Why Experience Matters.
Meet the Travel Concierge Team
In 2020 — when dreams were fading and people were distancing — Jeff Lavender had the vision to bring a select group of people together for the sole purpose of dreaming even bigger. It was a risky move, but one he believed in, to the point he picked up the phone and asked the one question no one was asking: “Do you still believe in travel?”
On the other line were Kristine Potter, Madelyn Reyes, Jean-Marc Le Doux, Vickie Ludlow, and Marlise Kast-Myers. All five were world travelers, each bringing a specific skill set to the table that Jeff desired for his budding venture. Together, they stacked hands, knowing that there is strength in unity, magic in collaboration, and harmony in teamwork. Even when breaking news told them otherwise, they held firm and pressed forward, building a brand they believed in . . . one that has taken clients around the world when they needed it most.
Why is it important that you know the team behind Travel Concierge?
Because experience matters.
Jeff Lavender
Founder & Chief Experience Officer
As a 30-year travel industry veteran, Jeff credits his humble beginning to his childhood, when at the age of 12, he booked his Boy Scout Troop on a one-day adventure to the zoo. That passion never dwindled. Fast forward to Jeff’s award-winning pedigree.
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He has had a global career at the helm of renowned companies including Travelocity, Amadeus, Sabre, Galileo France, Travel Impressions, Avoya Travel, and Key Travel. Now leading Travel Concierge by Jeff Lavender, he has merged the culmination of those successful endeavors under one umbrella. Here he delivers great experiences to amazing clients, gifting each one with a once-in-a-lifetime journey that leaves an imprint on their souls.
For Jeff, a life without travel is incomplete. He believes that travel has the power to change us, delight us, and evolve us in a way that nothing else can. It has the ability to teach respect, gratitude, and compassion — stretching us far beyond the destination itself, to an echelon where impact is made by the culture. Whether that be the strangers-turned-friends within the destination, or the like-minded travelers we meet along the way, Jeff considers these global comrades to be among the primary rewards of exploration.
After visiting 60 countries, he certainly has plenty of international friends, with whom he shares his passion for wine, cheese, and more wine . . . a love that he clings to after spending several years in the south of France. It was there that he learned the importance of shared meals between friends, and the fact that it's perfectly fine to lose track of time around the table. This European launching point also showed him that the world is rather small, taking him to such vibrant cities as Sevilla, Spain — the birthplace of flamenco dancing.
“I was astonished by the energy and skill that came off that stage,” Jeff recalls. “Plus, it inspired me to stay fit and someday pour myself into men’s flamenco pants!”
In true Jeff Lavender fashion, he continues to host five-course dinners from his San Diego home, and has also adopted the SoCal tradition of staying fit, taking daily walks with his beloved dachshund, and toasting to his next dream destination of Antarctica. Squeezing into those flamenco pants is still to be determined. Until then, he is fully embracing this new era of travel with boundless vision and purpose.
Kristine Potter
Head of Marketing & Partner Strategy
After 10 years of marketing for a Fortune 500 fashion brand, Kris joined US Airways Vacations as VP. She was later commissioned as VP of Marketing and eCommerce for Apple Leisure Group (ALG), thus paving the way to her position with Travel Concierge.
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Here, Kris has inspired the team through comradery, collaboration, fun, and friendship — all while managing this talented tribe of travelers who thrive on creating mind-blowing global experiences.
Why is travel so important to her personally? In her words, “Travel adds so much more meaning and depth to my life. I love reading about a country, a historical site, a hotel, or a restaurant and being able to personally connect with it.”
She’ll admit that James Bond films inspired her to visit the Amalfi Coast, and Casablanca nudged her all the way to Morocco. It's in these faraway lands that she has met some of her dearest friends. “The things they have shared and taught me are far beyond what I could have discovered in a book or on the big screen.”
