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The Aquila difference begins with our team of spirited, devoted professionals who truly love what they do. Each member of the Aquila team has the experience, dedication and enthusiasm to bring quality, value and fun to your Aquila experience. Meet our Aquila team. Beth
Kelly Hatt
Aquila’s founder and owner, Beth has affectionately been nicknamed by the Aquila team as “Our Fearless Leader”. She is responsible for leading our company overall, as well as mentoring team members into leaders themselves. A visionary not just for her business, but for her industry and her community, Beth is also a leader in both the tourism industry and the local business community. Today Beth is deeply involved in mentoring partners Danielle and Melanie into their managing roles so she can spend time with passions such as new Aquila projects, as well as going kayaking with her husband Russ and playing with all their grandchildren. Beth’s Favourite Thing about Working at Aquila: “The energy of the team and how much fun we have together. It keeps me going and is so rewarding.” Beth’s Most Memorable Moment while Working at Aquila (so far!): “Being able to see something that started from a seed grow to what Aquila is today, to see people grow and change with us over the years, and now to see the success of the mentoring and succession planning taking on a whole new life!”
With her range of experiences and talents, including working with Aquila at various times for over 15 years, Aquila is very fortunate that Danielle decided to return home to Saint John in 2004 with her husband Lance to start a family – both an Aquila family and her own family, Ben and Emma! Since returning she has become a partner in the business, and is flourishing in that role. We kindly refer to Danielle as our Jill-of-All-Trades as she coordinates our marketing efforts, leads our “Cruising To Great” monthly strategic meetings, manages cruise ships, and hears us calling her name whenever our computers stop cooperating with us. We’d be lost without her! Dan’s Favourite Thing About Working at Aquila: “My first favourite thing is definitely the team I get to work with. They’re all spectacular women! Secondly, it would have to be that I get to try different things all the time, so this job is never boring!” Dan’s Most Memorable Moment while Working at Aquila (so far!): “Well, there are so many to choose from! In 1994, I was an Aquila Tour Director for a 3-week train trip from “Coast to Coast” with 30 passengers. The whole trip was memorable, as we spent night after night on the train, cruising through the US and Canada. I especially loved going through the Rocky Mountains, as it was the first time I had seen them up close. And a couple of the passengers kept trying to set me up with the porters onboard the train!”
A member of the Aquila Team since 1992, Melanie has come a long way from her early days at Aquila as a student tour guide, complete with Loyalist dress! Having grown so much with Aquila, Melanie recently came onboard as a managing partner with the company. She plays an active role in Aquila’s strategic planning, and she spearheads our Center for Cruise Excellence, coaching and mentoring tour operators and destinations on providing service excellence to cruise lines. There is no mistaking her passion for Aquila and for the cruise industry, and we are thrilled to have Melanie as part of Aquila’s leadership team. Mel’s Favourite Thing About Working at Aquila: “The fabulous girls I work with. They make me laugh, they hold me up, they help me see things in new ways, and they teach me so much – including things I never thought I’d need to know!” Mel’s Most Memorable Moment while Working at Aquila (so far!): “There are so many! But I’d say one has to be the marriage proposal from the very wealthy Australian Sheep Farmer on one of my tours. Tempting offer!”
Spirited and fun-loving, Sarah’s experience and enthusiasm is evident in all of her roles at Aquila, which include managing Aquila’s trolley charters and Saint John programs, and managing Aquila’s pier-side sales. Having discovered her passion in the past few years in human resources, she has taken on management of our extended Aquila family, our tour guides and driver-guides. A valued member of the Aquila team since 2002, Sarah also makes sure that the team stays connected through fun initiatives such as “Secret Cupid” or “Watercooler Wednesdays”. Sarah’s Favourite Thing About Working at Aquila: “My favorite thing about working at Aquila is the freedom we have to grow and stretch ourselves. I am so fortunate to be able to go back to school to further my education, and as always having such a great support system from my Aquila family!” Sarah’s Most Memorable Moment while Working at Aquila (so far!): “My most memorable moment so far at Aquila (and there are so many) would be last season, when we were able to say we provided hundreds of memorable tours to over 70,000 cruise passengers from all over the world! It was our biggest and best year so far! Go Team!”
