Ed Piekarczyk - Founder
In 1969, after serving in Vietnam, Ed went to work for the airlines, where he worked in both LAX and SFO and eventually became the Station Manager in Lake Tahoe, CA. Then, after a bout of quadriplegia (Gullian-Barre syndrome), he came to It’s Your World—Travel in 1980. In 1984, Ed purchased IYWT from the previous owners with the intention of making this agency a reliable resource focusing on Rotary Youth Exchange and Rotarian volunteers. In 2001, Ed began the ‘on line’ version of the agency for 24/7 access by students/parents and Rotarians. So, for almost 40 years, Ed had been increasing the size of his family with every new student and Rotarian.
Sadly, Ed passed away in January of 2024. However, the IYWT Team is committed to continuing Ed’s legacy as he wished.
Kyle Barnes - Chief Executive Officer
Kyle has been involved with Rotary Youth Exchange since he was an exchange student from D7670 – Western North Carolina to D1890 – Wyk auf Foehr, Germany. After his exchange, Kyle joined IYWT as an intern while completing his bachelor’s degree. Later, Kyle would go on to teach English in Japan and Hong Kong, but he finally found his calling after completing an MScIT (Information Technology) degree in Hong Kong.
The previous owner of IYWT, Ed Piekarczyk, was a huge inspiration for Kyle, so with Ed’s vision and Kyle’s skills, they put together the online system that guides hundreds of students and their respective Rotarians through the visa processing and ticketing process each year.
Kyle is working to fill the very large shoes left behind by Ed Piekarczyk. He’s excited to see IYWT continue to grow and serve students like himself who might not have access to the great opportunities offered by programs such as Rotary Youth Exchange.
Contact Info: kyle@iywt.com
Phone number: +1 (206) 747-4624
Charlie Kocher - Rotary Liaison
& Operations Manager
Charlie has been involved in Rotary Youth Exchange since he first joined Rotary in 1980. But his experience with youth exchange goes back even further -- to the 1960s when his parents started hosting foreign students. Over the years, Charlie has been host brother, host dad many times over, anxious father when his own children went on exchange, student counselor, youth exchange chair, and board member of support programs both in the Pacific Northwest and across North America.
Like so many who are involved in youth exchange, Charlie hopes that his involvement is creating peace -- one teenager at a time.
E-mail: charlie@iywt.com
Phone number: +1 (206) 328-0625
Doug Mozan - Operations Manager
& Exchange coach
Doug joined IYWT in January 2025 after retiring from a 30-year career in law enforcement. He spent the last 18 years of his career as a leader of various teams and sections of his agency.
Doug has been a member of Rotary since 2009 and was proud to host two international students. He speaks Spanish fluently and has participated in international Rotary projects in Mexico and Guatemala, along with many trips in pursuit of ocean fish across Latin America.
He has served his Rotary District 5110 Youth Exchange Committee as country liaison to Japan, Brazil, Argentina, and Chile and as Youth Exchange Officer for his club. His work with co-committee member Charlie Kocher brought him to the realization that his passion for helping others and understanding of systems could be used toward the goal of making the world a more peaceful place, one teenager at a time.
2025 Countries: Chile, Colombia & Mexico
E-mail: doug@iywt.com
Phone number: +1 (206) 328-0628
Holly Hayes - Travel Manager
& Exchange coach
Holly joined the IYWT team in April 2020, bringing with her more than 25 years of experience in the travel industry. She spent 13 years with STA Travel, eight of which were spent working directly with IYWT as a student travel supplier. Much of her travel experience is intertwined with her work with students, which includes her 28 years as an international wrestling referee and her current role as a high school wrestling coach.
Holly believes there is a world full of adventure and intrigue, and, together with Rotary Youth Exchange, she is dedicated to ensuring that students have everything they need to embark on their travel adventures and life journeys.
