OUR TEAM

JAY JOHNSON

Owner & President of Coastline Travel Group

Company Name: Coastline Travel HQ

Location: Garden Grove, CA United States

Travel_Specialty: United States - All, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, South, Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Tanzania, Austria

Number: 17146211040

Email: jay@coastlinetravel.com

Memberships: Virtuoso Alliances Virgin, Galactic Space Program

BIO:

While working on my degree, I began working at the family owned At Your Service Travel Advisors in 1985. I quickly realized planning luxury safaris and vacations for my clients was a fun and enjoyable profession. And so I began a long and rewarding career as a Travel Consultant. I often say that I am the luckiest guy on this planet because I LOVE what I do for a living, and feel I am incredibly fortunate to have found my passion, which is planning amazing trips for my clients. I love to focus on Adventure Travel. Nothing inspires me more than helping create a trip of a lifetime for my clients.

LEAH SMITH

President - Tafari Travel

Company Name: Tafari Travel Denver, CO

Location: Denver, CO United States

Travel_Specialty: Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Botswana, South Africa, Colombia, Italy, Mozambique, Portugal, Mexico, Nicaragua, Japan

Email: leah@tafaritravel.com

BIO:

I started as a passenger in the back seat of my parents SUV, which lead to independent trips to Europe and everywhere north, south, east, and west. By college I was a self-proclaimed traveler working towards a degree in comparative politics. After graduation I became a travel consultant. During the 10+ years (and counting) that I have been planning travel around the world, I have had the honor of being featured in the LA Times, NY Times, Chicago Sun Times, Forbes Traveler, Luxury Travel Advisor, Destination Weddings and Honeymoons, Oprah.com, Aisledash.com, Travel Agent magazine, and a handful of other oddball media outlets. My most bragged about accomplishments are being responsible for the first ever travel related tweets (I swear its true, just ask me.) Then there was graduate school where I became more curious, more in debt, and potentially unemployed, so by 28 years old I became a travel entrepreneur.

TAYLOR FELLER

Director of Communications & Business Development

Location: New York, NY United States

Travel_Specialty: Spain, United States - Rocky Mountains, United States - Hawaii, Belize, Mexico, Australia

Number: 646-434-0104

Email: taylor@tafaritravel.com

BIO:

A Colorado native, I was born and raised in Fort Collins, CO, until moving to Boulder where I attended The University of Colorado Boulder and earned a dual degree in Psychology and Communications. My passion for travel was sparked after a semester abroad in Barcelona. Which served as my home base, allowing me to visit 8 country. Today I focus on luxury hotel travel in all areas of the world. My goal is to help families and individuals see and experience the different cultures all around the world.

AMBER KIMBLE

Travel Advisor

Company Name: Tafari Travel Denver, CO

Location: Denver, CO United States

Travel_Specialty: Indonesia, New Zealand, Australia

Number: 303-586-6815

Email: amber@tafaritravel.com

BIO:

I grew up in Southern California and graduated from California State University Long Beach, where I received a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications Studies. After graduation, I worked as a concierge at a five-star resort in Newport Beach. I learned first-hand about what luxury entails and how to plan unforgettable experiences for visiting guests. My adventures around the world have solidified my desire to become a travel specialist. In my personal travels, while exploring more than 20 countries thus far, my knowledge and expertise has broadened. I plan to inspire and share my passion with others while planning their own unique adventures and customizing itineraries to fit specific needs.

Renee D’Avirro

Air Manager / Travel Advisor

Email: reneed@wtbinc.com

LEAH BERGNER

Travel Advisor

Company Name: Coastline Travel HQ

Location: Garden Grove, CA United States

Travel_Specialty: United States - All, Indonesia, Italy, Russia, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, French, Polynesia

Number: +1 (714) 621-1040

Email: lbergner@coastlinetravel.com

BIO:

After graduating at the top of her class from a local Southern California high school, Leah went on to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology and European/WWII History at the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1997. It was in Santa Barbara that Leah decided a career in education might prove rewarding. Leah graduated from UCSB and pursued an even higher level of education from California State University, Long Beach. Here, she received her graduate degree and credentials in primary education. Leah taught for three years in the Long Beach and Anaheim public school system focusing on reading development and child advocacy.

