David is a sixth-generation Southern African, born and raised in Harare, Zimbabwe, later earning a Bachelor of Science degree in DNA technology from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. He founded Bushtracks Expeditions in 1989 and has been traveling extensively throughout Africa for more than 45 years. Combining his interest in ecosystems and the varied ecology of Africa with photographic safaris, he develops educational programs that include traditional cultures and wildlife. He is keenly interested in how nature tourism affects rural African communities and has worked with several projects that successfully integrate communities, the environment, and wildlife viewing.

Carolyn’s family has lived on the West Coast of the U. S. for six generations. She attended the University of California, Berkeley and, during her junior year, she studied at the University of St. Andrew’s in Scotland. While in the U.K, Carolyn met a charming and adventurous Zimbabwean, David Tett, who captivated her heart and instilled in her the fascination and thrill of travel, which they still share today. Many years, countless trips to Africa and two children later, Carolyn serves as the bridge between American sensibilities and David's grass-roots understanding of Africa. She is still active in sales and is a vigilant protector of the Bushtracks experience, continually working to ensure that our quality never wavers. Her passion for Africa and relentless demand for excellence have allowed us to maintain our high-level service as we've grown in the past 20 years, and will continue as we grow over the next two decades.

Safaris are all about animals and adventure. And so is Samantha. She studied marine biology at university, is a certified SCUBA diver and worked at a sport fishing lodge in Costa Rica for two and a half years.

Some of her favorite trips have been to Rwanda (to spend time with gorillas), Brazil (to spot jaguars) and Kenya and Tanzania (to see too many animals to name.)

When she’s not traveling or working, she also spends quite a bit of time riding horses. And not to be without animals while she works, Sam often brings her very personable greyhound, Libby, to the office.

If you’re looking for animals and adventure, Sam's expansive experience and enthusiasm for adventure make her a superb person to help you plan your safari.

Autumn has been creating incredible safaris for Bushtracks travelers since 2006. She focuses on custom trips for groups of friends and families, including many large, multi-generational family groups. One of her greatest strengths is in ensuring that families have a shared experience, while catering to the individual needs of children and adults. In a twist on the old phrase, you can’t plan for travelers unless you’ve walked a mile in their shoes: Autumn has traveled extensively through South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana.

Her love for travel is rivaled only by her love for family. She and her husband James, a small business owner, have a wonderful young daughter who is also an adventure!

Theresa oversees our group travel programs, putting more than ten years of group planning expertise into creating exciting adventures with a smooth travel experience. During her time at the helm of the Santa Barbara Museum of Art’s travel program, she honed her skills in both trip development and operations, and had the pleasure of serving as tour manager for museum groups to destinations all over the world.

Theresa would like to point out why some guests choose to travel on our small group adventures.  Years of careful planning have developed a proven itinerary with the absolute best experiences. There are new friends to be made, sharing experiences with like-minded travelers with whom you often develop lifelong friendships. Expert leaders share their vast firsthand knowledge, manage tricky logistics for you and handle all arrangements so you can relax and enjoy!

Emily began her travels at the age of nine, when she and her family took off to explore the United States on a month-long camping trip. At age twelve, her family moved to Jakarta, Indonesia--and thus began a life-long passion for travel, which she shares with us today. Emily gave in to her appetite for exploration in 2001 when she and a friend embarked on a 7-month around-the-world backpacking trip encompassing 6 continents and 23 countries, concluding in New Zealand. She fell in love with New Zealand's South Island to such a degree that she decided to return and complete a Bachelor's Degree in Outdoor Education and Adventure Recreation. She has set foot on her 7th continent, Antarctica, where she experienced nearly all that the "White Continent' has to offer, including the polar plunge; and recently, she explored the Galapagos Islands and Ecuadorian Amazon. Emily has a true passion for the outdoors and travel, and is both proud and excited to be able to assist others in experiencing many of the same venues and opportunities she has enjoyed.

Lyn has been with Bushtracks since 2005, becoming an expert, not just in the wild areas of Africa and India, but in how travelers best enjoy those places. Her travels throughout India, South Africa, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe have given her personal experience in a wide variety of camps and ecosystems.

Lyn is our director of operations, ensuring that a focus on client needs permeates our entire company culture. She is a watchful eye as details flow through the office, a skilled firefighter if an emergency arises, and an expert educator in incorporating our experience into planning procedure.

Anna has worked in administration support for years but she has also been a teaching tennis pro, with more than 40 years of competitive play. So if we ever enter an office Olympics, you can be sure we’ll win at least one event.

More applicably, Anna loves to travel and has spent her birthday in various places around the world, including a very special 16th birthday climbing up the pyramids in Egypt. It’s the benefit of having an airline pilot as a father. She even got to fly in the cockpit on a trip from LHR to JFK. (Interesting fact: Anna is one of two daughters of airline workers in the office. Theresa is the other.)

Anna's fondness for travel allows her to provide excellent support to the Bushtracks family of planners, travelers and guides.

Bushtracks planners are some of the best in the business. And one of the reasons why is that they have the best support in the business. Kasey provides the structure which allows a free flow of information and expertise among everyone at Bushtracks, which is critical in our mission to provide the absolute best safari experience possible. Her knowledge of logistics and itinerary planning allows her to stay a step ahead of what everyone needs.

At home, Kasey and her husband Danny (who is a chef) enjoy cooking together and, whenever possible, visiting the farmer’s market. Prior to joining Bushtracks, she spent ten years working with adults with developmental disabilities in Sonoma County in a residential care home.

Matthew is in the enviable position of marketing a product that sells itself. Since persuasion isn’t really necessary, he is able to spend his time thinking of ways to better inform and prepare those who want to travel. Years of advertising agency work and marketing consulting have given him the tools to turn marketing into a two-way channel, allowing Bushtracks to listen to our travelers and fine-tune the experiences we offer.

He and his wife Jennifer spend as much time as they can backpacking in the wilderness. While he's no chef, his packable orzo makes an incredible dinner after a long day on the trail. Of course, what doesn't?

Numbers are Karen’s thing. She started her career as an office manager in a law firm, but found herself drawn to the numbers side of the business. She became a partner in a boutique financial planning firm before giving in to her passions and starting an accounting practice of her own. Her precise work ensures that when you travel with Bushtracks, the finances of your trip are behind you and you can focus on the fascination.

Karen’s other passion is travel, and now she’s able to combine her interests into accounting for Bushtracks. Karen and her husband, Jules, have enjoyed trips throughout Europe, Canada and many islands in Hawaii. Africa is still on their bucket list.