Our People

Our People

We are proud of the experienced and dedicated professionals, experts, and volunteer advisors spearheading our work across the globe. From our basecamp in Germany to our network around the world, meet our people below.

Aivar Ruukel

Founder at Soomaa.com

Estonia

Alex Narracott

Founder at Much Better Adventures

Bristol, United Kingdom

Alexandra Michat

Director of Sustainability at EXO Travel

France

Alexandra Pastollnigg

Founder at Fair Voyage

Zurich, Switzerland

Alyssa Ramirez

Global Partnerships Manager at Airbnb

United States

Amanda Guzmán Villar

Gerente at Asociación de Ecoturismo en España

Spain

Ameer Virani

Tourism Expert, Founder at ONEArmenia, Share the Wonder

Armenia

Amy McLoughlin

Co-Founder at Ayana Journeys

Siem Reap, Cambodia

Angela Nagy

CEO and Co-Founder at GreenStep Solutions Inc.

Kelowna, Canada

Ann Becker

Founder at Travel with Ann

Costa Rica

Annie Young

Panamanian Sustainable Tourism Foundation

Panama

Antje Martins

Researcher at University of Queensland Business School

Brisbane, Australia

Anula Galewska

Co-founder and Managing Director at Travindy

Poland

Arica Sears

Deputy Director at Oregon Coast Visitors Association

United States

Arman Valesyan

Project Coordinator at UNDP

Armenia

Arnfinn Oines

Social and Environmental Conscience at Soneva

Bangkok, Thailand

Audrey Scott and Daniel Noll

Founder & Editor at Uncornered Market

Berlin, Germany

Ayako Ezaki

Director of Training Strategy and Development at TrainingAid

Erlangen, Germany

Ben Lynam

Head of Communications at The Travel Foundation

Bristol, United Kingdom

Bogdan Papuc

Executive Director at Association of Ecotourism in Romania (AER)

Brașov, Romania

Brian Cant

Vice President, Business Impact & Engagement at 4VI

Vancouver Island, Canada

Carol Hay

Founder and CEO at McKenzie Gayle Limited

London, United Kingdom

Ceillhe Sperath

Director at TIME Unlimited Ltd

Auckland, New Zealand

Cher Chua-Lassalvy

Co-Founder at Batu Batu – Pulau Tengah

Pulau Tengah, Malaysia

Chi Lo

Consultant at Chi Sustainability Consulting

Seattle, United States

Chris Flynn

President & CEO at World Tourism Association for Culture & Heritage

Sydney, Australia

Chris Seek

CEO at Solimar International

Washington, DC, United States

Christine Jacquemin

Director at EXO Foundation

France

Claire Bennett

Learning Service at PEPY Tours

Kathmandu, Nepal

Davina Stanford

Senior Lecturer at Leeds Beckett University

Leeds, United Kingdom

Deb Lace-Kelly

Communications Consultant at The Lost Compass

Toronto, Canada

Deirdre Shurland

Project Manager & Senior Specialist at UN Environment

Georgetown, Guyana

Denise Landau

Co-Founder, Board Member at Linking Tourism and Conservation

United States

Diana Körner

Chair of the Board at Linking Tourism and Conservation

Seychelles

Diego Bonilla

Director ejecutivo at Turismo Práctico & Gestión Ambiental

Ecuador

Dr. Anne-Kathrin Zschiegner

Technical Assistance Advisor at The Long Run - Preferred by Nature

Nairobi, Kenya

Dr. David Ermen

International tourism consultant, researcher, and… at Destination Capacity

Parua Bay, New Zealand

Dr. Faith Ong

Lecturer at University of Queensland Business School

Brisbane, Australia

Dr. Kim Langmaid

Founder and Vice President of Sustainability… at Walking Mountains Science Center

Vail, United States

Dr. Richard Robinson

Advance Industry Research Fellow at Queensland Tourism Industry Council

Brisbane, Australia

Dr. Sue Snyman

Group Sustainability Manager at Wilderness Safaris

Johannesburg, South Africa

Dr. Susanne Etti

Environmental Impact Specialist at Intrepid Travel

Melbourne, Australia

Dr. Vineeta Hoon

Managing Trustee at Centre for Action Research on Environment, Science and Society (CARESS)

