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Dominique Callimanopulos, Founder of Elevate Destinations, is a lifetime world traveler committed to combining singular journeys with social good. Dominique grew up witnessing the disparity between tourists and local conditions they visit and created Elevate Destinations to provide unique and enchanted travel for clients, while caring for local people, wildlife and natural resources. Dominique studied the impact of tourism on social change in the Seychelle Islands for her Anthropology thesis at Wesleyan University and continued to explore global social and human conditions through 25 years of work with social change organizations in the fields of human rights, international development, environmental protection and psychology before founding Elevate Destinations in 2004. |
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Toby is one of the leading rifle-licensed walking guides in East Africa, and he is a member of the Kenyan Professional Safari Guides Association. He is an accomplished explorer whose quest for adventure has led him regularly into the more remote regions of Africa. He holds an MA honors degree in history, and the historical and cultural traditions of tribal Africa particularly fascinate him. Toby's most recent exploits include leading a research team in to the off limits war zone of Southern Sudan and walking 350 miles through the deserts of Northern Kenya trading camels for a documentary film. Toby's private client base includes royalty and the rich and famous of film, politics, and industry. His contacts within the conservation field are second to none. Beyond Africa, he has led high-altitude treks in the Himalayas and been a university lecturer in northern China. Toby maintains a keen interest in these areas. |
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Kirtan was born in Los Angeles in 1974. He grew up in ashrams in California, England, and India, studying bhakti-yoga (devotion) and jnana yoga (scripture study). A political science and international relations graduate of UCLA, Kirtan also played several years of rugby and football while in college. The effects of these sports led him to hatha-yoga to repair his body. Upon graduation, a vacation in Brazil brought Kirtan to study with yoga teacher Regina-Shakti at her school in the mountains of Sao Paulo, where he trained to become a teacher. |
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The Spritual India Retreat will be hosted by Prince Jayasinhji Jhala of Dhrangadhra. The Jhalas make their home in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and in Dhrangadhra, India. Trained as a social anthropologist at Harvard, Jhala has escorted many persons to the Dhrangadhra area since the 1970s. Dr. Jhala is Associate Professor of Anthropology at Temple University. He runs an accredited summer program for graduate and undergraduate students interested in Hindu religion, art, and culture in Dhrangadhra every summer. He received his early education in India and a BA in English literature before coming to the US to obtain a masters in media and film from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a PhD in anthropology from Harvard University. Dr. Jhala has made several films about the culture of communities living in and around Dhrangadhra. It is his primary area of research, and since 1979 he has taken many students and colleagues to this region on ethnographic and film projects. |
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Zach has consulted with clients ranging from luxury goods to finance
verticals, including one of the fastest growing financial applications
on the Internet and a leading provider of business technology. He
has worked with Google's business development programs and specializes
in monetizing Internet traffic by optimizing Web conversion. |
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Kate is a graphic designer with a background in marketing and arts education. She has traveled extensively throughout New Zealand, researching arts programs for indigenous Maori youth and helping New Zealanders celebrate their heritage through the arts. Kate believes in the power of design and its ability to create positive
social impact and meaningful relationships. She has worked with a
variety of arts, nonprofit, and social-profit organizations, including
Elevate, the Small Planet Institute, the Cloud Foundation, Harvard
University, VSA Arts, and with local independent artists. |
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Han organizes small group tours throughout the diverse islands of Southeast Asia, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, and Bhutan, emphasizing education and awareness of people and their projects: to sustainable living from weavers of textiles to those working with orangutans in the forests of Borneo. With a personal interest in Buddhist studies, Han has explored Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam and Bhutan. Han is particularly fascinated by the countries along the Mekong, which are undergoing tremendous cultural revival. When not traveling, Han devotes his time to promoting programs and grass roots education and environment projects. Han founded the Sadhana Alam Indah Foundation in 2002 to help gain
support to dedicated people and projects helping others to help themselves.
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‘Sam’ Taylor focuses on reputation issues management, brand marketing and corporate social responsibility program development for the lifestyle, professional and financial services industries. She brings more than 15 years of experience in the business-to-consumer and business-to-business sectors having worked in both agency leadership and corporate marketing roles. Her key areas of expertise include developing strategic, collaborative cause-related marketing programs, value proposition and positioning, and not-for-profit/NGO alignment. A speaker and advocate of ‘Doing Good in Society,’ she consults with a diverse range of companies who are about to start, or currently engaged in, developing sustainable social, economic and environmental program initiatives. A native of London, Sam spent an impressionable part of her childhood growing up in Kenya, East Africa. She is currently writing a thriller fiction novel based on her experiences and memories living in Kenya. Sam is a member of The Marketing Executives Networking Group, The CRO,
Financial Communications Society and The CMO Club. She is also a member
of the faculty support group for The Broadway Theatre Project and serves
on the Business Advisory Board for XpertUniverse, Inc.
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