Destination Partners Team

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Adam Carter

President & Founder

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Adam Carter is the President and Founder of Destination Partners, with a career in international travel spanning more than four decades. A native New Yorker and proud NYU alumnus, Adam's path to travel began in the classroom -- studying abroad in Europe and Latin America before completing his MBA in International Marketing at NYU Stern in 1980, which included a semester at UFRJ/COPPEAD in Rio de Janeiro. That experience in Brazil would prove formative in more ways than one.

After graduation, Adam spent several years on Madison Avenue in the advertising industry, developing his skills in product development and management. But the pull of travel was stronger. In 1984, he left advertising to open Brazil Nuts Tours, a company dedicated to creating innovative special interest tours. Under his leadership, Brazil Nuts Tours became recognized as a leader in ecotourism, cultural travel, and corporate meetings and incentives -- and in 2007, Adam was elected Chairman of the Brazil Tour Operators Association.

As demand for high-quality, short-term group travel programs among universities, NGOs, and corporate clients grew, Adam and his wife, Maria Luisa, launched the Destination Partners division in 2003. What began as a response to client need has grown into a globally respected academic travel management company, built on the principles Adam has always led by: strong client service, deep destination expertise, and creative programming that puts people and purpose first.

 

Specialties:

• 40+ years of experience in international travel, cultural tourism, and academic group programs

• MBA in International Marketing, NYU Stern School of Business (1980)

• Study abroad experience in Europe, Latin America, and Brazil (UFRJ/COPPEAD)

• Founder of Brazil Nuts Tours (1984); former Chairman, Brazil Tour Operators Association (2007)

• Specialties: academic and faculty-led program design, ecotourism, corporate meetings and incentives, destination strategy, client relationship leadership​

 

 

 

 

Maria Luisa M. Carter

Vice President & Founder

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Maria Luisa Carter is the Vice President and Co-Founder of Destination Partners, bringing a rare combination of academic depth, multicultural fluency, and genuine human connection to everything the company does. Born in Brazil and educated in Europe, Luisa holds a Master's in Education from Southern Connecticut University and built her early career across the arts, health, and education -- a background that gives her a perspective on international programs that goes well beyond logistics.

At Destination Partners, Luisa's expertise centers on programs relating to the African Diaspora, education, and community service. Her firsthand knowledge of communities across Ghana, Haiti, Bhutan, Brazil, and beyond allows her to design and support programs with real cultural depth -- the kind that changes how students see the world and themselves. That commitment led her to found Bee Gaia in 2009, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting global citizenship through art, education, travel, and well-being. Bee Gaia actively supports four community projects -- an orphanage in Haiti, a school for the developmentally challenged in Bhutan, and two villages in the Brazilian Amazon and Ghana -- which are integrated into faculty-led programs where appropriate, adding a dimension of community engagement few travel companies can offer.

Luisa's ability to connect with people from all walks of life, in multiple languages and cultural contexts, is at the heart of what makes Destination Partners different. She is not just a co-founder -- she is the soul of the company's commitment to meaningful, people-first travel.

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Specialties:

• Master's in Education, Southern Connecticut University

• Professional background spanning the arts, health, and education

• Born in Brazil; studied in Europe; extensive experience across Africa, Asia, and Latin America

• Founder, Bee Gaia (2009) -- non-profit promoting global citizenship through art, education, and travel

• Special expertise: African Diaspora programs, community service travel, cultural immersion, faculty-led program design

• 2012 -- Awarded Queen Mother of Torgorme Village, Ghana, Africa

• 2015 -- Excellence in Diversity Award, Hodges University

• 2016 -- SWF Face Award

• 2020 -- Lady Liberty Leader, Woman March to Win Award

 

 

 

 

Mateus Malta Da Costa

Project Manager/ Account Executive

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Mateus Malta Da Costa is a Project Manager and Account Executive at Destination Partners, where he aligns educational initiatives with client needs and oversees program operations with a focus on environmental awareness, sustainability, and meaningful cultural connection.

Mateus brings a background that is as hands-on as it is academic. He holds a degree in Environmental Science from Florida Gulf Coast University and began his career as a University Campus Naturalist, leading students through the swamps and estuaries of Southwest Florida. From there, he went on to deliver science-based programs at Teton Science Schools in Grand Teton National Park -- experiences that sharpened his ability to connect people to the natural world in ways that are both educational and transformative. 

His connection to Destination Partners runs deep and personal. Mateus first sailed with Semester at Sea in 2001 as a child of founders Adam and Maria Luisa Carter, experiencing the program from the inside at a formative age. He returned as an undergraduate student in 2014, completing the full circle. Today, he is responsible for the entire Destination Partners program operations in the ports of Ghana and Brazil -- two destinations where his cultural fluency, environmental expertise, and long-standing relationships make him an invaluable asset.

Mateus is an active site inspector, personally vetting destinations to ensure every program meets Destination Partners' standards on the ground. In 2025, he conducted inspections across France, Scotland, Germany, Greece, and Kyrgyzstan. In 2026, he has already covered Brazil in depth -- including the Amazon, Bahia, Foz de Iguaçu, and Rio de Janeiro -- as well as China and Japan.

