Our Team

We are proud to have woven a vast web of talented and passionate humans around the world. Our team is comprised of artists, weavers, spinners, farmers, shepherds, chefs, ceramicists, hoteliers, researchers, drivers, musicians, and other fellow creatives. Below, we share introductions to our core team members.

For more specific information regarding who will be hosting specific trips, please see the trip page or contact us.

Re Jin Lee: Korean Brazilian ceramic artist standing in her upstate New York art studio surrounded by contemporary ceramic sculptures and pottery, wearing a white shirt and an apron

  • TRIP HOST + COLLABORATOR

    Re Jin is an artist from Sao Paulo, Brazil who is currently focused on ceramic sculptures and functional designs. As the founder of the online resource center for artisans Naiana Nami, Re Jin uses the platform to act as a conduit and connector for fellow creatives. After joining a Thread Caravan ceramics trip in 2021, Re Jin forged a close bond with Ana Cris, Goyo, and Caitlin. The experience created fertile ground for collaboration, eventually inspiring the jointly hosted Thread Caravan and Naina Nami Oaxaca trip. If you attend the Naiana Nami trip, you'll be one of the lucky guests to be hosted by Re Jin.

Caitlin Garcia Ahern: The Thread Caravan founder smiling, wearing a Blockshop Textiles headscarf sitting behind a basket of yarn during the textile trip in Morocco.

  • FOUNDER, CREATIVE DIRECTOR + TRIP FACILITATOR

    Originally from Atlanta, GA, Caitlin Garcia-Ahern is a creative community organizer with over a decade of experience facilitating community projects. She started Thread Caravan in 2014 in an effort to bring more awareness to heritage craft processes while partnering with artisan entrepreneurs to provide experiential learning opportunities to guests in their communities. 

    Prior to starting Thread Caravan, Caitlin held various roles across the arts, in education, and at NGOs in New Orleans, New York, Hawaii, Guatemala, and Cambodia. She also owned a small fashion brand. 

    Caitlin’s creative passions lie in large format weaving and fiber origin exploration, as well as creative idea development, and making places and experiences more beautiful. She is a community organizer who experiences joy in identifying a need and taking action — from reforestation projects to free spay and neuter clinics in rural communities, and more.

    She currently lives in Oaxaca, Mexico where she runs Thread Caravan, the TEXERE textile residency program, and Caravana Canina, an animal welfare organization.
Ana Cris Medina Palmeros: Texere founder and Thread Caravan team member with short dark hair and hoop earrings, smiling, standing next to a wooden table with a large bowl of cooked chicken. She is wearing a colorful, patterned blouse and black pants.

  • OAXACA TRIP HOST + TEXERE DIRECTOR

    A native of Xalapa, Veracruz, Ana Cris is the Texere co-founder, a designer, and a Thread Caravan guide who’s been living in Oaxaca for 5+ years. She has worked with artisans and textiles, both in her own creative pursuits and as the manager and co-founder of Texere, a research-focused textile residency and workshop space outside of Oaxaca de Juarez. Ana Cris has had the opportunity to immerse herself in the rich heritage of Zapotec culture, motifs, and symbolism. When guiding Oaxaca trips for Thread Caravan, Ana Cris is most energized by the cross-cultural dialogue amongst guests and artists and is drawn to the opportunity to add cultural context to conversations about craft.

A black and white photo of a man with glasses, looking downward and slightly smiling, with sunlight illuminating part of his face and shirt. The background is dark with some objects faintly visible.

  • OAXACA GUIDE

Estefania Gammara: I travel by Boat founder and Thread Caravan team member: Woman in a blue bikini wearing sunglasses and a straw hat sitting on the side of a boat, smiling at the camera with water in the background.

  • PANAMA TRIP HOST

    Originally from Bolivia, but having called Denver, Colorado home for several years, Stef decided to embark on a backpacking journey through South and Central America en route to Mexico. When she arrived in Guna Yala, Panama, she effortlessly decided to stay. Nine months living with a Guna community has since turned into buying her own sailboat, starting a charter company and living the island life for several years and counting. 

    Stef's laid back and positive attitude is infectious. When spending time with Stef during our Panama trip, you'll quickly adapt to the island lifestyle yourself.

