View more photos of the staff and their Southeast Asia travels!

Brandon Ross
President / Director, Cambodia

Brandon is an explorer through and through. After completing a BA in Political Science and working as an accountant, Brandon answered the call to travel. He has explored England, Italy, Germany, France, Central America, the Caribbean, Southern Africa, New Zealand, Australia, the South Pacific, China and Japan.

Andrea Ross
Director of Tours / Marketing

With British parents, Andrea grew up in England listening to stories of colonial Africa and the Far East. At the age of eight she took her first solo trip to Australia to visit her aunt and she hasn't stopped traveling since.

Andrea has been to England, France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Southern Africa – where she worked as an assistant canoe guide for a safari company, Kenya, Tanzania – where she summited Kilimanjaro, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Belize, the South Pacific, China and Japan.

Blok Sambin
Business Manager

Sambin grew up in Kompong Tayorng village, in Cambodia, the oldest in his family he attended university in Phnom Penh, where he earned a degree in Business Management. As a tour driver in Angkor Wat, he learned much about the ins and outs of visiting this world famous site and now coordinates operations between Journeys Within and local businesses.

Sambin brings local flavor to Journeys Within, by helping guests better understand the Cambodian culture, while treating them with style and the friendliest smile in Southeast Asia.

Dudley Nigg
Chief Financial Officer

Dudley was born in Newcastle, England and raised in Malawi, Central Africa. Whilst in Africa Dudley started his career in finance as a Qualified Charter Accountant (CPA equivalent). He continued to grow within the finance industry and was transferred to London. He was offered the opportunity to transfer to California and was appointed Executive Vice President of Midland bank.

Dudley continued to excel in the banking field being named EVP of Wells Fargo Bank. While working for Wells Fargo Dudley was the first to introduce and implement internet banking. Because of this acheivement, he was named Banker of the Year by American Banker and was identified as one of the 15 most influencial people in commercialization of the internet by Business Week. After retiring from Wells Fargo Dudley circumnavigated the world in his sailboat “Happy Now.” He also was our first tour leader with Brandon on the Journeys Within Mekong Experience and continued to lead the trip for two years. He now works out of our Truckee address, but spends one month a year in Southeast Asia also keeping our finances there ship-shape! We are very honored and pleased to have Dudley on the team.

Philippa Nigg
Tour Consultant

After retiring and sailing around the world for five years Philippa has decided to return to work, helping our clients book the trips of their dreams. Philippa grew up in Southern Africa, raised children in England and the States and has traveled to over 30 countries. She brings a wealth of knowledge about travel and Southeast Asia and we're thrilled to have her on the team.

April O'Connell-Cole
Tour Consultant, USA

Whether it is snowboarding, surfing or hiking, April is up for the challenge. She loves the outdoors and discovering new places. Born and raised in California, April has traveled up and down the Western United States, Hawaii and Mexico.

April started at Journeys Within as a booking coordinator working with guests and staff to ensure all trips went as perfectly as planned. After working with guests and our SE Asia staff daily, she has extensive knowledge of the tours and great services we offer.

She and her family have traveled throughout Southeast Asia, experiencing the countries and their cultures first hand. With this personal experience as well as her passion for travel and culture, April is excited to be planning your unique and memorable Journeys Within tour!

Lindsay Thompson
Director of Public Relations & Marketing

Lindsay is running our California office. She works on everything from accounting to advertising and she'll be the one sending you all the necessary paperwork. Though she hasn't been to Southeast Asia yet, she has been all over the States and to England and is planning a well deserved trip to Southeast Asia soon.

Narla Phuon
Director, Cambodia

Narla grew up in Banteay Mean Chey province 150 km from Siem Reap. The oldest in his family he came to study tourism and hospitality management at Build Bright University in Siem Reap. When Brandon had to visit the tourism police to help some guests who had lost their tickets he met Narla and immediately invited him to come and work at Journeys Within.

After coming to work at the B&B as a front desk manager Narla applied for a JWOC scholarship and was admitted to the program. A tireless advocate for helping the Cambodian people Narla graduated from university and now works for both JWOC and the tour company. He works around the clock and still manages to always be smiling. Narla has a great heart and truly enjoys life, we feel really lucky to have him on the team. Brandon goes so far as to call him the fourth love of his life!

Kwanchanok “Jeab” Meechai
Director, Thailand

Jeab was born was born in Nondhaburi, Thailand but grew up with her grandparents in Yasothorn. Yasothorn is a city famous for its "Rocket Festival" as has always held a special place in her heart full of great memories.

After primary school, she graduated from the Tourism Industry program at Rajabhat Suansunandha University. Her first job was temporary-governor officer at the Ministry of Agriculture. But the call to follow her dreams to work in the hotel or travel industry was too strong, and she left to take a position at a 5-Star hotel. She loves working with people of different cultures and her goal is to show guests the true beauty of Thailand, a country in which she takes great pride. Jeab is bubbly and beautiful and the true representation of everything that makes Thailand great. 

Her hobbies include photography and sports. She is good at basketball, quoting “I am short but fast - hehe.”

Nicole Long
Director, Laos

Nicole has long dreamed of having the chance to live in SE Asia since the first time she stepped into the region six years ago. She instantly fell in love with the many beautiful people and places the region has to offer.

