Cassie spent her childhood growing up in Connecticut, alongside her brother, Jason De Pecol and parents Mark and Cynthia De Pecol. Friends came and went in Cassies early life, as she attended public school, Montessori, Waldorf and was home schooled by her parents all before returning back to public school for 7th-10th grade. In 11th grade she home schooled herself through Keystone National High School, taking college courses. It only took a year of being away from her friends, swim team and talent shows before she realized she wanted to go back. Secretly, she was excited at the opportunity to develop her "Senior Project" which consisted of a Global Warming Awareness Day in Washington, Depot, CT. Cassie believes her yearning for travel stems from her sporadic educational background.
Cassie's interest in sustainable tourism evolved after attending her first year at Long Island University - Global College in Costa Rica. Traveling into the rain forest, visiting indigenous cultures and studying socio-economic and political affairs at the university peaked her interest on how to combine the experience of exquisite natural environments while benefiting the economies of local cultures.
She furthered her ecological knowledge at Green Mountain College in Vermont and also studied tourism. At the age of 19 she decided to "plunge" into the world of Eco tourism by physically traveling to and working at various hotels around the world. At 24 years old, Cassie had traveled 23 countries primarily on her own with little money to spare. She had worked her way through her travels by sweeping floors, serving tables and planting seeds.
Cassie then was casted for Discovery Channels "Naked and Afraid" where she survived 21 days naked in the Panamanian jungle.
Cassie is now completing her certification for LEED AO O+M and looking out for her next adventure.