Melanie Cadavid Nieto, yoga teacher and Thread Caravan trip host: A woman with long brown hair sitting outdoors on a woven mat, smiling, petting a husky dog lying on its side, with tree roots and leaves around them in the Texere textile studio.

  • OAXACA GUIDE

    Born in Colombia, she grew up in Spain, solo-traveled for a while, and has lived in Oaxaca for the last 5+ years, making her passionate about new adventures and experiences, especially those related to craft and creating. She hosts different trips in Mexico and is now part of the Oaxacan team.

    She’s also a Yoga teacher and founded El Retiro del Alma where she hosts yoga retreats in full contact with nature, adventure, and deep inner connection.

    She also owns a small fashion brand where she sews and dyes with plants comfortable clothes inspired by nature and free movement.

Maria Jose Gomez, natural dye textile artist and Thread Caravan team member from Colombia. A woman with long, wavy brown hair wearing a wide straw hat and a dark plaid blazer standing outdoors near a tree.

  • COLOMBIA TRIP HOST

    María José is a natural dye artist and the founder of Cúrcuma, a natural dye studio focused on exploring the extracts and fibers of Bogotá’s countryside. Guided by the knowledge of the master craftspeople of Colombia, Cúrcuma holds workshops and hosts artists who seek to understand the textile practices and traditions of the region. As a local guide on our Colombia trip, María José liaises between the master artisans and guests to share stories, experience, and knowledge. She’s worked alongside Thread Caravan since 2019, when she first joined us as a guide.

Group of women and children standing outdoors on a foggy day with trees in the background, wearing colorful traditional clothing.

  • GUATEMALA COLLABORATORS

    The Waqxaqi’kan cooperative is a group of Kaqchikel women living in the remote Guatemalan highlands, who organized together in 1982 after the Guatemalan genocide with the help of Maya Traditions. These women are incredibly resilient and supportive of one another. They specialize in jaspe (ikat weaving) and working with ixcaco heirloom cotton.

    We work with the Waqxaqi-kan cooperative during a day of our Guatemala weaving workshop, when we learn about hand spinning cotton.

A woman with curly hair wearing a striped shirt, smiling, standing outdoors in front of a palm tree and blue sky.


  • OPERATIONS + TRIP HOST

    Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Johanna is Thread Caravan's Head of Operations and has been part of the team for five years, leading trips in Morocco, Oaxaca, and India. At heart she is a maker, a painter whose work is shown in galleries in both the US and Mexico, and someone who is always experimenting with ceramics, textiles, and sewing her own clothes. On the road, she is rarely without a camera. Photography is woven into how she travels, as an art form, a way of telling stories, and a way of collecting the light, color, and texture that find their way into her paintings later. She currently lives in Oaxaca, where creativity shapes everything she does.

Susan Vicente Galan Sosa, Woman standing in a shallow river, smiling, wearing a blue shirt and black pants. A girl is climbing on rocks nearby, and a metal basin is on the riverbank amid a natural landscape with trees and mountains in the background.

  • OAXACA WEAVING TEACHER

    Susan "Susi" is an indigenous Zapotec weaver from the town Teotitlan del Valle. Susi learned how to weave at a young age in her family' home studio. She continues to live in her hometown of Teotitlan del Valle, where she is now the matriarch of her home, and has taught her children to weave as well.

Indigo artist Natalia Munro in Oaxaca, Mexico: A woman with shoulder-length black hair, tattoos on her arms, wearing black overalls and a gray tank top, sitting against a distressed wall. A reflective metallic sphere is in the foreground on a table.

  • JAPAN GUIDE

    Natalia is an artist and natural dyer whose work is deeply rooted in the transformative beauty of plant-based color. Since beginning her journey with natural dyes in 2019, she has been especially captivated by the alchemical process of indigo—where a simple green plant reveals brilliant blues through oxidation. Her practice is profoundly influenced by Japanese indigo dyeing and textile traditions, whose meticulous craftsmanship and reverence for detail resonate strongly with her own approach. Through her project, Malatlia, Natalia continues to explore and honor these timeless techniques—and as the guide for our Japan Indigo trip, she shares her knowledge, passion, and deep connection to this ancient craft with others.