If you asked Nicole if she would be where she is now after she graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a BFA in Acting/Directing she would have told you that you must be referring to another person's life. Nicole never had the opportunity to travel much when she was growing up. So when she finally did she immediately caught the "traveling bug". What she loves the most about traveling is learning and experiencing other cultures. Cultures that are very different from the southern culture she was raised on.

She could not be happier to be working and living in the beautiful and enchanting Laos as
country Director for JW. Having the opportunity to absorb this culture and show the beauty of the country to other travelers is a dream come true.

Houmphaeng “Phaeng” Phommaly
Tour Manager, Laos

Phaeng was born in Xieng Nguene district about 50 kilometers south of Luang Prabang. He grew up there until he was 4 years old then his family moved to Moung Ngoi district which is far north of Luang Prabang. While he was studying there he became interested in tourism because Muong Ngoi is a frequently traveled tourist destination. After he finished high school, he decided to focus his studies in Tourism. He moved to Luang Prabang City famous for being a World Heritage site and studied English for Tourism at Pasabandith College. While attending college he used to work at few famous hotels such as Villa Santi and La Residence Phou Vao. After he graduated from Pasabandith College, he was hired as a tour manager to open and run Journeys Within Tour Company Laos in Luang Prabang.

Phaeng is not only Journeys Within Laos Right hand man, but the left hand as well. He is a warm, caring and always smiling young man who has the ability to make everything fun, even work.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Van “Van”
Journeys Within Liaison, Vietnam

Born and raised in Hanoi, Van has traveled the world extensively and speaks Vietnamese, French, English and Russian fluently. Travel is her joy and she is happy that she has had the opportunity to turn her favorite hobby into a successful career. Van has worked in the travel industry for over 15 years and has run her own travel company since 1993. Van is a special part of the Journeys Within team, bringing more than just her extensive knowledge of Vietnam and other world travel, she has become a friend to the Journeys Within staff and family. Whilst Andrea is traveling in Vietnam Andrea's daughter Callie has grown up playing with Van's two young sons.

Ms. Ho Phuong Loan “Loan”
Journeys Within Liaison, Vietnam

At 6 month's old, Andrea's son Couper fell in love with Loan - and we can clearly see why! Her upbeat and kind personality is infectious and she has been a joy to work with over these past years. With a BA in Economy and Marketing as well as a degree at the Foreign Languages University in Hanoi, Loan has a strong work ethic which brings the high quality tours that we always strive to offer. In her time off she loves swimming, cooking, reading and of course traveling. She has traveled throughout South East Asia, as well as France, Italy, Japan, Malaysia and Singapore. Loan appreciates working in the field of travel which she loves, and we appreciate having the pleasure of working with her!

Tin Htun
Journeys Within Liason, Myanmar (Burma)

Born and raised in a village to the northern frontier of Myanmar, Tin studied English literature in Mandalay University and earned a degree. Thirsty to have a more adventurous life, he decided to move further south to Yangon where he completed his M.A in Interdisciplinary Southeast Asia Study Program. His 1500km-long-north-to-south-journey made him fall in love with travel and tourism.

As a student, he guided custom tours in Mandalay and Yangon. Having traveled extensively, Tin came to understand tourism is even more aesthetic than he originally thought. After his extensive experience as a guide, tin now operates and oversees all Journeys Within tours in Myanmar (Burma). He has also been an instrumental part in the community relief efforts made by Journeys Within Our Community to help the villages and people destroyed by Cyclone Nargis. He has given much of his free time and energy to help the people who are so in need.

Dar Le
Journeys Within Liaison, Myanmar (Burma)

Born in central Burma into a public servants family in a difficult political and economical environment, Dar Le has overcome great struggles to be the successful and proud Burmese woman she is today. At a very young age she moved to Malaysia to get valuable work experience and earn money sorely needed by her family. Here she experienced foreign culture, learned the English language and discovered the opportunities available in the travel industry.

When she went back to Burma, now known as Myanmar, she took the first opportunity to work within the tourism industry. Whilst working she managed to achieve her Bachelors degree and also helped her two younger sisters to attend university. Dar Le's success in the travel industry has developed her passion to present Burma's culture, history, nature and people to the world.

She is the reason Journeys Within offers tours to Burma as a few years ago she convinced Andrea and Brandon to take their first trip to this amazing country, she has now become a friend. With her infectious smile and positive attitude as well as her strong work ethic DarLe is a wonderful example of what makes Myanmar so special.

Linda Chhay
Booking Coordinator

Linda grew up in Siem Reap town, she graduated in 2004 in Tourism and Hospitality Management in Phnom Penh. We like to joke that Linda can see the matrix because she picks up computer programs so quickly! She tells us that university was the first time she touched a computer which makes her skill that much more impressive.

Linda lives with her husband and daughter, Dalisa, in Siem Reap. Linda's only flaw as far as we can tell is her driving, she has been known to take an hour just to back out of the Journeys Within driveway! Luckily she has a great sense of humor about it and never lets Brandon's teasing get to her, in fact she can often give as good as she gets.

View more photos of the staff and their Southeast Asia travels!