Donnalea’s passion for travel and information inspired her tourism career, graduating with Honors from Humber College Travel and Tourism. As an influential travel business owner with The Travel Agent Next Door her commitment to authentic service is valued by clients, peers, and business associates. Her travel professional career includes over 40 years’ experience and multiple job titles, network of contacts, extensive global travels, philanthropic successes, and subject matter expertise to deliver a comprehensive student learning experience.

Donnalea loves teaching and coaching future industry enthusiasts at Seneca College’s School of Hospitality & Tourism program. She is passionate about empowering future tourism professionals through mentorship, education, networking, and experiential learning. Her innovative ways to educate, present and interact with students using creative presentation formats, digital tools, valuable tourism-related software, and multiple learning platforms prepares students to be career ready. Teaching was a career goal to give back to her industry.

*Figure 2 Donnalea assisting with a team of HATN volunteers and locals to clear a hectare of land for a Women’s Co-Op Market Garden in the Gambia*

Donnalea believes ‘travel is about exploring environments, changing perspectives, and embracing new views, and when done right, it can change lives forever!” “Being a part of a student’s journey is proudly shared as they graduate and find employment in the tourism field.”

Her entrepreneurial spirit is shared as she often combines work + travel, sailing on her ship and others with clients or volunteering abroad and home with ‘Hands across the Nations’, a humanitarian organization founded by Donnalea and her husband Greg, to provide global aid and relief to the less fortunate, in Bolivia, Mali and the Gambia.

Interesting Fact: Donnalea’s charitable activities resulted in a very special accolade: being named godmother of RCI’s Liberty of the Seas (2007) and continues to work with the cruise line to build awareness of HATN and its works. “Donnalea made history as the first ever travel agent to be a Royal Caribbean International Godmother. Thousands of deserving travel agents were nominated for their extraordinary efforts in philanthropy and community service. Donnalea truly embraces the spirit of selfless giving to others, and Royal Caribbean International is proud that she has been chosen as godmother of Liberty of the Seas.”

*Liberty of the Seas Christening Ceremony*

When asked “How do you do it all? Donnalea laughs and replies; “I embrace knowledge, tools, and technology with a focus on working smarter; not harder!”

Donnalea Madeley, Godmother on the go!

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