Chloe Marsala
After losing the final round of her high school geography bee to a question about a formerly-Portuguese colony in the South China Sea (Macau--of course!), Chloe vowed to spend as much time as possible traveling in the Far East. She spent eight months in a language immersion program in Beijing and, while in China, hiked sacred Buddhist mountains and the “wild” sections of the Great Wall, helped translate for English-speaking backpackers in distress, was interviewed by a Chinese language women's magazine, researched Beijing's pre-Olympic city planning and architectural development, and even spent a day as an “entrepreneur” hawking newspapers on the street. She earned a degree in East Asian Studies and Religious Anthropology from New York University. Before becoming a sales associate at Absolute Travel, Chloe taught art and math to 4th graders, was the assistant to an interior designer, and did internet research for a hedge fund. cmarsala@absolutetravel.com

Jessica Rizzolo
Jessica’s passion for travel was ignited when she first performed as a cheerleader in the 2002 Pro Bowl in Hawaii. She began cheering for the NBA while earning a Communications degree from Rutgers University; her first NBA event was the Europe Live Tour in Paris and Barcelona in 2003. Over the subsequent years, her travel adventures took her to various European countries and on many visits to China – Jessica even had the honor of performing at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing! Upon graduating from Rutgers in May 2007, Jessica worked as the entertainment coordinator for the NBA. After a life-changing trip that included Istanbul, Malaga, Madrid, Shanghai, and Macau, she decided to follow her heart and pursue a career in the travel industry. Jessica is a sales associate and works primarily on Africa. jrizzolo@absolutetravel.com

Katie Losey
Prior to joining Absolute Travel's Operations and Marketing Departments, Katie worked with Puppies Behind Bars, a non-profit that helps rehabilitate prison inmates through raising working dogs for the disabled and law-enforcement (which also brought two adorable dogs to her family!).  While she cherished that experience, Katie wanted to combine her love of exploring the world with her career. She welcomes opportunities to immerse herself in travel-related philanthropic efforts – among her favorite past projects were working towards gorilla preservation through improved human health with Conservation Through Public Health and helping to rehabilitate elephants at the Elephant Nature Foundation in northern Thailand. klosey@absolutetravel.com

Greg Chan
Born in Guyana, Greg Chan moved to the United States at the age of 11. He has always been passionate about international travel and especially loves any destination with sunny weather and a gorgeous beach. Among his favorite places to visit are the Caribbean, Spain and Mexico, and he is a diligent researcher of the nightlife wherever he goes! Greg started at Absolute Travel as an intern in 1999 and became a full-time employee in the Operations Department the following year; he is easily the most popular employee at the company. gchan@absolutetravel.com

Matthew LaPolice
Born to a European mother and an American father, Matt attributes his passion for foreign cultures and languages to his initial interest in his own heritage. He caught the “travel bug” on a People to People Student Ambassador trip to Australia and New Zealand at the age of eleven. Since then, he “flies more than he walks,” as his grandmother says. After graduating from Tufts University with a B.A. in International Relations and French, Matt interned with Absolute Travel for a semester before joining the team full-time. He is fluent in French and dabbles in Polish, Italian, Bulgarian, German, Arabic and Spanish. Matt enjoys combining his travels with visiting old friends and making new friends around the globe, photography, and trying new foods. mlapolice@absolutetravel.com

Ashley Kiel
Having spent childhood summers in the Catskill Mountains and sailing the open seas, Ashley's passion for travel was sparked by her appreciation for nature -- wherever she goes, she heads for water or forested mountain peaks. Traveling to Israel set the scene for a life of exploration where nature intersects with culture and history. Shortly after graduating from the University of Delaware with a B.A. in International Relations and Geography, Ashley hopped on a plane to Europe with nothing more than a backpack and a map. Her journey took her from Ireland to Hungary, and upon her return she decided to focus her career in travel. Ashley loves traveling because of the freedom, spontaneity, continuous learning and unexpected adventures along the way. akiel@absolutetravel.com

Robyn Mark
A born and raised New Yorker, Robyn’s aim has always been to get out of the city. She grew up in a family of "foodies" so traveling for her was often in search of a perfect meal, so much so that when she studied abroad in Spain, the number one criteria she listed for her host family was "they must be great cooks." From camping in Maine on the hunt for the freshest blueberries and lobster, to seeking out the best Pho and street food in Thailand and Vietnam, to searching for the finest steak and wine in Argentina, she always wants to dine like a local. Most recently Robyn worked as a Culinary Advisor for a high-end concierge company and prior to that she worked as a sales representative for several boutique clothing and jewelry lines. She currently lives in Brooklyn and always looks forward to weekends upstate to take part in anything outdoors! rmark@absolutetravel.com