Tour Directors

Born in Toronto (Scarborough), Briana is currently finishing her final year at the University of Toronto with a double major in Drama and English. With over 15 tours of Ottawa and New York City under her belt, Briana is a seasoned Keating by Explorica Tour Director.

When not tour directing, Briana loves to keep travelling on her own. Her favorite recent individual travel experience was when she spent seven weeks backpacking through Europe.

Briana’s Travel Tip: Always bring a few zip-lock bags and a deck of cards - you never know what they might end up being useful for!

Dick Swarn is an experienced, licensed Tour Director and Tour Guide known as “Mr. New York.” Dick is a New Yorker living right in the heart of the city that he loves and loves to show off to others. He works hard to have everyone in his groups come to love the sights, sounds, events, activities and even the smells and the pace of New York City as much as he does. Dick knows the ins and outs of all regular and off-the-beaten-path places and events in NYC which ensures that his groups come away with a proper mix of wonder, education and fun…and shopping.

What Dick does when he's not leading an Explorica tour: His passions are New York City itself, Broadway theatre, the arts, Central Park, and eating and walking in the diverse neighborhoods.

Originally from Brittany, France, Frederick now lives in London and has considered it home for the past 16 years. As an Explorica Tour Director, however, he still makes frequent visits to L’hexagone, having led more than 20 tours in its region.

What Federick does when he’s not leading an Explorica tour: "I run my own business and I take an awful lot of holidays in between!!"

Joe Steinbock is originally from Vancouver, Canada though he has spent most of his life in the United States. An Explorica Tour Director since 2006, Joe is a licensed guide in Washington, DC and New York City, and has led tours on the East Coast and in California.

What Joe does when he's not leading an Explorica tour: When not Tour Directing, he enjoys traveling with his diverse family including seven grandchildren.

Now a Tour Director in Greece, Katrin originally grew up in Paris and attended the University of Creteil. A nature lover, who enjoys swimming and walking, she has led 13 tours with Explorica.

Katrin’s Travel Tip: "Leave your habits at home and get new ones!"

A Moncton, New Brunswick native, Kyle currently calls Hamilton, Ontario his home. Since majoring in both Biology and Psychology at McMaster University, Kyle has led over thirty tours, specialising in Québec, Toronto, and New York City. Fluent in English and French, Kyle always brings excitement to the tour experience, and encourages students to always “keep an open mind and to try new things”.

When not leading tours, Kyle enjoys swimming and travelling on his own.

Leanna grew up on a small farm in the Canadian prairies, but now lives in Germany. She leads many of Explorica’s tours in Central Europe and, even when not on tour, enjoys "discovering the world" with her husband and two year old daughter.

Leanna’s Travel Tip: "One of my favourite things about living in Germany is the abundance of hiking trails...All you need are a pair of comfortable shoes, a small overnight bag and a small amount of cash and you'll find yourself enjoying one of the best holidays of your life!"

Living across France, Greece, and Switzerland, Marianna has been a guide for about 55 of Explorica’s European tours. She speaks 6 languages, including French, Greek, English, German, Italian, and Swiss German and enjoys listening to Blues and Jazz music.

Marianna’s Favorite Film: Federico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita

An Explorica Tour Director for about 8 years now, Marina grew up in Italy between the hustle and bustle of Milan and the small town of Morvieto. She studied Foreign Language and Literature at Italy’s University of Viterbo, but spent a semester in Germany and two summers in Austria. Her favorite band is U2 and she enjoys any films from Federico Fellini or Pedro Almodovar.

Marina’s Travel Tip: "Whenever I am in a new place I try to go to a local market. It provides a great insight on how locals live."

Hailing from the Leaside neighbourhood of Toronto, this Ryerson grad still calls Toronto home. A veteran Tour Director, Matt has led over 30 tours, most often to Ottawa, Washington D.C. and his hometown.

When not leading tours, Matt loves snowboarding, softball, and spending as much warm-weather time as possible in ‘cottage country’.

Matt’s Travel Tip: You can never have enough pairs of clean socks.

A native of Madrid, Roberto has led about 30 tours across Spain, Portugal, Rome, and Morocco. He speaks Spanish, English, and Italian and enjoys more books and movies than he can name.

What Roberto does when not leading an Explorica tour: Enjoys sports and travelling.