Upon meeting Jay Johnson and his family, Leah took interest in the luxury travel industry. She recognized that she continued to have a great passion for learning outside what textbook pages could offer and could still use her educating skills in this field. Leah’s goal is to provide the utmost in travel advice and customer service, and takes great pride in being part of such a phenomenal Virtuoso agency. Your wish can be a dream fulfilled and realized as she plans every detail of your next adventure.

ILONA KUPEC

Office Manager / Travel Advisor

Company Name: Coastline Travel El Dorado Hills

Location: El Dorado Hills, CA United States

Travel_Specialty: No Destinations

Number: 916-939-8785

Email: Ilona@coastlinetravel.com

BIO:

I am from Hungary, I lived in Budapest and moved to the United States in 1978. I officially began my travel career in 1983 in the San Francisco Bay Area. Since 2005 I have lived in the Sacramento Area with my family. In the last 30 years I have traveled around the world and gained valuable information that I am happy to share with my clients as I work hard to make their dream vacations become a reality. I truly take my time with every client. It is a priority to me to ensure all details of each trip are the perfect fit for each individual and are offered at the best possible value.

DAWN JOHNSON

Travel Advisor

Company Name: Coastline Travel El Dorado Hills

Location: El Dorado Hills, CA United States

Travel_Specialty: Italy, France, Mexico, Spain, United States - California, United States - Pacific Northwest

Number: 916-939-8785

Email: dawn@coastlinetravel.com

BIO:

Creator of Experiences is what my business card reads…and my main goal as a travel advisor. I love to work with clients and learn about their dream vacations and then work hard to create a trip that will fulfill their dreams. My love of travel, adventure and creating new experiences began on my first trip to Europe for five weeks right after high school. We visited eight countries and immersed ourselves in the culture and earned five college units. And a life-long passion was born.

While building a career in corporate retail as a buyer, marketing and community tourism and chamber organizations, travel continued to be a part of my life. I worked off and on with the family travel business over many years until I jumped in full time in 2018. I have had a chance to travel the world and have visited over 55 countries, with a goal of hitting 100. Each time I immerse myself in a new location, I bring back a new memory that will help create a unique experience for my clients. My goal is to create amazing trips for group and incentive travel, wine clubs, culinary groups and leisure trips.

STEPHANIE LOUZIL

Director of Group Sales

Company Name: Coastline Travel HQ

Location: Garden Grove, CA United States

Travel_Specialty: No Destinations

Number: 714-621-1040

Email: stephanie@coastlinetravel.com

BIO:

Stephanie’s passion for travel began at a young age, when she had the opportunity to explore various destinations with her family. Today, she maintains a genuine passion for crafting unforgettable, personalized experiences around the globe based on her clients’ specific desires, needs and preferences.

After graduating from Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, California with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Managerial & Organizational Communications, Stephanie began her professional career in public relations at a five-star, five-diamond luxury resort. There, she realized that her attention to detail, passion for planning, incessant thirst for knowledge and desire to explore worldwide destinations were best suited for a career in travel advising.

Using her experience to plan her own customized travel excursions, Stephanie’s favorite part about her role is discovering her clients’ individual travel goals, then using her knowledge and expertise to craft personalized itineraries that result in extraordinary journeys and lifelong memories for each and every client.

Michel Panzardi

Air Team /Travel Advisor

Company Name: Coastline Travel HQ

Location: Garden Grove, CA United States

Travel_Specialty: Jamaica, Mexico

Number: +1 (714) 621-1040

Email: michel@tbirdtravel.com

BIO:

My career in travel started in 1985. My forte and expertise is finding the best value for my clients when it comes to domestic and international airfare. I am dedicated to providing excellent customer service for all of my clients. I work tirelessly to ensure that your personal preferences are met, while keeping an eye on the cost, comfort, and quality of each trip.

I would be delighted to be of service to you.

Lynn Trejo

Air Agent/Travel Advisor

Company Name: Coastline Travel HQ

Location: Garden Grove, CA United States

Travel_Specialty: United States - All, Sweden, United Kingdom, French, Polynesia, Italy, U.S. Virgin Islands

Number: 909-985-1968

Email: ltrejo@wtbinc.com

BIO:

Lynn Trejo, CTC attended World Travel University in 1986 and was soon hired as a travel advisor in the Whittier office. In 1989 Lynn was promoted as Manager of the Upland Office.

