Our Knowledgeable Travel Specialists
Agency manager Carmen Costello began her illustrious 17-year career in Spokane, learning the business from the ground up at Jet Set Travel, her aunt’s agency. She quickly developed a passion for the travel industry and continued to expand her knowledge base as Corporate Travel Consultant at Uniglobe Travel and as Leisure Supervisor at AAA Inland Automobile Association. In 1999, she was honored with the Star Performer Award while working as a Corporate Travel Consultant for American Express Corporation and Microsoft. Costello began three-year tenure as Europe Express Manager for Go-Today in 2002 and then gained further industry experience as Corporate Manager for ETI, now Tangerine Travel, from 2005 to 2006. Before accepting her new position with Bainbridge Travel, Costello was Manager of Travel Service Air for People to People Ambassador Programs.
Michelle Barker entered the world of travel at the tender age of 19, working for Alaska Airlines in Anchorage reservations during the land sales for the Alaska Pipeline. Enthralled with the developing travel industry, she was employed by several travel agencies prior to settling in at The Travel Exchange more than 25 years ago. Think travel destinations and think of Michelle: her immense knowledge comes from treks to England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, France, Spain, Greece, Italy, Turkey, Croatia, Mexico, the Caribbean, Hawaii, Belize, Argentina, Peru, Bali, Fiji, Tanzania, Alaska, and cruises to the Adriatic, Mediterranean, Caribbean, Alaska and the Mexican Rivera. Michelle can help you plan the leisure trip of a lifetime. She also assists our corporate clients. Michelle is passionate about gardening and painting, and she has painted watercolors and acrylics of her many journeys. She loves to share her travel tales, photos and paintings with her clients.
When Robert Jones recalls a trip to Australia with his family at age 13, he remembers an idyllic view of Fiji from the jet. He vowed then that he would return to the South Pacific someday. After college and several years in the music business in Los Angeles, Robert made travel his career in 1980, and has now visited Fiji three times. Other destinations include the Galapagos Islands, the Bahamas, Italy, Hungary, the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Great Britain, Indonesia, Thailand and Zimbabwe. His favorite countries are France and Japan. When not helping his clients fulfill their travel dreams, Robert’s passions include music, gardening, reading, and planning his next trip.
Denise Mager’s favorite part of her job is the life long friendships she has built with so many of her clients. Her greatest satisfaction is making their dreams come true. Denise specializes in corporate, Hawaii, Mexico, cruise and group travel. She has extensive knowledge of group travel and has negotiated airfares for up to 300 people. She has been in the travel industry for over 28 years, more than 25 of them with the Travel Exchange. She lives in Brown’s Point with her husband Bob and their two precious kittens.
Margreet Pettersen was born and raised in the Netherlands. She brings over 20 years of travel experience to The Travel Exchange. She has traveled all over the world including Australia, New Zealand, Africa, Europe, Mexico, Hawaii and numerous destinations in the United States and Canada. Her favorite destination is Holland, where she travels almost every year. Her personal cruise experience includes Alaska, the Caribbean and the Mexican Riviera. Margreet enjoys working with individuals as well as small and large groups. Her clients depend on her experience and patience in assisting them with all of their travel needs. Besides travel, Margreet likes swimming, bike riding and walking.
Rochelle Reynolds' first travel memory is piling into a station wagon at 3 years old with her family and driving from Illinois to Durango, Mexico where her dad was working on an archeology dig. That was followed with numerous cross country trips, camping in Mexico and finally a year living in Switzerland. She has been traveling ever since, and made it her career 22 years ago. She has traveled all over the US as well as visted Canada, Europe, Mexico, Costa Rica, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Malaysia, China and most recently Vietnam. She loves train travel, river cruising, new destinations and soft adventure ~ like zip lines in the Costa Rican rain forest or black water rafting in New Zealand. Rochelle has raised and traveled with her 4 children, enjoys camping in the Northwest, cooking ethnic foods, gardening, reading and easy kayaking. She would like to share her passion for travel, and help her clients make new memories.
When Valerie Thompson went to Hawaii with her grandmother at age 11, her travel bug was ignited. Valerie is avid about sharing travel experiences with her clients, and feels very privileged to have experienced a variety of destinations. She has been a part of The Travel Exchange for over 10 years, and is our resident Disneyland/Disneyworld expert. She knows all about cruising and would love to talk to you about Mexico, Hawaii, the Caribbean, the South Pacific and Europe. She loves spending time with her 3 year old daughter, Sydney (who was named after Sydney, Australia).
Originally from Philadelphia, Lisa Williams came to Seattle for a visit and totally fell in love with the Northwest. Having also lived in London for five years, Lisa has traveled extensively throughout Europe as well as the Caribbean and the United States. Lisa is our sports team and group expert for both domestic and international travel. In addition to travel, Lisa is anen avid reader and film enthusiast. Lisa's goal for 2008 ... see New Zealand!
Becky Endzell is the newest member of The Travel Exchange team. She considers her earliest influence a colorful postcard she received at age 7 from Montego Bay, Jamaica. That postcard, sent by her globetrotting grandmother, made such an impression Becky decided way back then to become a traveler. After an unforgettable year living in Lima, Peru she started college at the University of Washington. Between quarters she enrolled in a local travel school and became enthralled with the travel industry. These experiences opened up an enriching career which has now spanned over 25 years. She has spent time planning corporate, group, leisure and cruise travel and has also been involved in management and administration. Her passion is adventure travel … unique experiences and activities, hopefully involving animals, birding, hiking, rainforests, ruins and an ocean or two. She has traveled to many areas of the world and firmly believes experiencing other ways of life allows us to become better world citizens. Becky’s favorite travel destinations are Africa and Central America but she has had the opportunity to travel to many corners of our world. She grew up in the Seattle area and she and her husband, Alex, are currently building a new home on Bainbridge Island. She is a writer, gardener, reader, runner, and bicyclist and loves being outdoors whenever possible.
With more than 35 years of experience in the travel industry, Karin Larson has direct knowledge of many of the world's most exciting and interesting destinations. A native of Norway (and thoroughly familiar with its attractions such as the Norwegian Coastal Voyages, now known as Hurtigruten), Karin enjoys working with clients seeking adventure, beauty, education and cultural diversity. Over the years she has sent hundreds of travelers to explore the treasures of the world from Scandinavia and Europe to Africa, Antarctica, China, Greenland and Russia, to name a few. Karin works personally with her clients to develop rewarding experiences in old and new corners of the globe. She firmly believes travel is one of the great educational pleasures in life and should be tailored carefully to the needs, goals and resources of each person for whom she serves as a travel consultant.
Jeanne Bulloch’s travel career dates back to 1975 when she was hired by Wien Air Alaska as a ticket agent. In 1989, Jeanne stepped into the travel agency realm as a Seattle manager handling a tremendous volume of Alaskan corporate fishing travel. She progressed to organizing travel for 20 Russian super-trawlers. These notable work experiences have enabled her to become a top expert in corporate travel. She still works with commercial fishing companies and a variety of corporate accounts. Jeanne now lives in Tucson, Arizona where she mingles with tarantula, javelinas and coyotes ~ but her heart is still in the Northwest.
Jennifer Boynton is our receptionist and the friendly voice in the phone when you call our office. She has a wealth of business experience including owning her own business at one time. Jennifer lives on the island with her four kids and loves to travel when she has the chance.