Growing up in Massachusetts, I spent most of my childhood traveling locally. Whether it was to Marthas Vineyard in summer or up to Vermont in winter, we never quite exhausted our own backyard. It wasn’t until I studied in Germany, and got to take weekend trips to different countries, that I chose the entire world as my backyard. This led me to rural northern Thailand where I taught English and continued to spend my weekends on busses or planes to see Southeast Asia. After that, I still wasn’t done – and moved to Ho Chi Minh City for the next couple of years.

What I love most about traveling is that there is no “right way” to do anything. Every new destination, every new person, every new mode of transportation gives you the opportunity to rethink how you are moving through this world and the chance to learn from the people around you. Beyond work and traveling, I spend my free time running. It’s my favorite thing to do wherever in the world I may be – enabling me to explore much more in less time.

In my role as Co-Operations Manger, the Black Tomato value that speaks to me most is thoughtfulness. All the work that the operations team do is more in the background, making sure everything is perfectly tailored to each of our travelers and that each itinerary is accurate – always focusing on the smaller details that make a difference.