Clara Polanco Talavera: textile artist and owner of Donde Clara in Mexico City. Woman smiling and holding multiple skeins of blue and green yarn inside a craft shop.

  • MOROCCO + MALLORCA TRIP HOST

    Clara is a passionate advocate for natural fibers, artisanal processes, and textile self-sufficiency. She founded Donde Clara, a timeless haberdashery where every item is carefully curated to spark imagination and nourish the creative process. In this cozy space, visitors are surrounded by a wide range of natural materials and tools, including native cottons, hand-spun silks, artisanal papers, natural waxes, wools, and bulk natural dyes—everything one needs to bring their creative ideas to life.

    But Donde Clara is more than just a charming shop; it's a vibrant space where magic happens. Regular workshops and gatherings bring together creative minds, offering them the opportunity to learn, discover, and reflect on the materials, tools, and processes involved in artistic creation. Here, materials are not merely inert objects, but components of complex historical, economic, and sociopolitical narratives. Clara is committed to fostering a community that embraces creative autonomy and a critical approach to the tools and materials we use.

    Clara’s creative journey is deeply rooted in understanding the origin of materials, from planting fibers to learning the intricate processes that transform them. She is passionate about hand-spinning, knitting, and weaving, and believes in the power of reusing resources to create new things—whether it's recycling paper, repurposing yarn, or giving old materials a new life. For Clara, the beauty of crafting lies not only in the finished product but in the thoughtful, sustainable process that brings it to life.

Macrina Mateo Martinez, indigenous Zapotec artisan fro San Marcos Tlapazola Oaxaca. Black and white photo of a woman holding a large pottery vase outdoor, photographed by Lucy Laucht.

  • OAXACAN CERAMICS ARTIST

    Macrina Mateo Martinez is a skilled ceramics artist from the Zapotec town San Marcos Tlapazola. Macrina was one of the first women to leave her community, helping to bring her town's clay traditions to a larger international audience. We have the privilege of working with Macrina during our Oaxaca Ceramics + Textile Trips. She was the beneficiary of our Artisan Exchange program grant and joined us for our ceramics retreat in Morocco.

Juana, Indigenous Kaqchikel Guatemalan woman weaving on a loom outdoors by a lake, with a volcano erupting in the background during Thread Caravan backstrap weaving workshop.

  • GUATEMALAN WEAVING INSTRUCTOR

    Juana is the matriarch of her family, mothering 13 adult children, many of whom have pursued paths in the arts. Juana's daughter Zenaida works on our team as weaving coordinator, and she and her daughter are weaving instructors. Her son Sergio is our mountain guide, and her daughter Carolina is a curandera medicine woman who facilitates a ceremony and also prepares lunch for our group.

    Juana and her family are from the town San Antonio Palopo, a Kaqchikel indigenous Maya community on the shores of Lake Atitlan, guatemala.

    If you participate in our Guatemala retreats, you will have the opportunity to learn from Juana and her family.

Mama Aicha, famed ceramic artist in Morocco. Smiling elderly woman in traditional clothing standing outdoors near white building with blue window frames, holding straw hat.

  • MOROCCO CERAMICS INSTRUCTOR

    Mama Aicha is born and raised in a rural community in the Rif Mountains of Morocco, of Sless heritage, descendants from Andalusian migrations hundreds of years ago. Mama Aicha's community is known for their pottery traditions, although Aicha is one of the last remaining potters in the region.

    During our Morocco ceramics retreats, Mama Aicha guides our groups through the handbuilding, glazing and firing processes that are traditional practices in her town.

Older man with a mustache smiling at the beach, wearing a white t-shirt stained with purple dye, standing next to a large rock with purple, white, and beige ropes draped over it, with the ocean and rocks in the background.

  • MIXTEC CERTIFIED CARACOL PURPURA DYER

    Habacuc Avadeño is part of a small community of traditional dyers who sustainably “milk” the Caracol Purpura sea snail along rocky coastal areas to obtain its natural purple pigment, used in handwoven textiles. His work helps keep alive a pre-Hispanic Mixtec practice passed down through generations, combining ecological knowledge with cultural heritage. He is recognized for promoting conservation of the species and safeguarding this rare dyeing tradition.

