Meet the Team
Who we are
Travelstride is lovingly crafted by an international team of passionate travelers and entrepreneurial adventurers located around the world. We were founded in San Francisco and are currently headquartered in Austin, TX.
Our team has experienced leadership positions in related industries and companies including Kayak, Viator, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Go Real Travel, Encounter Latin America, and Intrepid Travel. Our investors and advisors have started and led top travel and tech companies and products including NFX, JetBlue Ventures, Hipmunk, Hotels.com, OneFineStay, JetBlue Airways, Liftopia, Sidestep, AllTrails, Lastminute.com, Trulia, Trainline, TripIt and Google Now.
Everyone on the team is inspired by our mission to connect travelers with extraordinary places, people and experiences. If we resonate with you, we are always looking for more great people to join us on this journey.
Leadership Team
Gavin has worked in online travel since 2001 at marketplaces and suppliers, startups and Fortune 500 companies. He's held executive and leadership positions at Viator (acquired by TripAdvisor for $200M), Zozi, Kayak, Starwood Hotels and Bain & Co. He has an MBA from Stanford and a BA from Harvard. He has explored 46 countries on 6 continents and has long been a passionate adventure traveler, enjoying both independent travel and group tours. When not Travelstriding Gavin is outside - hiking, skiing, gardening or playing with his wife, daughter, and dog.
One of Gavin's favorite travel experiences was hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in Peru, though his real travel passion is close encounters with wildlife. He has touched a lion on the open African savannah, been chased by crocodiles on the Zambezi river after being tossed from his raft in rapids, had a bear swim up to his canoe in Virginia, dived with sharks in Belize, spied the rare giant otters deep in the Amazon, and glimpsed the elusive Cassowary - which some think is the closest living link to dinosaurs - in the jungles of Australia. On his honeymoon he was held up at teeth point by a wild tibetan macaque while climbing the sacred buddhist mountain Emei Shan in China.
With a blend of vast travel experience, product management expertise, and a unique creative flair, Edoardo elevates every traveler's journey at Travelstride.com
As a 15-year industry veteran, Marc has created mutual value in an array of relationship-building roles throughout the travel supply-chain. He has fostered relationships amongst tour operators, travel agent networks, independent agents, regional DMC’s, travel technology, UX/UI, marketing, brand development, and consumer-facing direct sales. Professionally, he thrives in the convergence of creative people and ideas and has found his second home here with Travelstride. He aims to always make 2+2=10 and believes a personal touch in every aspect of business and life is essential to making every relationship flourish.
His passion for travel is ingrained from his experience of living abroad for over 20 years in Latin America, enmeshing himself deeply in other cultures. Marc was born and raised in Austin, but his love and passion for travel were ignited exploring Central & South America - living in Costa Rica, Argentina, Peru, Brazil, and Uruguay. He's explored everything from the beaches of Mexico & Brazil, to the colorful culture in Guatemala, the rainforests of Costa Rica, the depths of the Amazon of Peru, and a handful of hikes & trekking to the magnificent ruins at Machu Picchu. In his travels and spare time he enjoys taking to the wind and water to kiteboard and over the years has found yoga and meditation to open the mind for curiosity and exploration.
Oswaldo is a graphic and UX/UI designer and holds a Bachelor's Degree in Graphic Design. He has a passion for learning which has taken him to interesting paths and places. He studied in exchange in Valencia Spain, mostly studying editorial design. After that, he studied Multimedia Production and also took a course on Stop Motion Animation at VanArts in Vancouver, Canada. A few years ago he started to take more jobs as a UX/UI designer and that led him to be in the first generation of the Wizeline UX Academy a workshop offered by a local Startup in Guadalajara.
Oswaldo has more than 12 years of experience working remotely for companies all over the world and is greatly impressed by how remote work has changed since then. He have been working on different kinds of projects like brand, editorial, graphics, web design, UX/UI, code, and illustration.
He has a passion for creating all kinds of things related to visual arts like type, movies, photos, comics, and animation.
Lalit has over 10 years of experience in backend software development, with 8 years specifically in the travel industry. He has expertise in building marketplaces, managing dev ops, and orchestrating intricate webs of APIs that strike a balance between efficiency and speed.
