What is your favorite travel memory?
My favorite travel memory is embodied. It's the excitement of travel itself. This feeling was strongly imprinted when I left New Zealand for London as a teenager. Feeling the exhilaration of that first flight, the gateway to all those places and experiences I'd only ever seen in books. It never left me.
How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?
I have learned so much over these last two years but, most particularly, how very complicated the lives being lived by younger generations are. And how much they can teach us, not least with their openness and candor. It's a privilege to provide them with some space to imagine and be introduced to what they can see.
What is the best story you've heard from a return student?
You will think on first visit that you cannot love Venice any more. But every time you visit, you do.
If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?
The Venetian Workshop is a full mind and body experience. At this time I would benefit from the back-to-body components of commedia dell'arte, and those within performance, to reignite this connection. I find it very cathartic to be in the body as a way to relate and at the same time expand our human repertoire.
What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?
We're uniquely focused on helping young adults connect with their future. We leverage the long history of cultural development of one place. Venice's hoard of globally prized treasures and achievements is still very alive within the city's three square miles.
I'm in awe of our team every day -- curious, inventive, resourceful, team players with incredible capacity to hone in on the experience of others.
What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?
Success to us is building something beautiful. Where beautiful is preserving the integrity of ideas, and the dignity of people and celebrates humanity, in all its diversity. The factors that underpin that success, in pursuing our mission and seeing our community succeed, are tenacity and generosity (and some really good meals).