At age 15, I boarded a plane to teach English at a summer camp in Poland. Between lessons, I explored Kraków and its surroundings with new local friends. Those early experiences of deep cultural connection transformed how I understood the world. What began as one summer abroad became many. I returned to Eastern Europe and continued to teach again in Poland, as well as in Bulgaria and Romania, and later took on a long-term teaching role in France. I also lived and worked in international development in French-speaking West Africa, a profoundly immersive experience that shaped my understanding of travel at its deepest level. These formative years shaped the direction of my professional life.

For the first two decades of my career, I focused on helping others develop the skills to navigate cultural differences with confidence and insight. I trained U.S. diplomats and C-suite executives, designed global learning experiences, and ultimately served as Director of Study Abroad at the University of Southern California. My doctoral degree in adult learning and cultural competency further sharpened my ability to understand how people experience and adapt to the world — insight I use to anticipate the needs of my clients navigating unfamiliar environments.

Today, I bring that same depth of cultural expertise, research rigor, and attention to detail to every journey I design. For me, travel is fundamentally about people: how we connect, learn, and grow through experiencing the world differently. Because travel has been profoundly transformative in my own life, I approach each itinerary with intention, care, and deep curiosity about what will make a journey meaningful for you.