Chelsea was born and raised in California and first began studying Spanish at the age of 19 while living in Guatemala and working in the tourism industry.After more than a decade immersed in the language, along with her post-graduate studies in Spanish at CSU Sacramento, Chelsea is a fluent Spanish speaker, and experienced language instructor, and a passionate tour curator. From 2012 to 2016, Chelsea worked in both tourism and language education (Spanish and ESL) while pursuing her M.A. in Spanish. In 2017, she moved back full-time to Guatemala to start Heart of Travel with business partner Ana Castillo. Her own experience learning Spanish helps us provide you with the best tips and tricks to master the language and it's thanks to her Spanish that she was able to create an extensive network of quality contacts throughout Latin America who bring our tours to life. Chelsea is committed to responsible and sustainable travel practices and believes in the power of travel to improve local economies and break down barriers. Through travel and Spanish language education, Chelsea and her team hope to share a more comprehensive insight into Latin America and to change the often negative narrative regarding Latin America and immigration.  When she’s not working, Chelsea is happy being a mom, partner, animal lover, reader, writer, and gardener!

Chiva is one of our incredible tour leaders with 7 years of experience that started traveling solo at a very young age. Born in Guatemala, her passion for nature, languages, people and food have taken her through different parts of Asia as an English teacher, and later on Latinamerica as a tour guide. This has helped her broaden her mind and shape her perspective of the world, bringing together experiences she’s witnessed all over the globe She helped build Heart of Travel from the start back in 2016, and is fluent in Spanish & English, learning both at the same time as her native languages. When she’s not guiding a group she enjoys nesting home with her pets & plants, hiking, taking long walks and reading.

Dylan is originally from Los Angeles, California, but has spent the better part of his adult life joyfully living and learning in Latin America.  He's spent over 8 years in the Americas living in countries like Argentina, Nicaragua and currently México.  Just last year Dylan finished up an MA program in Latin American Studies at UCLA where he studied communal forms of governance in Oaxaca's Sierra Norte region.  A passionate outdoorsman, Dylan loves to spend his time in nature rock climbing, hiking or learning about the ecosystems where he's immersed.  He has worked for years building intercultural bridges wherever he goes and loves sharing his passion for the outdoors with travelers from all over the world.  He believes immersive and responsible travel can be key in demonstrating to people more regenerative ways of living.  Now back living in Oaxaca, México Dylan searches far and wide to find experiences that connect our travelers to the socioeconomic and environmental realities of a country allowing them to understand the broader context of the challenges and resiliency of Latin America.

Eimy, born and raised in Guatemala, has a knack for languages and studied Linguistics in university. Eimy has helped to develop and create our online Spanish courses, and has also worked alongside Chelsea to create and dream up new itineraries and trips. With a passion for artisan coffee and authentic experiences, Eimy is always looking for activities that can share the beauty of a country and allow one to dive fully into the culture. Eimy is an integral part of our operations and logistics team and her attention to detail is an absolute asset within Heart of Travel. When she isn’t traveling, working, or sipping on a delicious cup of cafecito, she enjoys reading, writing, photography and is an avid hiker.

An architect born in Mexico City, Pau always grew up with the idea that beauty can be found anywhere! She worked as an architect and teacher of various disciplines at the university level until she left the city in 2016 to venture out and study a master's degree in Architectural Design, Rehabilitation and History in Italy. In Italy Pau learned to share her creativity through art and street drawing workshops, a practice that she brought back to Mexico to design immersive experiences in CDMX and the Mexican Bajío. She currently lives with her husband and son in the beautiful city of Guanajuato, where she is the founder of Del Mismo Barro Arquitectura, a multidisciplinary office where art, design and life merge.
Being a local guide since 2011, she is knowledgeable about her hometown, wonderful corners and delicious food, all the hidden gems that "chilangos" enjoy! Pau fell in love with Heart of Travel's vision for socially responsible tourism, and joined the team in 2019 to share the love for her country and her city, always working towards an integrated and participatory experience.

Meet Gaby, an incredible brand and web designer with a passion for photography, travel and social work. Although she was born and raised in Guatemala, she has spent the last decade of her adult life in Canada - her second home - where she honed her professional marketing skills. Recently, she has made the move back to Antigua, where she is surrounded by beautiful volcano views, great weather, and an amazing community. Her experience working in marketing has allowed her to help teams come up with efficient solutions for their business and project management needs. She is thrilled to have joined the Heart of Travel team, where she knows the mix of all her creative passions will be able to flourish and grow, all the while being part of a team that loves working with entrepreneurs from communities that thrive on the tourism industry.

