Sarah BAnsgrove
Chief operations officer

Sarah Bansgrove is a native New Zealander who has returned to the Bay of Plenty after eighteen years in the UK.

Sarah has an extensive background in the travel industry. She has visited over 70 countries on six continents; South America, Nepal, and Jordan are her favorite destinations. Her lifelong love of exploration began early, with a year as an exchange student in Paraguay where she attended high school, learned Spanish, and experienced life through a new lens.

When not immersed in travel, Sarah enjoys kayaking, mountain biking, cooking (especially a kiwi BBQ), spending time with family and friends, and relaxing with a good book.

brenda brownlie
Operations Director, New Zealand

Brenda Brownlie is a native New Zealander. She lives in Mārahau, the gateway to spectacular Abel Tasman National Park at the top of the magical South Island.

She has traveled extensively, has created and managed her own adventure tourism company, and brings to Celestielle more than twenty-five years of experience in the tourism, hospitality, and airline industries.

Imbued with a taste for adventure and a love for nature and the outdoors, Brenda is happiest with family and friends, either in the mountains or by the ocean enjoying swimming, snorkeling, and sailing... and of course, traveling.

Angelique Stewart
director, Leisure & Development

Angelique Stewart was born in South Africa but relocated several years ago to New Zealand. She and her family now reside in Nelson, just an hour's drive from Abel Tasman National Park to the west and the Marlborough Sounds to the east, on the South Island's magnificent north coast.

Ang loves the adventure of travel and experiencing different cultures and ways of life. She has previously owned a restaurant and worked in adventure tourism. As a member of the Celestielle team, she derives great pleasure in turning our clients' bucket list dreams into reality.

The great outdoors is what makes Ang's heart beat faster. Her particular passion is "leaping into the big blue," specifically skydiving and scuba diving, as well as getting lost in misty rainforests and kayaking across serene lakes.

Moria Rauch
MANAGER, LEISURE & DEVELOPMENT

Moria Rauch recently transitioned from Celestielle's team in South Africa to join the team in New Zealand, now based on the picturesque South Island. She eagerly anticipates exploring the natural beauty and diverse landscapes of New Zealand and the South Pacific region.

Moria holds a degree in graphic design and has built a robust career in customer service. Prior to joining Celestielle, she managed logistics for a major transportation company, where she honed her skills in meticulous attention to detail and strict adherence to deadlines.

In her leisure time, Moria enjoys immersing herself in a good book, spending quality time with her family, sailing, and discovering hidden, pristine locations.

Bianca Du Toit
Operations Director, Africa

Bianca Du Toit resides in Cape Town, South Africa. She absolutely loves the tranquility of the African bush and savannahs.

Bianca began her career as a pastry chef, working at luxury lodges and resort islands in some of Southern Africa's most iconic locations. Her love of travel was sparked by the incredible people she met at those extraordinary destinations.

Bianca’s favorite escape is the Sabi Sands Game Reserve, where hyenas call late into the night and where elephants appear at one's door in the morning. She also enjoys exploring the Cape Winelands, visiting local food markets, and whipping up a feast for her family.

Gary Robson
MANAGER, LEISURE & DEVELOPMENT

Gary Robson was born in South Africa's sunny Kwazulu-Natal Province and currently resides with his family in Cape Town.

Gary has more than twenty years of experience in hospitality and travel. He has spent most of his career working in sales and marketing for some of South Africa's most celebrated luxury hotels and lodges.

Naturally, Gary's passion is travel - anywhere! - and his favorite moments are those spent enjoying Southern Africa's extraordinary nature, beauty, gastronomy, and wildlife

Dezy De Lima
MANAGER, LEISURE & DEVELOPMENT

Dezy De Lima, a native South African, is a seasoned and passionate traveler with two decades of experience in the travel industry. She is close to reaching her goal of visiting 100 world-class cities. With each city she explores, she is reminded that the essence of travel lies not only in the places we visit but in the connections we forge and in the memories we create. 

Dezy's favorite travel memory is watching beachgoers at Ipanema Beach applaud the sun as it dropped below the horizon, a ritual of gratitude for another day of beauty and wonder.

She makes her home in the Johannesburg area.

Samantha Brill
MANAGER, LEISURE & DEVELOPMENT

Durban-based Samantha Brill is an avid traveler. Prior to joining Celestielle, she was a senior officer for a cruise line. This provided her with the opportunity to experience some of her favorite destinations, including Colombia, the Dolomites, Cuba, and the Turks & Caicos Islands.

