meet the executive team

Andrew Todd

CEO of Xanterra Travel Collection

Andrew N. Todd has been President & CEO of Xanterra Travel Collection since 1994, and serves as President of each of the brands within Xanterra including Windstar Cruises. As Senior Vice President of Portfolio Management for Chicago-based JMB Realty Corporation, he orchestrated the acquisition of TW Recreational Services, Inc. and their merger with JMB’s Parks & Resorts Division resulting in Xanterra becoming the largest park concessions management company in the United States.

Today, Xanterra operates hotels, lodges, retail stores, restaurants, campsites, and other hospitality and recreational facilities in seven national parks and memorials. Xanterra also owns and operates the Grand Canyon Railway and Hotel in Williams, Arizona as well as The Oasis at Death Valley in California, The Grand Hotel in Tusayan, Arizona and Cedar Creek Lodge just outside of Glacier National Park. Xanterra also owns and operates small ship leader Windstar Cruises whose six yachts offer luxury cruises around the world. Xanterra has acquired adventure tour operators VBT Bicycling Vacations and Country Walkers, as well as traditional tours offered by Holiday Vacations.

Xanterra has become widely recognized for its progressive environmental stewardship and related innovations in the hospitality industry. Todd’s establishment of company-wide environmental standards has led to numerous industry and peer-reviewed awards for Xanterra. A native of Indiana, Todd began his career at KPMG soon after obtaining his degree in Accounting from Indiana University. He is a certified public accountant and a member of the American Institute of CPAs.

Christopher Prelog

President

“I create a culture where the team can perform its best in an environment they enjoy.”

Chris has firsthand knowledge that working aboard cruise ships is hard work. As a young 20-something, he called his dad to tell him he wasn’t cut out for his cruise line job as a waiter, but his dad told him he needed to follow it through. He did. And eventually he got in the groove and loved working as part of a crew. That he’s now president of the cruise line that owns that first ship he worked aboard is no surprise. With more than 20 years in the industry he knows the ins and outs of how a cruise line works.

Originally from Austria, Chris earned a bachelor’s degree from the Higher Tourism Institute in Austria along with several tourism and accounting certificates from US colleges. He enjoys the diversity of his job in tourism and holds himself to high standards. He joined Windstar in 2017 and loves the supportive family-like atmosphere. He’s a member of the Culinary Institute of America’s invitation-only Society of Fellows.

As a kid, he wanted to be a race car driver and then a pilot. For someone who wanted to get places fast, he’s pretty happy overseeing cruise ships – a relatively slow, relaxing pace of travel. To win a place in his heart, invite him to pull up a chair at the ice cream parlor for a cone and conversation about Formula One. If you’re looking for him aboard one of the ships, check near the ice cream station. Aside from testing out all the ice cream stores around, Chris enjoys running, spending time with family and choosing colorful, eye-catching specs at his favorite eyeglass store.

Travel memory: My daughter at a younger age thought it was really funny to change my passport with hers leading to a smiling airline agent saying, “That is a cute picture. Can I have your passport please?” It was an important trip, so I had to ask my wife to quickly drive my passport to the airport. I made it just in time – the plane door literally closed behind me.

Janet Bava

Chief Commercial Officer

"Travel is truly a force of good in this world and allows us to meet new people, learn new cultures, and realize how similar we all are."

Cuban born and Miami raised, Janet Bava found her love for travel at a young age. She had her first taste of cruising at the age of 15 when she celebrated her quinceañera onboard a Royal Caribbean cruise ship and never looked back. She describes herself as a cruise lifer and internationally travel driven — she even met her husband while traveling through Italy during her college years.

Prior to joining Windstar Cruises during the summer of 2023, Bava was most recently the Chief Marketing Officer for AmaWaterways River Cruises and she has spent upwards of 20 years working in the travel industry. Most notably, prior to AmaWaterways, Bava was the VP of Marketing (The Americas) for Silversea Cruises where she fell in love with small-ship luxury cruising. Graduated from Florida International University with her Marketing and International Business degree, she always dreamed of working for a global brand poised for expansion and that would allow her to focus on bringing people from all over the world closer together. As a member of Chief, she enjoys connecting and supporting women executive leaders and emerging future female leaders in the corporate world.

