- About TIES
Our Team
Interns & VolunteersWant to become part of our team? TIES offers internship and volunteer opportunities year round for those interested in contributing to ecotourism, and gaining relevant industry knowledge and work experience. more...
Our Sustainability EffortsRecognizing the importance of minimizing the impact of our own operations, TIES team takes practical actions to reduce, reuse, recycle whenever possible, and offset the unavoidable footprint. more... |
Christie Blake is TIES Events Manager. Christie has just recently joined the TIES team as our Event Manager. After moving around and traveling the world she has finally planted her roots in the northwest city of Portland, Oregon. There she will be managing the next Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference (ESTC) in 2010 for TIES. Through her career and living in one of the greenest cities in the nation she has developed a passion for sustainable living and events. Christie has worked in the hospitality and events industry for the past 12 years. She has learned how important "greening" events is to the environment and does her best to influence everyone she works with to implement the small changes that make a difference. Christie is a graduate of San Jose State University with a degree in Hospitality Management. She has a sunny and positive attitude about life and all of its adventures. She enjoys traveling and building relationships with friends, co-workers and clients. 
Ayako Ezaki is TIES Director of Communications. An avid traveler and aspiring writer with a passion for a sustainable future, Ayako hopes, through her engagement in ecotourism, to "be the change" for a more just world where our collective wealth is used to empower, and not disengage, those in need. As TIES Asia Pacific Coordinator (2005-2007), she managed TIES' outreach initiatives focusing on strengthening communication networks for the Asia Pacific region. As part of her work facilitating TIES' partnerships with national and regional ecotourism associations, she was the main organizer of the first Global Ecotourism Conference 2007 (Oslo, Norway, May 2007). Through her role as TIES Director of Communications, she currently leads TIES communications, marketing and media outreach initiatives, and is the editor of TIES newsletters and EcoCurrents eMagazine. In helping strengthen the communications initiatives for TIES global network, her goal is to contribute to the efforts of ecotourism visionaries around the world, by telling their stories and sharing their ideas, and to inspire many others to become actively involved. Ayako graduated from Wesleyan University with a Bachelor of Arts from the College of Social Studies. Through her academic career, she developed a keen interest in the corporate social responsibility (CSR) movement and non-fiction writing. She is originally from Japan and has traveled extensively throughout Europe and Asia.
Jeremy Schultz is TIES University Consortium Certificate (UCC) Outreach Coordinator. As an advocate of sustainable tourism education, he hopes to continue and extend the TIES-UCC cooperative effort with universities in creating a connection for students that fosters their professional aspirations in sustainable tourism. Jeremy is currently pursuing his Ph.D. at the University of Utah, with research concentrations in sustainable recreation & tourism, environmental attitudes, and pro-environmental behavior. His current projects include a study of the sustainable tourism certification systems in America as well as an analysis of the U.S. Forest Service management perspectives on sustainable recreation. At the conclusion of his program of study, Jeremy hopes to become a professor.
Ferdinand Weps is TIES Director of Membership and Operations. From February to June 2007, Ferdinand worked as the Global Ecotourism Conference 2007 Assistant and played a crucial role in ensuring the smooth operations of TIES conference team. As the Membership and Operations Director, he is responsible for TIES membership department, and overseeing general operational tasks at TIES. Originally from Germany, Ferdinand has a B.A. in Cultural Geography and Area Studies with concentrations on livelihood assurance in developing countries, sustainable tourism, urban studies, and migration research. Aside from his academic career, Ferdiand has a background in the luxury hotel industry and acquired a breadth of travel and volunteering experience: assisting community development and education, conservation projects in Central America and South East Asia. Personal interests vary from ICT's for developing countries to photography.| ecoDestinations |
  Inspire & Be InspiredConnecting travelers with inspiring ecotourism initiatives. |
| Latest News |
| Travel Green Guide |
 Learn more & EnjoyYour Guide to responsible travel options that benefit conservation, communities and sustainable travel. |