Samantha has trained in ballet since childhood, a discipline that shares with travel planning a need for precision, dedication, and passion.

Her philosophy on arranging travel is that people may forget what you said, people may forget what you did, but they will never forget how you made them feel.

Wilna Beukes
MANAGER, LEISURE & DEVELOPMENT

Born and raised in the vibrant landscapes of South Africa, Wilna Beukes’s journey in the world of travel began with a unique blend of South African roots and British schooling.

Wilna has been involved in luxury travel and hospitality for over 30 years; from managing exclusive game lodges in the wild to travelling Africa, Europe and the USA. Having extensively explored Southern and Eastern Africa herself, Wilna effortlessly translates her wealth of knowledge into creative itinerary planning, ensuring that every safari she designs becomes a dream come true for her discerning guests.

Wilna has a BA Degree in Communications and History of Art. She explores art through cultural sites in the countries she visits, and through photography, and is herself an artist. She enjoys exploring new food flavours and finding hidden gems when travelling. Making time to pause, and breathe in the country she is visiting. “People-watching is one of my favourite pastimes”, says Wilna.

Natalia Gómez
Manager, Leisure & Development

Natalia "Naty" Gómez helps to anchor Celestielle's South America team. She was born and raised in Mendoza, known for its natural beauty and rich cultural heritage and the capital of Argentina's spectacular wine country. She knew from a young age that her destiny was to work in travel.

Driven by this determination, Naty became a national tour guide, sharing her love of her stunningly beautiful country with overseas visitors. This experience then led to almost twenty years of dedicated service with the venerable Park Hyatt Mendoza where Naty sharpened her skills in a number of areas including management roles in reservations, sales, concierge, and revenue.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Natalia treasures her travel adventures and in particular, anything which includes mountains, good wine, and her family.

Noelia De Girolamo
Manager, Leisure & Development

Buenos Aires native Noelia "Noe" De Girolamo joined the Celestielle team in June 2023. She brings with her nearly twenty years of luxury travel industry experience. Her extensive skill set covers an impressive and valuable range of areas including finance, operations, sales, logistics, and customer service.

Noe's passion for travel extends far beyond her career. Exploring new destinations is her passion and she has visited many regions of South America and Europe.

In addition to her native Spanish, Noe is fluent in English and is now learning Croatian. Whenever possible, she immerses herself in hiking and mountain bike adventures in Argentina's gorgeous outdoors.

Soledad Tucci
Manager, Leisure & Development

Soledad "Sole" Tucci holds a bachelor of arts in tourism and a postgraduate degree in rural tourism from the University of Buenos Aires. Her love of travel began at an early age. After more than twenty years of work experience in the high-end travel industry she continues to pursue her passion by planning life-changing trips for Celestielle's clients.

Sole's professional journey has taken her to many of South America's most magnificent and remote destinations, including Argentina's mystical Tierra del Fuego Island. Among her most cherished travel memories is a hands-on experience with her country's native big cat, the jaguar, recently reintroduced to Iberá National Park.

Outside of travel and work, Sole is actively involved in the Cherie Blair Foundation's Mentoring Women in Business program.

Kim Fryer
manager, leisure & development

Kim Fryer, originally from the charming seaside town of Port Alfred, South Africa, has cultivated a distinguished career in the tourism industry. After spending two formative years in the United Kingdom, she returned to South Africa to embark on a career specializing in safari tourism. Her expertise led her to a prominent role managing the marketing and reservations departments of a prestigious private luxury game reserve. In 2023, she further advanced her career by joining Celestielle.

Recently, Kim has relocated to the United States, where she now resides. A seasoned traveler, she has explored numerous countries, with Egypt and Thailand holding special places in her heart. Her interests span a wide range, including diverse cultures, history, culinary arts, and wine. Kim's leisure activities reflect her passions: she enjoys sunbathing on South Africa's stunning beaches, immersing herself in nature and wildlife observation, traveling, and savoring renowned cuisine.

LISA BELL
travel consultant

Lisa Bell is bi-coastal, dividing her time between San Diego, California and her hometown of Sarasota, Florida. She earned her B.A. in communications and Spanish from Florida State University.

Lisa began her career in luxury hospitality and held several leadership roles at Marriott and IHG. She now specializes in event management, arranging events of all types and sizes. She brings to Celestielle 30+ years of industry connections and knowledge, along with superb customer-focused service.

Lisa loves getting out in the world herself and has traveled extensively throughout South and Central America. She derives immense satisfaction from the discovery of new adventures for her clients to experience.