Our Staff
Craig Howard
Vice President, Tour & Group Sales
Craig holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Marketing and a degree in Journalism from Fresno State University. Craig started in the travel business as an account executive for Top Value Incentive travel in Chicago, IL before and worked as Business Development Manager for Trans Continental Travel (TCT) in San Francisco. Craig started SST Tours in 1985 as the President & CEO designing customized international tours to over 40 countries for educators, major corporations such as IBM and Boeing as well as the affinity markets of travel clubs, the banking industry, Alumni’s and medical associations. With more than 25 years in the industry, Craig expanded operations to include Chamber Discoveries in 2007; specializing in international tours for Chambers of Commerce across the US. He has traveled extensively throughout the US and internationally to all continents and more than 40 countries. In his leisure time, Craig enjoys spending time with his family; he is married with 4 kids. His hobbies include playing basketball, skiing, and traveling.
Chris Brough
Regional Sales Manager
Chris Brough, Business Development Manager, holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Entrepreneurship from Fresno State University. Chris joined Chamber Discoveries 11 years ago as Business Development Manager and continues to build and maintain relationships with Chambers across the US. He has traveled extensively throughout the US and internationally to Austria, Czechoslovakia, Czech Republic, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Hungary, Mexico, Spain, Thailand, and Turkey. In his leisure time, Chris enjoys spending time with his family, snowboarding, home improvement, camping, and traveling.
Alan Seibert
Business Development Manager
Alan Seibert, Business Development Manager with Chamber Discoveries. Alan has 30+ years in the travel industry including Director of Sales with National Car Rental & Alamo Rent A Car, Sales management & Consulting with American Express Business Travel, and most recently in corporate travel sales with our sister company, Adelman Travel - a top 20 corporate agency in the US. This blend of corporate experience has provided Alan a unique understanding and knowledge of several aspects of the travel industry. He joined Chamber Discoveries as Business Development Manager and continues to maintain and build relationships with Chambers across the US. Alan has traveled internationally to Mexico, Italy, Ireland, Scotland, Germany, Hungary and many parts of Europe. He has extensive knowledge of River Cruising in Europe and serves as an excellent resource for what out trip experience is like. He enjoys spending time with family; is married with 2 adult children, is an overall devoted sports fan (St. Louis Cardinals) and enjoys traveling and golfing.
Kaley Honzel
Business Development Manager
Kaley Honzel, Business Development Manager with Chamber Discoveries and Perfect Pairings covers Central and Southern California, Washington and Oregon territories. Prior to joining Chamber Discoveries & Perfect Pairings, Kaley spent the last 15 years in a variety of roles in the wine industry including Sales & Marketing with PasoRoblesWineries.net, Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance and EOS Estate Winery. She has traveled internationally to: Costa Rica, England, France, Ireland, Italy and Mexico. In her leisure time, Kaley is enjoys spending time outdoors with her husband and baby boy. She loves hiking, boating and snowboarding.
Cam Thieme
Director of Operations
Graduated from Tulane University in New Orleans, LA with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Cam has over 23 years’ experience in the travel industry. Her career began with Delta Airlines as a flight attendant and then Delta Scheduling and has included owning her own agency in Atlanta, GA, leisure travel sales, corporate travel sales, and her all-time favorite, group sales. She has been working with groups for the last 14 years and enjoys it from start (putting the itineraries together with contracts) to finish (bringing satisfied customers home from “journeys of discovery”). She loves to escort groups when she can and confesses it brings out the Mother Hen in her. Bottom line is she loves people and travel so she claims to have the perfect job! She has traveled throughout the U.S., Caribbean, Europe, Asia and the Mediterranean. In her somewhat limited free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband, 3 sons, 1 daughter in law and 2 year old granddaughter, Willow. She loves weekends at the lake, reading, family and friends and of course, travel.
Sandy S. (Hale) Birkbeck
Manager, Program Operations
Sandy Hale, Manager of Program Operations, holds a Master in Business Administration with an emphasis in Management and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from San Diego State University. Sandy’s career experience includes 20 years experience managing all aspects of event management for a wide-range of events including tradeshows, auto shows, conventions, city-wide conferences, cruises, travel incentive programs, sales meetings, and special events throughout the U.S. and internationally for groups of 20 - 5,000 people. Sandy has traveled extensively; managing events in Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, England, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Hong Kong, Hungary, Italy, Mexico, Singapore, Spain, the Western Mediterranean, and all over the United States. In her leisure time, Sandy enjoys spending time with her 4 children and 2 grandchildren, travel, caring for foster children, volunteering for local non-profit groups (Children’s Hospital, Red Cross) and watching crime solving shows like Body of Proof, Criminal Minds, CSI, Elementary, NCIS, etc.
Julie Wilson
Program Coordinator
Julie has been working in group travel for over 20 years, starting with TWA (you remember them!) in their group reservations department. Her next position was with a group incentive travel company for 8 years where she provided lead administrative support and hotel negotiation for major group movements. Some of these groups grew to over 5000 participants! Julie has traveled extensively, escorted groups and brings a wide range of expertise to your group's experience. Julie is known for her top notch customer service, going the extra mile in taking care of her clients. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her husband of 12 years and traveling when she gets the opportunity, and is the aunt of an amazing little boy named Wyatt.
Dominic Olvera
Marketing & Design Assistant
Dominic Olvera, holds a Bachelor of Art in Art with an emphasis in Graphic Design and a minor in Communication from Fresno Pacific University. Dominic’s career experience includes 6 years of customer service. Dominic has received several Graphic Design awards including the Silver ADDY in Book Design and the Bronze in Stationary design. He also won the Senior plaque design contest at Fresno Pacific University. In his free time, Dominic enjoys baking, reading, craft projects and photography.