by Stephanie Block

Kristina (Kris) L. Mayer, Ed. D. just happened to wander onto our website with a great travel story about Cambodia! When we did some digging, we discovered that what is up with this Doc is her company, KLMayer Consulting Group, whose business is philanthropy.

KLMayer Consulting Group is the KLM of the philanthropy industry, connecting with foundations and nonprofits and helping both to maximize their potential and exercise their resources. Specifically geared towards education, the house that Kris built can train nonprofits in fundraising development as well as create and manage foundations.

Decades in both the education and philanthropy worlds, and a PhD in Education Leadership and Change have made Kris the Visionary she is today. Currently offering a Professional Adventure trip approved for nurses to earn CEUs, the Siam Reap expedition will explore the state of community health in Cambodia. And so we come full circle- Visionary Diva and world traveler… our favorite kind!

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Dr. Mayer Answers Our Tango Diva Diva Visionaries Questions:

1. What was the best decision you made in your life?

To start my own consulting firm, regain my life and pursue creative
ventures!

2. What is your most memorable travel moment?

Being on the Coco River in Nicaragua with my Giving Circle colleagues
visiting micro-credit programs is something I will never forget. San Juan
and Siskiyari are only reachable my boat. The Mesquito Indians who live
there are learning sustainable farming practices, have community banks and
are struggling to develop markets for product.

3. What was the worst travel experience you had?

Losing a passport in Rome over the Christmas holiday!

4. What have you learned about yourself through traveling?

I am very resourceful and love the adventure of finding my way. I don’t
like travel if it is too easy and I prefer to make myself use my own skills
to try to find something before asking for help.

5. If you could choose your ultimate travel companion, living or dead, real or imaginary, who would it be?

I can’t think of a person in particular except to say that they would be
flexible, fun, interested in people, willing to share responsibility for the
work it requires to travel in developing countries, and worldly enough to
appreciate what is going on around them. I enjoy deepening my understanding
of culture and world politics then working to support the repressed.

6. What moment in your life did you feel the most alive?

I felt very good achieving my goal of getting to Macchu Pichu, climbing Mt.
Macchu Pichu and being alone there.

7. If money and time was no object, where on earth would you go?

Bhutan or Ladoc (northern India); I’d also like to visit Iceland.

8. Who is your hero?

I appreciate the work of Desmond Tutu, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton.

9. Name a place in the world that you know a lot about and would make a great resource for our Divas. Tell us about it.

Nicaragua for sure and maybe parts of Cambodia

10. And finally a word from our Featured Diva, you in your own words- give us a stirring, Diva-worthy battle cry for women everywhere to hear!

Take risks, believe in yourself and stoke the fires of creativity – they are
what keep the soul alive.

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To read Kris’ Cambodia travel story, stay with Tango Diva!