Born in India, Lalit currently resides in Rajkot, Gujarat. His most cherished and memorable trip was to Shimla-Manali, a cold hill station adorned with snow-covered peaks and beautiful mountains.
His dream destinations to visit include Egypt, Dubai, and Singapore. Visiting the Pyramids is at the top of his bucket list.
Lalit has a deep passion for sports, enjoying activities like Football, Cricket, Badminton, and various other sports, especially when playing with his son.
Gabe boasts over 10 years of experience in finance and accounting across various industries, ranging from construction and agriculture to investments and technology. He possesses a profound passion for data-driven processes and financial analysis.
As a full-time nomad, Gabe's affection for travel bloomed at an early age. During his childhood, he would spend hours enraptured by his grandmother's photo albums, chronicling her global adventures. She often remarked that their family had "wheels on our feet."
These days, he gravitates towards exploring off-the-beaten-path destinations, immersing himself in local cultures and cuisines for months at a time.
Bringing a wealth of experience from diverse strategic roles in both the Travel and Marketing-Tech industries, Daniel contributes a strategic-operational perspective to TravelStride. A graduate in Marketing from CEIPA Business School, a Colombian University affiliated with Arizona State University, Daniel is committed to enhancing processes and providing straightforward solutions in complex environments.
Daniel's passion for international relationships and cultures is evident in his work. He embraces and lives by core values of globalization: freedom, order, attitudes towards materialism, and communal identification. This not only enables him to connect with clients but also fosters strong bonds with team members across the globe.
When it comes to travel, Daniel chooses to immerse himself culturally in every country he visits. This has led him to explore and understand typical rhythms, dances, and theater, as well as gain insights into the daily lives of people from diverse cultures.
Board Directors & Advisors
Amy is the managing director of strategic partnerships at JetBlue Technology Ventures.
Serial entrepreneur with successful endeavors and exits in insights, fin-tech, media, and consumer tech industries. Bruce Bower holds 6 board and advisor roles including Member Board Of Directors at Travelstride, Senior Advisor at 12 Digit Media, and Member of the Waterford Research Institute Advisory Board at Waterford.org.
Goh Kuan has led growth teams at Hotels.com, onefinestay, Trainline, and was previously a consultant with BCG and Monitor. He now works with early stage entrepreneurs as a performance coach. He earned an MBA from Stanford, and BA / MEng from Cambridge University. Goh Kuan has lived in 5 countries, and worked / travelled to over 30 countries.
His most memorable travel experiences include trekking through forests in Malaysia & Laos, visiting tea plantations in Sri Lanka, seeing the historic sites of Machi Picchu in Peru, Angkor Watt in Siam Reap Cambodia, hiking the glaciers of patagonia, and the mountains of Snowdonia.
David is a serial entrepreneur having co-founded three startups. His hands-on experience covers full-stack development of high load secure and scalable solutions for global well-known vendors such as PWC, Gartner, Conduit, multiple investment funds, and a variety of startups. David has over 15 years of experience establishing and managing global technical teams.
Adam Goldstein is Co-founder and CEO of Hipmunk, the innovative travel metasearch site, and is a travel and technology angel investor.
Key Team Members
Dixie holds a Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management and a Master's Degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management. Her expertise and passion revolve around travel and touring. Her professional journey spans various roles, ranging from customer service to operations, collaborating with notable companies like Power Mac Center, a Pioneer Apple Authorized Center, SMART Communications, and Playworks—an Event Management Company specializing in team building.
A devoted pet enthusiast, Dixie is a proud fur/feather mom to 6 dogs, 6 cats, 2 love birds, and 2 chickens. During her leisure time, she delights in the company of her pets, often jokingly referring to her home as 'the zoo.'
Her top dream trip is to visit Japan and South Korea to experience their rich culture, food tourism, advanced technologies, and unique experiences such as dark tourism.
When she's not working or daydreaming about travel, Dixie indulges in hobbies such as photography, gardening, calligraphy, video games, and sewing.
Before joining the travel industry, Justin spent seven years working for Hyatt Hotels and six years with the United States Marine Corps. He studied International Relations at SUNY Geneseo. While a student, Justin studied Spanish and anthropology in Oaxaca, Mexico, and worked for an NGO in Ghana. When he's not working or traveling, Justin enjoys spending as much time as possible out in nature with his dog.
