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ATG Guides |
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ATG Leaders & Managers
ATG Oxford selects its
guides from many hundreds of applicants and has attended a week-long
residential (award-winning) Selection & Training Conference at an Oxford
college before being invited to work with the company.
They have been
selected for their abilities and enthusiasm, and because they have shown a real
flair for working with people and a passionate enjoyment of travel, but above
all they have been chosen because we think they are delightful people to go on
holiday with! |
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Ben Bath - Route Manager
After graduating from Cardiff Business School, Ben
first worked in the City before taking up full-time
cycle racing. His interests include rock climbing,
ornithology and French literature. |
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Jessica Begg - Tour Leader
Jessica studied Spanish and Philosophy and has
worked in the UK and Spain. Her interests include
photography, travel, Romance languages and
literature, and Latin American studies. She has
travelled in India, Mexico and Central America. She
continues to travel. |
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Giancarla Bindi - Tour Leader
Giancarla graduated in Modern Literature at the
University of Siena; studying history, art and
languages. She combines her own business with
working for ATG at Pieve a Castello; the trips she
runs reflect her interests in the Palio, language,
history, and music. She also finds time for her
lifelong passion for sports – skiing and walking. |
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Tansy Björklund - Tour Leader
Tansy lives in the French Alps with her Swedish
husband. After graduating in Business Studies,
French and Spanish, she worked in Paris and Seville
before 'discovering' ATG. Her interests include
travelling, walking, ski-touring and experiencing
other cultures. |
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Anthony Di Nola - Tour Leader
Anthony was born in Naples and graduated from the
London School of Economics before gaining a
commission in the British Army. He has lived and
trekked in India and the Himalayas, and is
passionate about food, history and travel literature.
Council Member. |
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Negar Esfandiary - Route Manager
Negar studied Media and has worked as a journalist for The Point newspaper in The Gambia, BBC World Service and Colors Magazine. She travelled extensively as International Manager for Raleigh International. An enthusiastic cook, Negar spent three years as a chef in a London kitchen. She is happiest in water and keeps a photographic diary of her various pursuits. |
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Christina Franco - Tour Leader
Christina grew up in Rome and studied Photography and Art History at New York University. She has travelled extensively in Africa, working in conservation, and competed in the sand marathon across the Sahara in a rhino costume |
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Christian Gluckstern - Route Manager
Christian grew up in Italy, in Naples and Venice, and he currently lives in Rome. He graduated in Political Sciences at Padua University, where he specialised in Middle Eastern Studies. When not working for ATG, he divides his time between working in the Veneto and Rome, and does social work collaborating with an NGO. |
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Emily Hardcastle - Tour Manager
Emily studied French and Italian at the University of Leeds and after travelling around the world she has now settled in Tuscany. She loves all things French and Italian and her passions include cooking and cycling. One day she hopes to run her own restaurant. |
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Isabelle Johnson - Tour Manager
Isabelle graduated in history from Oxford University and is also a trained teacher and counsellor. She has taught history abroad and worked with community projects and in counselling. She now lives in the Dolomites from where she walks in Italy and beyond. |
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Alessia La Paglia - Route Manager
Alessia grew up in Sicilly and graduated in Japanese
and Korean from ‘Ca’ Foscari’ University in Venice. She
taught Italian in Japan and collaborated with Chiba
NIME University. She has also worked in Italian media,
and enjoys painting on fabric, drawing, creating
sculptures, aesthetics, fashion, diving, volleyball
and music.
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Petra Mahrova - Tour Leader
Petra studied her Master’s in Prague. She has been a guide in a medieval castle and organises night costume tours, concerts and conservation projects. She has travelled in Europe, Israel and Egypt and has lived in Holland. Her passion is skiing. |
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Sarah Marshall - Tour Manager
After graduating in Italian Sarah worked with opera and sports agents
before joining the features desk of The Guardian. She has lived in
France and Italy and has ski toured through Switzerland. She is
passionate about mountains, music and food.