India

Dr. Xavier Font

School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at University of Surrey

Guildford, United Kingdom

Dr. Ya-Yen Sun

Senior Lecturer at UQ Business School, The University of Queensland

Brisbane, Australia

Dr. Yawei Jiang

Research Fellow, Lecturer, and Behavioural… at The University of Queensland

Brisbane, Australia

Edith Alusa-Bosire

CEO at Ecotourism Kenya

Kenya

Elisa Spampinato

Sustainable Tourism Consultant and Researcher

London, United Kingdom

Emma Jacobs

Social Purpose and Sustainability Manager at Legacy Vacation Resorts

United States

Ena Buenfil

CEO at Huaxteca

Mexico

Evie Ndhlovu

Program Manager EMEA at Planeterra

Zimbabwe

Fabio Fornari

Junior Product Manager at HRS Group

Germany

Ferdinand Weps

Director of Operations and Learning Solutions at TrainingAid

Erlangen, Germany

Freya Higgins-Desbiolles

Adjunct Senior Lecturer in Tourism at Business Unit, University of South Australia

Australia

Ged Brown

Founder & CEO at Low Season Traveller

United Kingdom

German Garcia

Asesor Subdirección de Gestión de Destinos at Bogotá Turismo

Colombia

Gisela Purcell

Sustainability Advocate at Tourism Industry Aotearoa

New Zealand

Gopinath Parayil

Founder at The Blue Yonder

Pondicherry, India

Graeme Jackson

Head of Strategic Partnerships at The Travel Foundation

Bristol, United Kingdom

Hans Pfister

co-founder, CEO and Marketing Director at Cayuga Collection

Costa Rica

Håvard Utheim

CEO at Travelopment

Oslo, Norway

Holly Prievo

Founder, Copywriter & Strategist at The Guilty Granola; GLP Films

Cocoa Beach, United States

Ingunn Sørnes

Special Advisor on Sustainability at Innovation Norway

Oslo, Norway

Ivory Vogt

Climate & Resilience Manager at Sustainable Travel International

Germany

Jaume Mata

Jefe de área de sostenibilidad turística at Visit Valencia

Valencia, Spain

Jeppe Klockareson

Owner and Founder at Fair Travel

Stockholm, Sweden

Jeremy Sampson

Chief Executive Officer at The Travel Foundation

Bristol, United Kingdom

Jeremy Smith

Writer, Speaker and Sustainable Tourism Consultant

London, United Kingdom

Joel Callañaupa

Gerente de Programas de las Américas at Planeterra

Peru

Johanna Meissner

Training Program & Community Manager at TrainingAid

Cologne, Germany

Jorge Alves

Coordinator at Azores DMO

Azores, Portugal

Jorge Moller

Director at Regenera

Chile

Karina Moreton

Co-Founder & Impact Producer at Panoramic Journeys

United Kingdom

Karma Tshering

Founder at Bhutan Sustainable Tourism Society

Thimphu, Bhutan

Kasia Morgan

Head of Sustainability and Community at Exodus Travels

United Kingdom

Kelly Galaski

Director of Global Programs at Planeterra

Toronto, Canada

Kelsey Tonner

Founder at Be a Better Guide

Vancouver, Canada

Kiri Goulter

Director Destination Management at Regional Tourism New Zealand (RTNZ)

New Zealand

Kirsi Hyvaerinen

Managing Director at HYVÄ Coaching & Consulting d.o.o.

Montenegro

Kristin Dahl

Founder and CEO at Crosscurrent Collective LLC

Oregon, United States

Laura Clarke

Co-Founder at Palau Legacy Project

Australia

Lebawit Lily Girma

Global Tourism Reporter, Founder at Skift; See the Caribbean

United States

Leonardo Latorre Melin

Executive Director at Regenera

Chile

Leonie Bowles

General Manager at Wildlife Wonders

Australia

Linda Ambrosie

Independent Consultant and Researcher at LMA Consulting

Mexico

Lindsey Reding

Client Relations Manager at Andaman Discoveries

Thailand

Linking Tourism and Conservation

Luigi Cabrini

Chairman of the Board of Directors at Global Sustainable Tourism Council

Spain

Luis Chévez

Viceministro de turismo at Secretaría de Turismo de Honduras

Honduras

Marco Lucero

Co-Founder at Cuidadores de Destinos

Chile

Maria O'Connor

Head of Community at Good Hotel

London, United Kingdom

Marianela Camacho Fuenmayor

Communications Manager at Global Ecotourism Network (GEN)