Using the Virtuoso Travel Network, Lynn is able to provide many clients that “out of the ordinary” travel
experience.

Lynn focuses on her client’s
personalities and preferences. She is always focuses on obtaining the greatest
travel itineraries to fit her clients. Lynn’s

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain
experience and attention to detail allows her to put together fantastic vacation packages that not only suit her clients’ budget, but have her clients raving about how wonderful the trip was.

Lynn is also one of our experts when it comes to Corporate Travel. When coordinating travel for today’s busy
corporate traveler, their meetings or their incentive programs, you need an expert to support you and your company. Lynn has the expertise to provide incredible consulting, she is known for “getting a handle” on the best practices.

RECENT TRIPS

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Seller of Travel #1005049-40 A Virtuoso Member

MICHELE BENIGNO

Travel Advisor

Company Name: Coastline Travel HQ

Location: Garden Grove, CA United States

Travel_Specialty: Argentina, Chile, Peru, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Fiji, France, Italy, Maldives, Uruguay, Bolivia, Spain, Vietnam, Mexico

Number: +1 714-621-1040 ext. 108

Email: michele@coastlinetravel.com

Memberships: Virtuoso Adventure Travel, Virtuoso Sustainability

BIO:

My mission is to inspire my clients to explore the world through travel & see life from a different perspective.

After 30 years as a consultant, I’ve developed key industry relationships. I prided myself on adaptation & innovations without losing a “hands on personal service approach.”

I am Sicilian American, grew up in New Orleans (ask me about Mosca’s). I thrive on Louisiana’s culture, good food & the great music. I studied & worked in both Argentina (Economics & Tango Argentino) & Mexico (History & Revolution) . I specialize in Italy & Latin America due to my experience in these regions. An avid scuba diver, I have dove the pristine reefs of the Maldives & Fiji.

I design seamless itineraries so you engaged in culture, history, food, art & people. Consider a one on one with a Master Gaucho Silversmith in Argentina’s Pampa or access to Buenos Aires’ closed door restaurants. Colombia is also also an adventure and gastronomic gem. Explore the heart of the coffee region complemented with hands on chocolate/cocao making classes on a privately owned finca.

I am committed to making your trip truly remarkable & life changing with a travel partner that is available to you every step of the way.

LOGAN JOHNSON

Office Assistant

Email: logan@coastlinetravel.com

SHELBY McMAHON

Travel Advisor

Company Name: Tafari Travel Denver, CO

Location: Denver, CO United States

Travel_Specialty: United States - All, Antarctica, Mexico, United States - Alaska, Peru

Number: 303-586-6815

Email: shelby@tafaritravel.com

BIO:

Born and raised in Birmingham, AL but now calling Denver home, I love living in a state where I have easy access to some of the best hiking spots and ski towns in America. Childhood vacations throughout the United States helped whet my appetite for travel at a young age, whether it was hiking around the Grand Canyon, seeing a Broadway play in NYC, or lounging on the beaches of Florida. I was hooked on the feeling of exploring new places, meeting different types of people, and seeing the vastly different landscapes that exist all within our own country.

I was bit by the travel bug when I was a young girl, and now as an advisor, I am thrilled that I can provide those same life-changing experiences to my clients. As an adult, I’ve traveled extensively around the world, all the way from Alaska to Antarctica, Hawaii to Hungary. Using insight from my past travel experiences as well as tapping into the incredible network of Virtuoso partners, I love being able to get creative putting together a custom vacation for my clients. I hope that each and every one of my clients takes away from their vacation, whether it’s a short weekend getaway or a bucket-list safari, the same sense of wonder of the world that I feel each time I hop off a plane.

Marsha Dolbow

Travel Advisor

Company Name: Coastline Travel HQ

Location: Garden Grove, CA United States

Travel_Specialty: United States - All, Canada, New Zealand, Botswana, Ecuador, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda

Number: +1 (714) 621-1040

Email: mdolbow@yorbalindatravel.com

Memberships: Virtuoso Adventure Travel, Virtuoso Cruise, Virtuoso Family + Celebration Travel, Virtuoso Sustainability

BIO:

Designing travel is my second career which has now been over 20 years. I began as a corporate travel planner which taught me to work under pressure, work efficiently and accurately. Corporate work morphed into leisure as clients began asking for help with leisure trips and my passion for exploration found its expression. My own travel highlights have been in destinations of natural beauty or wildlife -Alaska, Canada, Galapagos, Amazon, subarctic and Africa. I am attracted to remote places and diverse cultures. I would love to share your travel dreams. I may not know everything about everywhere, but with Virtuoso I am very well connected to someone who does.

