Carol Palmer, Ambassador, China

Media Manager

I am the Media Manager at Collette Vacations, overseeing video production, photography, the image library and PowerPoint presentations.  I recently celebrated my 20th anniversary with Collette and have traveled to all seven continents throughout those years.  Several friends have adopted babies from China, so I was familiar with the overwhelming number of children awaiting homes and families.

Once I visited the New Hope Foundation and met the children and learned about the work that is done there, I realized that we made the right choice with our selection.   

Lisa Corrente, Task Force Member, China

Senior Account Executive

Kevin Carter, Task Force Member, China

District Sales Manager

Tracey Conlon, Ambassador, South Africa

Director of Product

I have been with Collette for over ten years.  During this period, I have traveled to many countries and have experienced the beauty of these locations as well as seen first hand the living conditions in many of these areas.  When the opportunity presented itself to help out in one of these locations, I jumped at the chance.  I was very excited to be chosen for the South African Team.  Together our team researched many needs in South Africa.  We are very excited to be focusing on two areas; water and education.  The results from year one have been great and we look forward to doing even more in 2008.

Tracy O'Neill, Task Force Member, South Africa

District Sales Manager

I am the District Sales Manager of CT and Westchester, NY and resides in Hamden, CT.  This is my seventh year with Collette Vacations and second year on the South Africa Foundation Team.  This February I was able to visit our foundation site on a Familiarization tour to South Africa and was able to see first-hand the improvements my team was making abroad.

Derek Moscarelli, Task Force Member, South Africa

Tour Manager

Christine McLeod, Ambassador, Ireland

Canadian Marketing Manager

I joined Collette in 2004. Prior to joining Collette, I was a Board Member of a children’s charity for 4 years that supported the physically and mentally challenged; I was both humbled and rewarded by the experience. So when the opportunity to volunteer for the Collette Foundation was announced, I immediately put forth my application.

 Choosing to support Culturlann McAdam O'Fiaich, for me was not a difficult decision. Located in a deprived area of Belfast, this forgotten community was struggling to overcome challenges and isolation. They want to gain back their sense of pride, Celtic heritage and ultimately affect economic growth. The Collette Foundation, through its support is helping Culturlann make this happen.

Janet Hagopian, Task Force Member

Senior Account Executive

My names is Janet Hagopian and I am a Senior Account Executive at Collette Vacations. I have been with the company for 4 years. I am passionate about this project in Ireland for many reasons. I really want to help the children  in this area so that the future of Northern Ireland is brighter than its past has been. It is great to know that we are making a difference across the globe. Also- I am Irish!

Raj Mistry, Task Force Member

District Sales Manager

I have been proudly representing Collette (in the UK) as a District Sales Manager for the past nine years.  My family came over from Uganda during the Idi Amin coup of 1972. We were thrown into changing our way of life, adapt to a new culture and a new country.  I  was young man at the time the challenges started in Northern Ireland and by the time it was ending I had graduated from university.  To understand how families were affected is unimaginable and I was so proud to be given the opportunity to represent the Collette Foundation Team for Northern Ireland .  Children in modern day Northern Ireland are growing up with mixed communities, religions and cultures.  It is vitally important to demonstrate how adapting to the rapidly changing world can benefit not only those closest to you, but to the those who seek to learn and be instrumental in changing their communities.

Rita Banning, Task Force Member

Tour Manager

I have been with Collette for just over twenty years now.  For a time I worked in the office as the tour guide trainer but for most of those twenty years, I have worked as a tour manager with most of my tours in Europe.  I am passionate about our Foundation work in Ireland as my heritage is Irish and we have chosen to help a school which is bringing together young people from both sides to better understand each other and ultimately help the Catholics and Protestants to heal old wounds. 