Pastora Gutierrez, founder of Vida Nueva women's weaving cooperative in Teotitlan del Valle, Oaxaca, Mexico. A woman with a floral apron drying yarn in a rustic indoor setting during a Thread Caravan textile workshop in Oaxaca.

  • TEXTILE TEACHER + VIDA NUEVA FOUNDER

    Pastora is a Zapotec weaver, activist, and community leader from Teotitlán del Valle, Oaxaca. In the mid-1990s, she founded Cooperativa Vida Nueva, a women-run collective that preserves ancestral weaving and natural dye traditions while creating opportunities for women in her community. Beyond textiles, the cooperative also leads social and environmental initiatives that uplift local families. During our Oaxaca trip, Pastora will guide us through the natural dye workshop, sharing her deep knowledge of plants, colors, and the cultural heritage of her craft.

Sohail Wazir: Thread Caravan Kutch, India textile tour guide. A smiling man with glasses, a beard, and curly hair wearing a tan button-up shirt, leaning against a textured beige wall.

  • KUTCH TRIP HOST

    Sohail was born and raised in Bhuj, Kutch, a place known for its crafts and textiles. He has been involved in textiles since his early childhood as his family’s business is collects various types of vintage textiles from across India and abroad.

    His interest in guiding comes from his grandfather and uncle, who were both in the profession, making it a family tradition. He has been working as a guide for more than six years and is also passionate about photography and traveling to new places.

Eduardo Vera, chef and musician in Oaxaca. A man sitting at a wooden table smiling, wearing a black shirt with gold lettering, tattoos on his arms, in a cozy, dimly lit room.

  • OAXACAN CHEF

    Eduardo Vera is an executive chef, musician, and entrepreneur originally from Sola de Vega, Oaxaca. His passion for gastronomy, culture, and community development is reflected in Muro, a restaurant that not only offers a reinterpretation of traditional flavors, but also functions as a cultural space with activities that strengthen the social fabric.

    He is the founder of Lalo The Shop, a company that makes artisanal bags made from recycled plastic, and Atila del Sur, a mezcal brand that celebrates Oaxacan tradition from its authenticity and respect for ancestral processes.

    Eduardo's cuisine celebrates local flavors, ingredients, and producers, fusing international techniques and nuances with his authentic touch. His dishes seek to make you feel at home, but always with a twist that highlights his style: intense flavors balanced with subtle touches that surprise in every bite.

    We are grateful to collaborate with Eduardo and his family during many of our Oaxacan experiences.

Rosalinda Tao, textile artist and founder of Association Lema in San Juan La Laguna, Guatemala. A woman standing inside a cactus greenhouse, smiling, surrounded by rows of cactus plants on metal shelves, during a Thread Caravan textile tour.

  • GUATEMALAN NATURAL DYE INSTRUCTOR

    Rosalinda Tay is an indigenous Tzutujil artisan from the town of San Juan la Laguna, Guatemala. Rosalinda is the founder of Asociacion Lema, a cooperative of textile artisans specializing in natural dyes and jaspe (ikat) resist dyeing techniques.

    We are privileged to work with Rosalinda during our Guatemala textile tours. Rosalinda is our natural dye workshop instructor.

Helga, Icelandic knitting teacher and Icelandic horse breeder. Woman with blonde hair and glasses standing in a room with floral wallpaper, surrounded by knitted items and clothing, gesturing with her hand.

  • ICELAND KNITTING INSTRUCTOR + TRIP HOST

    Helga Thoroddsen is a passionate knitwear designer as well as an enthusiast about everything that has to do with creating beautiful and unique textiles.

    She has an M.Sc degree in textile science from Colorado State University as ewll as a B.Ed degree from Iceland University of Education with emphasis on textiles and craft.

    In addition to being a skilled knitter, Helga is a talented horsewoman and proud grandmother. Our Iceland trip guests are fortunate to be hosted by Helga, learning about Iceland craft and culture through her authentic perspective.

Colombian artisan Albeiro Camargo: Man with a beard and mustache wearing a wide-brimmed hat and white shirt, smiling as he holds a spool of thread hanging from above in a rustic room with brick walls.