While he enjoys many types of travel, his favorite destinations are places of historical and cultural significance. Some of his favorites so far include the ruins of an ancient Roman border fort in the Middle East, the oldest mosque in West Africa, and the Zapotec city of Monte Alban. He is currently planning his next vacation to Peru to see Machu Picchu and hike the Inca Trail.
Prashant Jani, a Front-End Developer, boasts 8 years of experience in the field.
Born in India and currently residing in Rajkot, Gujarat, Prashant holds a deep fondness for nature and enjoys exploring various places with friends. His most cherished and unforgettable trip took him to Girnar, an Indian hilly region and spiritual place renowned for its inspiring and serene natural beauty.
His top dream trip would be to visit New Zealand, particularly Auckland, Wellington, and Mount Ngauruhoe. Most especially, he would like to visit the Hobbiton Movie Set and all the places that are shown in the “The Lord of the Rings” movie.
On weekends he can be found singing, drawing, swimming and playing cricket.
Samantha holds over 15 years of experience in the travel industry, including tenure at one of our top tour operators, Trafalgar! Her diverse roles encompass sales, product management, and marketing, providing her with a comprehensive understanding of the industry.
Her passion for travel ignited at a young age, leading her to explore 30 countries across 4 continents. Outside of work, Samantha cherishes time at home with her two children, engaging in mountain hikes, and enthusiastically planning their next family or solo travel escapade.
Among her numerous journeys, Samantha's most cherished experience remains walking the Camino de Santiago in Spain. Her inaugural trip in 2015 involved trekking the entire 895km Frances route, from France to Santiago de Compostela. Her most recent adventure on the Camino de Ingles covered 150km from Ferrol to Santiago. Her life ambition? To walk every Camino route in Spain!
Full stack developer with 5 years of experience. Before working in the travel industry Hector worked in gov tech implementing software solutions. In his free time, he Iikes to watch sports such as soccer and basketball. His dream trip would be to go to Japan and experience a completely different culture and environment
Uday Mer is an API Engineer at Travelstride. He holds a bachelor in computer application. Before joining Travelstride he worked for several years working on multiple technologies.
Born in India, Uday currently resides in Rajkot, Gujarat. His favorite and memorable trip was trekking up Mount Girnar located in Junagadh Gujarat. He enjoyed visiting the forest area and trekking up the mountain. His dream trip would be to Kedarnath, located in Uttarakhand in India. He spends his free time playing games, spending time with this family and friends and watching movies.
Dedicated and personable customer service professional with a decade of experience, Nat loves transforming challenges into solutions.
She spent the past 10 years honing her skills in understanding and meeting customer needs. From navigating complex inquiries to turning moments of frustration into smiles, she likes bringing a passion for service and a commitment to excellence to every interaction.
While creating a profession out of her passion, her life changed for the better when her miracle baby came. She is now a dedicated mother and a full-time working part of team Travelstride.
Her dream is to one day move to Japan or somewhere in Europe to make new memories with her growing family or just build her dream house somewhere in a nice village in the Philippines.
Jastine brings five years of valuable experience to her role, having worked as a Customer Service Representative and Technical Support Specialist in the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry.
Born in the Philippines, Jastine is a devoted mother who finds joy in spending quality time with her daughter. During her free time, such as weekends, she enjoys driving with her family to explore new places where they can relax and enjoy food.
Among her cherished travel experiences, Jastine holds Seoul, South Korea, close to her heart. Immersing herself in the rich history of the city, she explored historical palaces and popular tourist spots, indulging in the vibrant culture. Jastine's love for Korean cuisine, particularly her enjoyment of Kimchi and iconic dishes like Gamjatang (Pork Bone Soup), reflects her appreciation for diverse culinary experiences.
Dreaming of her next travel escapade, Jastine aspires to visit Switzerland. Drawn to the country's breathtaking landscapes, she envisions a trip filled with awe-inspiring views and serene environments.
Fueling AI with wanderlust, Sushrut is as comfortable crunching numbers as he is crunching English breakfast in London.
Our Investors
jetBlue Technology Ventures
NFX
Our team has worked and studied at
