Staff Profiles
Kathy Oakes
Kathy heads up the Western Division of Innovative Group Travel. She brings with her 20 years of Travel CUTS, management, and group travel experience. Kathy has lived in Sydney, Australia and London, England and has traveled a good portion of this glorious world. Still…there is so much more to see and so many incredible opportunities out there that the travel industry still holds great fascination for her!
koakes@innovativegrouptravel.com
Heather Richards
Heather is teaming up with Innovative Group Travel and brings with her 18 years of Travel CUTS experience. This includes over 10 years developing and now managing the groups department at the University of Calgary. Heather has coordinated approximately 95 fully customized and fully inclusive educational programs around the world. She has also taken a group of 100 high school students to Malaysia and has organized countless group travel experiences for high schools, sports teams, and various special interest groups.
groups_calgary@travelcuts.com
Ron Jeffery
Ron is the coordinator of high school academic group travel. Ron has joined forces with Innovative Group Travel after joining Travel CUTS in 2006 after a 30-year teaching career. During his teaching career, Ron travelled to over 32 countries with over 1,000 high school, university and continuing education students. He has been involved with every facet of high school educational travel from planning curriculum-related itineraries to developing travel-study courses for students at all age levels. Ron also worked for 8 years for CBC Newsworld developing web site curriculum activities bringing the world to his students. He is now focused on helping to bring students to the world through educational travel.
rjeffery@innovativegrouptravel.com
Karen Ryks
Karen is teaming up with Innovative Group Travel and brings almost 17 years of Travel CUTS experience with her! Karen worked mostly in the capacity of Manager in many of the Edmonton offices and has been the manager of the Edmonton groups department for the last 4 years. Having traveled extensively, Karen has the knowledge and expertise to co-ordinate any group, whether it be an African Safari, or a wedding in the Caribbean.
groups_edmonton@travelcuts.com
Manzoor Saiyed
As per Indian tradition the son always follows the father’s profession. My father being a mechanic it was assumed that I would follow his path but destiny had something else written for me and I entered the amazing World of travel at a young age. Very soon I found myself working with India's largest tour company escorting trips to Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai and Europe. I have traveled to 28 countries so far.
I Migrated to U.S. in 1991 and in 1998 joined Travel Cuts and played a crucial role in the launch of Travel Cuts-USA Groups department. At present we are working with Universities all over United States for their study abroad airfare needs. We specialize in group airfare for study abroad programs, sports teams and volunteer groups.
Ross Baur-Samborn
Ross is our University/College Study Abroad specialist for Innovative Group Travel. With 19 years Travel CUTS agency experience, he brings a wealth of knowledge to the students traveling on exchanges, study abroad, and credit travel programs. Ross has traveled worldwide – China, Middle East (Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Turkey), Kenya, throughout Europe, Guatemala, Belize, Mexico, and Brazil!
Johnathan Kingsbury
Johnathan comes to us from Ottawa with 4 years of versatile experience in the travel Industry. He has planned and executed everything from leisure travel, to corporate travel and International/Group travel. Experience in group recently have included Veterans Affairs Canada, Canada Games, FIFA U20, Department of National Defense, and at times travelling with various groups to ensure excellent service and onsite requirements are met.
infocanada@innovativegrouptravel.com
Anna Kovachis
Anna heads up the Eastern Division of Innovative Group Travel and comes to us from managing Odyssey Group Tours, the Business Department and the Long Haul Department of Odyssey Travel. Anna has travelled throughout the Canadian North, the USA , Mexico and the Caribbean and has spent time in Malaysia and East Africa. She has also toured most of Europe both from her years studying in Paris and more recently as a group leader in our programs in Greece and Ireland. Extraordinarily dedicated, a keen sense of detail and a first class tour guide, Anna is the consummate professional.
akovachis@innovativegrouptravel.com
Brian Cruickshank
Starting his career as a group leader he has been east to west and north to south in Canada innumerable times. He has also travelled through the US Southwest. He has been to most European countries with extended stays in England, Scotland, Spain and Malta. With a lifetime of experience in the business, Brian has planned and operated tours to every corner of the world. " One day I'll see all the places I dream about, but for now my greatest satisfaction is making people aware of North America and all it has to offer".
bcruickshank@innovativegrouptravel.com
Jennifer Black
Works for GROUPES SUR MESURE, the French division of Innovative Group Travel in Montreal.
Jen has been working for Groupes sur mesure/Voyages Campus for over 9 years with experience being a front line agent, marketing, and groups. Jen has been to Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Hong Kong, Mexico, Dominican Rep, France, England, Bruxelles, Luxembourg, and throughout N.E. U.S.A.
For Jen's next trip she wants to try out a family safari with her kids!
For a French speaking agent contact Jennifer at: info@groupessurmesure.com / www.groupessurmesure.com / 1.866.290.6523 (in Quebec)