About Us

Christa founded Enlight Global in 2024 to bring conservation focused travel to the educational space. With over a decade of experience in global education, Christa leads our mission to connect travelers with the world's most extraordinary people and their land. Her passion for education, biodiversity, and cultural preservation drives our innovative approach to experiential learning and sustainable tourism.

Prior to Enlight Global, Christa served as Director of Enrollment at Marshall School in Minnesota for over a decade. She developed the school's first international program, eventually enrolling over 40 international students annually. Her experience includes program development and budgeting, international travel planning, marketing and recruitment, student safety and oversight, immigration, and global communications. Christa served as one of two NAIS Global Ambassadors nationally in 2021-22, and has twice served as chair of the Study Minnesota Consortium (35+ internationally involved MN educational institutions), directing and coordinating efforts to put Minnesota on the map both nationally, and internationally.

She has represented both Marshall School and the State of Minnesota at numerous events, locally and globally, including representing Minnesota at the US Commercial Service Pavilion at NAFSA. As a professional, she is recognized for her vision, skills and networking capabilities.

Christa has also completed Master's level coursework in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages), and has worked with teachers and language schools in both Da Nang and the Mekong Delta, Vietnam to enhance and broaden teaching methodologies. She has taught numerous student courses, including the Foreign Policy Association's Great Decisions curriculum, and a Theory of Knowledge short course.

Christa lives in Duluth, Minnesota with her family and two furry companions. In her free time, she enjoys swimming, baking, and writing.

Jayva brings her creative vision and extensive travel expertise to craft unforgettable journeys that blend adventure with education. Her deep understanding of sustainable tourism and cultural sensitivity ensures our programs create meaningful connections between travelers and local communities.

In her free time, Jayva enjoys street snowboarding, coaching rowing, and spending time with friends and family.

Sarah directs Enlight Global's conservation program, working with partners across the globe to develop travel packages that provide immersive experiences in critical issues such as habitat loss, endangered species, and ecosystem restoration. Although trained in Western science, Sarah's eye is often on the critical role of traditional ecological knowledge in conservation, and how much we can learn about habitat protection from cultures and worldviews more focused on deep connection and reciprocal relationships with the natural world.

Previously, Sarah worked for 15 years at the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation where she led Xerces' Upper Midwest pollinator team, largely focused on restoring habitat, reducing pesticides, and key policy and education initiatives. She worked with farmers to plant hundreds of acres of native habitat on agricultural lands; wrote Endangered Species Act petitions for our nation's most at-risk insects; and completed IUCN status assessments for all North American's bumble bees.

A sought-after educator, Sarah teaches a wide range of natural history topics, especially focused on habitat restoration, insect conservation, and wild edible mushrooms & plants. An avid forager, Sarah loves how wild food provides both exceptional nourishment and connection to ecological communities.

Sarah holds a Master's in Zoology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Minnesota.