To date, she and her husband have collected hundreds of pieces of art from around the world. Despite the momentos she has collected along the way, the greatest gifts are those embedded in her mind . . . an understanding that our world — with its different landscapes, cultures, and people — are so rich, warm, and breathtakingly beautiful. And while each of our own home countries may be strikingly colorful, “until you immerse yourself in another land, you can’t fully understand or appreciate it to its full vibrancy,” says Kris.
Where has this art-chasing traveler found some of her favorite color? In Cuba, she confesses, until recently when she laid eyes on Dubrovnik, Croatia. Now her goal is to return to this majestic country for longer than a cruise port-of-call.
Having marketed for some of the top companies in the U.S., today Kris regrets turning down dozens of international business trips in her 30’s because of one reason: a former fear of flying.
Guess what world? This powerhouse-of-a-woman has been cured, is flying fearlessly, and is soaring higher than she ever dreamed.
Madelyn Reyes
Client Engagement Manager
To say Madelyn’s role is to oversee client relations is an understatement. She is a master of multitasking, keeping the team on track with reliability, positivity, organization, and excellent customer service. These skill-sets come naturally to Madelyn.
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She has over 23 years of travel experience, half of which were consumer-facing, with the other half focused on project management, marketing, and business partnerships.
Regardless of which hat Madelyn may be wearing, she always hangs it back on the travel rack, taking her to destinations like Waikiki for hiking, or Jamaica for relaxation (she’s been back 20 times . . .she really loves Negril’s seven-mile beach and jerk chicken).
Despite her fear of heights, she’ll always board a flight for new experiences, still chasing her dreams to someday visit Spain, Paris, and Amsterdam.
“Travel is so important,” says Madelyn, “to see how others live, which helps one become a well-rounded, cultural human being.”
What Madelyn has learned through her travels, she has shared with her two children, and is already planning a cross-country road trip for the near future. When she’s not working for Travel Concierge, she enjoys bike riding, playing tennis, and building her new business as a licensed esthetician and professional makeup artist.
Marlise Kast-Myers
Content Manager
As a journalist and author, Marlise Kast-Myers has contributed to over 50 publications including Forbes, LA Times, Surfer, San Diego Magazine, and Union Tribune. In 2022, she was contracted by a leading news agency to provide travel features for over 600 newspapers across the U.S.
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Her passion for traveling has taken her to 85 countries and led her to short-term residency in Switzerland, Dominican Republic, Spain, and Costa Rica.
Before settling in Southern California, Marlise completed a 13-month surfing and snowboarding expedition through 28 countries. Following the release of her memoir, Tabloid Prodigy, Marlise appeared on CNN, FOX News, CNBC, The O’Reilly Factor, NPR, Good Morning America, and Entertainment Tonight.
In her capacity as a travel journalist, Marlise has co-authored over 30 Fodor’s Guides including books on Mexico, San Diego, Panama, Puerto Rico, Peru, Corsica, Sardinia, Vietnam, Los Cabos, and Costa Rica. She served as a photojournalist for Surf Guide to Costa Rica and authored Day Hikes and Overnights on the Pacific Crest Trail.
Now based in San Diego County, she lives at the Betty Crocker Estate with her husband Benjamin where the two run their antique business, Brick n Barn. In her free time, Marlise enjoys surfing, hiking, snowboarding, cooking, and tending to her farm animals. She is currently working on her next full-length manuscript while providing copywriting and marketing services for various clients . . .her favorite of course, being Travel Concierge by Jeff Lavender.
Kathi Myers Couch
Client Experience Designer
What do parenting, teaching, and softball have to do with travel? Well, if you’re Kathi Myers Couch, it has all the elements to make one heck of a Client Experience Designer. For Kathi, details matter, and in fact, her countless life experiences have helped shape her for this important role at Travel Concierge.