She prides herself on being a results-driven professional who is able to lead by example and set a clear vision for her team. Bava values collaboration, creativity and innovation. She sees the advantages of leveraging new emerging technologies to consistently deliver results and she looks forward to further elevating the Windstar experience ensuring every touch point with our guests can be 180 degrees from ordinary.

There's one thing Bava has that never expires — her passport. If she could, she would explore the whole world on a ship with her beloved colleagues, family & friends. With an already accomplished travel portfolio, Bava is most eager to experience Tahiti and the Middle East the Windstar way, on an intimate private-yacht style cruise delighting in the culinary experiences this award-winning global travel brand is renowned for.

Giovanni Canu

Vice President, Technical Operations

“I once thought I might be a Navy officer… or maybe a lawyer. Safe to say the sea won.”

With more than 35 years of maritime experience, Giovanni (Gio) Canu has seen just about everything at sea and engineered most of it, too. As Vice President of Technical Operations at Windstar Cruises, Gio brings deep expertise in fleet decarbonization, dry dock execution, energy efficiency, and alternative fuels. He’s helped modernize cruise fleets across the globe, including senior roles at Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings and Carnival Cruise Line, always pushing for smarter, more sustainable ways to sail.

Born in Genoa, Italy, Gio still remembers the pride of sailing into his hometown for the first time as a young cadet—an early career moment that sealed his lifelong love of ships. These days, he's based shoreside, leading technical operations with a steady hand, a sharp mind, and the occasional grumble if you show up late to a meeting.

Known for his sincerity, loyalty, and a dry sense of humor, Gio loves working across disciplines and solving the puzzle that is cruise ship complexity. (Spoiler: they’re not just floating hotels.) What surprised him most about Windstar? The culture: casual, collaborative, and grounded in real respect for expertise.

Off the clock, Gio can be found cheering on his kids at hockey, soccer, and figure skating, sneaking in ski trips to Colorado, or cooking his legendary tiramisu. Just don’t ask him to stand in line at a store while the clerk chats on the phone.

A memorable travel moment: Sailing into Genoa as a 22-year-old cadet. My first time approaching home by sea. That feeling? I’ll never forget it. Also: bartering used oil for fresh fish in Brazil. Best dinner I’ve ever had.
 

Arthur Theodorou

Vice President, Information Technology

“I build the systems that power unforgettable voyages—and I’ll still roll up my sleeves to get the job done.”

Arthur is the kind of IT leader who’s as comfortable talking strategy with the CEO as he is crawling under a desk to fix a cable. With more than 20 years of experience driving digital transformation across land and sea, Arthur joined Windstar to help chart our next wave of growth. That includes scaling up the tech behind our guest experience, modernizing platforms across the fleet, and dreaming up new innovations that make our cruises and corporate team smarter, smoother, and more connected.

Before Windstar, Arthur was VP of IT at Lindblad Expeditions, where he oversaw everything from cybersecurity to cloud architecture to guest-facing apps. He’s known for launching complex systems like marine ERPs and online booking engines with a strategic mindset and a hands-on approach. He says he was drawn to Windstar by the culture—and the tech challenges that come with a growing, globe-trotting cruise line.

Arthur’s love for tech started early and never let up. He still geeks out on system design, tinkers with new tech in his free time, and is constantly learning something new. But he’s not just about screens and servers—he’s also an avid darts player, occasional marksman, a reader and a dedicated family guy.

His favorite travel memory? Watching the NY Giants win the Super Bowl while sitting next to Al Gore and a Nat Geo photographer aboard an expedition cruise in Antarctica. (Yes, really.)

As a kid, he wanted to be a race car driver. Now, he’s more into steering big-picture IT systems than sports cars, but he still gets revved up with inconsiderate drivers—his biggest pet peeve.

Travel memory:
“Getting picked up in a mystery car in El Salvador by a total stranger, tracking the drive with GPS, planning my escape route... and then laughing about it all once I arrived safely at the hotel. Not recommended, but unforgettable!”

Alan Wilson

Vice President of Marine Operations

“As a kid, I wanted to be a farmer. Ended up steering ships around the world instead. Close enough.”

