Introducing the Faces Behind ESCAPESEEKER — outside of our core team that is. We’re already noted on our website’s “About Us” page. And, some of you have gotten to know us during our many filming assignments. Making new friends during our travels is one of the priceless benefits of this incredible adventure! But there’s a whole group of people who work tirelessly behind the scenes to bring the puzzle pieces of our ESCAPESEEKER program together…from inception to delivery…I would like you to meet “the team behind the team”…for whom we are all very grateful. Thank you for always giving it all you’ve got, when it matters most!
Roy A. Henderson – Our extremely hard working co-Executive Producer prefers to remain behind the scenes. Truth be known, we recruited Roy to lend us his business savvy and finance expertise after he recently completed his last CEO assignment, and he hesitantly accepted saying, “I don’t know if I can be around all you creative people!” Well, it didn’t take long before he was interjecting his own creative input, and I think he may be starting to forget his banking roots. I guess it just proves, our ESCAPESEEKER team’s passion for travel and film making are contagious! However, Mr. H. still prefers to be incognito–so sorry, no pic. However, if you want to get a Roy Henderson sighting, I suggest you hang out at the Pecan Plantation airport where all the cool dude pilots like Roy hang out!
Luz Thoron MacArthur – If I could describe Luz in one word, it would be “ambassador”; if I could use two words, it would be “global ambassador”; our on-call Associate Producer–on call because, quite honestly, Luz has the luxury of picking her assignments–it is in her ‘contract’–so let me add a third word, “smart global ambassador”! Luz makes friends instantly wherever she goes.
Luz celebrating with the talented winners of the Venice Film Festival
She talks to everyone–from the sidewalk vendor to Kofi Annan to George Clooney–the lady is fearless. Don’t let her petite stature fool you. Luz can tackle any assignment, and has circled the globe more times than most airline pilots. I’ve been to the “roof of the world” with Luz where we experienced our first group Tibetan massage from blind therapists who asked, “Do you want western or Tibetan?” And, we both asked, “May we know the difference?” The therapist responded in her Tibetan accented English, “One is naked, the other is not.” Guess you’ll never know which one we picked. By the way, I should mention that the massage was preceded by an exciting premiere rafting adventure. Navigating the frigid Himalayan waters proved extremely challenging, even for our guides, one of whom could not prevent his raft from capsizing. Fortunately, everyone swam to safety, cold but so relieved. I must admit, life with Luz is never, ever boring. All those whom she calls, “friends” count ourselves very blessed indeed.
Joanna Boice – “Jo” has been with ESCAPESEEKER from inception, providing moral support when needed as I began to shape and script the show’s earliest episodes as I wrote into the early morning hours. Twelve episodes later, Joanna continues to extend her support wherever and whenever needed to the delight of our film team. Her superb organizational and management skills (she can turn a complex, multi-cast, month-long filming rundown schedule into one slick spreadsheet in no time) has earned her a spot as our on-call Production Manager.
Proving that being a member the ESCAPESEEKER crew is one tough gig!
Like Luz, she selects her assignments, and thus far, they’ve all been those that require mostly swimsuits and involve diving into warm tropical waters–Fiji, Moorea…ok, who wants to place a bet that Jo is signing up for the Hawaii and Maldives shoot? Whether on location or behind the scenes, Joanna’s support for ESCAPESEEKER is unwavering.
Speaking of unwavering, there are several individuals whose unwavering talents for taking still pictures have contributed to our ability to not only tell the stories, but they’ve managed to document “the making of ESCAPESEEKER for the past two years. In addition, we are now able to share these captured images through numerous venues, thanks to our cyber-savvy design team. I am pleased to introduce our photogs and creative design team:
Chad Buchanan – Chad and I first teamed up when I needed a seasoned “Red Carpet” pro after I was selected to be amongst the lucky 100 journalist (out of 4000) to cover the 2008 AmFAR celebrity infused charity event held during the Cannes Film Festival. Chad already knew the ropes, having covered numerous Oscar and Golden Globe events, so I did not have to explain the complexities of covering the AmFAR event.
Chad is no Paparazzi...ritzy photog, ok, maybe?
When the time came for me to select a photog for my destination advance research assignments, Chad was an outstanding choice for a variety of reasons, (www.chadbuchanan.net) one of which, his ‘assistant’, Nicole Delong to whom Chad is now married, was not only a great traveling companion, but superb at tweaking Chad’s images on the spot!
Nicole and Chad, now here's an eco-friendly wedding vehicle get-a-way!
