About

Maia Josebachvili, Founder and President

Maia grew up watching too many Indiana Jones movies and decided at a very early age that she was going to try everything in the world once. It hasn’t been easy, but she’s making a dent. She graduated from Dartmouth College with a degree in mechanical engineering (that comes in handy when rigging up bear bags in the woods) and went on to be a derivatives trader on Wall Street for two years. That wasn’t much fun compared to her side job though—Maia is a professional skydiver with over 650 logged jumps. She’s also a sponsored mountain-bike racer, marathoner, triathlete, and SCUBA enthusiast with some 200-odd dives.

It really came as no surprise when she quit her trading job to travel around the world for a year. Her journeys have taken her to over 40 different countries on six continents. Highlights include hiking to Everest Base Camp and summiting Kala Patthar (19,208 ft) in Nepal, running an adventure marathon race in New Zealand, extensive backpacking in the Andes mountains in South America, cycle-touring throughout Eastern Europe, and hiking expeditions throughout the Middle East.

Maia has recently returned to New York City to start Urban Escapes and share her love and passion for the outdoors with fellow New Yorkers. She has been guiding outdoor trips for the past six years and is excited to finally be able to do it as a full-time job.

Bram Levy, National Director

After a childhood of herding cattle and clearing brush in the suburbs of Richmond, Virginia, and living in seven cities in the last ten years, Bram has finally settled in New York. Since graduating from Harvard College, Bram has been an elementary-school teacher and a management consultant and is thrilled to now be serving as the National Director of Urban Escapes. Bram absolutely loves developing new trips and wants to hear your ideas!

Having hiked in the Himalayas, scuba-dived in the Great Barrier Reef, sand-boarded in the Sahara, snow-mobiled in the Rockies, and floated in the Dead Sea, Bram is guilty of an insatiable desire for traveling the globe and then gloating about his adventures. His most recent escapades landed him as an outdoor guide in Southwestern Spain through Olive country and at home here in the Pocono Mountains.

Jason van den Brand, Philly Director

Jason grew up in the OG suburb of Levittown, whose residents have been known for over a half century to be the “Top of the Food Chain.” This mentality carried him three hours west to Penn State and thus began his love of beer, rockin’ out to great music and fiendish vagabondage. After an internship scuba diving in Belize and a roots-tracing jaunt through Europe, Jason, with his top-ranked Penn State degree in hand, was off to explore the wild, wild west. On this solo-mission from Philly to Phrisco, he fended off jackalopes, truck-drivers at rest stops, and a wicked storm at Yellowstone where he surely would have produced better images than Ansel Adams, only this time in color.

With flower in hair, San Francisco stole his heart and he somehow joined the ranks of raconteuring corporateers and began an illustrious career as a glorified telemarketer. After four years of “slangin’ loans” and being well known in his inner circles to have good timing, better luck and a flare for crossing the line, he packed up a bag and a damn good woman and toured the world for a year, visiting 27 countries on five continents, including the Himalayas and Patagonia. Yep, it was sick. 

While Jason is always up for anything out-of-doors, he is happiest when dropping lines in the backcountry, whether on skis or on a mountain bike and is completely pumped to be starting the Urban Escapes Philadelphia division. He looks forward to meeting fellow Urban Escapers and sharing his love for all things outdoors. 

Beth Schaffer, Philly Director

Between jumping into the deep end before knowing how to swim, riding her big wheel down the steepest hills in the neighborhood and stuffing her shoes with napkins so she could ride the big kid roller coasters, as a kid Beth gave her parents heart attacks on a weekly basis.  They were thrilled when she fell in love with something more structured, soccer, while continuing to hike, ski, bike and tube all over the Poconos, Delaware Water Gap and Vermont.  It’s no wonder she felt at home at Virginia Tech in the middle of the Blue Ridge Mountains.  While studying architecture domestically and abroad she poked her head up from her studio desk long enough to enthusiastically jump out of an airplane, brave the rapids of the New River, hike and ski in the Alps, swim with stingrays, and be crowned Queen of Fire at many a camp site.  Beth is now a Center City girl and proud of it.  She is always ready to rally the troops, go dancing all night at the drop of a hat or up for Monster Jam on Valentine’s Day.  But after drowning herself in the built world, Beth is someone who understands that there is nothing quite like that good, clean, fun feeling of getting outdoors and sharing it with great people.  Get ready for good times with this one!

Gary Stout, Guide

G Stout, as he is known in these parts, has never been afraid to take on a dare or put his life in peril to attain the ultimate goal of FUN. His craving for adventure started at age 12 when he first dove off of a cliff, Mt Misery, in his home town of Langhorne, PA. From that day on, he could not go through life without trying to emulate that same feeling…the feeling of a rush.  That lead to greater things such as sky diving, bungee jumping, white water rafting, rock climbing, skateboarding, snowboarding, mountain biking, surfing and anything else he can do to put his life in danger.

His other true desire is traveling.  During his college years at Temple University, he traveled to Colorado, Utah, Vermont, California, British Columbia, and Wyoming in search of endless powder deep in the backcountry. He may have missed many classes but he definitely didn’t miss any snow!

Gary always lives for the next adventure and has abundant love & respect for the good Mother Nature. Once he heard about Urban Escapes, he knew it was right up his alley and he can’t wait for the next adventure to begin!

Erin Schneider, Guide

A good ol’ Midwestern girl, Erin recently joined Urban Escapes Philadelphia as a guide. Outside of her group trips, she may be a hard one to catch, as she is involved in a wide range of activities. You may find her backpacking around the world or baking her grandma’s recipes at home; hiking the icy peaks of Patagonia or sipping champagne in the pedicure chair; practicing yoga or perfecting her German; hanging ten in Mexico or gettin’ crafty with her jewelry and painting, just to name a few.  Erin caught the travel bug at an early age and spent 9 months studying in Germany and traveled throughout Europe soaking up her heritage.  Before college, she headed to the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska where she learned to reel in giant halibut, tussle with grizzlies, waterproof her campsites and master the art of campfire sing-a-longs.  Two days after graduation, she was on a one-way flight to California where she began her career as a journalist and set the record for the best toasted marshmallow after hiking Half Dome in Yosemite. While always on the lookout for her next adventure, one thing is for sure: once you’ve caught up with Erin, be sure to pack your hiking shoes and get ready for an experience!

Matt Perl, Guide

Raised on the mean streets of suburban North Caldwell, NJ, Matt has been an outdoorsman from an early age. He was swimming before he could walk and really up-ed his outdoor game while playing in backyards all throughout middle school. He even read Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air.

When Matt is not buying low and selling high, again and again, he is escaping from the concrete jungle. A passionate skier, he has hiked the Highland Bowl, Cody Bowl and Baldy Chutes to name a few and has skied more than 30 mountains in 12 states. He is also a wicked snow-football player. Matt has backpacked through southeast Alaska (ice climbing along the way), the Swiss Alps (drinking along the way) and the South Island of New Zealand (just hiking along the way). He also boasts a nasty J stroke in a canoe and can throw a sick hammer, both frisbee and the metal kind.