About Us

Insiders for Impact brings together mission-driven leaders through immersive experiences that spark collaboration, innovation, and meaningful change. We believe that travel—done with intention—creates powerful environments for learning, connection, and impact.

Our Story

For more than a decade, our team has been designing extraordinary journeys that bring people together in ways that spark ideas, inspire purpose, and strengthen communities. What began as Insider Expeditions—a global experience design company—has grown into a mission-driven initiative dedicated to supporting the work of entrepreneurs, innovators, and social change leaders.

Through sixteen years of hosting community gatherings, nonprofit donor trips, leadership retreats, creative brainstorming adventures, and meaningful cultural exchanges, we discovered something powerful:

When people travel with purpose, they unlock new ways to create impact.

Insiders for Impact was born from this insight — to take the heart of our experiential work and center it fully around supporting leaders who are building a better world.

Our Vision

We envision a world where leaders working toward social and environmental good have the inspiration, support, and community they need to create lasting impact.

What We Believe

Impact Journeys
Experiential gatherings in inspiring destinations built around collaboration, learning, and community.
Leadership Communities
Cohorts and circles designed to nurture long-term support networks among mission-driven individuals.
Project & Initiative Support
Helping leaders bring their ideas to life through connections, partnerships, and opportunities within our global ecosystem.
jimmy buffett musical
adventure to Antarctica

Our Leadership Team

As the founder of Insider Expeditions, I’m proud to have led travel programs in more than 100 countries. After riding my bicycle across the country as a college senior with a motley crew of 30 riders raising money for Habitat for Humanity, I have dedicated my life to creating group travel experiences which combine the qualities I so enjoyed that summer: a fun, inspiring, curated itinerary, lots of memorable surprises, local community engagement, and a journey that leaves behind a positive impact. Shortly after that trip, I moved to South America with a local tour operator, leading cultural exchanges, service projects, and innovative travel itineraries throughout the region. Honored a few years later with a World Peace Fellowship by Rotary International, I then moved to Japan for my Masters and worked with Peace Boat, whose circumnavigational voyages focus on meaningful interactions and cultural exchanges with local communities, service efforts, and unique educational and enrichment opportunities for their passengers.

Since founding Insider Expeditions, I’ve had the opportunity to organize business delegations for Fortune 500 companies, donor experiences for international non-profits, trade missions on behalf of the US government, educational trips for top universities, creative brainstorming journeys for entrepreneurs, extraordinary family reunions, world-class destination weddings, epic birthday celebrations, wild dancing adventures, and remote wellness retreats. Through Insider, it’s my mission to share our team’s love of this beautiful and magical world through travel and thoughtfully curated experiences, no matter your group, interest, or mission. It’s our own mission to have you look back and say, “wow, that was one of the best trips of my entire life”. On behalf of our fabulous, dedicated, and experienced team, we can’t wait to travel with you.

Carleton Shephard

Founder & CEO

Our Team

Join Our Global Team

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, creator, nonprofit leader, or someone passionate about meaningful change, we invite you to be part of a movement where travel, purpose, and impact come together.

Some Of Our Partners

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