Venezuela

Mariglo Laririt

Director of Sustainability at El Nido Resorts

El Nido, Philippines

Martin Heng

Accessible Travel Manager & Editorial Adviser at Lonely Planet

Melbourne, Australia

Matthew Newton

Founder at TourismTiger

Santiago, Chile

Matthias Beyer

Managing Director at mascontour

Berlin, Germany

Megan Morikawa

Global Sustainability Director at Iberostar Group

United States

Milena S. Nikolova, PhD

Chief Behavior Officer at Behavior Smart

Bulgaria

Miriam Cecilia Adame Alcaraz

Dirección General de Planeación at Secretaría de Turismo del Gobierno del Estado de Guanajuato

Mexico

Muna Haddad

Founder and Managing Director at Baraka

Amman, Jordan

Nadine Pinto

Global Sustainability Manager at TreadRight and The Travel Corporation (TTC)

Canada

Natalia Naranjo

Colombia Representative at CESO-SACO

Colombia

Neha Arora

Founder at Planet Abled

India

Netsai Bollmann

Programme Manager at Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area Secretariat

Chobe District, Botswana

Nia Klatte

Sustainability Project Manager at Considerate Group

United Kingdom

Nicola Koschel

Sustainable Tourism Consultant

Berlin, Germany

Oliver Hillel

Board Member at Linking Tourism and Conservation

Canada

Pablo Gordienko

General Manager at Macaw Lodge

Costa Rica

Paras Loomba

Founder at Global Himalayan Expedition

India

Patice Talaue

Certification Manager at World Cetacean Alliance

Germany

Peter Richards

Responsible Tourism and Community Based Tourism…

Thailand

Philip Ibrahim

General Manager at The Student Hotel Berlin

Berlin, Germany

pink pillow Berlin Collection

visit Berlin

Berlin, Germany

Prof. Dr. Willy Legrand

Professor at IUBH School of Business and Management

Bad Honnef-Bonn, Germany

Randy Durband

Chief Executive Officer at Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC)

South Korea

Rob Holmes

Founder & Chief Strategist at GLP Films

Kennebunk, United States

Rob Rankin

Managing Director at Sustainable Travel Ireland

Ireland

Rodrigo Atuesta

CEO at IMPULSE Travel

Bogoda, Colombia

Rosselin Rodriguez

Regional Representative in South America at Planeterra

Peru

Sabrina Mehlitz (she / her)

Senior Manager for Projects, Strategic… at visitBerlin

Berlin, Germany

Salli Felton

Chief Executive Officer at The Travel Foundation

Bristol, United Kingdom

Sally Guillaume

Director at Undiscovered Mountains Ltd

France

Sara King

General Manager Purpose at Intrepid Travel

Australia

Sashika Kaluwahewa

Assistant Manager - Sustainability at Jetwing Hotels

Sri Lanka

Seleni Matus

Executive Director at International Institute of Tourism Studies, GWU

Washington DC, United States

Shaun Mann

Senior Tourism Specialist at IFC / World Bank

Washington DC, United States

Silvia Barbone

Managing Director at Jlag

London, United Kingdom

Sophia Hyder Hock

Founder and CEO at Papilia

Washington DC, United States

Steve Noakes

Chair, Director at Binna Burra Lodge & Ecolodges Indonesia

Beechmont, Australia

Takashi Aoki

Project Lead at IC Net Limited

Dominican Republic

Tami Fairweather

Event Media Relations Manager at Adventure Travel Trade Association

United States

Tanuvi Joe

Freelance Writer

India

TrainingAid

Expert Team at TrainingAid

Germany

Urška Dolinar

Founder and Director at Iskriva, Institute for Development of Local Potentials

Slovenia

Valeria Croce

Head of Travel Business Intelligence, Strategy… at Eurail Group GIE

Brussels, Belgium

Vicky Smith

Founder at Earth-Changers.com

United Kingdom

Vincie Ho

Founder & Executive Director at RISE Travel Institute

United States

Virginia Fernandez-Trapa

Programme Officer at UNWTO

Spain