Our Expert Team

Ali founded Artisan Travel so not surprisingly perhaps, he has been here from the very start. During a long career in the travel industry, he has travelled extensively, and it was one of those light-bulb-above-the-head moments that suggested to him what would become the defining principle behind Artisan Travel.

Amy originally grew up in the Lake District in a whirlwind of kayaking, climbing, hiking and sailing with her family. She was very lucky to travel extensively as a child and discovered a love of snow at a very young age skiing in the Italian Alps. Amy is very proud that she could 'ski before she could walk'!

Dawn grew up in a very small village in Warwickshire and came to the travel industry in a bit of a roundabout way after studying a degree in History. After moving north to Newcastle, she started working for the company in June 2012 and has recently become our Office Manager.

Originally born and bred in Kent, Jono studied at Newcastle University and now lives in Northumberland. Jono started working here in early 2014, within the Product and Operations Department and is responsible for sourcing new holiday products and managing existing ones.

Alex developed her lust for adventure travel from an early age and this love for the outdoors led her to study Adventure Education at University and since then she has never looked back. After moving to Northumberland in 2009 for the beautiful beaches and rolling countryside, she joined the Artisan Travel sales team in March 2017.

Growing up in Kent and being able to look out across the English Channel every day, Allan developed a passion for travel from an early age. Ever since experiencing the wonders and delights of Indonesia on his gap year, Allan has never stopped wanting to explore all that the world has to offer, ticking as many bucket list items off his list as he can in the process.

Andy developed a love for adventure at an early age and after many years working for a small golf holiday operator, he decided to pursue his true passion of seeking some bucket list experiences. He is delighted to now also have the opportunity to sample some destinations that would otherwise be off limits and help like-minded travellers experience the same.

Growing up in Northumberland, Lauren has been lucky enough to spend much of her life enjoying the beautiful beaches on the North Eastern coast of England with her family and friends. Lauren’s love of the beach is reflected in the fact that her favourite holidays have involved exploring various beaches and coastlines around the world. 

Abbey is originally from Durham but is now a student at Northumbria University in Newcastle, studying psychology and criminology, and has a passion for travel and exploring new cities alongside embracing different cultures.

Graham was born in Glasgow but spent a large part of his childhood living in the Solomon Islands in the Pacific before his family returned home and settled in York. It is his memories of living in the rainforest, snorkelling above pristine coral reefs and playing on the beach with the local kids that have inspired his love of travel.

Growing up in Northumberland, Jade spent a lot of her younger years outside, with her fondest childhood memories being in the great outdoors. Since graduating from University, Jade has been lucky enough to venture to Australia to explore the East Coast on a gap year as well as crafting an exciting three-month itinerary across South East Asia where she immersed herself in the culture, enjoyed meeting new people and savoured the delicious local cuisines.

Raised by an adventure-loving active family in Newcastle, Jo was lucky enough to grow up in the Great Outdoors, mucking about on boats, hiking, mountain biking and skiing her way through childhood. She may have begrudged being dragged up hills as a child, but she spends her time doing exactly that now, and lives on her husband’s family farm in rural Northumberland.