  • COLOMBIA ARTISAN PARTNER

Wabisabi Project in Bagru, Jaipur, India: Four men standing outdoors in front of hanging cloths, smiling at the camera in a park-like setting with trees.

  • INDIA BLOCKPRINT INSTRUCTORS

    We partner with Wabisabi Project during our Jaipur blockprinting trips. Founded by artist Kriti Gupta and designer Avinash Maurya, the project blends age-old Rajasthani craftsmanship with contemporary design sensibilities. Through workshops, community collaborations, and hands-on learning experiences, Wabisabi fosters a deep respect for slow processes and the beauty of imperfection that lies at the heart of handmade textiles.


Guna artisan Mola Lisa is sitting in a small, weathered boat on the water, smiling at the camera, with sailboats in the background and cloudy sky overhead in San Blas Islands Panama during a Thread Caravan sailing and embroidery trip.

  • GUNA EMBROIDERY INSTRUCTOR

Smiling ajrakh artisan in colorful geometric shirt, striped apron, and white cap standing behind a counter with him hands resting on the surface, with two blurred men in the background in a rustic setting.

  • KUTCH AJRAKH BLOCKPRINTING INSTRUCTOR

    Sufiyan Khatri is a tenth‑generation master of the ajrakh block‑printing tradition, based in Kutch, Gujarat. Raised in a family deeply rooted in the craft—his grandfather, Mohammed Siddique Khatri, played a major role in shaping his artistic perspective—Sufiyan has carried forward the centuries‑old Ajrakh process with natural dyes and hand‑carved wooden blocks. He leads a workshop in Ajrakhpur where the full Ajrakh technique—featuring up to 16 separate stages—is meticulously practiced, preserving both the heritage and philosophy of this richly patterned, labor‑intensive textile art.

Kala Raksha: A woman in a yellow and orange traditional dress and headscarf sits on a patterned tile floor, sewing small spherical objects that are red and white, next to a pink wooden door.

  • KUTCHI EMBROIDERY ARTISAN COOPERATIVE

    Kala Raksha is a grassroots social enterprise based in Kutch, Gujarat, founded in 1993 with the aim to preserve and revitalize the region’s rich embroidery traditions while making them economically viable. Located in Sumrasar Sheikh, near Bhuj, it works with nearly 1,000 women artisans across seven ethnic communities to sustain traditional styles such as suf, khaarek, paako, Rabari, Garasia Jat, and Mutava. Kala Raksha supports its artisans not only through training, design innovation, fair pricing, and contemporary product development, but also via holistic community development — including education, health, and preserving heritage via a textile museum and local design school.

Shamji Vankar Vishram Valji: A man sitting on the ground weaving or processing fibers near large basins of water, with shelves of finished yarn or fabric hanging behind him in a traditional workshop.

  • KUTCHI TEXTILE ARTISAN

    Shamji is a celebrated textile artist, who continues the lineage of his family’s traditions while finding new ways to innovate the traditional textiles. Shamji is a skilled at spinning and handloom weaving, with focus on kala cotton and local desi wool. In more recent years, he and his family have begun incorporating silk in their textiles as well.

A woman dressed in traditional Andean clothing, including a colorful skirt, a warm jacket, and a patterned shawl, stands outdoors with snow-capped mountains and partly cloudy sky in the background.

  • MOUNTAIN GUIDE

    Ana Lía Gonzales is part of a pioneering group of Aymara women who gained recognition for climbing some of Bolivia’s highest peaks, often wearing traditional pollera cholita dress. Originally working in mountain tourism as cooks for expeditions, she and her peers became accomplished climbers, challenging gender norms and celebrating Indigenous identity while promoting women’s empowerment in high-altitude mountaineering. We are proud to partner with Lita and her family on our Bolivia expeditions.

Artist Angela from Colombia works outdoors among trees, using a wooden tool over a large earthenware jar placed on a pedestal, with smoke or steam rising nearby. She is creating natural dye pigment from cochinilla insects during a textile workshop.