Captain Alan Wilson brings more than 25 years of maritime leadership to his role as Vice President of Marine Operations at Windstar Cruises. He’s guided fleets across continents, repatriated thousands of crew members during the COVID-19 pandemic, and helped design the bridges for next-generation yachts. Before joining Windstar, he served as VP of Marine Operations for Holland America Group, earning a reputation for calm, strategic leadership and a sharp eye for detail (don’t even try to show him a lifebuoy with the ship name upside down).

Alan is a Fellow of the Nautical Institute, a decorated veteran with the South Atlantic Medal from the Falklands conflict and is listed in Marquis Who’s Who in America for maritime operations. What drew him to Windstar? The people, the culture, and a cruise line that does things differently—in all the right ways.

Outside the office, Alan is happiest when he’s sailing, golfing, snowboarding, or traveling with his wife Julie. He’s also known for pouring a world-class gin and tonic which came in handy on one trip.  A sailing rendezvous to the Channel Islands turned into only a happy hour and no main course when stormy weather made their friends turn back – and grill their steak dinner at dock.

A memorable travel moment: Sailing a 45-foot catamaran through the Adriatic with two other Scottish couples. We hit different islands every day, ate like royalty, and laughed nonstop. One of those trips you talk about forever.

John Gunner

Vice President of Expansion Projects

John Gunner’s career (and educational background) started in electrical engineering. He became a sea-going officer aboard P&O Princess Cruises, where he worked through various engineering department ranks culminating as Chief Electro Technical Officer. Then as Senior Project Manager for their New Build Group he designed and reviewed development of passenger vessels, including five mega-ships. He subsequently took the position of Senior Vice President of Technical Operations for Princess Cruises. Since 2016, he has served as a technical consultant for Windstar Cruises, helping oversee major vessel projects. His Vice President of Expansion Projects role is a new position at Windstar.

Toby Skey

Vice President of Human Resources

“I am constantly so pleased to find that we take our work so seriously, but not ourselves.”

Everybody loves the bloke with the British accent. So it is with Toby, fondly called Tobe. He’s the one cracking jokes and making people laugh – even though he’s in HR. Toby grew up in a tiny town in Northhamptonshire, England (so small there wasn’t even a pub) and wanted to see the world. A student exchange program sent him to Central Washington University in Ellensburg. With a degree in psychology from the University of Plymouth England and an MBA from University of Washington, he eventually stayed in Washington state. He’s worked in HR at storied Northwest companies – managing director at Alaska Airlines and director of human resources at PACCAR Inc. At Windstar, Toby focuses on developing talent programs and initiatives to support 1,500 crew and 150 plus corporate employees. He enjoys finding ways to bring people together to harness their collective energy for fun and productive work. In free time, you’ll find him boating on Puget Sound or fly fishing on a river. So Pacific Northwesty for the guy from England.

A memorable travel moment:  A Boeing plane I was due to be on from Seattle to Oakland cancelled due to a mechanical issue. Ultimately everyone was rebooked, but the original plane was fixed, and I was given the option to fly to Oakland with just me, the flight attendants and the pilots. The pilot still made announcements the whole way saying things like “Toby, if you look out the right-hand side window you will see Mt. Rainier!”

Victor Valencia

Vice President, Revenue Management

"If there’s a challenge, Victor’s already looking for the opportunity hiding inside it—and probably inventing a new way to tackle it, too!"

Victor is the kind of leader who brings a spark of innovation to every meeting and believes that progress should be as exciting as a surprise dessert. When he joined Windstar Cruises, the company was ready to level up—and Victor was ready to bring some start-up energy to the high seas. Now, he’s helping guide Windstar as it grows from six ships to eight, making sure every step forward feels like a celebration.

Victor’s work style? Flexible, curious, and always up for a good brainstorm. He’s famous for encouraging teams to invent, experiment, and never settle for “just okay.” (His pet peeve: anything that slows down progress—like slow Wi-Fi.)

Outside the office, Victor’s adventures are just as colorful. In Rome, he once shocked a server by ordering cake with gelato—a combo so wild it nearly broke Italian tradition but totally delighted his taste buds. In Argentina, his vegetarian order sparked a hilarious back-and-forth with waiters who couldn’t imagine a meal without meat.

