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Meet the Team

HANNA JONES, SENIOR AFRICA EXPERT (contact Hanna, specialises in Rwanda, Kenya, Oman, Morocco and Egypt)

Hanna initially wanted to travel to Africa to see the game, but after her first trip she was blown away by so many other aspects of this wonderful continent. The culture and beaches of Zanzibar, the beauty & harshness of Namibia’s landscape, snorkelling in Lake Malawi to name but a few of the wonderful experiences, Hanna has been fortunate enough to enjoy. More recently Hanna has been lucky enough to see mountain gorillas in Rwanda as well as taking a holiday to Egypt and beautiful Oman.

 

MARIA TROPIANO, AFRICA EXPERT (contact Maria, specialises in South Africa, Tanzania and Namibia)

It had always been Maria’s dream to travel to Africa on a safari, and after her first trip she knew she would just have to keep going back. Maria’s first African experience was joining a 7 week tour through Africa. Visiting East Africa, Maria was lucky enough to experience her first ‘Big 5’ safari in Kenya’s Masai Mara and then continued on to Tanzania which included a visit to the World Heritage Site, Ngorongoro Crater. Maria then decided to wash off the safari dust by taking a not so gentle white water rafting trip down the Zambezi – a highlight of her visit to Victoria Falls! After enjoying a sunset cruise on the Chobe River, Botswana, Maria finally made her way to South Africa ending at one of her favourite cities – beautiful Cape Town. More recently Maria visited Namibia for the first time, self driving around this huge country with its amazing landscapes, game viewing in the mind blowing Etosha National Park, but the biggest achievement of the trip was summiting Namibia’s highest sand dune “Big Daddy” – as Maria says “it was a killer, but definitely worth it”.

 

RACHEL BEATH, AFRICA EXPERT (contact Rachel, specialises in South Africa and Egypt)

Rachel has always been fascinated with Africa, right from watching the National Geographic channel as a child to finally going on her first Safari in 2009 - “an absolutely amazing and unforgettable experience”. Rachel has also been lucky enough to spend a year in South Africa where she was able to experience what this amazing destination has to offer including Kruger, the Garden Route and the beautiful city of Cape Town. As well as experiencing a safari in South Africa, Rachel has also travelled to Egypt, a fascinating country full of culture. Now Rachel is happy sharing her passion of Africa with others.

JULIE DE PALO, OPERATIONS & HR DIRECTOR (also the Groups lady!) (contact Julie, specialises in South Africa, Kenya, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mauritius)

Julie is one of our longest serving members, having worked for Bench for over 10 years. Julies love for Africa first began when she experienced her first safari to South Africa and Botswana. “ Words cannot express what it felt like – it’s not only about the animals, that is a bonus, but it is about the people, the landscape, the simplicity of life and how you realise the simple things in life are what ground us and how we forget that”. One of Julie’s fondest memories was in a mokoro in the Okavango Delta and being so close to nature that you could hear the hippos in the background grunting away and viewing the many splendid birds. Julie never tires of talking about Africa – as she tells her friends and those that want to listen to her – everyone has to go to Africa at least once in their life. Once you have gone there, you come back with a little piece of the magic that stays with you and makes you want to go back. Julie has been lucky enough to visit South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Mauritius.

FIONA ORTON, PRODUCT DIRECTOR

Having grown up in the UK and travelled around much of the world, it wasn’t until Fiona came to live in Australia that she ventured to southern Africa for the first time, and in her words “it changed my life”. From that very first moment on African soil, in Namibia, it had the most enormous impact and she has been going back at every given opportunity since.

Having travelled in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Kenya, Tanzania and the islands of Zanzibar, Mauritius and northern Mozambique, as well as Egypt, she feels very privileged to have experienced the wildlife, culture and landscapes of these places. From sitting on the deck of one of our most stunningly located lodges, Satao Elerai, underneath the awesome Mt Kilimanjaro, to walking with lions or canoeing on the Zambezi, gives a feeling like no other.

NORMAN HARPER, NSW SALES REPRESENTATIVE

Born and bred in South Africa, Norman has lived and worked in various countries, and has now finally settled in Australia. Having been in the travel and tourism industry for over seventeen years, he has always been focused on customer service, and ensuring that each and every traveller to his native continent, has a memorable and amazing holiday. Always ensuring that the spirit of truly being alive is experienced at every moment. Having spent time at a plethora of fine establishments across the continent and the Indian Ocean, Norman considers himself well versed in speaking the language of “bush, beach and safari”! Norman has been lucky enough to either live, work or explore South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, Mauritius, Mozambique, Maldives and Seychelles.