2025 Countries: Austria, Germany, Netherlands
& Short-Term Exchange
E-mail: hdhayes@iywt.com
Phone number: +1 (206) 328-0617
Aaron scheible - Travel Coordinator
& Exchange Coach
From a young age, travel was instilled into Aaron by going on road trips around the US, as well as visiting Mexico and Canada with his family. His love for travel led him to the Rotary Youth Exchange Program, where he lived in a small town called Humberto Primo in Argentina from 2015-2016. Aaron describes his exchange year as life-changing in the best way possible and says “…it changed my outlook on life and what I want to do in the future…”
Aaron has since lived in 7 countries, visited 30+, and has graduated college in Belgium with an International Tourism and Leisure degree.
He is hoping that his degree and personal experience with RYE can be insightful and help new students have the same life-changing experience he had.
2025 Countries: Argentina, Paraguay, Spain, Sweden
& Short-Term Exchange
E-mail: aaron@iywt.com
Phone number: +1 (206) 274-7449
Shannon McHutchison- Exchange coach
Global connection was instilled into Shannon from a young age. As a military child, she traveled with her family to many places, including much of Europe. While living abroad, she even began preschool in an authentic German Kindergarten! Her love of travel and tourism was further cultivated while growing up in Alaska and working there as a tour guide for several summers. Shannon went on to work at People to People Student Ambassador Programs. She has traveled extensively for recreation and business while raising her children to be globally-minded citizens.
By joining the IYWT Team and working with Rotary Youth Exchange, Shannon hopes to continue developing a legacy of exploring horizons and expanding potential.
2025 Countries: Belgium, Ecuador, Finland, France & Italy
E-mail: shannon@iywt.com
Phone number: +1 (206) 747-3388
Anna Yeager - Exchange coach
Growing up in a multicultural household, Anna has developed a deep understanding of the impact that intercultural experiences can have on personal growth. Her journey began with a move from Hungary to the United States for high school, followed by yet another move to Belgium for higher education. This international exposure was further enriched by exchanges in Peru and Spain and an internship in Malta.
After earning a Bachelor's degree in International Tourism and Leisure, Anna has dedicated herself to exploring the world. Her travels have allowed her to immerse herself in various cultures, deepening her appreciation for diverse global perspectives.
With her extensive experience navigating life outside her cultural norms, Anna is eager to share her lessons with others. She is committed to preparing students for a transformative year abroad and helping them embrace the unique challenges and rewards of living in unfamiliar environments.
Anna's goal is to ensure that each student embarks on their journey with the confidence and skills necessary to make the most of their year abroad!
2025 Countries: Brazil, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Switzerland & Turkey
E-mail: anna@iywt.com
Phone number: +1 (206) 338-1462
Lindsey Heben - Exchange coach
Lindsey's journey into international experiences began at 16 with a school trip to Ireland, sparking a lifelong love for travel. This passion for cultural exploration led her to Germany’s Mosel Valley on a Rotary Youth Exchange in 2018-2019 and has taken her to nearly 20 countries since. Continually inspired to deepen her cross-cultural understanding, she now holds a degree in International Studies and a graduate certificate in Multicultural Leadership.
Lindsey is dedicated to utilizing her personal and academic background in her role as an International Exchange Coach to empower students’ personal growth and facilitate unforgettable adventures!
2025 Countries: Denmark, Japan, Norway, Poland, South Korea
& Taiwan (ROC)
E-mail: lindsey@iywt.com
Phone number: +1 (206) 330-0103
Bellah Stephan - Exchange coach
Bellah’s passion for exchange began as a teenager in the 1980s when her family hosted a student from Belgium. This experience sparked a lifelong dedication to creating a more peaceful world and building a global family through international exchange. Over the years, Bellah and her family have hosted fourteen inbound exchange students and also participated in outbound exchanges.
As an active Rotarian and community leader, Bellah currently serves as the local Rotary Youth Exchange Officer, Director of Youth Services, and Interact Club Advisor.
With over 30 years of experience working with youth and fostering international exchange, Bellah brings a wealth of knowledge to IYWT. Trained in conflict resolution, she is a dedicated peace activist and an innovative team member, supporting families and students as they serve as ambassadors for their countries through international exchange.
2025 Countries: Czechia, Philippines, Slovakia, Spain & Thailand
E-mail: bellah@iywt.com
Phone number: +1 (206) 653-1932