 

Specialties:

• Degree in Environmental Science, Florida Gulf Coast University

• Former University Campus Naturalist and educator at Teton Science Schools, Grand Teton National Park

• Semester at Sea alumnus -- sailed in 2001 and again as an undergraduate in 2014

• Currently based in the Puget Sound area

• Responsible for full program operations in Ghana and Brazil ports

• Site inspections: France, Scotland, Germany, Greece, Kyrgyzstan (2025) | Amazon, Bahia, Foz de Iguaçu, Rio de Janeiro, China, Japan (2026)

• Specialties: environmental education, naturalist-led programs, sustainability-focused travel, project management, multicultural program development

 

 

 

 

 

Sarah Navarro

Commercial Manager/Business Developer

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Sarah Navarro is the Commercial Manager at Destination Partners, where she designs and supports international and intercultural exchange programs for universities, faculty, and organizations seeking meaningful, well-structured learning-abroad experiences.

Sarah brings 16 years of experience in the travel, hospitality, and international education sectors. Her passion for global education began with a semester abroad in France, followed by travel across Europe and China -- experiences that revealed firsthand how transformative well-designed international programs can be. That personal foundation grew into a professional one: she holds a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development, with a specialization in Comparative and International Development Education.

At Destination Partners, Sarah takes a client-first approach to every engagement. She listens closely to each institution's academic objectives, faculty goals, and participant needs before shaping a program -- because no two groups travel for the same reasons, and no two itineraries should look the same. Her own travel experience now spans five continents, giving her both the cultural fluency and logistical perspective to build programs that work in the real world, not just on paper.

Colleagues and clients know Sarah as a trusted, detail-oriented professional who is equally comfortable managing complex multi-country logistics and cultivating the long-term institutional relationships that define Destination Partners' approach to academic travel.

 

Specialties:

• Learning-abroad and study abroad program design

• Intercultural exchange and faculty-led travel

• EMBA international residencies

• Client relationship management

• Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development -- specialization in Comparative and International Development Education

• Travel experience across five continents

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Luciana D'Andrea

Operations Manager / Senior Account Executive

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Luciana D'Andrea is an Operations Manager at Destination Partners, where she oversees the operational planning and execution of academic, faculty, fellowship, and group travel programs for leading universities and organizations across the globe.

Luciana brings 20 years of experience in the travel industry, with deep roots in international group travel, incentive programs, luxury travel, and complex program operations. Based in Rio de Janeiro, she developed extensive expertise working with DMCs across Brazil and beyond -- a foundation that gives Destination Partners a genuine operational advantage in Latin America and across the destinations she manages.

At Destination Partners, Luciana manages programs and accounts for some of the most respected universities in the United States, including Ohio State University, Fordham University, Stanford University, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and multiple divisions of New York University. For every program, she handles the full operational scope: international air arrangements, accommodations, transportation, activities, and on-the-ground logistics, start to finish.

Her approach is highly detail-oriented, focused on delivering experiences that are not just logistically seamless but culturally immersive and genuinely memorable -- because she believes the best travel programs are both flawlessly executed and authentically felt.

 

Specialties:

• 20 years of experience in the travel industry, including extensive experience with DMCs in Rio de Janeiro

• Expertise in luxury travel, incentive programs, university programs, group operations, and international logistics

• Programs operated across Europe, Latin America, North America, Asia, and the Caribbean

• Destinations include France, Thailand, Croatia, Montenegro, Colombia, Patagonia, Iceland, Hawaii, Canada, Estonia, Latvia, and throughout Brazil

• Specialties: international group operations, academic and faculty-led program logistics, air and ground coordination, luxury and incentive travel, Latin America destination expertise

 

 

 

 

Luca Belfort

Senior Account Executive

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Luca Belfort is a Senior Account Executive at Destination Partners, bringing more than 30 years of experience in the travel and academic group travel industry to his client relationships and program partnerships.

Over three decades, Luca has developed a deep understanding of what it takes to deliver high-quality international programs -- from building the right itineraries to managing the relationships with suppliers, universities, and faculty that make the difference between a good program and an exceptional one. His extensive career spans the full spectrum of group travel, with a particular focus on the kind of personalized, accountable service that Destination Partners is known for.

 

At Destination Partners, Luca works closely with university clients and institutional partners to design, develop, and execute academic programs that align with faculty objectives, student learning outcomes, and institutional requirements. Her experience and calm under pressure make her a trusted resource for program directors managing complex, high-stakes international travel.

 

Specialties:

• 30+ years of experience in group and academic travel

• Client relationship management and program development

• Faculty-led, EMBA, and institutional group travel

• Supplier partnerships and destination expertise across multiple regions

• Specialties: academic program planning, client partnership, international group logistics

 

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Lia Alpis

Senior Account Executive

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Lia Alpis is a Senior Account Executive at Destination Partners, bringing more than 35 years of experience in the travel industry to every program she manages. A Tourism graduate from Veiga de Almeida University, she has built an extensive career in international travel, working with groups and clients across North America, Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia.