MARTIN EDWARDS, SALES & MARKETING DIRECTOR

Martin has always been interested in Africa – its landscapes, wildlife and people. Martin first travelled to Africa in 2001. His journey began in Nairobi, Kenya and then he spent the next 3 months backpacking alone, using only public transport to get him the 4,000 km to Cape Town, South Africa. Each country Martin visited offered something completely different.

Since that first trip, Martin has been lucky enough to return to Africa on a number of occasions, including a flying safari around Namibia, experiencing the turquoise waters of Mozambique, viewing the dancing lemurs of Madagascar and travelling around South Africa in 5 star luxury. Away from safaris, the ancient history and secrets of Egypt has also been a drawcard with 6 separate visits - Egypt is a fascinating destination, hard to believe that it’s on the same continent as Africa’s safari lands.

GIDEON CHEILYK, QUEENSLAND SALES MANAGER

Gideon was brought up in South Africa and lived there for 20 years. He travelled extensively throughout South Africa in his youth, visiting most parts of the country numerous times as well as Mozambique and Swaziland. In 2005, prior to joining Bench International, Gideon and his wife travelled on the Northern Experience safari from the Bench brochure and spent 22 days travelling from Cape Town to Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe in a multinational group. He was so impressed with the product that he joined Bench 3 years later! Since then he has travelled to Kenya and Tanzania and more recently to South Africa where he reacquainted himself with areas he knows well and also places that he hadn’t yet been to. He experienced the Blue Train for the first time (loved it!) travelling from Pretoria to Cape Town, and also spent 7 days in some of the magnificent private lodges of the Kruger Park. Gideon has also been to Egypt twice, but has not yet seen Abu Simbel which is high on his wish list. Africa is a wonderful destination that is always calling you back for more.

DEE WILLIAMSON, SALES & MARKETING, CONNOISSEUR COLLECTION

Dee’s family emigrated from England to Cape Town, South Africa when she was very young. Despite having spent the last 30 years in Sydney she has returned to Africa time and time again, taking her children with her to experience some of the magical life she had as a child. “There is no place quite like Africa, everyone should go there once in their lifetime. Witnessing the spectacle of the wildlife roaming as it has for millennia takes one back to one’s roots”. Dee’s first trip outside South Africa was to Mozambique, in the days when it was an exotic Portuguese colony. Since then she has travelled extensively through Southern and East Africa, and recently spent three wonderful weeks visiting Bench’s Connoisseur Collection of properties in Kenya and Zanzibar. “Kenya is the quintessential African experience – a must see!” Dee also runs a charity in Sydney called Save the Rhino.

REBECCA ETCHELLS, SALES & MARKETING CO-ORDINATOR

Rebecca lived in both Kenya and Venezuela as a child and moved to England when she was 9 years old. So you could say the passion for travelling and exploring has been instilled with her since childhood! After university Rebecca decided to explore Africa. In 2006 she got a job as the Assistant Manager of Nsefu Camp of Robin Pope Safaris in Zambia, in the South Luangwa National Park. This was a life changing experience. After the season finished Rebecca drove around Namibia – a beautiful country which is so different from the bush – yet just as appealing. After visiting these countries in Africa Rebecca was hooked and the way forward was to get a job where she could talk all day to people about Africa and hopefully get them just as addicted! More recently Rebecca has conquered Kilimanjaro, ventured into Botswana and has been on a luxury safari in South Africa.

MICHELLE HARRIS, OPERATIONS

Born and raised in South Africa, Michelle moved to Australia in 1998, but Africa never left her blood. Michelle has travelled extensively, camping through South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe as a child with memories that would last a lifetime. After leaving school Michelle followed that passion for Africa and joined Bench International to sell her dream destination. Since joining Bench she has had the opportunity to experience luxury at its best whilst on her 2 month honeymoon, where she visited her home country of South Africa and enjoyed the best of game viewing in the Private Game Reserves, the majestic Victoria Falls, the remote and wild Okavango Delta followed by the stunning and relaxing island of Mauritius. “Once you travel to Africa it will stay with you forever its people, culture, wildlife, history and landscape, it is a place that has so much to offer.”

PHILIPPA JAROLIMEK, OPERATIONS

Philippa first travelled to Africa on a camping safari in 1999 - this is when she caught the Africa travel bug. Philippa then joined Bench International as a travel consultant and has been here for over 10 years. Philippa has been lucky enough to visit South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia, Mauritius and Kenya since. Her many highlights include her own ‘African’ honeymoon in 5 star luxury on the white sandy beaches of Mauritius, tracking leopard on safari in the Sabi Sands, the spectacular Victoria Falls and the large population of game in Kenya’s Masai Mara. What makes Africa so special for Philippa is the beautiful landscapes, amazing wildlife, great food and wine and the warmth and friendliness of the African people.