singapore, to Australia, Denmark, Scotland, and Ecuador.

From the beginning:

Gwenn began traveling on AIFS programs in 1971 when she was teaching high school honors French. It was such fun that she organized another group the next year. At the conclusion of that trip, AIFS contacted Gwenn and asked her to represent them in S.E. Mass. That was many years ago and Gwenn has loved every minute of working for such fine companies!

Travel Tip: Careful pre-trip planning minimizes stress and greatly adds to the enjoyment of the time spent overseas!

“My favorite responsibility as Area Administrator is going out to schools and doing meetings with teachers, students and parents. The excitement is always contagious! I tell them that international travel will change their lives in many positive ways, and I truly mean it. It certainly has put the sparkle in my life!” - Gwenn Lavoie

Hometown: West Orange, NJ
Time with AIFS/ACIS: Started with ACIS as a Group Leader in 1994 and in January 2002, became the AA for New Jersey
E-mail: mmesra@comcast.net

Multi-lingual lady:

Marlene enriches student minds as a French and Spanish teacher and can also manage to speak enough Italian to be understood when she is traveling.

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Don’t try this at home:

Marlene has been an aficionado of the Tour de France since 1985. Her most memorable day in Paris was July 29, 2001 when she spent the entire day on the Champs Elysées waiting for Lance Armstrong to take his victory lap. Marlene jumped a barrier, shouted “Lance!” and was able to snap a photo of the champion as he waved to her in response to her cry. That photo is a prize possession of hers!   

Trains, planes, and automobiles:

Marlene has ventured to destinations far and wide including what used to be the Soviet Union – Moscow, (Ukraine) Kiev, Batumi, Tblisi, Sochi (Georgia), and Yerevan (Armenia), along with Prague, Poland, France, Spain, Ibiza, Formentera, Italy, the UK, Ireland, Israel, Petra (Jordan), Egypt, Tangier, Canada and Mexico. Marlene and her husband also embarked on a Baltic cruise that visited Tallin, Estonia, Copenhagen, St. Petersburg, Berlin, Helsinki, Stockholm and Visby.

Lure of la Tour Eiffel:

Marlene’s favorite destination is Paris, a city she would never hesitate to visit.  In fact, she admits to being a total Francophile!

Meet her on the Mediterranean:

For Marlene’s next adventure, she would like to visit Sicily, the Amalfi Coast and Pompeii followed by a trip to the Greek Isles, Kusadasi, Ephesus and Athens.

Travel Tip: Be polite and respectful!  Always say hello (bonjour) before asking for directions or any other information and always end by saying “thank you (merci).

“I love helping other teachers plan their trips because I have a passion for travel and want to instill that passion in others. By facilitating educational travel I hope to open the eyes and minds of the students who travel and help them "live" with other cultures and languages rather than just by reading about them in books. It opens their eyes and minds to the world.” - Marlene Moscowitz

Hometown: Springville, Utah (about 50 miles south of Salt Lake City)
Time with AIFS/ACIS: Mary became an AA in 1990 and Lee joined the ranks as an AA in 1998
E-mail: maryandleebate@aol.com

In it for the long haul:

Mary and Lee have been doing student and adult group travel since 1980!

+ Learn more about Mary and Lee

Not your average tourists:

Mary and Lee have visited almost every country in Europe including Scandinavia, Russia, Greece and Turkey. They have toured some places in Europe many times over because of their love for European history, culture and beauty. Mary and Lee have also visited Thailand, China, Hong Kong, Panama, Costa Rica, Mexico, the Caribbean, Alaska, Canada, and almost every state in the US!

No favoritism here!

When asked what their favorite destination is, Mary and Lee diplomatically say they love all the places they have visited.  If pressed to pick a favorite they would be these three: Wengen, Switzerland, Cotswolds of England, and China.  Alaska has been their favorite US destination.    

Beaches to ‘burgs:

For Mary and Lee’s next adventure, they hope travel to Australia and New Zealand, Antarctica and Iceland.

Travel Tip: "Less is more."  That statement holds true in packing your suitcase and when trying to pack in all the sites on your trip.

“We have always felt like it's better to see something really well than to try and see too many things in too short of a time.  This is one of the reasons we truly love ACIS.  Their trips are all well organized and put together logistically so that each day is spent with quality time in special and important places.  Hotels are fantastically located which reduces unnecessary travel time in large cities. The Tour Managers at ACIS are the best and most knowledgeable of any in the industry.  We learned long ago that ACIS sets the standard for quality in student and group travel.  Travel really does change lives! If you don't believe it, just try it!” - Mary and Lee Bate