Meet Our Internship Team | Intern Abroad HQ

Why our team matters to your internship abroad

Taking an internship overseas is a big step. Our team is your direct contact from the moment you enquire through to the day you head home. Every program manager has personal travel experience in the regions they support, and each one builds close relationships with host organizations so we can match interns with placements that actually move their careers forward.

When you apply with Intern Abroad HQ, you get a real person who knows your destination, your industry options, and what it takes to turn an internship into a career-defining experience.

Here is what our team helps you do:

Choose the right internship destination and industry placement
Match to a host organization that fits your career goals
Prepare for travel with destination-specific pre-departure support
Stay supported while you are overseas, 24/7
Walk away with an enhanced CV, new skills, and professional references

Leadership at Intern Abroad HQ

Intern Abroad HQ sits within HQ Travel Group. Our leadership team brings decades of combined experience in travel, international education, finance, and career development.

Sam Morrah

CEO

Sam has spent nearly 20 years in the travel industry. He has been to more than 80 countries and lived in six of them, and that perspective shapes how he runs HQ Travel Group today. He believes meaningful overseas experiences change people, and he has seen that play out across thousands of interns and the communities they have joined. The favorite part of his job is the people, both the team he works with and the participants who show up ready to make the most of their time abroad.

Eva Gunn

Finance Director

Eva is originally from Poland and started her career in London, where she spent 13 years and qualified as a chartered accountant. Over the past 20-plus years she has worked across a range of industries and built broad financial experience. Intern Abroad HQ is her favorite place to work because what we do genuinely makes a difference. Outside the spreadsheets, she enjoys reading, walking, and spending time with her family. She is always planning her next trip and has a real love for Asian cuisine.

The Intern Abroad HQ programs team

These are the people who run the day-to-day of Intern Abroad HQ. Program managers handle destination portfolios and are your direct contact throughout your internship.

Dallas Boyd

Head of Intern Abroad Programs (Bali, Belize, Czech Republic, Greece, Ireland, New Zealand, USA)

Dallas joined the HQ team in 2014 after several years of traveling and interning abroad herself. As a founding member of Intern Abroad HQ, she is constantly inspired by the students and young professionals we support. She believes the world is an amazing place and that it is the privilege of her career to shine a light on that. Our role, in her words, is to create the best possible stepping stones for personal and professional growth, which means opening up opportunities, worldviews, character, confidence, and friendships.

Sarah Butler

Program Manager (Europe, Africa)

After finishing university, Sarah swapped the Southern Hemisphere for London, exploring Europe whenever she could. Her love of adventure took her to Canada next, where she spent two seasons on the snowy mountains, skiing to her job and meeting people from all over the world. Those years taught her resilience, independence, and a love for new challenges. Sarah lives by the coast now and you will find her walking her dog along the beach, hunting down brunch spots, or making pottery on weekends. Fun fact: she also played an Elf in Lord of the Rings. Every day she gets to support students and young professionals as they take the leap to intern overseas, and as someone who has lived that herself, she finds it genuinely rewarding.

Veronica Franco

Program Manager (Latin America, Europe, Middle East)

Veronica joined Intern Abroad HQ in 2023 after moving from her home country, Colombia. She studied International Business because she has always loved travel, languages, and culture, and her role as a Program Manager turned out to be the perfect fit. Her favorite part of supporting interns is seeing them finish a placement with not just an enhanced CV, but more confidence, more cultural awareness, and memories that stay with them.

Karen Teo

Program Manager (South Africa, India, Japan, Malaysia, Australia, Nepal, South Korea, Tanzania)

Born in Singapore, educated in London, and now a New Zealander, Karen has had international travel, languages, and food running through her life. She has been a chef and spent 30 years in social work, and she has traveled across Asia, Europe, and Oceania (with plenty more places still on the list). Karen joined Intern Abroad HQ in 2021. The most rewarding part of the role for her is watching the transformation our internships spark in the people who take them on. Outside the office, she enjoys cooking, photography, and spending time with her corgi.

Watch these videos to meet our Internship Program Managers, they share their insights on global internship opportunities, popular destinations, and insider tips for aspiring interns.

Campus partnerships and business development

Our partnerships team builds programs with universities, colleges, and organizations worldwide, including group, academic credit, and custom internship options. If you are a faculty member, study abroad office lead, career services coordinator, or program designer, these are your people.

