Angie Trovik

Angie has been a part of the Big Hat Outdoors family of businesses since 2001 and she was beyond excited when we added in the new women’s travel group, Beatrice Bradley! Angie absolutely loves the outdoors and traveling! While keeping controls on all the financials and human resources is her main job, her favorite part is having the honor of hosting a few of our adventures each year! Hopefully one with you! These trips are absolutely magical! The immediate bonding you feel on one of our trips will leave you with life-long new friendships. She has never seen anything quite like it! Looking forward to our next adventure together!

Anna Kruger

Anna calls White Bear Lake home, where she and her husband, Lance (nearly 10 years in!), share their days with two spirited pups, Murphy and Walter. Whether cruising the lake on a boat or planning the next escape, Anna’s heart is happiest near water and wide open skies.

She’s a lifelong lover of horses, the western way, and the energy of rodeo days. A true foodie at heart, Anna delights in exploring global flavors — one of her favorite meals to date came from a tucked-away taverna in Greece. She’s also passionate about natural wellness, health, and nutrition, balancing her adventurous side with care for body and mind.

When she’s not by the lake or trying a new hike, you’ll find Anna soaking in sunlit beaches, working on her golf swing (yes, she’s taken up lessons!), or belting out her favorite ‘90s country tunes at the top of her lungs. Her travel bucket list continues to grow — Croatia is next on her list, and she can’t wait to wander its coastlines, taste its food, and let the journey shape the story.

Becky Lysdahl

Becky and her sister, fellow BB host Melissa Paulson, were lucky to start traveling with their family when they were young. A semester studying in London during college led to a job in the UK, and Becky lived and worked in Rugby, England for a year and a half, exploring and traveling through Europe along the way.

Becky and her husband loved taking their three kids on adventurous trips, and now their granddaughters too, passing the love of travel on to the next generations. Hosting adventuresome women and building new friendships through Beatrice Bradley is the “cherry on top” of her travel adventures!

Carrie Nerison

Carrie lives by a simple but powerful motto: “Strangers are just friends that I haven’t met!” For Carrie, life is an ongoing adventure fueled by a deep love for meeting new people, embracing nature, and cherishing time with her family and friends.

Now officially retired, Carrie spends her days fully enjoying life with her husband, friends, and family. Her energetic spirit has always kept her very active. Whether she is out walking, playing pickleball, or entertaining her loved ones, she brings vibrant warmth to everything she does. This affectionate nature also extends to the animal kingdom; dogs and Carrie have a mutual love for each other that brings constant joy to her life.

Before enjoying retirement, Carrie built a fulfilling career centered around people. During her years of employment, she worked in Human Resources and spent time as a wedding coordinator. More recently, she has focused on assisting local seniors, helping them maintain their independence and stay in their own homes longer.

Now, an exciting new chapter is beginning for Carrie as she has always had a passion for traveling. This hosting opportunity with Beatrice Bradley perfectly combines Carrie’s love for the senior community and travel, while fulfilling her desire for purpose and adventure.

At the center of Carrie’s world is her family. She and her husband, Dale, met in college and have been happily married for 42 years. Together, they settled in Maple Grove, Minnesota, where they raised four children—all of whom are now married. Today, they find themselves deeply blessed with five grandsons who keep their family circle growing and full of laughter.

Connie Hart

Connie was born in MN and grew up in Florida. She is married with 3 children and 3 grandchildren. Connie spent most of her career in development and property management. Her interests are boating, travel and sports. Travel inspires her because she loves learning about new places and meeting new faces, it keeps us growing by taking us out of our comfort zones!

Ellen Swanson

Ellen grew up in Northern Minnesota and loves the outdoors! She has traveled widely across the United States and Europe.

Life is not a trial run… we get one chance to take advantage of it.

It is meant for experiences, conversations and beautiful soulful persons to share and explore with…so take them!

So looking forward to sharing time with you and our adventures together!

Happy Chronister

Happy’s first hosting adventure was in her home state of Alaska. She has lived in Anchorage, AK for over 60 years. Now that she has retired from teaching and running three Airbnbs she is free to divide her time between 4 adult children and grandchildren in Texas and Alaska.

She loves meeting new people and traveling to new places. Happy especially enjoys road trips, cruising, and traveling abroad. Since retiring she has been on 3 Caribbean cruises, gone to France, London, and visited 5 National Parks.

Happy keeps busy learning new things, playing games, cooking, baking, caring for grandkids, entertaining, and volunteering in her church and community. Currently, she attends several Bible studies, participates in game and dinner groups, plans events for nonprofit groups, and takes horseback riding lessons with her granddaughters. Hosting travel tours will be a great way to simultaneously do many of the things she loves.