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With a professional background as a mathematics instructor—and years working as an Administrative Manager and Head of Business Development at a CPA firm she co-founded—Kathi knows what it takes to stay one step ahead of the pack. As a mom to a special-needs son, she learned to live and plan proactively, thinking of ways to iron out any possible issues even before they occur. Scheduling, flexibility, and preparedness are all skillsets in her wheelhouse. She credits this awareness to her years as a “softball mom” traveling to-and-from countless tournaments in support of her daughter.
Parenting aside, Kathi is a traveler at heart, married to a man who enjoys exploring the great outdoors as much as possible. To date, some of their top trips include snorkeling in Iceland, cycling in Norway, hiking in Alaska, and kayaking in the Arctic.
When not traveling or planning a client’s next trip, you can find Kathi involved with her small group Bible studies, cycling on rugged trails, or exploring the neighborhood with her family and dogs.
All of this “training” has allowed Kathi to live out her passion to curate memorable journeys customized for each traveler. Why is this important? Because she clings to a perspective that each day is a gift from God, and it is our responsibility to steward our days to the fullest.
We couldn’t be more thrilled to have this talented woman on the Travel Concierge team. With Kathi at the forefront of travel planning, get ready to travel and make every moment count!
Jean-Marc Le Doux
Creative Director
A creative director by trade, Jean-Marc brings color, style, and elegance to the Travel Concierge brand. When he’s not designing, directing a commercial, or managing a brand rollout, you can usually find him writing music, windsurfing, dabbling in computer programming, or renovation his lovely new home.
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With a professional background in filmmaking, storytelling, and design, Jean-Marc brings a cinematic perspective to all communication at Travel Concierge, empowering clients to envision themselves in new environments around the world.
Creating that picture-perfect utopia isn’t that tough for this creative, since he’s visited many of them on his own travels: the Matterhorn in Switzerland, the Peninsula Hotel in Hong Kong, the Eiffel Tower in Paris — he’s been wooed by these destinations for their landscape, luxury, and cuisine.
“It blows my mind that in just a few hours we can be on the other side of the world,” he says, “becoming fast friends with people who we never would’ve known otherwise. If travel has taught me anything, it’s that we have more in common than we might think.”
For Jean-Marc, travel is all about perspective, a tool to help reveal the universal truths in the human experience (home, food, family) all while celebrating the differences that make new places and people so delightful.
“Most days I feel like a symphony trapped in a kazoo,” he says.
Understandably so. This artist is constantly making music, both literally and figuratively, while juggling the tasks of his award-winning agencies, Handshake Studios and Terraform. His companies specialize in cinematic live-action, immersive motion graphics, and 3D product animation. With so much talent in one man, you’d think Jean-Marc’s head would explode.
But no. His head is very much intact as he seamlessly cranks out websites, print material, videos, and beyond for Travel Concierge by Jeff Lavender.
We consider ourselves pretty stinking lucky.
Vickie Ludlow
Client Experience Executive
After 15 years as a partner in a California-based REIT, Vickie formed the group department at Avoya, one of the nation's largest host agencies. Her industry experience has blessed us from day one.
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On any given day, Vickie will bypass umbrella cocktails and spa treatments for any travel that blends nature, adventure, adrenaline, and the great outdoors. Hiking, mountain biking, and snow skiing/shoeing, with a side of relaxing oil painting all tap into her love language of quality time. Along the way, she’s learned to leave preconceived expectations at home, and instead choose curiosity, goals, and faith. It’s that curiosity that had her chasing songs by Jimmy Buffett all the way to the Coast of Marseilles, Tahiti, Rio de Janeiro, St. Barts, and even Livingston, Montana.
Lana Herzan
Client Experience Manager
With a passion for travel, Lana brings a tenacious spirit and proven track record to the Travel Concierge team. She is inspired by meeting new people, and strives to live a life that encourages those around her.
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As Jeff’s “sous chef,” there are many layers and experiences that God has used to shape Lana into the person she is today. She is a self proclaimed “soccer mom,” a plant-based culinary creations chef, an organic gardener, and a backpacker with a soft spot for the Sierra Mountains. Did we mention that she was the Bicentennial Queen of the Ringling Brothers Circus in 1976?
