Holly has spent many years traveling and putting together trip itineraries all across the globe visiting countries such as India, Costa Rica, and Italy. She is a globetrotter at heart, and always welcomes a new adventure. She is married and is the mother of two beautiful children, making it a priority to travel and explore the world with her family.
Shazia's first trip to Pakistan as a child kicked off a life-long interest in travel. After getting married and earning a degree in communications from Brigham Young University, she spent a year traveling to 35+ countries. She also founded a real estate business with her husband and eventually settled down in Heber, UT. As a new mom, Shazia is passionate about making travel accessible for everyone, especially families. Her responsibilities at Acanela include facilitating brand partnerships, outreach and university/corporate travel initiatives.
Ashley is passionate about photography and capturing the beauty of the world, and has spent years developing her talent as a content creator and digital marketer. She received a Fine Arts degree in Photography and has spent the past several years directing large scale photography projects on land, overseas, and underwater. She loves traveling and enjoys learning about new people, places, and cultures - while still taking a moment to capture each moment on camera. She is originally from Idaho where she developed a love for mountains, lakes, and wildlife.
Randi grew up in the military, and that's where she got her taste for traveling. She's attending school at Weber State University, where she is studying microbiology and chemistry. Some of her most memorable travel experiences were trekking across the eastern Balkans and experiencing life there. When she's not working or studying, you can find her curled up with a good book, raising her baby succulent plants, or hiking in the mountains.
Amelia is passionate about people and loves to see them live their lives doing the things that inspire them and what they love the most. Amelia is a dedicated yoga instructor and teaches nearly every day. She studied communication at Utah Valley University and is currently in grad school working on her MHA. Several years ago, during her undergraduate degree, Amelia was able to travel abroad to France and live in a small town called Mazamet for an entire year. After exploring and learning a new culture, she then moved to Florida to work at Walt Disney World as a character performer. Working at Acanela and being in an environment with people who love to travel and love to make that happen for other people is a complete dream. There is so much to learn. By stepping out of your life into a new place to gain a new perspective is one of the best ways to do that.
Whitney is a travel writer currently based in her home state of Utah. In the past, she has lived in France and Ireland, and her resume includes former positions at a transportation startup based in Paris, a Swiss Alps tour operator, and a popular travel media company. At Acanela, she focuses on developing content, stories, and articles that help travelers find their next big adventure. In addition to her passion for travel, Whitney loves archaeology, floral design, and photography, and she's always thinking about sustainability and the ways that it intersects with travel.
After graduating college with a degree in Spanish from the University of Georgia, Grace spent three years working for an international nonprofit called Young Life in San Jose, Costa Rica. She spent most of her downtown traveling throughout the beautiful country of Costa Rica, as well as exploring various countries in Central America, the Caribbean, and parts of Europe and Africa. During her time abroad, she became impassioned about the development of responsible travel. She is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in International Community Development, and she is thrilled to be writing articles and developing content for Acanela!
Sarah was born and raised in a small town in Utah, USA. She studied at Utah Valley University, and is looking forward to one day going back to school at an Art Institute and study design. She loves traveling and all things adventure- especially spontaneous adventures and last minute road trips. Some of her favorite travels so far have been to Peru and Machu Picchu, and a two week trip to Iceland spent living out of a camper van - an epic experience! Art is something that is so important to Sarah as she is a graphic design artist on the side, and loves anything that has to do with expressing herself creatively. Studying and exploring new cultures is also important in her life, and she can’t wait to continue to get to know and understand more beautiful humans from around the world.
Kaitana grew up in a native Yup’ik Eskimo fishing village in Alaska, where she learned to cherish diversity of people and culture. She later relocated to Idaho, continuing to visit amazing parts of the world as frequently as possible. Kaitana played basketball at Dartmouth College, where she earned degrees in Neuroscience and Religious Studies. While an undergraduate student, Kaitana spent time living in Peru and Spain, which allowed her the opportunity to travel and experience various cultures in South America and Europe. Kaitana’s love for immersive cultural experiences continues today, which she hopes to instill in her growing family.
Rebecca grew up in a small Pennsylvania town, but even before leaving the state, she had a heart for travel and adventure. From the age of 18, she's spent extended amounts of time living and studying in Italy, France, and Spain, allowing her the opportunity to immerse herself in a variety of European cultures and languages. Through travel and her love for learning about people, she has also developed a strong passion for photography and story-telling. Rebecca recently graduated from Muhlenberg College of the Liberal Arts, and is based out of Seattle, Washington!