Kaila LeMaitre

Senior Lead, Campus Partnerships

Kaila is originally from Canada and started her career in film and television before a year-long backpacking trip changed her direction. She is a firm believer that the most significant personal growth happens the moment you step outside your comfort zone. As part of our Campus Relations team, she partners with universities and students worldwide to make international education programs happen. She has experienced the impact of global exchange herself, and she is committed to helping others get the same opportunity. Outside the office, you will usually find her golfing, in her veggie garden, volunteering at the local community theatre, or with her partner, dog, and cat.

Kristal Sawatzke

Senior Lead, Campus Partnerships

Kristal joins the team remotely from Minnesota. She grew up in a town of 600 people, but studying and volunteering abroad as a first-generation college student changed everything. Since then, she has lived in New Zealand and Qatar and traveled to more than 60 countries. She is drawn to nature and fascinated by culture and history. A few of her favorite places: Indonesia (where she studied abroad), South Africa, Georgia (the country), Anguilla, Seychelles, Turkey, Nepal, and Guatemala. Kristal has spent more than 15 years across university support services, international development, and non-profit leadership, and she is passionate about widening access to international experiences. Outside the office, she is the Chief Activities Officer for her three kids, and she can be found hiking, camping, sipping coffee, making art projects, or walking the family's two dogs, Emmy and Jeff.

Merran Kenworthy

Senior Lead, Groups Support

Merran studied Psychology at university, then turned an early interest in travel into a full-time pursuit, spending several years living abroad teaching in Japan and traveling extensively, back in the pre-digital days before email and mobile phones. She moved into the travel industry after that, with stints in corporate travel and coach touring before joining HQ Travel nearly five years ago, first as a Program Manager and now in Groups Support. Merran believes the best travel experiences are built on trust, which is why she puts so much into nurturing long-term relationships with our group partners. She loves the puzzle of finding creative, bespoke ways to meet a group's objectives, and seeing the photos and stories that come back is the part of the job she never gets tired of. Outside the office she is an avid cook and traveler, though most of her spare time goes to her dog, Griff.

Marketing, brand, and creative

Our marketing team tells the stories behind every internship and every career shift abroad. They are the people creating the content, campaigns, and creative you see across our channels.

Jodine Banks

Head of Marketing

Jodine has worked in marketing for over 15 years across brand, digital, and growth, and she enjoys building clear strategies that actually deliver. She is part of Intern Abroad HQ because she genuinely believes in what we do. Connecting people to internships means giving them the chance to build real-world experience while also contributing to communities around the world. Travel has shaped her own perspective, and being able to support opportunities that create that same impact for others is something she is proud of. Outside the office, Jodine loves traveling, especially in Asia and the Middle East. She is a foodie, and so far nothing beats Japanese food.

Hana Klenner

Senior Brand Manager

Hana has worked in marketing for 10 years, starting in advertising and design agencies before moving into finance and the public sector. Along the way, she has helped teams build brand identities, sharpen copy, and turn big ideas into creative that lands. Hana is all about creativity with purpose. She is drawn to projects that mean something, not just look good. That is why she loves being here. We get to connect people with meaningful experiences around the world, and she gets to use creativity to tell those stories in a way that feels real. Outside the office, you will usually find her at the beach, reading, or planning her next trip.

Caitlin Finnerty

Multimedia Designer

Caitlin has been a designer for 10 years across festivals, cultural organizations, and campaigns. Travel has shaped her creative perspective, especially time spent living in Scotland and exploring Vietnam, two places that left a real mark on her through their culture, landscapes, and visual identity. Experiencing new environments has deepened her love for storytelling, design, and the way visuals connect people across cultures. She still has a long list of places she wants to explore, and she brings those global influences back into her work to create designs that feel rich, authentic, and connected to the wider world.

Wojtek Gorny

Marketing Executive

Wojtek's career has crossed marketing, tourism, and the music industry, and that path has taken him around the globe. The inspiration he has gathered from different cultures has shaped his creative process and the ideas he brings to his marketing role. He looks at things holistically, catching the small details, connecting the dots, and producing creative content for Intern Abroad HQ. He cares about the planet, its people, and building a better tomorrow. Outside the office, Wojtek is usually outdoors surfing, running, hiking, and playing sports, or sharing music as DJ Upper.