  • COLOMBIAN ARTISAN PARTNER

    Ángela Jiménez Pérez is a Colombian architect and artist born in Bogotá who has lived and worked for decades in Barichara, Santander. Her practice combines botanical research, design, architecture, and visual art, exploring local materials, traditional techniques, and natural pigments, especially indigo extracted from native plants. One of her most notable recent projects is the exhibition "Azul Barichara," the result of more than two years of work. It recovers ancestral practices linked to the use of indigo and proposes sustainable modes of artistic production that connect tradition, landscape, and the environment.

Craftsman and weaver Arturo Hernandez works on a traditional backstrap loom surrounded by greenery at his hoe studio in Mitla, Oaxaca.

  • ZAPOTEC TEXTILE ARTISAN, OAXACA

    Arturo is a master weaver of Zapotec descent whose practice is rooted in ancestral textile traditions. He began learning backstrap and pedal loom weaving, as well as natural dye techniques, at the age of seven. After moving to the U.S. at 21, Arturo eventually returned to Mexico two decades later to establish his own textile workshop in Mitla. There, he collaborates with members of the local community to create unique woven designs and expand the reach of traditional techniques. His workshop is dedicated to eco-friendly practices, working with natural fibers such as wool and cotton to honor heritage while fostering sustainable innovation.

A man and woman standing on rocks in a rocky outdoor landscape, smiling at the camera, with clouds in the sky behind them. The founders of We are KAL, a textile project based in Ladakh, India.

  • LADAKH PARTNERS

    Catherine and Angtak are the founders of KAL, our collaborators in Ladakh, India.

    Angtak grew up in the nomadic region of Kharnak and at the age of 9 he moved to Leh to study. Since then he has lived all over India and returned to Ladakh in 2014 and met Catherine. From then on, their journey continued together. Catherine had been living in India since 2012 and found the teams of KAL during her 9-month research in early 2014.

    During our Ladakh trips, we will be working with the KAL artisan team as well as visiting Angtak’s family in the mountains.

A woman with short brown hair, wearing a brown knit sweater, looking to her left against a neutral background.

  • TRIP HOST

    Hannah Haworth hosts our Iceland and Scotland trips. has been interested in textile making since she was a child, fortunate to grow up in a small indigenous village in the Philippines with a very rich weaving culture. As a teenager she returned to her native Scotland and she became more and more interested in knitting and its ancestral practices there. She studied sculpture at Edinburgh College of Art where she knitted several large-scale sculptures of animals and other natural forms, which she continued to produce and exhibit throughout her 20s when she moved the US.  At that time she began working in design in NYC and started really enjoying making (mostly knitted) garments for herself and friends whilst learning more about clothes. 

A smiling woman with light brown hair and a man with dark hair and glasses stand outdoors in front of a large tree, both wearing blue shirts. The woman is making a fist with her right hand. Sunshine filters through the leaves.

  • JAPAN TRIP HOSTS

    Makiko Tokunaga and her husband Martin Tokunaga are two of our trip hosts in tokushima, Japan. Makiko works within the Tokushima indigo tradition, using natural fermentation techniques with sukumo (composted indigo leaves) to create deep, rich blue dyes. Her specialty is shibori dyeing, and her practice blends respect for historical methods with contemporary textile work, contributing to the preservation and renewal of Japan’s indigo heritage.

Two smiling people standing outdoors in a green park, with trees and a building in the background. The man on the left has a beard, is wearing a white t-shirt, sunglasses on his head, and a black apron with a red tie around his waist. The woman on the right has long dark hair, is wearing a dark long sleeve shirt, and a yellow apron. They are standing close together, smiling at the camera.

  • JAPANESE ARTISAN INSTRUCTORS

    During our Exploring Japanese Blues retreats, we spend a day with Takimoto-san and Emi-san in their rural home in the mountains of Tokushima. Here we participate in a kakishibu workshop, using dye made from fermented persimmon, and eating a delicious farm-to-table lunch.

Shannon Hill: Founder of Magda Made and team member of Thread Caravan: A woman relaxing on a striped hammock indoors, resting her head on her hand, with sunlight and shadows cast on the wall behind her.

