Gary P. and Leisel McBride

Gary & Leisel blend their knowledge, talent and skills to make travel tours educational, spiritual, fun, and memorable. Gary has taught in various institutes of religion in Utah, California and Arizona. His last institute assignment was Director of the Westwood Institute of Religion, adjacent to UCLA. For two years prior to his retirement he was Assistant Director of the BYU Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies. Dr. McBride earned his Master’s degree from BYU in Family Life Education/Guidance and Counseling. He did post graduate work at the University of Southern California and earned his Doctoral degree (PhD) from BYU in Marriage and Family Therapy.

Leisel has been employed as an Adjunct Professor for the U.S. government presenting seminars to various agencies of the government including departments of: The Navy, Army, and The Interior. Other U.S. Government agencies have included: U.S. Government Secretaries & Support Personnel, USDA Forest Service, and U.S. office of Personnel Management. Leisel earned her Master’s degree from BYU in Near Eastern Studies with an emphasis upon Biblical Hebrew. She taught Biblical Hebrew classes for BYU prior to her retirement.

Gary and Leisel have been faculty members for Education Weeks in Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada and BYU.  They also taught for the Know Your Religion and Women’s Enrichment Seminars.

They have also directed many BYU Travel Study tours to the Holy Land. Their first tour of the Holy Land was in 1975 when they were participants in “The Lands of the Scriptures Workshop.” This was followed in 1983 when Gary was hired by BYU as teacher/director of a student study abroad program. They lived in Jerusalem for 6 months at Kibbutz Ramat Rachel. Returning from the Holy Land BYU Travel Study invited them to begin directing annual Travel Study tours to the Holy Land. They continued directing these tours for the next 13 years.

In 1998 BYU hired Gary to be Assistant Director of the BYU Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies. Leisel was hired as official administrator for all BYU Travel Study Tours of the Holy Land. They remained in these positions for 2 years. During these years they had the opportunity to travel extensively throughout Israel, The West Bank, Egypt and Jordan.

They also directed other BYU travel study programs including a Book of Mormon Tour of Central America, a European tour including Italy, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria and an Aegean Cruise, which followed in the footsteps of Paul the Apostle.

Gary has served as a Bishop, in a Stake Presidency, and as a High Counselor. He has also served in various other callings, including Stake Sunday School presidency.  Leisel has served as a Relief Society President on the ward, stake and area levels. She is an excellent teacher and accomplished musician and presently a member of the Southern Utah Heritage Choir.

Gary and Leisel are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary this year and have six children and fifteen grandchildren.

Tours Guided by Gary P. and Leisel McBride