MEET OUR TEAM
Founder
Lindsay Bowen –
Lindsay is the founder and soul of ROAM Humanitarian which she brought to life in the heart of COVID 2020. With a Master’s of Science in Leadership, she had the skill set to create the mission and vision of the organization. She has a deep love and passion for humanity that is woven into every aspect of ROAM. Lindsay has always felt her purpose is to be a connector between people – those who want to serve and those across the world in need of help. She is the force of change and connection between the two, creating waves of goodness everywhere she goes and to every person she meets. Lindsay lives with her husband Justin, and their four incredible children in the mountains of Heber, Utah. She loves the sun on her skin, old + new friends, sunsets, being a mother, laughing until it hurts, and authentic human connection. Lindsay is a light, in every sense of the word, and ROAM Humanitarian would not exist without her. We are forever grateful she has brought this vision to life so we can be part of spreading love, service and connection throughout the world.
Founder
Justin Bowen –
Even though Justin dreamed of being a sheep herder in New Zealand when he grew up, he is a photographer by trade and has led hundreds of youth across the globe with National Geographic for nearly 10 years and 12 years with youth who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with Illuminate Youth Trips. He has worked with the industry greats including Canon, National Geographic, Spin Magazine, and has photographed many stars including Taylor Swift, Britney Spears, Michael Jordan, and Paul McCartney. He is oddly obsessed with everything penguin, won’t eat vegetables to save his life, has an affinity for swimming in arctic waters next to his favorite natural wonder that are icebergs. He is a wizard at creating once in a lifetime itineraries and often works his best magic with the help of a few hundred Instagram searches at 2am. Justin’s the guy who woke up one morning and realized that he had visited all seven continents in the span of eight months without consciously trying. Justin is the co-founder of a non-profit organization, ROAM Humanitarian (https://roamhumanitarian.org/), giving adults and families meaningful humanitarian experiences around the world. Justin’s passion for the world, the youth, and life in general is contagious and captivating. Justin met his wife Lindsay when he was 14 years old and after over 20 years of marriage still has any adventure with her and their four incredible children at the top of his bucket list. Justin’s world goes round from Heber Valley, Utah which is remarkably beautiful enough to get this wanderer to plant roots and call Utah home.
Director
Melissa Holmes –
Melissa lives in Lehi, Utah with her husband Jonny and three wonderful daughters who are the light of their lives. She loves dancing, reading, sunshine, scuba diving, homeschooling her kids, and spending time with friends. Melissa’s passion for culture, adventure, and worldwide humanitarian work sparked when she was young through her family traditions and travels. She then got the opportunity to serve on a humanitarian trip to India as a teenager which propelled her to see the world from a new perspective. This passion led her to intern at the United Nations in the NGO Department in New York City. Following her time in New York City, she returned to Idaho to finish her Bachelor’s degree in International Studies. Being part of the ROAM Humanitarian team has been a dream come true for Melissa. It brings her so much joy to be a part of such meaningful work. Melissa has so much to give to the world through her lifelong experiences in humanitarian work simultaneous with her love for people. ROAM is so grateful she is part of the mission.
Office Manager
Jessica Porter –
Jessica has always called Utah home, and graduated from BYU with a BA in Communications and an emphasis in Advertising. Jessica’s adventurous spirit has whisked her away to Washington, California, and New York for captivating summer jobs and internships. Amidst her bustling life, she is a loving wife and mother to two incredibly fun kids, a boy and a girl. Professionally, Jessica’s journey through advertising research has been her pride and joy for years, but she now positively embraces the adventure of working at ROAM Humanitarian. When she’s not delving into the world of audio books (with a sprinkle of reading books whenever time allows), you’ll find her fiercely competitive on the pickle ball court or chasing breathtaking sunsets in different corners of the world; Japan at the top of her favorite’s list. Jessica’s love for board games, wild escapades with friends, and a passion for the outdoors keeps her energized. She’s all about trying new creative outlets, savoring live music, and winding down with a Sudoku puzzle before bedtime. With her heart set on making a difference, Jessica is thrilled to be on this journey with ROAM Humanitarian, where she can pour her passion into something truly meaningful. We couldn’t be luckier to have her keeping us organized and efficient.
Creative Director
Lisa Harbertson –
Lisa grew up in Park City, Utah and now resides in Midway, Utah with her husband and four children. She is a lover of nature, running rivers, human connection, and finding beauty wherever she is. After spending 13 years in the Newborn ICU as an RN, she turned her focus to her photography business; she’s had a camera around her neck since she was a teenager, searching to capture passion, detail and emotion through her lens. Lisa is the talent behind our camera on many of our expeditions. She also creates the beautiful videos found on our social media channels. Her passion for ROAM Humanitarian along with her passion to capture emotion shines through the work she creates for us at ROAM Humanitarian. We are so fortunate to have her on the team.