Damian Myrda

Brand Director Puraventura

Damian loves helping people discover Central America & the Caribbean in a way that feels personal and easy. He knows the region well and cares about the small details that turn a good trip into a great one – from the rhythm of the route to the moments that really stay with you. He has a special affection for Mexico, but above all, Damian enjoys creating journeys where guests feel well looked after, curious and relaxed at the same time. As team lead at Puraventura, he makes sure every trip is thoughtfully planned, responsibly organized and simply enjoyable.

Haidy Garofalo

Ground Operations Specialist

Meet Haidy, a curious explorer passionate about uncovering the "whys" behind cultures and places. With a love for learning and a keen interest in tourism, Haidy enjoys connecting with people. As a Ground Operations Specialist in Colombia for Viventura, she actively contributes to the industry, constantly seeking improvements to create memorable journeys. Combining curiosity and love for exploration, Haidy feels privileged to work in sustainable tourism, adding a unique touch to every adventure.

Alec Krishna

Intrapreneur India

Alec is the Brand Director working remotely on an exciting new brand for the South Asia region. With a deep love for nature and culture, he brings a genuine passion for travel and sustainable tourism to the team.

Andre Kiwitz

CEO & Founder

Andre started his journey in 2001 after realizing that most organized travel lacked depth or genuine connection. He built Ventura to scale authentic, specialist travel experiences by cutting through complexity and prioritizing local partnerships over industry standards. He runs the company with a focus on speed and ownership, pushing his teams to ditch excuses and take full accountability for their results. Outside of the office, he avoids comfort to prioritize freedom, fitness, and finding places with a bit of real edge.

Brian Heyel

New Market Director

Originally from Wisconsin, he has spent over half of his life living abroad, having lived and worked in Central America, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Europe. Travel has long been a passion of his, as he views it to be a key to breaking down barriers, building empathy and enriching lives. At Ventura, he operates as the Market Entry Director, responsible for expanding Ventura's reach into new consumer markets.

Erick Feijoo

Integrator, Head of Business Operations

Erick works from our Berlin office as Integrator and oversees our company's business operations. From a very early age, he's been fascinated by new languages and cultures, and he especially enjoys getting to know countries' politics and history. Erick's family is from Ecuador and Peru, and he previously worked on economic development issues across different Latin American countries. He joined Ventura TRAVEL after working in Washington D.C., Germany, Belgium, and Costa Rica.

Kathleen Ishibashi

Central Operations Specialist

Kathleen originally hails from Oregon, USA but has been living in Japan for over 17 years, where she has found her second home. She previously worked as an English language instructor and currently holds a master's degree in applied linguistics. She will be working with Japaventura in ground operations and is thrilled to share everything she loves about Japan with the world.

Kim Poissant

Customer Success Director

Ever since she can remember, Kim was driven by a natural curiosity that brought her to new places and cultures. Always searching for the unknown, she has lived and worked in Germany, Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama and the Canary Islands, before she finally settled down in France. Despite her adventurous heart, Kim loves when things are in order. As part of the Ventura team she can live out her two sides: organization geek and passionate adventurer.

Mathilde Siccardi

Brand Manager Viventura and Puraventura FR

Mathilde is passionate about travel and Latin America in particular. Mathilde has been living in Colombia and has lived a few months in Argentina. She travelled a lot of times to Latin America to a lot of countries, from North to South! Her passion leads her to work in tourism as guide, travel specialist and now manager of the team. She is always looking for the typical food or new flavors, as well as the best dance floor to dance on the rhythms of each country she visits.

Michael Guiet

Head of Group Travel

Michaël has always been passionate about traveling and discovering new cultures. After studying tourism in Paris, he decided to settle in Santiago de Chile where he worked in a travel agency. He took the opportunity to discover the richness of Latin America. Upon his return, he chose to live in Berlin where he works as a tour guide. In December 2014, he joined the Ventura team in the Berlin office. He now knows South America like the back of his hand, with a preference for Brazil and Patagonia. Passionate about creating new itineraries and finding unique experiences, he will be able to give you all the details you need for your travel plans.

Ericka Amurrio

Flight Operations Manager

Ericka works from our La Paz office as a Flight Operations Manager and is in charge of providing flights for all Ventura brands by negotiating with airlines in order to provide our customers with an exceptional flight experience to start an amazing trip.

Gustavo Cataño

IT Director

I love tech things, and use this passion every day in my work with our IT team to deliver great value for Ventura Travel. I like to travel and enjoy riding my bike along unknown roads. However, above all things, I really enjoy spending my free time with my family and my daughter.

Marcia Sanchez

Human Relations Director

Born and raised in La Paz, Bolivia she is mad in love with the cultural diversity of her country. She loves working with people and found her passion working in Human Resources. In her spare time, she loves to read historical novels, travel and feels the happiest when she can get to know a new country, a new culture and new people.

Matthew Jones

Sales Specialist UK Market

Matthew is the Sales Specialist – UK Market for Ventura TRAVEL, based remotely in Sicily and focused on growing the UK market across all Ventura brands. With a strong background in travel sales and customer experience, he is passionate about connecting travellers with authentic, culture-led experiences around the world. Driven by a love for adventure and discovery, Matthew works to expand Ventura’s presence in the UK while helping travellers find meaningful and unforgettable journeys.

Pablo Calla

Operations Specialist

From hotels, to tour guides, to the "empanada" vendor on the corner, as a member of the Ground Operations Team, Pablo Calla connects each client to the excitement and joy he experiences from his daily interactions with our partners. Above all, Pablo ensures that every moment of your trip is enjoyable - an experience you will remember for the rest of your life.

Patricio Grez

Finance Director

Patricio joins our Ventura Team as Head of Finance, bringing a vast experience with him. Not only in pure finance topics, but also in its relation across different areas of an organization. Passionate traveler, but the slow travel. Spending time and living in different countries and cultures has always given him good experiences. He is open to new challenges and willing to share with others.

Ralf Spielberger

Finance Director

My finance team and I manage all the financial aspects of ventura Travel. Our mission is to deliver accurate, prompt and useful financial information to the different stakeholders.