Veronique Autphenne was raised on three continents and has had a passion for travel ever since she can remember.  She has always preferred traveling “off the beaten path,” and, while her travel plans have changed slightly since she became the mother of three boys, she has found that traveling with children can be just as rewarding and enriching and is always an adventure.  Parenthood is a universally shared experience so traveling with children has allowed her to make different, and often deeper, connections with people of all ages.

Prior to parenthood, Veronique worked in public health communication in Washington, DC and Los Angeles.  She holds an M.A. from the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication.

In her spare time, she is involved in local theater as an actor, producer, and stage mother, takes advantage of the DC area’s rich multicultural offerings, loves to cook for family and friends, and, of course, is always planning the next family trip.  She and her family have lived in Alexandria for the past ten years.

Paige Conner Totaro has a recurring dream about travelling the world with her husband and twin daughters until they find the perfect spot that combines water, warm weather, great art and music, good food, safety, diversity and openness.  She welcomes your suggestions.

Paige loves to help start new creative businesses, and was a founder of Misra Records.  She was a founding board member of Transformer in Washington, DC, and a longtime board member and director of Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts.  She plays repique with the all-women Brazilian samba-reggae percussion group Batala.