Her professional background spans group and leisure travel, special-interest programs, corporate incentives, and conferences and events -- combining deep operational knowledge with expertise in program development, supplier negotiations, budgeting, logistics, and client relationship management.

At Destination Partners, Lia specializes in tailor-made academic, faculty-led, and international group programs, guiding each partnership from the initial proposal through planning and on-the-ground implementation. She has accompanied groups internationally, most recently as an on-site coordinator for an academic program in Ghana.

 

Specialties:

• More than 35 years of experience in the travel industry

• Bachelor's degree in Tourism, Veiga de Almeida University

• Extensive background in international group travel, incentives, events, and special-interest programs

• Experience across North America, Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia

• Expertise in program development, operations, negotiations, and client relationship management

• Specialized in customized academic and faculty-led international programs

Passionate about travel, people, and different cultures, Lia brings the same curiosity to her personal journeys that she brings to her work -- believing that the most memorable programs go beyond visiting a destination and create opportunities for genuine cultural connection and lasting impact.

 

 

 

 

 

Karine Annechino

Senior Account Executive

 

Karine Annechino is a Senior Account Executive at Destination Partners, specializing in customized faculty-led, academic, and group travel programs across Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia.

With nearly 20 years of experience in tourism and international group travel, Karine brings a rare combination of client relationship management, consultative sales, program development, and hands-on operational expertise. She began her career with international hotel chains before expanding into MICE tourism, tour operations, and destination management. At Destination Partners, she works closely with universities, faculty leaders, travel planners, and global suppliers to design academically aligned programs that balance participant experience, logistics, safety, and budget.

Known for her proactive approach and meticulous attention to detail, Karine guides each program from the initial proposal and commercial negotiations through planning and on-the-ground delivery.

 

Specialties:

• Nearly 20 years of experience in tourism and international group travel

• Bachelor's degree in Tourism

• Background in international hospitality, MICE tourism, tour operations, and destination management

• Program experience in Tanzania, France, Greece, Ireland, Colombia, and other global destinations

• Destination expertise in Brazil, Greece, and Asia

• Special interests: ecotourism, diving, outdoor experiences, and customized itineraries

Karine brings energy, creativity, and a solutions-oriented mindset to every partnership -- transforming academic objectives into meaningful international travel experiences.

 

 

 

 

 

Julia Troccoli

Account Executive / Global Field Coordinator

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Julia Troccoli is an Account Executive and Global Field Coordinator at Destination Partners, supporting and coordinating academic and group travel programs for universities and educational organizations around the world.

In her time at Destination Partners, Julia has built extensive hands-on experience across the full program lifecycle -- from proposal creation and supplier coordination to on-the-ground program support. She works closely with university clients, hotels, DMCs, transportation providers, restaurants, and local partners to ensure every detail is planned and every group is supported in destination. She has traveled with a university group to Hawaii, giving her direct firsthand experience coordinating programs and supporting travelers on location.

Julia holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from ESPM University in São Paulo, Brazil, and completed a General Marketing course at UCLA while living in the United States -- an experience that deepened her international perspective and her commitment to the travel industry.

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Specialties:

• 2+ years of experience in academic and group travel at Destination Partners

• Account management, program development, and proposal creation

• Supplier and client coordination across hotels, DMCs, transportation, and restaurants

• On-site group support and logistics

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, ESPM University (São Paulo, Brazil)

• International experience: lived and studied in the United States, traveled with academic groups in destination

Julia's combination of business training, international background, and on-the-ground experience makes her a trusted partner for universities navigating the details of academic travel.

 

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Pericles DeSouza (Peri)

Global Field Coordinator

 

Pericles DeSouza -- known to clients and colleagues as Peri -- is a Global Field Coordinator at Destination Partners, supporting large group operations throughout Europe and Africa. He has spent most of his adult life in tourism, combining a genuine passion for travel with a natural ability to connect with people from every background.

At Destination Partners, Peri is the person on the ground when it counts. His organizational skills and meticulous attention to detail have ensured the smooth execution of numerous high-profile, large-volume group movements -- from complex multi-city itineraries to time-sensitive logistics that require calm, experienced hands.

Prior to joining Destination Partners, Peri worked as a freelance travel manager and guide for major tour operators in both South America and Europe, giving him a uniquely broad operational perspective across two continents.

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Specialties:

• Extensive career in tourism, group travel, and destination management

• Degree in Translation & Interpreting (English/Portuguese), Kensington & Chelsea College, London

• MA in Applied Linguistics, Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC)

• International certificates in tourism management

• Accredited Tour Guide by EMBRATUR (South America) and ETOA (Europe)​

• Large group operations across Europe and Africa

 

Fluent across cultures and languages, Peri brings the kind of experience and presence that keeps programs running smoothly -- and makes every group feel they are in expert hands.