“I look forward to seeing our wonderful United States and the world with you!” Happy can’t wait to meet you and help foster meaningful friendships and relationships with you and other women travelers. “Let’s go!”

Jane Rabe

Jane is from Minneapolis, MN and LOVES to travel and LOVES people! Jane loves to plan the fabulous adventures and also hosting some of them. Jane has been on many interesting adventures on her many travels!

Beatrice Bradley has been a wonderful way for solo travelers to meet other new friends from across this wonderful nation of ours!

Jessica Betts

Jessica has lived in South Dakota along the Missouri River most of her life! She loves fishing and anything water related!

Her love of travel started at age 16 when she toured Spain for a month! She now has a personal mission to visit all of the National Parks in the USA!

Jessica owns her own dog grooming salon and has 5 of her own rescue dogs.

Jessica is so looking forward to traveling with you!

Jill Morley

Jill was born & raised in Minnesota. After marriage & the birth of her two sons, they moved the family to South Dakota and started an outdoor company. She & her family traveled in a motorhome and homeschooled their boys for 2 years and traveled all of the U.S. & Alaska. You can find Jill in the summer in northern Minnesota, enjoying lake life, fall in South Dakota pheasant hunting and winter in Arizona, hiking & shooting sporting clays.

“Once a year go somewhere you’ve never been before.”Jill

Julie Ann Nettifee

Julie Ann was born and raised in Fairmont, Minnesota, the middle of five kids, and today she calls Apex, North Carolina home. She’s the proud mom of her son, Jordan, and shares her home with her dog, Onyx, and her cat, Paradox.

For more than 35 years, Julie Ann worked as a veterinary nurse, so caring for others has always been at the heart of who she is. She’s a good listener who loves making sure every woman around her feels seen and cared for. She’s also happily organized, and you’ll usually find her with a camera in hand, capturing the moment.

Julie Ann loves all of God’s creation and is happiest outdoors. Hiking, kayaking on a quiet lake, cross-country skiing, birding and watching wildlife are some of her favorite ways to spend a day, and she’s always learning more about the natural world. She’s a proud conservative who loves this country, its history and the values it was built on.

Karen Schluchter

After growing up in Michigan and attending college, Karen met her husband Steve, and they were married in 1997 on the television show Live with Kathie Lee and Regis in New York City. Their prize included a honeymoon in Greece, where they jumped off a cruise ship and wandered Mykonos for 10 days. They were blessed with twin boys, Jack and Drew, in 2000 and their youngest, Evander, in 2005. Their family lives in Tampa, Florida, where they love the white sandy beaches and year-round activities!

Karen’s most memorable trips include getting stuck on a cruise ship in Saint Maarten, not a bad place to be stranded! She has bounced down the frozen Alps in Austria, taught her kids how to ski in Montana and Colorado, and wandered the streets of Havana, London, and Athens. A tour of Italy was a highlight, especially sailing through Venice.

When Karen was invited to join Beatrice Bradley as a host in 2023, it was the perfect fit! She is excited to guide you on your next unforgettable journey, where friendships can be made that last a lifetime, and experiences you will cherish forever! The best part about memories is making them and she hopes to be a part of yours.

Hope to see you soon!

Karla Haley

Karla is from North Dakota and loves spending her summers enjoying adventures at the family cabin in northern Minnesota. She’s an avid golfer, finds joy paddleboarding on local lakes, and enjoys tending to her garden in her free time.

As a full-time realtor, Karla takes great pride in helping people achieve their dreams—whether that means buying their first home, building a custom property, or finding the perfect place to downsize.

Recently, she came across a quote that resonated deeply: “We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.” Karla realized that throughout our lives, we often postpone travel for one reason or another—but being a solo traveler doesn’t have to be one of them.

Through Beatrice Bradley, Karla is thrilled to help solo Patriot women travelers turn their dreams into reality. She loves being part of a community where women can explore the world in a safe, adventurous environment among like-minded friends. It’s incredibly rewarding for her to see lasting friendships blossom and to witness guests gain confidence, create memories, and truly come into their own.

Kelly Kittleson

Kelly is a “semi-retired” wife, mother of 2, grandmother of 6 who loves to travel and if a “thrill of adventure” is included in a trip, all the better! She and her husband live on a small crop farm in SE Minnesota and enjoy camping, visiting our daughter and grandkids in Boston, and relaxing at home. Of all the jobs she’s had over the years, hosting for Beatrice Bradley is by far the most amazing, fun, and rewarding of them all.

