Name: Meghan Holly
Hometown: Crystal Lake, IL
Time with Yampu: Since May 2017.
Q: Before working at Yampu Tours, what was the most unusual or interesting job you’ve ever had?
A: I spent two summers in Alaska warding off ill-tempered grizzly bears and overly rugged mountain men. Ok just kidding (sort of). I worked for two different cruise lines based in Anchorage & Juneau. I loved the idea of spending my days having endless ocean adventures, but ultimately traded in my sea legs for a desk job.
Q: What is the best vacation you’ve been on?
A: Any vacation that someone else had paid for!
Q: When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A: I always wanted to work for NASA, but not as an astronaut like most kids; my dream job was at a computer in mission control. I grew up in South Florida so my parents took me to space shuttle launches at Cape Canaveral and let me go to Space Camp there too. Then they sent me to Space Academy in Huntsville, AL and even bought me a high-powered telescope. I still enjoy being the one behind the scenes coordinating logistics and solving problems (which probably explains how I found myself in my current role as Operations Manager for Yampu)…but now my focus is international travel vs. interstellar.
Q: What is your favorite quote?
A: My favorite quotes are the simple, cliché, relatable things like: “Not all those who wander are lost” by J.R.R. Tolkien and “Wherever you go, there you are” by Jon Kabat-Zinn.
Q: If you were an animal what would you be?
A: No question that my spirit animal is the blue-footed booby from the Galapagos. They’re short & round with crazy eyes, known for their hilarious mating rituals, parent-offspring conflict, and sibling rivalry.
Q: Do you have a motto or personal mantra? What is it?
A: Work hard, laugh hard, drink hard liquor.
More about Meghan:
Meghan was raised in Chicago —which explains her love of deep dish pizza and Cubs baseball— though she has lived all over the U.S. including Florida, Missouri, Wisconsin, Texas etc. and now calls California home. She earned a degree in Communications/Journalism from the University of Denver in Colorado where she also studied Spanish and Italian. Spending a semester abroad in Florence, Italy ignited her passion for travel and exploring new cultures. She has worked in tourism/hospitality since 2010 with luxury hotels, tour operators, and even aboard a cruise ship in Alaska to help create unforgettable travel experiences for clients. Always up for an adventure, Meghan’s travels have included many countries throughout Europe as well as visits to Brazil, Mexico, and the Caribbean.
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