Ashton Palmer Founder & President
At age 18, Ashton left his native town of Sutton Coldfield, England, with a one-way ticket to Australia via Bangkok. He has never looked back. Since then, Ashton has pursued his childhood dreams of travel all over the world, along the way becoming an expedition leader, guide, naturalist, conservationist, Zodiac driver, bird-watcher, and photographer. Prior to starting Expedition Read More
Meg Rand Executive Assistant to the President
Meg grew up in a suburb of Seattle. At the age of 16, she spent a summer in Germany and fell fast in love with the opportunity to view the world through the new lenses that different cultures and landscapes provide. At 18, she made the 3,000 mile move east to attend Vassar College in New York’s Hudson Valley. Upon graduation, she secured a work visa for the UK and headed Read More
Joy Martinello Program Manager
Joy entertained her desire to travel the day after she graduated from college, when she strapped a backpack on her back and wandered off to explore Europe. Since those days, Joy has put her organizational skills to work by helping others visit extraordinary destinations and having life-changing experiences. Santa Fe, New Mexico became home for Joy during the 90's, where she had the Read More
Shelley Fry Program Manager
Shelley believes that penguins can change lives! She first discovered ExpeditionTrips as a client planning to visit penguins in Antarctica. A few months after her amazing voyage to The Ice, Shelley packed up her business background to join the ExpeditionTrips crew. An independent-minded traveler, she thrives on researching destinations and seeking out unique experiences. Read More
Abby Suplizio Program Manager
Growing up just outside of Atlanta, Georgia, Abby knew there had to be other, or more, exotic places and cultures on this amazing planet of ours. Working and living in Yellowstone National Park and at Colorado ski resorts right after university was the beginning of a life of adventure. Abby continued on traveling through Europe, Central and South America before deciding on a Read More
Joshua Logan Program Manager
"Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go" (T.S. Eliot). Joshua’s interest in seeing ‘how far one can go’ was sparked as a young boy, gazing at old mining maps of Europe, while growing up on his family farm in Western Washington. It wasn’t until his first trip abroad (a 2-month expedition to Thailand) that the travel bug had become permanently ignited. Read More
Lorraine Chachere Program Manager
Lorraine Chachere grew up in San Diego and completed her undergraduate studies outside of Boston. Lorraine’s international travels began on a trip throughout Bolivia after having joined Renacer Boliviano, a Bolivian folkloric dance troupe based in Chicago. Upon completing culinary school, Lorraine traveled to Quebec, France, Morocco, and Thailand for additional Read More
Beth Mercier Program Manager
Beth was introduced to travel at a very early age. Her father was a commercial airline pilot and brought her along on his trips, as early as 6 months old! Throughout her childhood, she had the fortunate experience to travel to such destinations as Europe, Asia, and Central America. Her love of travel inspired her to study International Tourism in Australia while in college. Read More
Jessica Apfel Program Manager
Growing up in Southern California, Jessica couldn’t wait to explore the world beyond suburbia. After completing her undergraduate degree in Seattle, she ventured off to South America. Gazing upon Machu Picchu, hiking through Patagonia, and roaming the streets of Buenos Aires changed her life forever – one trip and Jessica was hooked. She has since indulged her wanderlust Read More
Nadia Eckhardt Africa Specialist
Nadia Eckhardt was born in South Africa, resides in Seattle today, but still calls beautiful Cape Town "home." She spent much of her youth enjoying the outdoors with her family: hiking up Table Mountain, swimming, diving, and exploring the southern tip of Africa. She started her travel career in the early 80’s cruising the Indian Ocean islands, and scuba diving and birding Read More
Amanda Gerardo Travel Coordinator
After spending her childhood in a small town in Maine, Amanda was ready to break out and explore the world! That exploration started with a cross-country road trip the summer after graduating high school. The spirit and character she felt during her one-day stop in Seattle was the only inspiration she needed to pack up her life and move to the Emerald City. With her roots now Read More
Jennifer Santoyo Travel Coordinator
With an open mind, positive attitude and adventurous spirit, Jennifer has wandered off the beaten path and allowed her own curiosities to be her guide throughout her ventures. She has trekked the Outback, dived the Great Barrier Reef, witnessed the rising sun atop Mount Fuji, and ice climbed the challenging walls of Fox Glacier. Jennifer loves overcoming challenges Read More
Betsy Forbes Accounts Manager
While earning a degree in Spanish, Betsy lived and studied in rural Mexico. She went on to work as an administrative assistant at a travel company out of Mexico City. Her journeying eventually led her to Seattle where she has lived for the past twenty years. Betsy brings eighteen years of experience as a self-employed bookkeeper to ExpeditionTrips. In the spirit of expedition travel Read More
April Petersen Accounts Manager
April received her first taste of international travel while still a teenager, volunteering with community service organizations in Europe. During the next several years, she explored the world on board expedition cruise ships working in retail and management positions. Her travels have taken her to such places as Antarctica, South America, Galapagos Islands, Alaska, Costa Rica Read More
Amanda Hagar Web Content Specialist
Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, Amanda has long had an appreciation of the outdoors. Regular family weekend trips to the San Juan Islands, Pacific Coast and Cascade Mountains sparked a love of nature and adventure. Harrowing crossings of the Strait of Juan de Fuca aboard a small boat have given her steely sea legs that she hopes to one day use for crossing the Drake Passage. An initial joy of road trips and weekend escapes grew to Read More
Jennie Drazan Web Content Specialist
Jennie discovered a love of travel and the outdoors from an early age during family trips to the Oregon Coast and National Parks such as Yellowstone and Yosemite. While earning a degree in Biology, she spent a summer in Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands living with host families and studying the environment. Hooked on travel, shortly after returning from South America, Read More
Wolfgang Kaehler Photographer & Tour Leader
Internationally recognized for his travel and wildlife photography, National Geographic Photographer Wolfgang has spent the last 35 years capturing stunning images from around the globe. Since 1989, he has led photo and nature tours throughout the world including India, Antarctica, Mali, Indonesia, the Galapagos Islands, Botswana and Namibia, among other destinations. Read More