Planeterra
Director
Richard is the Director of Planeterra (www.planeterra.org), a non-profit dedicated to supporting sustainable community development through travel, where he is responsible for the overall direction of the organization and creating ways to better link travelers and local communities around the globe. Planeterra was founded by G.A.P Adventures, the largest independent adventure travel company in the world. Richard is also a member of G.A.P’s executive management team, where he helps oversee the company’s rapid growth. Richard has worked in key management positions and as a consultant with several award-winning adventure companies, where he has been responsible for exponential increases in sales and online presence. He's also assisted large travel industry veterans, such as Hilton, Wyndham, Harrah's and American Express in developing their green and carbon management strategies. With over 20 years of experience in marketing, ecotourism and community development in Latin America, he is quoted regularly on CNN.com, MSNBC.com, National Geographic Adventure, Fast Company and numerous trade and consumer publications, and has spoken around the world on the topic of green travel. Condé Nast Traveler magazine lists Richard as a Top Travel Specialist, an honor he’s received for several years, consistently citing his travel creations as “Trips of a Lifetime”.