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Jana Mastnikova - Tour Manager
Jana studies German and Russian in Prague. She has travelled in Europe, has worked in the hotel industry and as a school teacher. She is a trained classical singer and takes experimental dancing lessons. Her interests include skiing, snowboarding and squash. |
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Naomi Mogil - Tour Leader
Naomi was born in London, grew up in Salzburg and studied French at the Sorbonne in Paris. She trained and worked as a chef in France, Germany, Spain and on sailing yachts. She speaks six languages fluently and enjoys reading, art, music, nature and many outdoor sports. |
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Claudia Pernini - Tour Manager
Graduated from Ferrara University with a degree in Cultural Tourism, studying history, art and language and doing her internship as a researcher for 'Turisti per Caso', a famous Italian travel TV-show. She has lived in Italy, Scotland and England and has travelled throughout Europe, India and the USA. Her interests include drama, dancing, writing and photography. |
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Lara Piccioli - Tour Manager
Lara lives in Italy and studied English and German
Literature in Rome. She has travelled in Asia, Central
America and Europe and has worked in local radio
and at her family's hotel in Italy. She enjoys squash,
food, wine, travelling and meeting people. |
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Annabel Purling - Tour Manager
After graduating in French and Philosophy, Annabel
worked in London in PR and conference management
roles in industry and banking. In 2003 she decided to
indulge her passion for all things Italian by moving to
Italy to learn the language, studying in Siena and
Rome. She loves food, travelling and working in the
great outdoors. |
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Carmelina Ricciardello - Tour Leader
Carmelina is Sicilian born and was educated in
Australia. She lives in the Italian Alps. Carmelina
worked in business management, finance and
computers, before her interest in food led her to set
up her own catering business. |
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Gail Simmons - Tour Leader
After completing a Masters in Medieval Studies Gail pursued a varied career which included living in a Cumbrian castle and listing historic buildings for English Heritage before giving in to her nomadic instincts to lead walking trips for ATG, which she combines with work as a freelance travel writer, contributing to several UK newspapers and magazines. |
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Rudston Steward - Tour Leader
Rudston grew up in Rome and South Africa and then
studied Renaissance Literature and Philosophy in
New York City. He has worked in publishing,
designed an eco-village in Costa Rica, and speaks
five languages. He has been based in Tuscany since
2001, and is passionate about food, history, walking
and Brazilian samba drumming. |
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Brian Todd - Tour Leader
Brian first encountered Italy as an impressionable teenager before reading English at Oxford and training as a furniture maker. He enjoys music and singing, with occasional operatic appearances. His interests include food, painting and taming a wild garden. ATG board member. |
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Paul Treherne - Tour Leader
Paul read Archaeology at Cambridge, was a research fellow in Oxford and is a fellow of the Explorer's Club. He has lived with a Kikuyu family in Kenya, travelled widely in Europe and the Mediterranean. He designed ATG’s trip in Jordan and lives between Italy and Oxford. |
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Romilly Waite - Route Manager
Romilly trained as a Speech Therapist at the Oldery Fleming School, London. She worked and lived in Spain for six years and the United States for two. She has lived in France for many years and has worked for ATG since 2001. Romilly is a keen gardener and sailor. |
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Alex Walker - Tour Manager
Since graduating in French and German, Alex has worked in travel and tourism. She greatly enjoys exploring new places, jazz dance and countryside camping trips and is looking forward to returning to the classroom to learn Spanish. |
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Sarah Wellburn - Tour Leader
Sarah read Politics at London University and lived
on a farm in Tuscany before joining ATG in 1992.
She renovated a cliff-clinging cottage in the
Cinque Terre and then studied Garden Design in
the UK. When not leading trips she works as a
European conference organiser. |
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Frances Wolverton - Tour Leader
Frances lived in Rome before returning to England
to take a diploma in Management Studies and
then worked as a consultant. Frances joined ATG
in 1989 and now lives in Italy, where her interests
are gardening and learning more about Tuscany.
She has recently become a grandmother. Council
Member. |
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Adrian Woodford - Tour Leader
After reading English Literature at Cambridge University, Adrian worked as a journalist, producer and teacher before joining ATG in 1996. His passions are French literature, Spanish wine and English football and he hopes to work in one of these fields. |
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Jane Wright - Tour Leader
Jane has moved with no discernible logic from an Oxford degree in French and German, to four years teaching and research in Italy, to running her own international recruitment business in London, to ATG back in Oxford again. On the way, she has taken every chance to travel, from Brazil to Burkina Faso, and aims to reach the C’s some day soon. |
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Aurora Zocchi - Route Manager
Born and educated in Italy, Aurora has a diploma in
Tourism Management and speaks fluent Dutch.
When not working for ATG, she lives in Holland and
occasionaly works for a catering organization. Aurora
enjoys cycling, art and travel. |
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