María Fernanda, affectionately known as Mafer, is originally from Antigua, Guatemala. Mafer joined the Heart of Travel team in 2019, working in the areas of administration assistance, event planning and community outreach. During the onset of the pandemic, Mafer was instrumental in Heart of Travel’s work with Fundanción Fénix, a grassroots project led by a group of women in Alotenango, many of whom became widows during the 2018 eruption of the Fuego Volcano. This is just one of many examples of Mafer’s work in our community outreach and impact department.  She now works as Heart of Travel in our accounting department, as well as helps to plan and coordinate any wedding inquiries that come our way. Her hobbies include baking, taking walks with her pups, and spending time with her adorable baby boy, Liam.

Jocelyn is originally from Kent Island, Maryland but has been living on the southern Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, in Puerto Viejo, for the last 5 years. She first fell in love with Latin America traveling after high school and, though the world is vast, found herself returning to this widely under-appreciated sector of the planet over and over again. She quickly became completely enamored with Costa Rica's language, culture, cuisine and, of course, weather, and decided to make it home. Jocelyn lives in her jungle home with her daughter, husband and four pups. When she's not working or mom-ing, she loves to take the dogs for a walk, surf and enjoy the beach. Jocelyn is our Client Services Coordinator and we are so lucky to have her!

Our right-hand man on the ground in Havana, Cuba, Enmanuel is a valued member of our team who we would be lost without. Enmanuel oversees the daily operations of all of Heart’s trips and tours to the island. He is committed to creating unique experiences for travelers that provide platforms for Cubans to share their stories safely and sincerely while supporting small business development on the island. Born and raised in Havana, Enmanuel knows his city and his community like the back of his hand and thanks to him we can find ourselves dancing the night away in the most unexpected places. Enmanuel’s kindness and charismatic personality welcome travelers and put them at ease, making him a fan favorite in Cuba. For us, however, it’s his incredible organizational skills, ability to manage and oversee complex details, and extensive network of contacts that continually impress us and have taken our tours to Cuba from great to outstanding. Enamnuel first began assisting with projects at Heart of Travel during the pandemic, offering his services as a Spanish language practice partner and creating educational videos about Cuban history and current events for our online Spanish courses. When it was time to resume tours in Cuba, it was a no-brainer that Enmanuel was the person to help restore and improve our operations in Cuba. Under Enmanuel’s guidance, Heart of Travel has been able to build a team of Cuban guides, drivers, hosts, artists, and artisans to bring to life our trips and create dignified employment opportunities during one of Cuba’s worst economic crises. We are so grateful to him and the rest of the crew in Cuba and can’t wait to see what’s next for us.

Our star Tour Leader in Havana, Paloma de la Caridad Pérez Rodríguez, was born on the eastern side of Cuba in the proven e of Holguín. A studied musician, she specialized in the clarinet while simultaneously pursuing a degree in film at the Higher Institute of Art. Six years ago she relocated to the capital city of Havana to put her energetic personality, appreciation of the arts, and passion for her country together and become an expert tour guide. Paloma’s infectious energy, extensive knowledge of Cuban history and current events, and her willingness and openness to share her experiences and perspectives with travelers is a trip highlight in and of itself!

Annie first fell in love with Latin America when she traveled to the Dominican Republic as a high school group chaperone. She made it her mission to spend more time learning about this part of the world and the beautiful language of its inhabitants. She returned in 2022, this time to Colombia, and has been working and volunteering in various Latin American countries ever since. Through her travels, she developed a deep passion for sharing her love for these countries with others, and joined the Heart of Travel team in 2023 to help coordinate growing operations in Colombia as well as assist with sales and client services. Annie now hopes to relocate to Spain with her boyfriend and continue to assist in Heart of Travel's growth. She hopes to continue creating bonds between travelers and partners and share wonderful memories and life lessons together.

Carlos "Charlie" Ortiz is a Communications graduate from Landívar University in Guatemala, whose life and passion for mountaineering have taken him to scale countless peaks both within and beyond his home country. Whether guiding groups or adventuring on his own, Charlie’s love for the outdoors recently led him to fulfill a dream of becoming an ultra-trail runner, achieving a top-10 finish in the prestigious UTG 2024 race. In his free time, Charlie enjoys spending quiet moments in nature, cycling through Guatemala, or guiding tours in Guatemala and Ecuador. Recently, he’s fallen in love with the majestic Andes in Chile, deepening his connection to the mountains that inspire his adventurous spirit.