An Aquila Team member since 1993, Jennifer has a passion for learning and has plans for the future that include working with the disadvantaged and under-represented in our community. In 2005, she began to pursue an Sociology degree, but we’re thrilled that she continues to work with Aquila, balancing our books and managing cruise ship operations. She was pleasantly surprised at how much she enjoyed leading ships in 2008, although we weren’t surprised at all by how well she did it. Jen’s Favourite Thing About Working at Aquila: “I could say ‘my wonderful family of co-workers’, or perhaps ‘the incredible life changing opportunities that are around every corner’, or even something like ‘the knowledge that working at Aquila allows me to find a balance in my life between passion and work’, but let’s be honest - it’s the new coffee maker!” Jen’s Most Memorable Moment while Working at Aquila (so far!): “It’s a tie. It’s either ‘the Great Kidnapping of ‘01’ when we took Beth on a little birthday escapade, or our fabulous Caribbean Cruise! There are an awful lot to choose from!”
Anna joined the Aquila team in 2005 to manage our shore excursions for Saint John. After only three months, she handled 8000 people from 8 different ships in 8 days! It is no surprise that Anna is great at sharing her skills and teaching the team how to lead ships as we all evolve into cruise managers. Anna is also taking on a leadership role in ensuring that our extended team, our suppliers, are ready to serve this growing market in Saint John through coaching and feedback. Anna’s passion remains adventure tourism and you can often find her scaling rocks and ice climbing in and around the Bay of Fundy. Anna’s Favourite Thing about Working at Aquila: “The Aquila team and the “Aquila Culture”. It is great to come to work everyday with a group of people you really enjoy being with. We work really hard, but we play even harder. Growth is also really important to Aquila, and we are always growing as individuals and as a team, which I love!” Anna’s Most Memorable Moment while Working at Aquila (so far!): “We have had so many amazing team outings and great celebrations that it is hard to pick just one! My favorite moments have been when we are out on a team day. Whether that is a surprise shopping trip in a limo, or kayaking and a lobster bake! I also love working at the pier, as I have the opportunity to work with so many great people, and I could write a book on all the memorable moments over the seasons.”
Natalie’s bright smile welcomes everyone who arrives at the Aquila office. She has been doing a fantastic job with her new responsibilities including trolley management and accounting duties like payroll. Natalie and her husband Paul have two lively daughters, Kendra and Olivia, and she loves to talk about their many escapades! Not only is Natalie busy in a variety of roles at the office, but she makes sure the Aquila team keeps laughing and having fun as she has done since she joined the team in 2004. Nat’s Favourite Thing About Working at Aquila: “My co-workers! It’s so fun to come to work with such a great group of people!” Nat’s Most Memorable Moment while Working at Aquila (so far!): “There are many, but I would have to say touring a cruise ship, kayaking with the team, and Fun Thursday when Beth took us shopping in a limo would be near the top!!”
Gillian Barfoot The newest member of the Aquila team, Gillian is a native of Saint John who moved away to Ontario and – like many a good Maritimer – returned! She joined Aquila in August 2011, jumping into her role as a Cruise Manager in the midst of the cruise ship season. While she was living away, she discovered that she really missed the sea, so she is especially pleased to be working with cruise ships and helping to attract visitors to Saint John and the Bay of Fundy. Gillian has a background in music and communications, and loves photography, wordplay and all things techy. Now that she’s back in New Brunswick, she takes every opportunity to explore the scenic coastline (with her camera at the ready). Gillian's Favourite Thing About Working at Aquila: “My coworkers. It’s amazing the way everyone on the team looks out for each other. And our sunny office overlooking the harbour – definitely a bonus!” Gillian's Most Memorable Moment while Working at Aquila (so far!): “I remember one busy cruise day when a passenger came up to me and was close to tears because she felt overwhelmed by the warm welcome she received on her first trip to Saint John. I felt so proud to be a part of that.”
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Meet the Aquila Crew