Obviously, her background is rich and colorful — making her the perfect addition to the Travel Concierge team. It all started at the age of 19 when she worked as a food and wine broker across Los Angeles County.
As a driven, independent, spirited, fearless, and steadfast woman, Lana’s skills led to her achieving Salesman of the Month awards. This motivational awakening took her to a position as West Coast Manager for Hispanic Business Magazine in Santa Barbara. At just 20 years of age, she was responsible for overseeing 300 accounts with a primary focus on Fortune 500 Companies.
She put that passion into action as VP of Sales and Marketing for Barry & Associates in Woodland Hills. Lana was later hired to assist in the launch of Perspectives Magazine, an in-room publication for the Courtyard by Marriott and was instrumental in the advertising sales.
With this success, KADY/KADE-TV — and later KUSI — hired Lana to bring her sales drive and creativity to their television stations. During her 10 years with KUSI in San Diego, she met Mark Herzan, who later became her husband. Today they have two boys, Luke and Christopher, who are their pride and joy.
With a passion for travel, Lana brings a tenacious spirit and proven track record to the Travel Concierge team. She is inspired by meeting new people, and strives to live a life that encourages those around her.
As Lana helps shape trips for clients around the world, she considers it an honor that they entrust her with their time and dreams. On a daily basis, she irons out the details and takes on countless tasks so that Jeff can run his race with endurance and ease.
How does she really feel about travel?
“It’s an amazing gift that creates a deeper and richer part of yourself,” says Lana. “Travel has a way of stretching the mind, softening the soul, and making you richer — it allows you to become so many different versions of yourself.”
Coming from a talented woman who has gone from soccer mom and circus queen, to wine broker and organic chef, we don’t doubt Lana for a moment.
L I F E S T Y L E S
BY TRAVEL CONCIERGE
Meet Our Lifestyles Concierge Advisors
Travel Concierge is honored to partner with a team of LIFESTYLE Concierge Advisors to create an immersive travel experience. Each one is a professional in their field who is eager to share insights to improve your travel experience and elevate your dream getaway to levels you never imagined.
Sean Galloway
Wine Concierge Advisor
It’s hard to imagine travel without wine since the two are perfectly paired one destination at a time. That’s why Sommelier, Sean Galloway is the perfect “blend” for our team, curating wine collections for adventurous people with exceptional taste.
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His passion for wine first budded in Italy where he quickly discovered that vino is intertwined into the everyday culture of each region. Working his way up the vine, Sean studied with the Association of Italian Sommeliers and later acquired additional certification with the Wine and Spirit Education Trust.
As Owner of Your Somm, this talented connoisseur earns extra “cool points” for spending 15 years in Europe. His wife, Shandra currently leads three international projects with Cru, balancing their time between Oregon and Italy.
They have Bend, Oregon to thank for their love for outdoor adventures where they connect with family around the table— pairing wine with the culinary magic Shandra creates in the kitchen. Between wine cellar consultations and advising private clients, Sean works as a private wine consultant.
We are honored to have Sean lead our LIFESTYLES Wine Concierge Services—offering expertise and recommendations by destination. Currently in the works are fully-immersive wine travel experiences, online and in-person events, wine seminars, and more. We’re equally excited to pop the cork on blog topics with Sean ranging from “Wine Cellar Must Haves” to “Off-the-Beaten-Path Wineries.”
If you’ve ever dreamed of having your own private sommelier, well Sean is ready to open the wine world for you and your family to explore. Meanwhile, we’ll be helping Sean expand his own dream of leading travelers through the regions of Piemonte, Alsace, Sicily, the Rhone Valley, Tuscany, Burgundy, and the Mosel.
In Sean's words, "I feel honored knowing that I am providing something beautiful that leads to more connection, celebration, and relaxation for people."
Please join us in raising a glass to Sean Galloway and his contribution to the LIFESTYLES program.