Joan D'Ambra, Ambassador

Senior Product Coordinator

I am a Senior Product Coordinator for the Australia and New Zealand tours.  I have proudly worked for Collette Vacations for 20 years.  It is an honor and a privilege to be part of a team that is working on something near and dear to my heart, helping children.  It is humbling to know that the smallest gesture will mean the world to the children that we help.

Liam Dunch, Task Force Member

Tour Manager 

I consider myself very fortunate to be in my tenth year as a Collette Vacations Tour Manager. Coming originally from Australia, and having been previously employed as a teacher, I was familiar with some of the problems there with schooling. These problems are most evident in our immigrant and indigenous populations and particularly in the isolated communities of the Outback.  I love taking our passengers around my beautiful homeland and sharing its scenic wonder.  Now I am doubly proud and excited to be involved with the work the Collette Foundation is doing to help these children reach for a better life.

Carol Wright, Ambassador

Payroll Accountant

I’m the Payroll Accountant Administrator for Collette, and 2008 marks my 12th year here.  It has amazed me to see among all their basic needs for food, water, etc., there is a such a strong thirst for knowledge from the children in Kenya. All they really want is to learn. 

Sue Rovinski, Task Force Member

Graphic Designer

I have been with Collette for 9 years, as a graphic designer. Despite the conditions that the children of Kibera (Nairobi, Kenya) are living in...they almost always have smiles on their faces while they are in school. The children simply need the basic essentials for learning (desks, benches, paper, pencils, a classroom with walls, a meal, teachers) which makes them happy. Every time I look at their photos it reminds me how little it takes to make them happy. Their smiles inspire me, I want to be a part of making them happy.

Connie Fortanbary, Task Force Member

District Sales Manager

I have been the District Sales Manager in the Carolinas for the past 7 years and have had the privilege of traveling to every corner of the globe.  My trip to Kenya was the most life changing experience I have ever had and it was due to meeting the children, as well as the adults, and seeing the conditions they were living in and their intense desire to receive an education. This is when I decided I wanted to do something that would make a difference in the lives of these people. 

Tanya Lopes, Task Force Member

Senior Account Executive

I’ve worked at Collette for 2.5 years and I am a Senior account executive in the groups department.  I am passionate about my destination because the children in Kenya live in such poverty that no child should ever experience. I want to help these children improve their quality of life by having them obtain an education and lead a healthy life by supporting them through the foundation so that they may better the condition they live in and hopefully lead a happy & fulfilling life.

Patricia Grady-Lopez, Ambassador

Regional Manager, Product

I am currently the Regional Manager for Europe and have been working at Collette for 8 years, in the Product department.  At Collette I have this wonderful opportunity to give back to children in need.  As a mother, I realize how fortunate we are compared to other families in second and third world countries, and when the Collette Foundation was established last year, I just could not sit by and do nothing to help.  My background in the Latin culture and being able to speak Spanish opened the door for me to help in a Spanish speaking country. I was lucky enough to visit the site of the Collette Foundation in Mexico, and have been so grateful to participate in such a worthwhile venture. 

Chris Cahill, Task Force Member

Application Programmer

I have been with Collette for 6 years now; I am an application programmer in the IT department. I am going to be visiting our site in Mexico in May and I am so excited to be a part of helping the children in Mexico. We are working on such great projects that will really make a difference in their everyday lives.

Lucas Bialecki, Task Force Member

District Sales Manager

I am a District Sales Manager with Collette, and reside in Pennsylvania. I am really happy to be making a difference in so many lives in Mexico, as there is such a need in that great country. I will be visiting our project site in May of 2008!

Molly McGinnis, Task Force Member

Tour Manager

I am a tour manager and have been with Collette for 4 years. My areas of expertise include Ireland, the UK, Paris, Sicily, Scandinavia, and various tours in the US. I am thrilled that we are partnered with "Peruvian Hearts" because this charity makes such an immense impact on the lives of the girls who are involved. It gives us hope that each girl can become whatever she wants to be, despite the financial and social limitations she faces. And this is because of the work of Peruvian Hearts.