Many of the women Kelly has met on these trips are making their first trip “alone” and found Beatrice Bradley the perfect place to give it a try. They meet on the first day a little nervous, but by the time we say goodbye, new friends and travel companions have been found. Traveling “alone, together” with like-minded women can quench an inner thirst when you didn’t even know you were thirsty!

Kim Caouette

Kim Caouette is an adventure seeker, a connector of kindred spirits and a lover of new experiences. She believes life is best lived with curiosity, courage and community. Whether she’s exploring a new destination, sharing stories around a bonfire or planning meaningful gatherings, Kim thrives on creating moments that bring people together in authentic and lasting ways.

When she’s not traveling, you’ll find Kim on the back of a horse or just watching them run free. What started as a fascination turned into a lifelong connection, and riding and caring for horses taught her patience, trust and presence, lessons that mirror the best parts of travel.

Whether she’s planning her next trip, out on the trail or learning something new, Kim is always seeking moments of connection, adventure and growth, and she hopes her journey inspires a bit of yours.

Kimberly Johnson

Kim is drawn to the stories behind historic places, and she’s just as happy soaking up the sunshine on a tropical beach. An experienced world traveler, she’s explored from New York and Paris to faraway destinations, and she’s always ready for the next one.

Food is Kim’s favorite way to get to know a new place. She loves finding local restaurants and taking cooking classes, because sharing a delicious meal is one of the best ways to connect with a place and with each other.

A natural hostess with a fun-loving spirit, Kim finds her way easily in new places and makes sure there’s always time to enjoy the moment. Her ideal day includes exploring, laughing and a little time to relax. She loves bringing people together and helping turn unfamiliar faces into friends you’ll want to travel with again.

Kristi Southwick

Kristi Southwick is a wife and mom with a genuine love for travel, the outdoors, and meaningful connection. She has a natural gift for bringing people together and creating environments where everyone feels comfortable, seen, and welcome. Whether she’s hosting around the table or leading a group through a new destination, Kristi’s warmth and thoughtfulness set the tone.

She loves cooking, hosting, and caring for the details that turn a gathering into an experience. Rooted in her faith in God and guided by a deep love for America, Kristi lives with purpose, gratitude, and a strong sense of service. She believes the best moments happen when people step outside their comfort zones, share stories, and build real relationships along the way.

Kristi brings heart, authenticity, and a steady presence to everything she does—making every journey feel less like a trip and more like coming home.

Kristine Olson

Kristine is passionate about making genuine connections and creating unforgettable memories wherever she goes. She loves the outdoors—especially “up north” on the beautiful waters of Lake Vermilion—and believes in keeping life full of movement, whether that’s hiking, working out, or simply soaking up fresh air.

A true adventurer at heart, Kristine has cruised the Mediterranean and explored the Alaskan coast, but her favorite trip so far has been discovering the charm and history of Germany. Another unforgettable adventure? Being a contestant on Family Feud and meeting Steve Harvey!

Married to her husband for 30 years and a proud mom of four amazing kids, Kristine treasures family, connection, and a good laugh. When she’s not traveling, you’ll likely find her thrifting or hitting garage sales—her favorite kind of treasure hunt! Kristine is excited to bring her upbeat energy and love for adventure to Beatrice Bradley, creating unforgettable experiences with incredible women in beautiful destinations around the world.

Laura Rendon

Laura is a proud member of the Beatrice Bradley Hosting Team. After a successful career in finance and corporate training, she now enjoys sharing her love of travel and adventure with women from all walks of life. She and her husband raised three amazing sons and are proud grandparents to two wonderful grandchildren. Las Vegas is home, though she’ll always be a Texas girl at heart.

Laura’s advice to solo travelers is simple — jump out there and see where each adventure takes you! Hosting has been incredibly rewarding, giving her the chance to connect with women who share a passion for exploring, laughing, and stepping outside their comfort zones. Every trip brings new friendships and unforgettable memories — and she can’t wait to see you on the next adventure!

Linda May Poche

Linda was born in Bakersfield, CA and raised all over the United States in a military family. She has been fortunate enough to travel all over the world, but there is no place like home (USA)! As a traveler with BB, Linda fell in love with traveling to unfamiliar places and meeting new like-minded ladies from diverse backgrounds and all corners of the world.

As a host, she has been blessed to take something from each of the ladies she meets and carry it into her daily life. When she is not doing the travel thing, Linda loves to spend time with her amazing family, riding her motorcycle to destinations unknown and living life to the fullest.

