GVN Foundation team

The GVN Foundation has a dedicated group of staff to answer all your questions and help ensure that your ESTC event is a huge success. We have all hosted ESTC events ourselves and so we know all about the challenges and excitements you will face! We are here to help, so please contact us at any time.

Courtney Montague - Executive Director

Courtney runs The Global Volunteer Network Foundation, the American fundraising branch of GVN and the branch responsible for Eat So They Can. Courtney Co-Founded Eat So They Can and is dedicated to seeing it grow into an event that citizens around the world look forward to each year. Courtney believes in Eat So They Can and believes that it is much more than a fundraiser- it is a way to engage the global community in discussions about child poverty and a way to encourage community in countries around the world.

In addition to being the Executive Director of Eat So They Can Courtney is also the GVN Foundation representative to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. Courtney is currently working towards a Masters in Public Administration at New York University and is a fellow in the Catherine B. Reynolds Program in Social Entrepreneurship. Courtney loves to eat… write, read, hike, relax with friends and family and watch movies.

Courtney is the person to contact for any big picture questions about ESTC or exciting ideas you might have.

Colin Salisbury - Founder

Colin has achieved a Masters in International Development and travelled worldwide. He has worked in a number of volunteer organisations locally before setting up Global Volunteer Network including work in Youth for Christ and World Vision which are both internationally recognised. From here Colin moved to Government department work for Internal Affairs in the area of Community development. Colin enjoys the outdoor life that New Zealand offers including all water sports but particularly sailing as well as tramping and skiing.

As well as having a direct overview of the programs that Global Volunteer Network offers internationally, Colin also overseas the development of the GVN Foundation based in Denver, Colorado.

Cassandra Treadwell - Executive Director, GVNF Australia/Aberdare Ranges School

About two years ago Cass decided it was time to stop being merely horrified when seeing or hearing about children dying of starvation and do something about it. Off she went for a run and was determined not to stop running until she had come up with an idea and a plan. We're not sure how far or for how long Cass ran, but Eat So They Can was created.

This New Zealand lawyer now lives in Sydney and is mother to four truly gorgeous children. As well as being a mum, she also teaches yoga and is researching for her PhD in Medical Law. Cass is determined to see Eat So They Can turn into an extremely successful annual fundraiser for GVN that ensures children "continue to be thought of and looked after".

Lauren McMahon - Media and Communications Manager

Lauren landed in New Zealand mid March 2007 after a little hop-skip-jump from Melbourne, Australia, to take up a media internship with GVN. After falling in love with the magical country she decided to stay permanently and now calls NZ home. Lauren's background is in environmental communications and she is happiest when she is climbing mountains, chasing rainbows, and seeing people live a fulfilling life with a big smile on their face. Stick your head in the GVN office and you will most likely see Lauren either sliding across the room on her swivel chair, peeling a piece of exotic fruit at her desk, or debating the comparative linguistics of footwear with her Kiwi, American, and South African buddies. This Aussie firmly believes a comfortable, rubber, foot apparatus is called a thong – not a jandle, not a flip-flop, not a slophie! In 2008 Lauren bagged Mt Kilimanjaro in Africa as part of GVN’s Fundraising Trek and in 2009 she returned to Kenya and spent 5 month working on the ground as the GVN Rep. Right now she is back in NZ and busy planning her next adventure.

Lauren is our media guru and the perfect person to contact if you have any questions about how to promote your event.

Caitie Goddard - ESTC Host Mentor and Ambassador Program Leader

After meeting Colin and Courtney through the Be The Change Program, Caitie decided to end her life as a Madrileno in the streets of Madrid to become a kiwi. Born and raised in the United States, Caitie is desperately trying to convince the staff that basketball is truly the greatest sport on earth. Caitie has a BA in Business and when not in the office, stays busy taking spanish class, working with NZ refugees, and exploring the most recent place she calls home, New Zealand!

Caitie is our big event event having hosted a huge event herself last year. If you'd like to find out how to reach the $20,000 challenge or you're interested in becoming an ESTC Ambassador, please contact Caitie.

Eliza Raymond - ESTC Host Mentor and Grants Coordinator

After 2 years in the GVN Peru office, Eliza decided she had eaten enough guinea pigs for a while and was ready to move back to New Zealand. She started with GVN Foundation in April 2009 as Grants Coordinator. Eliza is British/French by nationality but calls Motueka (New Zealand) home. After celebrating her 3rd birthday in Tibet, Eliza has never been very good at staying in one place. Her travels have taken her to Siberia to teach English, Germany to pack Frankfurters, the island of Chiloe to au-pair and of course to her favourite place of all, Peru. Eliza has a BA in geography and Spanish, and a Masters focused on international volunteering. When not in the GVN office, Eliza is riding her bike, playing tennis, lost, or planning her next trip.

Eliza is our ESTC host mentor and is happy to help you with any questions you might have. She's also the person to contact if you have any questions about funds distribution.