Why Travel Beyond
Working for Travel Beyond embraces my passion for opening doors to new experiences and providing opportunities for lifelong memories. My previous careers have shared this same theme in various forms. At Travel Beyond I am privileged to take my passion worldwide. An experience is worth a million words, whether it is walking a new trail or taking a different route on a routine drive. Life is full of wonderful experiences to embrace daily. I eagerly look forward to days with Travel Beyond, expanding opportunities to experience and feel fully alive in this beautiful world we are gifted.
Destinations Visited
Africa: Botswana, Egypt, Zimbabwe
Latin America: Chile, Peru
Additional Countries: Mexico, Scotland
Education
BS in Vocational Rehabilitation, minor in community-based living for people with disabilities at UW-Stout, WI.
MA in Human Development, minor in meditation coaching at St Mary’s University, MN.
Experience Living Abroad
I lived in Scotland for 4 months. Hiking waterfalls, trekking in the countryside, and connecting with the locals. It was action packed and a wonderful time!
Career History
Starting in college there was a mandate for hospital institutions to move people with disabilities into community-based housing. I was privileged to work with six individuals, who had never known what a living room was. To this day, I still remember the looks on their faces when we baked a cake for the first time or went to the movie theater. The joy and curiosity everyone showed by experiencing something outside of their normal routine brought such a delight to my life I knew I had found my passion: to provide others with amazing opportunities and experiences. I continued with my career working with families moving to the USA for the first time on work visas. Again, seeing their eyes light up with excitement on all the new experiences brings such a joy to the day.
Most Memorable Travel Experience
Visiting the newly opened Grand Egyptian Museum was spectacular! The amount of detail put into every inch of the museum makes it clear why why it took 20 years of around-the-clock construction. As we walked up to the golden triangle entrance, it was clearly noticeable that a block is missing from the cartouche décor. Since the building is new, my first thought was that the piece is broken. I soon learned this was deliberately built into the museum to replicate a unique phenomenon that takes place at the Abu Simble temple twice a year. This hole allows the sun to shine on the great statue of Ramses II’s face for 20minutes on October 22, Ramses’ birthday and again on February 22, to celebrate his coronation. While the sun shines on King Ramses, it leaves the statues of other gods intentionally in shadow. Standing the test of time, this is yet another breathtaking display of the genius of ancient Egyptian civilization!
My Most Recent Trips
An epic Spring 2025 brought a journey through time and earth. In Egypt, my husband and I walked through history under the gaze of pharaohs and inside ancient tombs. In Chile, my colleague Melanie and I hiked across wild, rugged towering peaks and a dreamscape desert. I felt small in both places for completely different reasons.
Egypt was a bucket list adventure that is now a must go back event! Starting in Alexandria, the Mediterranean Sea coast was bustling with locals, influenced by various countries around the sea. We greatly enjoyed touring the various ancient ruins, but the Alexandria Library was our favorite. It’s a unique building with an open floor plan broken into various elevations with a skylight ceiling. We continued our journey southeast to Sharm el Sheikh on the Red Sea, in the South Sinai Peninsula. The snorkeling and swimming in the salty water were most refreshing! My husband and I loved the bright colorful coral reefs, and the resort was especially relaxing. It’s definitely a place worth settling into for at least four days. Our Egypt trip concluded with a stop in Cairo, the capital city of Egypt and the largest city in all of Africa. Besides seeing the pyramids of Giza and walking through the smallest one (with three chambers), our favorite two places were the Khan El-Khalili Bazaar and the newly opened Grand Egyptian Museum; must-see places that will enhance your cultural experience and provide jaw-dropping memories. Next time we travel, we will adventure to the southern part of Egypt, known as Upper Egypt, to explore Luxor, Aswan, and Abu Simbel!
Leaving the ancient man-made marvels, I traveled across oceans and time zones to untouched natural wonders in Chile. Here, nature writes its story of breathtaking views with an adventurous desert. Specifically, Torres del Paine National Park and the Atacama Desert are places I never dreamed of traveling to, but now I can’t wait to return and bring the family. Thrilling hikes through jagged peaks and towering glaciers is an adventure I urge everyone to take!
Favorite Camp
San Camp
Makgadikgadi Salt Pans, Botswana
San Camp offers a completely new perspective on Africa. After a refreshing dip in the cold pool to beat the desert heat, our guide, Prince, led us on unforgettable adventures. One of the highlights was his demonstration of how challenging it is to walk in a straight line in the desert. He took us to the heart of the Salt Pans for an experiment, where we ended up walking in circles and barely moving away from our starting point. Through Prince’s captivating storytelling, we delved deeply into the desert culture of the Makgadikgadi. I’m already eager to return and experience the sleep-out adventure next! I held a scorpion successfully!! WHAT?! Never thought I would do that in my lifetime!
Tierra Patagonia Hotel & Spa
Torres del Paine National Park, Chile
Uniquely crafted into the landscape, every room at the hotel has a magnificent view of the Torres del Paine Mountain. Since it is remotely located, you can keep the window shades open to wake up to an iconic view of a colorful sunrise or go to bed with a fiery sunset. The towering granite spires stand like sentinels and their rocky faces reflect nature’s beauty. Upon arriving at the hotel, I highly recommend booking spa treatments to enjoy in addition to your epic hikes and fantastic meals!