“Ladies, BB changed my life in countless ways. Come join us for tremendous new adventures & make lifelong friendships.”Linda

Liz Schmillen

Liz was born and raised in Minnesota. After being in the professional world for almost 30 years, she decided to make a change and try something new. Traveling has always been something she has enjoyed and meeting new people makes the experiences even more special. When Liz isn’t traveling, she’s either on the pickleball court or hanging out with her family.

“Just do it! You won’t regret it and will make lasting memories and have a great time traveling with like-minded women.”Liz’s advice

Melissa Paulson

Melissa has loved to travel her entire life as her dad worked for the airlines when she was little. She passed her adventurous spirit on to her daughter and they have had many great trips including their favorite to the Big Island and Kauai in 2023. Some of her favorite places she has visited include Greece, England, New York, Boston, Savannah and Tybee Island in Georgia. Currently navigating being an empty nester, she still keeps busy with friends, family and pickleball.

Melissa’s advice to solo travelers:

1. Always be thinking of your next trip
2. Be Adventurous
3. Carpe Diem
4. Don’t worry, we got you!

Mercy Ray

Mercy grew up in The Last Frontier in Anchorage, Alaska. From early childhood, she was exposed to wilderness adventures in the great outdoors. Whether she was running in the mountains, canoeing, skiing, orienteering, shooting at the range, moose hunting, hiking remotely or fishing, she never strayed far from her love for adventure and the outdoors.

Mercy loves traveling and sharing great adventures with our BB ladies. Some of her favorite trips are Alaska, Yellowstone/Tetons and Africa. Mercy is looking forward to many more trips to come and sharing her love of exploring.

Michaelle Meland

Michaelle is a family-first person with a deep love of adventure. She and her husband, Paul, have been married for over 30 years and raised three wonderful adult children. Their happiest moments are often the simplest ones: time at the cabin, days on the boat and long hikes with their dogs.

With friends, you’ll usually find Michaelle training for triathlons or heading off on a girls’ getaway. In quieter moments, she’s an avid reader (especially history) or happily putzing around her garden, still very much a rookie.

Her passion for travel was sparked during her junior year of college, when she lived in London and explored other countries. Michaelle has called the Twin Cities home since 1984, and she’s looking forward to helping Beatrice Bradley travelers create some of the most memorable experiences of their lives.

Her favorite packing tip: roll each piece of clothing individually, with shirts on one side of your suitcase and pants and shorts on the other. You’ll see all your color options at a glance, and it saves space too!

Michelle McCarthy

Michelle is happiest when there’s a little adventure involved. She’ll gladly go hiking, zip lining or whitewater rafting, and she loves the buzz of a big city like New York or Paris. Tropical beach or snowy mountain town, she wants to explore it, learn its history and capture it with her camera.

Compassion is Michelle’s superpower. She’s a thoughtful listener with a warm heart who makes sure every woman feels welcome and included, and she knows how to bring the fun. In her own words, “I can have fun in a cardboard box or dance in the subway.” And yes, she’s a foodie who never passes up a wonderful restaurant or a cooking class.

Michelle loves being organized but can switch gears with a smile when plans change. She can’t wait to share adventures with our BB ladies and help make the laughter and friendships every bit as special as the destinations.

Rosey Boston

Rosey was born in Santa Cruz, California and grew up in Tucson, Arizona. She attended college at Arizona State University, studying sports medicine, and after having her three children she moved to Texas. She lived in Austin, Texas for seven years and then moved back to Phoenix and is now an empty nester and full-time realtor. She is excited to have more time to travel now that her children are grown. She spends her free time volunteering in her church nursery and works part time with infants and toddlers. She has traveled all over Mexico and Hawaii but is excited to visit more areas in the U.S. and other countries. She loves the beach, working out, hiking, yoga, tennis, chess, pickleball, golf, bowling and all kinds of activities. She can’t wait to travel and share adventures with all the BB ladies.

Sande Wier

Sande is a proud Texan, born and raised in the heart of the Lone Star State. Now residing in San Angelo with her husband Travis, Sande enjoys life with their two sons, ages 20 and 22.

After spending more than two decades in the banking and financial industry, Sande decided to expand her horizons. Her love for travel and exploring new places—including internationally—has given her a deep appreciation for the outdoors. Whether hiking, discovering new cities, or relaxing in nature, she embraces every opportunity to learn and grow through her travels.

Sande loves being part of the Beatrice Bradley team, and brings enthusiasm and love for exploration into her role, eager to meet others and make a meaningful impact.

Sara Barthel

Sara Barthel grew up in Iowa, spent 8 years in Minnesota for college and grad school, then 2 years in Guatemala and 13 years in San Diego. She currently resides in the Texas Hill country with her husband, Terrence. Sara is a Functional Medicine Nutritionist and owns a virtual practice, VibrantVia, where she helps women rebalance their digestion, hormones, energy and weight naturally. She is a former Ironman and ultraendurance athlete who is passionate about helping women achieve optimal health and vitality.