Kristen Pursley, Task Force Member

Account Executive

Patty Cole, Task Force Member

Senior Account Executive

Travel Enthusiast and Rhode Island native.  Mother of two teenage sons.

After many successful years in the medical field, I decided to pursue my love of travel and returned to school and became a licensed Travel Agent. I began my career at Collette Vacations in 2001 and I am a member of the Inside Sales team working as a Senior Account Executive in the Group Department, working with clients in the Carolinas and No. Georgia.

I volunteered for the Collette Foundation and New Orleans project, because New Orleans is a truly one of a kind destination!  A city that is rich in culture an history, yet in such need of assistance.  The city itself is beginning to flourish and its unique essence can be felt, however there are so many families that are still struggling to rebound. New Orleans and her people have given so much to the tourism industry, it is a wonderful feeling to be able to give back.

Sandy Ashburn, Task Force Member

Reservations

My name is Sandi Ashburn and my goal in the Reservation Department is to fulfill your vacation dreams. I have worked here for 2 years. The people of New Orleans have shown great strength, courage and perseverance, both during and after Katrina.  Their refusal to allow their spirit and city to be broken is the reason I am so passionate about the New Orleans project.

Nancy Davids, Ambassador

Senior Product Manager

It’s been an exciting 10 years as a Product Manager for Collette!   I have had the pleasure of developing tours in many of our destination but my passion is for Asia.     When I was chosen as Ambassador for the India project I knew this was a destination that could truly use the support of the Collette Foundation.  Day after day, Mother Teresa gave herself to the poor, destitute and unloved with an unwavering strength and spirit,  when I visited her Charity Home in Agra and saw the work carried on in her name by the sister, I knew this was a project that could use our help and support.  I, along with my team, look forward to changing the lives of these children in some small way by providing lunch for them one day a week for the next year. 

Wald Zoller, Task Force Member

District Sales Manager

I have been with Collette for 18 years and enjoyed every minute! I truly love bringing to world to all of my clients. The Collette Foundation is a great way to give back!

Sandy Pereira, Task Force Member

Quality Assurance Coordinator

I have been working at Collette Vacations for over 4 1/2 years and I am a Quality Assurance Coordinator in the group sales/accounting department.   Having the opportunity to help children at the Mother Theresa’s Charity Mission is such an honor for me.  I recently traveled to India and had the opportunity to visit the Mission in Agra which was a special treat for me.  I had the chance to tour the mission and visit the many children and adults there.  The children were always smiling and very excited to have someone new to play with.   Seeing the many faces that I would be helping at the mission has been a treat for me.  Being a part of the Foundation is very fulfilling knowing that we will be helping all the children that are at the Mother Theresa’s Charity Mission.

Peter Worthing, Ambassador, Costa Rica

District Sales Manager

I have worked with Collette Vacations for 4 years as the District Sales Manager for Eastern Florida. After visiting the Costa Rica & having opportunity to meet some of the children that we are helping I could not be more proud to work with The Collette Foundation’s team.  The people of Costa Rica are blessed to live in a physically beautiful place, they are truly wonderful people, anything that we can do to assist those in need is a small price to pay for their kindness.

Cassie Correia, Task Force Member, Costa Rica

Product Specialist

I have been here for over 7 years and my position at Collette Vacations is Product Specialist.  My passion is to travel the world and the most important part of the future of the destinations we visit is their children.  Connecting with the locals is a staple in our tours here and in our travels we see some of those less fortunate than us.  It makes me proud to be able give back to these children and help in a way that can make a difference in their every day life.  It is an honor and a privilege to be a part of the Collette Foundation and hope to continue to do as much as possible to nurture the growth of this project that benefits so many lives.

Gregg Chalk, Task Force Member, Costa Rica

Director of Trade Marketing

Ann May, Task Force Member, Costa Rica

Tour Manager