Office Staff
Dedicated to excellence in travel
We're an owner-managed small company and a team of experts with a passion for our region of the world. The exceptional quality of service that defines Asia Transpacific Journeys is a direct reflection of the knowledgeable, experienced, committed people who work here.
Along with our Travel Specialists, we believe that travel propels us outside of ourselves, beyond our previous understandings, to embrace new ways of imagining, new ways of seeing. Contact them when you are ready to Journey Beyond the Ordinary™.
Marilyn Downing Staff, Founder & President
Marilyn is the founder and driving force behind Asia
Transpacific Journeys. She earned degrees in environmental biology
and sociology before setting off on worldwide travels, and a stint
living in Thailand where her company was born over two decades
ago.
She is the veteran of far-flung adventures that span three
decades and the most remote corners of the region, fueled by an
abiding love of trekking and traditional tribal cultures. An
accomplished photographer and engaging speaker, she's a frequent
expert lecturer at museums, universities and conferences.
Accounting
Donna Galland, Chief Financial Officer
Donna displayed a knack for numbers early on, which was honed with a B.S Degree in Accounting from CU – Boulder. She crunched digits for Moguls Mountain Travel as Controller and at a Boulder law firm as Financial Manager before seizing the accounting reigns at Asia Transpacific Journeys. She has her brown belt in Thai kickboxing, so keep your hands out of the till.
Heather Crouch, Accounting Assistant
Heather was born under the shadow of a giant Paul Bunyan statue in Brainerd, Minnesota. Her early journeys took her to San Diego where she earned a B.S. in Finance and met her future husband in a class studying multi-variable calculus.
Although she hasn't traveled the world as extensively as some of her colleagues, Heather looks forward to visiting some of the beautiful and exotic destinations frequented by many happy Asia Transpacific clients. She is an avid runner, and recently completed two marathons, including the New York City Marathon. In winter you'll find her on a quest for champagne powder in the Colorado Rockies.
Air
Simone Farbus, Air Travel Manager
This year Simone celebrates 18 years as Asia Transpacific
Journeys' Travel Agency Manager, marking over 32 years as an
international travel agent. Her favorite travels include a visit to
Cambodia's Angkor Wat, a sunrise climb to the top of volcanic Mount
Bromo, Indonesia, a camel caravan in Morocco, bazaar browsing in
Cairo, and viewing the Taj Mahal at sunset.
Simone delights in getting you the best fares to our corner of
the world so you can create memories of your own.
Janene Digregorio, Air Travel Specialist
Janene has been in the travel business for over 25 years. She's
a Colorado native whose travels have taken her to far-flung places
throughout Europe, Central America, South America and Africa.
Cherished memories include awakening at dawn in Botswana to find
a wild elephant walking out of the jungle towards her. When not
exploring she may be found cooking for friends and family and
hiking around the Flatirons with Cocoa, her chocolate Labrador.
Marketing
Stacey Schultz, Marketing Director
Ski resort billboards across her native Utah featured Stacey
catching big air as the local phenom with the golden locks. She
earned a degree in Visual Communications from the University of
Utah, then spent a season of ski teaching in New Zealand that
ignited a lifelong wanderlust.
She was an art director in San Francisco during the dot-com
boom, changing her course with a four month sojourn through
Southeast Asia that ended at Asia Transpacific Journeys' doorstep.
Her keen eye for photography and design, balanced with her
experience in the travel industry, plays a key role capturing the
excitement of travel in print and on the web.
Jane Klein, Writer/Publications Manager
Jane had to install a pull-up bar at Asia Transpacific Journeys
to mitigate the effects of a restless energy that has propelled her
from Tokyo to Tonga. A degree in Political Science was followed by
law studies, which were suspended midway to found a rock-climbing
guiding company in Greece.
She surfed the dot-com wave in Boulder until heading for the
travel industry. As the voice of Asia Transpacific Journeys she
strives to capture the allure and historical underpinnings of
Asia's amazing cultures.
Kim Mitchell, IT/Online Marketing Manager
Striking a rare right-brain/left-brain balance, Kim holds an
M.S. in Information Systems, a B.S. in Marketing. When she isn't
pedaling her way through grueling road bike events, she can be
found snowshoeing and Nordic skiing throughout the Rockies.
She's lived in Germany, Argentina and Italy, and traveled
through many countries in Asia, in a quest for the perfect plate of
Asian cuisine.