  • COLOMBIA GUIDE

    Shannon is the co-founder of artisan brand Magda Made, a yoga teacher, and design enthusiast based between Colombia and the U.S. Joining us on our first-ever trip in 2015, Shannon has been a long-time collaborator with Thread Caravan. She spent many years living in Colombia, where she started Magda Made, a brand honoring the craftsmanship of Colombia, offering a range of woven baskets, fique bags, and hammered jewelry. Shannon is delighted to be able to bring together people from across the globe to appreciate art and culture in her role as a Thread Caravan guide in Colombia. She loves being part of unique curatorial travel experiences in locations people don’t always think to visit on their own.

A woman with curly hair, glasses, and a gray shirt sitting on a sandy beach under green leaves, holding a dragonfly net, with the ocean and blue sky in the background.

  • TRIP HOST

    Yuka is a hand spinner and weaver who follows the life of fiber from seed to cloth. She tends naturally colored cotton and indigo, spins yarn by hand, and weaves threads in rhythm with soil, water, and time.

    In 2022, she spent a month at Texere in Oaxaca, Mexico, immersed in the weaving and dyeing traditions—an experience that deepened her love for textiles and their stories. After fifteen years in the United States, she returned to her home in Okinawa, where she set out to relearn natural fiber traditions and root her practice more deeply in the island’s landscape and heritage.

A woman sitting on the ground, working on a wooden weaving loom, surrounded by green plants with orange flowers.

  • HEIRLOOM COTTON COOPERATIVE

    Katyi Ya’a is a Mixtec women’s textile cooperative based in San Juan Colorado on the Pacific coast of Oaxaca. The cooperative is dedicated to producing handwoven textiles from native, naturally colored cotton using traditional backstrap loom and spinning techniques. Founded to preserve endangered knowledge, the cooperative links small-scale coastal farmers with artisans, promoting agroecological cotton cultivation and sustaining Mixtec cultural heritage through fully handmade, naturally dyed textiles. We are privileged to partner with Katyi Ya’a during our Oaxaca cotton fundraiser trips.

A man sitting cross-legged on the floor against a plain wall, holding a hand forged copper bell. He is wearing a blue shirt and white pants, smiling slightly.

  • KUTCHI BELL MAKER

    Janmamad lives in a small Muslim town called Zura, north of Bhuj, where he and his family have been working for generations to create copper coated bells. These bells were traditionally used by nomadic sheep herders while caring for their flocks. The bells are now designed in a larger range of styles and used in more diverse techniques.

Lisa Jennings, Thread Caravan Guatemala tour guide. A woman at an outdoor market holding a bouquet of white flowers and a reusable shopping bag with produce, surrounded by market stalls and people.

  • GUATEMALA GUIDE

    Environmental educator, adventure guide, dancer, nature freak, culture junkie, and new mother: Lisa's titles are expansive.  Originally from Canada, Lisa's love for travel is long-standing. She's now been living in Guatemala for 7 years, consciously connecting to the country's land and people. Her newest endeavor: starting a family here with her Guatemalan partner and fellow guide. 

    As a past performer, Lisa knows how to captivate a crowd. She will keep you entertained on our Guatemala trip with information about indigenous histories and environmental projects, plus lots of laughs!

Samira: woman in traditional clothing and a headscarf is baking flatbread on a hot griddle in a rustic kitchen, with more bread cooling on a cloth nearby during Thread Caravan Morocco ceramics trip.

  • MOROCCO CHEF + HOST

    Samira is the daughter-in-law of our Moroccan ceramics teacher Mama Aicha. Samira is an incredibly talented chef, and warm host who received guests with open arms in her beautiful mountain home.

    During our Morocco ceramics retreats, Samira will prepare all meals for our group, and take us on a short hike to visit her parents who are palm basket weavers.

Zapotec textile artist and weaver Omar Chasan works on a wooden loom, weaving with wool thread, and marigold flowers hanging as decoration in the background. In Teotitlan del Valle, Oaxaca, during a Thread Caravan weaving workshop.

  • OAXACAN WEAVER

    Omar is a fourth-generation Zapotec weaver from Teotitlán del Valle and part of the renowned family workshop Fe y Lola. He began weaving as a child and, after studying engineering and industrial design, returned to his roots to carry forward his family’s textile traditions. At Fe y Lola, Omar combines ancestral weaving techniques with natural dyes such as cochineal, indigo, and local plants, creating pieces that balance innovation and heritage. He also shares his family’s work internationally, representing their commitment to sustainable, hand-crafted artistry.

