CHIEF ADVENTURE PLANNER

I’m Kate, the founder of One Adventure Away, and I’ve been traveling for years, starting my international adventures in 1992. My first trip was with my family, and we took two weeks exploring Italy on the classic “Grand Tour” path of Rome, Florence, and Venice. I was a snotty kid back then who didn’t bother to learn a word of Italian, yelled in slow, exaggerated English at Italians when they didn’t understand my non-yelling English, fancied myself a “vegetarian” when really all I ate was cheese and French fries, and crammed five pairs of shoes and at least four dresses I never wore into my carry-on. (Even back then, my very well-traveled Dad insisted on carry-on. He was not wrong.)

In 1997, as a student at Seattle University majoring in history focusing on the European Renaissance & Reformation, I got the opportunity to do a mini-study abroad on a newly formed program that focused on the Italian Renaissance… specifically art history and philosophy. That summer was life-changing. I traveled alone for the first time into a foreign country with a year of Italian language under my belt, and I’ve never looked back. I came back to that Seattle University study abroad program as a graduate assistant for the next six summers, and my love of Europe, travel, and helping people find their joy in both was born.

I’ve traveled to a whole host of European countries, learned the hard way about smart packing, the best modes of transportation depending on the country, where to stay, how to interact with locals, and how not to be that snotty kid from 1992. Along the way, I’ve helped countless friends and relatives plan their European adventures, which is how OAA was finally born. I’ve planned incredible adventures for solo trips, groups as large as 80, and everything in between.

I’m glad you’re here, and I can’t wait to help you on your way to your perfect travel moment.

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CHIEF CREATIVE PLANNER

Steve wears a lot of hats—musician, music nerd, writer, cook, history buff, and dad—and somehow manages to make them all look cool. As Chief Creative Planner at OAA, he’s the force behind our creative retreat planning service, helping musicians, writers, and other imaginative souls escape the grind and get back to what really matters: making art.

With years of travel under his belt across Europe, the United States, South America, and Canada, and as a musician and band member himself, Steve has a sixth sense for spotting the kinds of places that spark inspiration—a seaside cottage for songwriting, a tucked-away farmhouse for workshopping your next novel, a countryside villa for group jams and deep thoughts over wine. His passion for creativity runs deep, and his mission is simple: build you a retreat that clears the noise and makes space for what moves you.

Steve knows firsthand how hard it is to create when you’re juggling everyday life (he’s a dad, after all). That’s why he obsesses over the details—finding spaces that spark inspiration, sketching out logistics that don’t kill the mood, and leaving room for magic. Whether you’re traveling solo with a camera and a playlist or rolling deep with your bandmates and a half-finished concept album, Steve’s your guy.

And yes—he will absolutely give you restaurant recs. He’s a fantastic cook, an enthusiastic eater, and he has very strong opinions about bread.

If you're looking to trade burnout for breakthroughs, Steve's ready to help you do it in style. No corporate retreat vibes. No stale conference rooms. Just real places for real artists to actually get stuff done.

Steve is Kate’s partner not just in business but in life. They share a love of travel and adventure, exploring everywhere from deep in the prehistoric caves of France to their unending quest for the best pizza in New York City.

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