Our leadership team

Richard Beekman

Head of K12 Group Educational Travel and Experiences

Rich Beekman, Vice President of US Sales

One of the first employees at Explorica over 20 years ago, Rich understands what educators need in a travel partner. Today, he oversees WorldStrides’ K12 Group Educational Travel and Experiences division, supporting educational tours for American groups all over the U.S. and the world. He is fueled by a personal belief that it is critically important that students gain experiences and understanding outside their comfort zone, and he empowers his team to act upon feedback from travelers for continual improvement.

Sarah Killion

Head of K12 International Sales and Account Management

The daughter of an airline pilot and a high school mathematics teacher, Sarah found educational travel to be the perfect career fit when she joined Explorica in 2008. Her principal focus is, and always has been, on the people that make up this extraordinary experience: the customers, the students, the Program Consultants, and other behind-the-scenes colleagues. Sarah believes in partnership, dialogue, flexibility, and transparency and leads the sales team with these core principles at the forefront.

David Conklin

Head of WorldStrides Canada

Inspired by our mission to broaden students’ perspectives and change their lives, David joined WorldStrides in 2015 with the goal of making educational travel a reality for students across Canada. He currently oversees sales, land operations, customer care, and on-tour support for our Canadian business unit. As a CPA, David is dedicated to making educational travel more affordable for Canadian students; throughout his career, he has continuously implemented process improvements to ensure quality educational components at a fair price.

Patrick Curtin

Head of Product Delivery: European Operations

Patrick lives in London, England, and joined the Explorica team in 2009. With more than 25 years of expertise in the European tourism sector, he has a passion for delivering classic European experiences whilst hunting down the best cultural and immersive activities. Patrick currently oversees all on-tour products and suppliers for our European tours, including the recruitment, training, and selection of our incredible Tour Directors.

Paola Briata

Head of Product Delivery: Non-European Operations

As a travel enthusiast and a firm believer of improving life through experiences, Paola found her perfect fit with Explorica’s mission to help students expand their perspectives. She joined the North American Operations team at Explorica in 2008 and brings over 25 years of international travel industry expertise to the table. In her current position, Paola oversees the operations of Latin America and Rest of the World, driving the continuous enhancement of products, as well as the development of existing and new destinations, and vendor partnerships and negotiations.

Matt Wertz

Chief Business Officer, Group Educational Travel and Experiences

Matt provides leadership for WorldStrides’ U.S. and Canada-based Group business units, ensuring best-in-class program management and developing strategies for future growth. After joining Explorica in its infancy, he helped define and serve our mission as lead IT architect and later Chief Technology Officer, where he helped design and build Explorica's online booking system—the first of its kind in the industry.