It was Nicole who came to our rescue when we needed a logo designed quickly in the early days of ESCAPESEEKER! The Buchanans now reside in Nicole’s native Germany, but every now and then, be on the lookout for Chad at the Oscar’s Red Carpet–he does cross the Atlantic for all the big starry gigs!
Justin Grant – Justin is as much an artist as he is a photographer. So much so that he never allows anyone to see any images during the shoot, –which drove me crazy because I like to make sure we never leave a destination until I’m positive we have what we need. Well, Justin made me exercise a lot of faith.
Justin, a photographer/artist!
Until he has applied his final artistry, no one lays eyes on them. Well, thank goodness, it all ended happily. His pics were definitely worth waiting for…but I’m afraid, I still like seeing what we’ve captured before we leave…even if it is a “work in progress”…after all, when you’re crossing continents and oceans, do-overs are not easy options! But no question, Justin is an absolute artist when it comes to photography. See for yourself: http://www.justingrantphotography.com
Peyton mixing with our private staff, on board our private yacht, Tu Moana, the only way to access the inaccessible waters of French Polynesia...Ahh, Another one for the ESCAPESEEKER history books!
Peyton McCollum – You can spot Peyton a mile away! You may think it’s because of her long Irish rooted-red locks, but that’s just one of the reasons. Peyton is always surrounded or trailed by children who are fascinated by the continual clicks of her Canon 40d. She has captured countless smiles of children around the world as a result. Peyton is the ultimate solo traveler. Before she joined our team, she did not hesitate to jet off to Galapagos solo, or cruise down the Amazon, acquiring a private native guide only if necessary…because Peyton has another passion, Nature Photography. When Peyton came on board for our initial research visit to French Polynesia, she captured plants, flowers, bugs, and shells that weren’t even on our radar screen. Peyton sees what others do not.
Peyton's lenses see what others do not...
I honestly believe her ultimate true calling in life is to be a Nat Geo expert photog. She has the patience of an angel and can ride out any weather waiting for her subject(s) to appear. Why do we love having Peyton on our assignments? Beneath her photog exterior, this Duke grad is brilliant to boot! And if there’s something I love–it is being surrounded with inspiring, talented, brilliant, fun-seeking, ESCAPESEEKERS! You can see more of her work on http://www.livingorange.com
Brooke, our versatile writer "guest talent" turns photographer
Brooke Miller – We originally recruited Brooke as a “guest talent” for the Marquesas Islands segment of our Tahiti feature episodes. I had actually scripted her in as a young writer seeking to find inspiration just as other prolific writers have done before her, i.e. Melville, Stevenson, etc., who had traveled to these remote islands and found their prize-winning classic stories. Well, we quickly discovered that yes, she’s definitely camera-friendly, but as our Director, Jason pointed out, Brooke’s talent as a budding photographer was a much more interesting story simply because Brooke took pictures non-stop! So much so that we convinced her to extend past her scripted time so she could keep capturing images from our shoot as our unofficial/official photog! 🙂 Sometimes the best episode segments are those we just allow to evolve.
A double dose of Garrett taking in Bora Bora. How did he do that?
Garrett Burton Gee – At the ripe young age of 5, Garrett won the Alpine School District Artist of the Year in his age category, and from then on, his future was defined–except for those few times when he was tempted to detour: the Saint Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco tried to recruit him for their Jr. Olympic Sailing Program after he received the “Most Promising Young Sailor” award from the Saint Francis Commodore; or the time while serving as captain, his team secured the Utah State Soccer Championship and Garrett got a real taste of fame and glory; or while serving as a Mormon missionary in the Vladivostok Russia Mission, he discovered that he had a real affinity for mastering tough languages and conquering even the most challenging working environments. Looking back, Garrett discovered that they were not detours, but merely part of his life’s journey–his “refiner’s fire” preparing him for what he loves to do and hopes to become: the world’s foremost cyber-media communication artist and entrepreneur!
A Capital G Design original, "Race to Creation"
Garrett is currently honing his skills and talents at Brigham Young University with hopes of segueing into Stanford Business School for his graduate studies (or if they’re willing to take him sooner, I understand he is ready and willing to jump ship). I think Garrett, is eager to follow in his Grandpa’s ‘Standford footsteps’, after all he is named after him. In the meantime, we are extremely grateful to have our own in-house web design Creative Director. Oh speaking of the entrepreneur side–Garrett is also the Founder and Head of Capital G Design. You can see numerous samples of his work and learn more about Capital G Design at http://capitalgdesign.com/
Garrett designed and created this BYU "wall wrap" for the BYU Athletic Dept.
