Staffing on the Road

Trip Staff Contact Details

• Stanford tour manager Catrina Buchser: +1 (650) 644-6299 (beginning on October 21)

• Local operator representative Francesca Assandri: +39 333-690-4322 (beginning October 20)

• Grand Hotel Sitea: +39 (0) 11 51 70 171 (transfers for those arriving on the morning of October 20 or earlier)

• U.S. Tour operator Carol Young: +1 (505) 660-4561

Please note cell phone service may not be available at all times, particularly in remote locations.

If friends or family back home have difficulty reaching a participant at any point during the program, they can contact the Stanford Travel/Study office by phone at +1 (650) 725-1093 or by email at travelstudy@alumni.stanford.edu. Our regular phone hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time on weekdays.

Catrina Buchser, STANFORD TOUR MANAGER

Stanford Travel/Study sends a representative along with each tour to assist with the details, leaving you free to enjoy your trip. Hailing from Romania, Catrina was born into a family of artists who believed traveling is just as educational as going to a university. So she did both! After exploring Europe throughout her childhood, she ended up at Stanford for her undergraduate and graduate degrees (in human biology and theatre directing), and now continues to explore the world with her husband and two daughters. When she’s not planning or tour managing trips for Stanford Travel/Study, Catrina sings with Symphony Silicon Valley Chorale. She will work closely with our local operator and guides to make sure everything runs as smoothly as possible. Please let her know if at any time during the trip she can be of assistance to you.

Francesca Assandri, LOCAL OPERATOR REPRESENTATIVE

We are fortunate to have Francesca Assandri, representing Travel Concepts, to help manage the logistics and operations on our program. Francesca was born and raised in Genoa, where she earned her B.A. in Geology. After a few years in the oil and gas industry, she began work first as a hiking guide in Portofino, Cinque Terre and the Piedmont, and later as a licensed national guide. She is passionate about introducing visitors to the landscapes, traditions, food and wines of her native country.

Contacts in the Travel/Study Office