Wife, mother of twins, and eternal optimist. She has lived in South America, the United Kingdom and North America and has travelled extensively. Karen has a B.A. (Hons) in English Literature from Smith College and a M.B.A. (specialization in Marketing) from the University of Miami. She is a Luxury Travel Advisor and a Certified Travel Associate (CTA) accredited by the Travel Institute.
Karen Lee-Ishmael -
Travel has been a defining thread in my life, shaped as much by unexpected moments as by the destinations themselves. I remember the chaos of getting lost on a drive to Martha’s Vineyard during a family vacation, my father at the wheel, my brother with a map, and me in the backseat, trying not to revisit my breakfast as we made wrong turn after wrong turn. I can still laugh at the memory of standing like a flamingo in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles while my sister searched for a lost contact lens, and I’ll never forget nearly drowning as a child in the turquoise waters of Barbados, a moment that taught me a healthy respect for the sea. Even when things don’t go as planned, travel teaches resilience and appreciation; sometimes the triumph is simply making it through and laughing about it later.
There have also been moments of pure wonder: gazing at an endless sky of stars from the back of a safari jeep in Botswana, spotting an albatross overhead while kayaking in the Galápagos, seeing the citadel of Machu Picchu for the first time, and swimming at night with giant manta rays in Hawaii.
For me, travel is never just about logistic. It’s about stories that were inspired along the way, and memories that last a lifetime. As a travel advisor, my goal is to help clients create their own unforgettable stories, with the expertise and care that make every journey seamless and joyful.