About Africa Dynamics
We are in this business because of our deep love of Africa and her wildlife.
Our roots are in Africa – owner Sandra Collier was born, lived and worked in Africa until she moved to the USA in 2003. Since then, she has drawn a small group of like-minded people into the team to bring Africa and the continent’s breathtaking adventures to discerning travelers.
We know that every client who travels to Africa with us not only experiences a life-changing journey but that their travel contributes in some way to sustaining and protecting wildlife and supporting the communities in these wildlife areas.
We are continually exploring new places, new ideas, and new experiences to our clients who now share our passion and return to Africa again and again.
What We Do
We partner with a network of rock solid, reliable operators throughout Africa to create custom travel programs that fulfil the dreams of our clients and exceed their expectations in every way.
Africa is a developing continent – which is part of its fascination but can also present challenges. Our partners in Africa provide us with daily updates on changing environmental, political and climate issues, new opportunities, unique concepts, and stunning wildlife reports. We share those with our clients and keep each client updated on a regular basis as they plan and dream of their journey.
We recognize that every client, while enjoying a trip planned only for them, has a budget, and we work with our partners, using combined buying power to provide the best possible value within that budget.
We strive to provide a seamless service from the moment clients contact us with their first enquiry, to the time they put their feet on the African continent and to the moment they leave – eliminating the stress that travel to a developing continent can bring and enriching the journey every step of the way.
Our Team
Sandra Collier, Founder & Managing Director
Sandra was born near the Drakensberg Mountains in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. Her early career began in the hotel industry in Durban, providing her with a solid background in the hospitality industry, which later evolved into a joint partnership in a thriving international meeting planning and group travel business. Sandra’s career took her to live and work in the beautiful city of Cape Town for many years, before moving to Johannesburg, the economic hub of Africa. After relocating to the USA in 2003, Sandra’s love of Africa and commitment to wildlife conservation inspired her to found Africa Dynamics, promoting and crafting custom journeys to Africa. Sandra’s dedication to enhancing each client’s experience in Africa, her keen attention to detail, understanding of the hospitality industry and solid relationships on the African continent, have provided a reliable and responsible foundation for Africa Dynamics’s success. With two dynamic and independent arms of the business, Sandra is intimately involved in the operation of both Africa Dynamics, and also Event Dynamics, which provides event management services to a spectrum of international meetings, with a particular focus on the philanthropic, academic and global health sectors. Sandra has traveled the globe extensively and is an active member of the Safari Professionals of the Americas (SPA), a member of the Professional Conference Management Association (PCMA), WWF and African Wildlife Foundation.
Seraphina Gordon, Safari Consultant & Meeting Planner
Seraphina was born and raised in California. She studied Ayurveda and botanical medicine in Colorado, where teachers visiting from West Africa shared their beautiful songs, mbira music, drumming, and traditional ceremonies. This exposure planted the seed for her curious mind and wandering spirit to later dream of traveling to Africa. After moving to Seattle, Washington and spending several years as a private school administrator, Seraphina shifted gears and found herself privileged to be part of the Africa Dynamics and Event Dynamics team. Since traveling to Africa and catching the safari bug, Seraphina is now dedicated to be helping others fulfill their dreams of traveling to Africa!
Vyvienne Stumbles, Senior Safari Consultant
Vyvienne was born in Johannesburg, South Africa and grew up in what was then Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). Vyv graduated from the University of Cape Town with majors in English and History and a minor in Archaeology and lived and taught in London before returning to Zimbabwe and South Africa. In 1980, along with her husband and 3 young sons, Vyv relocated to the USA. In 1996 she purchased a thriving retail travel agency in a busy shopping centre, The Travel Place, and established a niche market in designing custom journeys, mainly to Africa. Vyv was a founding member of the Seattle chapter of the Association for the Promotion of Travel to Africa. Vyv’s and Sandra’s paths crossed when Sandra joined this committee and it was obvious that the two enjoyed a lot in common, with a shared passion for Africa. In 2011 the decision was made to bring the two businesses together in shared office space. While operating independently, Vyv has provided management and operational support and consulted to Africa Dynamics clients travelling to Africa. In addition to frequent travel to Africa, tracking gorillas and chimps and driving through Namibia, Vyv’s passion for travel has taken her to India, the Galapagos, Myanmar and Eastern and Central Europe. Vyv is also an active Rotarian and fundraiser.
Charmaine Du Plooy, Safari Consultant & Meeting Planner
Charmaine was born and raised in Windhoek, Namibia. In the early years of her career, Charmaine moved to South Africa, where she studied in Bloemfontein and worked in financial services in Pretoria, South Africa’s capital, before relocating to The Netherlands with her husband. While there, they used the opportunity to travel extensively through Europe before starting a family. Their next move was to San Diego, California and from there to Seattle where, in 2008, Charmaine joined the Africa Dynamics team. In 2011, Charmaine moved with her husband and two children to Ottawa Canada and a satellite office there has become an integral part of the Africa Dynamics operation. Charmaine’s passion for Africa makes her a valuable member of the team and both our Africa clients and our international meeting planning clients benefit from her commitment, high levels of service, sense of humour and remarkable attention to detail.
Julie Bonner, Senior Accountant
Julie was born in Columbus, MS and grew up in Pickens County, Alabama. Julie graduated from Mississippi University for Women in Columbus, MS with a bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Averett University in Virginia with a Master’s in Business Administration, and from University of Phoenix with a Doctorate in Management specializing in Organizational Leadership. Julie teaches information technology and management at Central Washington University on campus and online. In 2001, Julie and her family moved to Seattle, and she currently resides in Redmond, WA. Julie has an extensive accounting background, having worked in companies like Starbucks, Georgia Pacific, and Nintendo and consulted through companies like Deloitte Consulting and her own personal consulting business. Julie thrives on having unique life experiences, traveling to hidden gems in the United States and abroad, and she loves to help others leverage their knowledge base.