Garrett will be the first to tell you that he has lived a charmed life. Some may attribute this to Garrett’s charming personality; Well, there’s definitely one person who will not give you any argument on this–his equally charming, talented wife, Jessica Lynne Maughan Gee–who by the way, also mastered the Russian language, and survived the demands and rigors of serving as a Sister Missionary in Vladivostok, Russia.
Jessica and Garrett, with their signature smiles and optimism, "The world is our oyster."
Although they rarely crossed paths while on their respective missions, Jessica knew he would be one of the first persons she would seek out upon her return from her mission, commenting, “Elder Gee was the hardest working missionary, and everyone on the mission knew it…so much so that all the Elders feared they would be called to become his companion!” Adding, “I just knew I wanted to get to know him when I returned home.” To make a not so long story short, theirs would be a companionship made in heaven. Garrett and Jessica strive to work as a team. Garrett is the artist, and Jess is the astute businesswoman. She graduated this Spring from BYU–and being the expert multi-tasker, lifetime overachiever that she is 🙂 manages to work for several entities simultaneously. We’re sure glad she’s able to be part of our in-house ESCAPESEEKER Production Design team!
Proud Papa, not to mention he is also our expert website programmer!
Ryan Hightower – Ryan is the English/Spanish speaking Founder and head of the Utah based, TOWER MEDIA DESIGN. His company specializes in video content for the web including full video production, graphic design and web design services. Whether it’s a quick animation for your splash page or a full series of training videos or screencasts for your customers, Ryan and his team are ready to help. I can vouch for that, as Ryan continues to give me weekly ‘tutorials” on how to navigate my way around the wordpress format. He is knowledgeable, patient, and thorough–what more can you ask of your website teacher? Oh yes, he doesn’t seem to require a lot of sleep. Does that sound like someone else you know? Yes, the entire ESCAPESEEKER team! Ryan worked in collaboration with Garrett to produce our new re-designed website. Thank you team for a job well done! Check out Ryan’s company at: ryanhightower.com
Gabrielle, feeling the "Magic of Serenissima" during our Venice shoot.
Gabrielle Francesca Gee – Gabrielle first performed in public at two years of age–yes, barely a toddler and Gabrielle proudly held the microphone as she sang the entire full verses of “I Am a Child of God”…we knew instantly that she would be a natural performing in front of people. Gabes (as we like to call her) has been blessed with so many talents and a large close-knit family ready and willing to cheer her on. Today, Gabes is enjoying living in Los Angeles pursuing her dream of acting, and continues to hone her dancing and singing skills with extensive daily classes. And somewhere in there, she does take in a regular college course to pacify her Mama. Thank goodness, Gabrielle never hesitates to lend her co-hosting skills to our ESCAPESEEKER series. As you can see from our “La Dolce Vita” episode trailers, the camera loves her. And, yes, the Italians who often shouted out “Gabriella, Ciao Bella” clearly adored her too!
Lastly, I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all of you who have paved the way for us, and for those who continue to lend your support, yet prefer to stay out of the limelight. You know who you are, and I so appreciate you. THANK YOU!
Have a tremendous weekend everyone, and as always…
Here’s to BLISSFUL, NEVER-ENDING BLISSFUL ESCAPES!
Mel aka ESCAPESEEKER
For inveterate globetrotter Mel Gee Henderson and her talented film crew, travel is like air. They cannot live without it! Mel thrives on serendipitous encounters, embraces the unexpected adventure, and charms locals everywhere. Mel’s background as a seasoned journalist and Washington Congressional staffer, combined with her philanthropic activities, introduced her to the globetrotting lifestyle, and took her everywhere, from gatherings on the French Riviera to the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Along the way, Mel’s winning personality opened doors and created lasting friendships with people we would all love to hang out with – from scholars to international royalty to celebrated chefs, to maverick fashionistas, to musical artists, and even some of Hollywood’s A-list stars. It’s the desire to share these amazing experiences with others to inspire and demonstrate that they too can explore our beautiful world, and embrace other cultures and people everywhere, that has motivated Mel to create the breathtaking new television series ESCAPESEEKER.
WQED is pleased to be the official “National Presenting Station” for ESCAPESEEKER, offering the new series to PBS’ 356 member stations. PBS offers all Americans – from every walk of life – the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and online content. Each week, PBS reaches more than 65 million people and invites them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature, travel, and public affairs; hear diverse viewpoints; and take front row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS’ broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry’s most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. 