Sara believes that travel is the best way to experience new cultures, food and languages and to meet amazing people!

Sharon Larson

Before starting with Beatrice Bradley as a travel host in August 2022, Sharon was a professional Sales Executive working at developing customer and supplier relationships for various industries. Sharon’s love of travel surfaced during this time when she traveled extensively throughout the US, Canada, Asian, and European countries.

What brings so much joy to Sharon is seeing the long-lasting friendships develop from the first day to the last day of every trip. Sharon is dedicated to helping clients reach their dreams in every travel adventure!

“I’d rather regret the things I’ve done than regret the things I haven’t done” – Lucille Ball”Lucille Ball

Suzanne Ray

When Suzanne graduated from college, she decided that she wanted to travel the world, so she was elated when her fiancé agreed that a perfect honeymoon would be a year and a half bicycle trip from British Columbia to Florida and then from the Netherlands to Greece. The once-in-a-lifetime trip left her with a constant wanderlust. Thankfully, the wonderful profession of teaching left Suzanne with time to travel each summer. When her two girls were little, that travel consisted of modest but adventurous camping and canoeing expeditions. As the girls grew, the family decided together that they preferred going to culturally interesting places like small villages in Mexico instead of heading to Hawaii, the vacation destination of choice for most Alaskans. In her forties, as a competitive masters runner, Suzanne was invited to travel to races in many unique locations, the most memorable of which was the Bangkok Marathon. Suzanne also enjoyed helping supervise service trips with groups of young people to Ecuador, Guatemala, and many locations in Mexico.

Suzanne is excited about joining Beatrice Bradley in offering travel experiences to women who are looking for friends to have adventures with. She loves to help women immerse themselves in new environments instead of simply being tourists, and she is dedicated to helping women be as active as they want to be while they develop new travel friendships that may last a lifetime.

Tracey Winter

Adventure-driven and creatively inclined, Tracey is someone who finds joy in the balance of movement, mindfulness, and meaningful experiences. With a passport stamped in 20 countries and counting, she blends a love for luxury with a passion for exploration—whether hiking remote trails, savoring street food under neon lights, or sipping wine in a Tuscan vineyard. From lifting weights at the gym to swimming laps to clear her mind, Tracey lives life with energy and intention. When she’s not on the go, she’s often lost in a good book, crafting by hand or spending quality time with her dog—her favorite companion. Always seeking the next challenge or creative outlet, she thrives on blending the active with the artistic and finding deep connection, great food and unforgettable stories along the way. Tracey lives in Colleyville, Texas with her husband Steve and golden retriever Murphy. Tracey and Steve have two grown children.

Wynndy Sampson

Wynndy is a retired secretary bookkeeper from her local small high school (230 students in grades 7-12). She has two children, Stephanie and Mark, and is a proud grandma! Wynndy lost her husband in 2020, the same month that she retired.

Wynndy and her husband were planning on traveling after retirement. She still wanted to travel but wasn’t comfortable going alone, so she joined the Beatrice Bradley group and went to New York for her first solo trip. She met a great group of ladies and continued to see two of them monthly as they found out they lived close to each other. Beatrice Bradley gave her the confidence to travel alone. They took all the worry away because even though she traveled solo, she wasn’t alone! Wynndy was fortunate enough to join the Beatrice Bradley team as a hostess, so she still gets to travel solo with new friends!

Dana Larson

Born and raised in Minnesota, Dana developed a deep love for the outdoors early in life. He now calls Texas home, where he lives with his beloved yellow lab, Nikki. As a longtime member of the Big Hat family, Dana has had the opportunity to hunt and explore around the world. He is excited to bring that experience and passion to the Beatrice Bradley team as a Driver Guide sharing his love for nature, travel and the open road with the guests.

Kyle Krohn

Kyle hosts many of the BB Couples trips with his wife, Jane Rabe, one of the Beatrice Bradley founders. Kyle has found that traveling with like-minded people is the best way to make new friends and experience new places. He also loves to fish and cook. Photography is Kyle’s passion and when you are on a trip with us, he will photograph the entire trip and will share the photos with you after the trip.

Cheers and looking forward to meeting you on upcoming BB Couples Trips!

Tom Swanson

Tom hosts Beatrice Bradley couples trips alongside his wife, Ellen. He is happiest outdoors, whether he is out on the water fishing or out in the field pheasant hunting!

Tom loves exploring our beautiful country and international destinations, and he can’t wait to share those adventures with you!