Alexa Shaughnessy, Marketing Coordinator
Joining Asia Transpacific Journeys after graduation, Alexa
earned her bachelors degree in Journalism with a concentration in
Public Relations, and a Marketing minor from Metropolitan State
College of Denver.
Catching the travel bug at a young age, she worked hard in high
school to earn enough to backpack around Europe before beginning
college. She has yet to experience Asia for herself but looks
forward to someday soon visiting the mesmerizing places she learns
about daily on the job.
Operations
Kirsten Louy-Nasty, Operations Manager
Kirsten grew up in our nation's capital, dreaming of places far and away. She landed in Papua New Guinea to participate in a grassroots organization studying women and small businesses. Kirsten created and received the first Cultural Studies Bachelor of Arts at Keene State College in New Hampshire. Her travels have taken her throughout four continents.
Trip Coordinators
Jonathan Osgood, Trip Coordinator
Jonathan studied international relations and cultural studies,
earning a degree in political science from CU Boulder. A year spent
teaching English in Korea afforded interesting travel adventures-a
foray into the Demilitarized Zone as North Korea was preparing to
test its long-range missiles, where he noted with some envy his
guide's bulletproof vest;
sailing in the Sea of Japan aboard a 40-ft. yacht; and
entertaining the locals in remote villages in Laos with rock
classics on his guitar. In Colorado, Jonathan can be found
snowboarding, and honing his rock climbing skills in hopes of
returning to the limestone at Thailand's Railay Beach.
Katie Weiland-Landgraf, Trip Coordinator
Katie holds degrees in Sociology and Spanish from the University
of Wisconsin. A love of travel and different cultures was indulged
in a year abroad studying in Costa Rica, soaking up its culture,
and exploring its eco-systems.
A self-confessed music junkie, she's a fixture at local
bluegrass venues and jamband concerts. An abiding love of animals
has defined Katie since childhood: she's been a dedicated
vegetarian (and sometime vegan) since the age of 12, and is an
impassioned supporter of animal rights. Weekends will find her
hiking through Boulder's beautiful foothills with her English
bulldog and American terrier.
Lesa Clarkson, Trip Coordinator
Lesa circumnavigated the globe during a semester in college, and
earned a degree in International Business from the University of
Colorado at Boulder. She then spent two years in Japan working for
the Ministry of Education.
Extensive journeys throughout Asia followed, including two
stints in Bhutan. Her first-hand knowledge of the region makes her
a superb resource when crafting trips.
Tamara Grivicic, Trip Coordinator
Tamara is a native of Croatia, and holds an MA in Linguistics
from UC Davis, where she garnered multiple academic awards and
scholarships. Now a true Boulder Granola Girl, Tamara is a devotee
of Anusara yoga, a health food connoisseur, and an avid fan of all
things outdoors. Her dedication to alternative energy is
unwavering: she commutes by bicycle 365 days a year.
Final Documents Team
Leslie Chan, Documents Coordinator
On a trip to Australia for a swim competition, Leslie was bitten
by the travel bug and vowed to make all things "abroad" her main
focus in life. Forever analyzing and observing the world outside
America, Leslie earned her bachelors in Anthropology and a minor in
History at CU Boulder.
One fateful decision to study abroad in Samoa landed Leslie a
lust for the region (and a husband). Not ready to give up on island
life she moved to Maui for a few years, working on the water and in
the sun. Although an island girl at heart, Leslie landed back
in Colorado and fell into the industry she loves most, travel.
Jennifer Raines, Documents Coordinator
Jennifer's fascination with foreign cultures, both old and new,
led her to study anthropology and classics, earning an honors
degree from CU Boulder.
Inspired by a semester abroad in Rome, she continued to delve
into the interplay between contemporary culture and the past as a
research fellow in Bulgaria. Intrigued by the region, a few years
later she quit her job and returned for a three-month foray into
the Balkans, sparking her interest in exploring further eastward.
At home, Jennifer can be found cooking, hiking, watching Anthony
Bourdain and indulging in juicy armchair travel books.
Max Smith, Documents Coordinator
Exploration for Max began on the hill behind his house, building
forts and climbing trees. Beginning at a young age, traveled to
places ranging from Spain and China, to less coveted destinations
working in lumber yards and kitchens, all of which have fueled his
desire to learn and discover.
Life as an explorer continued in academia, where books were the
preferred mode of transportation, earning his degrees in English
Literature and History. Most recently, Max has his hands full with
the many new horizons that Asia Transpacific Journeys has to
offer.