Holly Hesseltine

Travel Advisor

Email: hollyh@coastlinetravel.com

BIO:

Holly’s love for creating memorable experiences began in high school while working in a restaurant. This inspired her to get a degree in Hospitality and Tourism. During her junior year of college, Holly studied abroad in Florence, Italy which sparked her passion for travel. After graduating, she was fortunate enough to get her foot in the travel industry at Coastline Travel Advisors. She hopes to inspire others to see the world and learn more about other cultures. Holly’s background in planning weddings and years in the hospitality industry have prepared her to craft personalized itineraries to meet any clients’ needs.

Elaine Clapp

Air Agent/Travel Advisor

Company Name: Coastline Travel HQ

Location: Garden Grove, CA United States

Travel_Specialty: United States - All, Antigua And Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Haiti, Italy, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Lucia, Mexico, Saint Kitts And Nevis

Number: +1 (714) 621-1040

Email: elainec@wtbinc.com

BIO:

Hi,

I am Elaine Clapp and have been with World Travel for 15 years! I love to travel and I truly enjoy planning vacations for my clients. I have traveled to the Caribbean, Hawaii, drove across the US and loved Denmark! I love the Caribbean for the amazing crystal clear warm waters for snorkeling!! I enjoy cruising because you unpack once and you are set for your vacation!! I went on Safari in May 2018! Incredible experience!! Please contact me for your travel plans!!

DANIELLE MEYER

Travel Advisor & Manager of Group Sales

Email: danielle@coastlinetravel.com

BIO:

Danielle’s interest for travel and adventure started at a young age but, turned into a passion once she studied abroad in Bilbao, Spain her sophomore year of college. She had the opportunity to explore various destinations and cultures all throughout Europe. These experiences opened her eyes to the world and the opportunity to serve and meet people along the way.

After graduating from Point Loma Nazarene University with a degree in Managerial Organizational Communication, Danielle moved back to Mallorca, Spain to live and work for a year. She was immersed in the culture through teaching English and working for a non-profit for people with disabilities.
She then moved back to California in 2018, and sought to find a job that would suit her passion for travel and adventure. She desired to work in a place where she could share her experiences and inspire people by using her attention to detail, and planning techniques to create the most ideal trip for each individual client. She believes in the transformative nature of travel, and ability to change the way we see the world and ourselves. It bridges the gap between cultures and provides opportunities to learn from one another. She aspires to help give people the opportunity to travel, and obtain the experiences that have shaped the lives of many others all while giving back to local communities that allow us to have these experiences.

Sheri Phillips

Travel Advisor

Company Name: Coastline Travel HQ

Location: Garden Grove, CA United States

Travel_Specialty: No Destinations

Number: +1 (714) 621-1040

Email: sphillips@yorbalindatravel.com

BIO:

Sheri Phillips, CTA has 35 years experience as a travel advisor and has been with Yorba Linda Travel since 1994. She has primarily focused on leisure travel, but has worked organizing corporate incentive travel. She worked with leisure groups arranging and hosting cruise and land groups. Sheri has traveled to many interesting places around the world learning about the cultures of the different and varied countries. She has traveled to China, Turkey, Egypt, the Holy Land, Australia, New Zealand and India, plus many countries in Europe, plus, Alaska, Caribbean and Hawaii. Southern Africa, Kenya and Tanzania are magical places, holding a special place in the heart, loving the people and culture with the wonder of observing the animals in their own habitat. Sheri loves to share her experiences with her clients and working with them to make their special travel dreams into a reality. Travel is a gift you give to yourself…Memories that can never be lost or taken away.

Lisa Hollo

Travel Advisor

Location: Garden Grove, CA United States

Travel_Specialty: No Destinations

Number: +1 (714) 621-1040

Email: lhollo@bobmcginnistravel.com

BIO:

All I know is travel!

I started hand writing airline tickets in 1977 and have never looked back. The name of the travel game is being good at listening, research, problem solving and meeting client expectations.

Travel is fascinating and educational. It is the door to understanding people, places and philosophy.