Kandra Ehrman, Guna Yala indigenous female leader and community organizer, and Thread Caravan team member. A woman stands in shallow water on a tropical beach, surrounded by palm trees, wearing traditional colorful clothing and smiling.

  • GUNA YALA GUIDE

    Kandra works with women, youth, and children, highlighting the culture, art, and worldview of her people. She was the first woman to serve as Secretary General of the Guna Youth Congress.

    She is also the first Guna Indigenous woman diver and the first Guna Indigenous woman to work as a ship sailor.

    As an environmentalist, she leads projects focused on the care and monitoring of coral reefs and fish populations. She is the Project Coordinator of the organization Anmar Yarmar Ular (Anyar).

    In these spaces, she works on issues deeply connected to nature and the protection of Mother Earth. Her work involves leadership training, climate change, environmental education, reforestation, land management, the protection of oceans and forests, biodiversity conservation, Indigenous rights, women’s empowerment, territorial governance, and sustainable agriculture.

A young woman smiling outdoors, wearing a patterned headband, earrings, a navy jacket, and a strap diagonally across her chest.

  • PERU GUIDE

    Born in the Peruvian Amazon, Kathe is a naturalist and cultural guide with a deep love for nature and human connection. She specializes in family trips and educational programs, bringing over 14 years of experience across diverse destinations in Peru.

    Her own travels have played a key role in shaping her perspective, enriching her understanding of the world and informing the guide and professional she is today.

    Kathe is passionate about creating experiences that go beyond simply visiting a place. She sees herself as a cultural bridge, connecting local communities with travelers from around the world. She now lives in Cusco, a place she considers home and one that continues to inspire her personal and professional growth.

Woman sitting cross-legged on the ground with brown hair, wearing a black jacket and pants, surrounded by llamas in a mountainous landscape under cloudy sky.

  • PERU GUIDE

    Sonya Radetsky is the founder of Aula Artesana, a project that curates retreats and workshops immersing travelers in the craft, cuisine, and culture of Peru. She lived in Cusco for eight years, where she built the long-standing collaborative relationships with artists and artisans that form the backbone of Aula. She considers herself deeply lucky to spend her time working and thinking alongside Peruvian partners, including the artists and artisans, guides, translators, drivers, and the many individuals who make Aula possible. Originally from New Mexico, Sonya also spent several years in New York before relocating to Peru. She now lives primarily in New Mexico, where she continues to lead Aula remotely. In 2024, Sonya began law school at the University of New Mexico, focusing on developing legal and cross-cultural approaches to support Indigenous artists and artisans in Peru and beyond.

A woman in a striped shirt and jeans holding a woven basket, standing outdoors among green bushes under a blue sky.

  • PORTUGAL HOST

    Graça Palma is one of the founders of Proactivetur, a locally-rooted small company in the Algarve, creating immersive travel experiences that connect people with the region’s nature, culture, and communities.

    Driven by a deep sense of place, they design and guide journeys that reveal the Algarve beyond the obvious — always with a strong commitment to sustainability and authenticity.

    Alongside their travel programs, they actively work to preserve local heritage. One of their key initiatives is the TASA Project, which supports traditional craftsmanship by connecting artisans with contemporary design and new opportunities, helping keep ancestral knowledge alive.

A woman standing by a railing near water with two large bridges in the background, one green and one white, under a clear blue sky.

  • KOREA GUIDE

    Born in South Korea and raised in Brazil, she has lived in Canada, Singapore, and Thailand, gaining a deep appreciation for diverse cultures and ways of life. Her international background has shaped her ability to connect with people from different communities and create welcoming, inclusive experiences.

    With a strong sense of organization and attention to detail, she brings reliability and ease to every experience she supports. She is passionate about helping others feel comfortable, engaged, and connected, whether through travel, shared experiences, or everyday interactions.

    Fluent in Korean, Portuguese, and English, she naturally bridges cultures and communication styles, making each experience smooth and enjoyable for guests from around the world.