As a kid, Victor dreamed of being a soccer star, a stock-market whiz, or “the boss”—ambitions that still fuel his drive today. Now, he channels that energy into soccer games, running, reading, traveling, sampling great food, and spending time with family and friends. He’s also a car enthusiast, always ready for a road trip or a pit stop. Victor joined Windstar because he saw the perfect chance to help a company evolve and grow. He brings a spirit of transformation, a love for new experiences, and a commitment to making things better—180 degrees from ordinary.

Alfonso Robles

Vice President of Finance

"I know for sure no kid grows up saying he wants to be an accountant."

Doctor, detective, rock star, writer. These were the grown up careers Alfonso thought about as a kid. Dual degrees in English literature and accounting from Florida International University is where he landed. Something for the left brain. Something for the right. A family man, he spends his time cheering on his three kids, taking family road trips, biking, beaching, and grilling at home - family time. He believes vacations are priceless opportunities to connect with loved ones and make memories. With many years in the cruise industry, Alfonso says he enjoys his work in this dynamic industry that fosters teamwork and requires an "all in" approach to meet objectives. He began his career at Royal Caribbean Group, then added Carnival Cruise Line and World Residences at Sea. Windstar's collaborative, fun, team-oriented culture drew him in. Just don't serve him cold soup. He'll send it back.

A memorable travel moment: My family, we are road warriors. We like to hit the open road; we've driven as far as Oklahoma and up to Tennessee. It's great family time. Honestly, the hardest part is the eight hours to get out of Florida.

Jaymi Fiveash

Senior Director of Guest Services

“When I was a kid, I wanted to be an English teacher, a river raft guide, and a world traveler … I’m happy to say I achieved one!”
 
Jaymi Fiveash has been a part of the Windstar team for over a decade, first coming aboard in 2013. Initially joining the team as a Voyage Service Agent who excelled at connecting guests with their dream vacations, Jaymi soon realized she had a passion for leading through mentorship. Now serving as Senior Director of Guest Services, her favorite aspect of her profession is her team — she enjoys helping her team members grow professionally and watching them excel to their highest capabilities. In addition to her time experiencing Windstar behind the scenes, Jaymi has also spent plenty of time enjoying the cruise line as a guest. In fact, she got engaged on the back of Wind Spirit, and if you ask her what her favorite place in the world is, she’d tell you it’s the deck of a Windstar ship.
 
Favorite travel memory: During my very first Windstar Cruise in Southeast Asia, we stopped at a tiny island in Malaysia. We rented all-day mopeds for $6 and bought a tank top with a map of the area. The island was so small, we rode around it three times, using my shirt to navigate.

Helen Beck

Managing Director, Global Commercial

“I consider myself privileged to help enhance people’s precious leisure time, whether directly with guests or behind the scenes, it’s very special to be an unseen part of their holiday memories.”

Helen Beck is Windstar Cruises’ resident polyglot, travel enthusiast, and unofficial spelling police. As Managing Director, Global Commercial, Helen brings a lifetime of travel industry experience and a British sense of humor that’s as dry as a well-made martini. Raised above the family pub as the eldest of four, Helen learned early how to organize a crowd, keep a secret, and make sure everyone’s having a good time.

Helen’s career has taken her from holiday representative to global leader, with every role preparing her for the challenge of driving Windstar’s commercial strategy. She speaks four languages, switches between Spanish and German with ease, and is known for organizing nights out, giving good advice, and bringing spark to any party.

Her favorite travel memories involve family campervan adventures in France, complete with bedtime stories starring Helen the horse and a cast of animal friends. These days, she’s a proud aunt to 11 nieces and nephews, and is planning a trip to the Iguazu waterfalls with one niece—because every backpacker deserves a little luxury.

Helen’s pet peeve? Poor spelling. If you see her reaching for a red pen, run. As a child, she dreamed of being an architect, building worlds with Legos. Now, she’s an avid reader (often juggling several books at once), a returning golf enthusiast, and a champion of British humor—pragmatic, down-to-earth, and always ready with a witty remark.

Helen supports ‘Inspiring the Future’, a UK charity that brings professionals into classrooms to share career journeys and advice with students. She’s passionate about mentoring and helping others find their path, just as she’s found hers at Windstar, a place where every role in her career feels like it was leading to this one.