Technology, operations, and office support

Behind every smooth internship application, every pre-departure email, and every payment is a team making sure things actually run. This is the crew that keeps our systems and our office moving.

Ivanna Molina

Tech Project Coordinator and Team Support

Ivanna is from Venezuela. She studied Social Communication and turned a love of storytelling into a career that has taken her from journalism and PR to marketing, and now into the tech world as a Tech Project Coordinator. She loves organizing chaos, connecting people, and turning big ideas into real outcomes. For the last four years, she has been growing with Intern Abroad HQ. The fact that what we do creates opportunities, experiences, and connections that can change people's lives is what keeps her here. When she is not working, she is probably dancing, planning her next trip, walking along the beach, laughing too loudly with friends, or having a slow afternoon at home with her husband.

Luis Garate

Senior Lead Full-stack Developer

Luis is originally from Argentina and is our Senior Lead Full-stack Developer. With nearly a decade of experience building web applications, he enjoys solving technical challenges and helping build the systems that our teams and travelers rely on every day. One of his favorite places he has ever visited is Florence, Italy. The history, architecture, and incredible food made it unforgettable, and probably explains why Italian cuisine is high on his list. He will never say no to a great plate of pasta. In his free time, he hangs out with friends, hits the gym, relaxes at the beach, and watches a good movie.

Dorian Wang

Financial Data Analyst

Dorian is originally from Datong, China, which is Mulan's hometown if you have seen the Disney movie. He is currently a Financial Data Analyst at Intern Abroad HQ. His background spans consulting, education, and finance, and he enjoys using data to find insights, support decisions, and shape business strategy. He is passionate about turning complex data into clear, meaningful stories. Dorian is part of Intern Abroad HQ because he loves what we stand for. Combining travel with opportunities that help people grow, gain real-world experience, and contribute to communities is something he genuinely values. The team's positive vibe makes it even better. Outside the office, he loves traveling, exploring new foods, and experiencing different cultures. He is a big fan of Japanese, Italian, Korean, French, Mexican, and Chinese cuisine.

Leanne Young

Finance Assistant and Office Manager

Leanne is the Finance Assistant and Office Manager at Intern Abroad HQ, although most people know her as the Office Mom. She handles the bills, HR, and pretty much everything office-related to keep things ticking over day to day. She is also a proud mom of two, which probably explains the organization skills (and the patience). Outside the office, Leanne loves fast cars (just not Holdens), red-bottom shoes, and anything to do with travel. Her travel bucket list is just as long as her heels are tall, and she is always dreaming up the next destination. She loves working for Intern Abroad HQ because of what we do and the impact we have in communities that need it most.

Frequently asked questions about the Intern Abroad HQ team

Intern Abroad HQ is led by CEO Sam Morrah and sits within HQ Travel Group. The Intern Abroad HQ programs team is headed by Dallas Boyd, Head of Intern Abroad Programs and a founding member of the brand. Regional program managers Sarah Butler, Veronica Franco, and Karen Teo handle destination portfolios across Europe, Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, Asia, and the Pacific.

Our core team is based in New Zealand, where HQ Travel Group was founded. Several team members are remote across other regions. Our in-country partners are based in each of the 20-plus destinations we send interns to.

Yes. Once you book an internship with Intern Abroad HQ, you are matched with a regional program manager who handles your placement, pre-departure preparation, and ongoing support. Program managers are assigned by destination. For example, Dallas Boyd covers Bali, Belize, Czech Republic, Greece, Ireland, New Zealand, and the USA.

Dallas Boyd has been with Intern Abroad HQ since 2014 as a founding member. Karen Teo joined in 2021. Sarah Butler has been with HQ Travel Group for more than five years. The wider HQ Travel Group team brings decades of combined experience in international education, career development, and responsible travel.

Yes. You can get in touch with our team before you apply to chat through destinations, industry placements, and timing based on your career goals. The right program manager for your destination will follow up once you start an application.

Our Campus Partnerships team, led by Kaila LeMaitre and Kristal Sawatzke, works directly with universities, colleges, and career services offices. Group and custom programs are supported by Merran Kenworthy.

Your program manager handles the match. Once you apply, they review your background, study area, and career goals, then work with our in-country host organization network to find a placement that fits. Each placement is customized, not pulled from a fixed list.

Meet the Team Behind Intern Abroad HQ