Meet The Founder
Adele Nandan
Founder & Chief Experience Officer
For over 25 years, I have been creating memorable travel experiences and supporting global nonprofits in poverty alleviation. I started The JoYOUs Journey as a bespoke travel organization with a deeper purpose. My heart’s desire is to see people connected to their core values, others, and the world around them.
My love for travel started at a very young age. As the youngest daughter of immigrant parents, I often traveled back and forth to India. We drove across the U.S. visiting friends and family and, when time and money allowed, my parents took us on surprise vacations.
As I grew older, my curiosity to learn about other people, cultures, and countries translated to my career. My first job was as a manager for American Airlines, where I took full advantage of the travel perks. After the devastation of September 11th, I moved into private aviation, where I sharpened my skills in exceptional customer service. In 2008, I landed my dream job with a global philanthropic organization, creating memorable travel experiences for donors. I traveled as their host through countries I had only dreamed of exploring and helped connect them to local communities. This job changed my life and led me to TJJ.
My passion is producing world-class global travel. For me, the biggest blessing from my travels is the lasting relationships I have built. They are the foundation and inspiration for The JoYOUs Journey and the reason I feel confident that you will have an incredible experience on any of the trips we plan. I have seen how travel can truly change one’s life and it is now my mission to provide these life-changing opportunities to you. I look forward to working with you and building a transformational experience for you to discover how we are all connected and to bring joy to your world. The greatest gift that I can give is to create a moment that carries with someone and when they think about this time, I am a small part of their life and the joy that moment brings them. My mission statement for my life is simple –“When people leave my presence, I want them to smile, feel loved, and know they are valued.”
Fun Facts about Adele:
Lived in Rwanda and had a baby gorilla sit next to her!
Lives simply, loves generously, learns constantly, celebrates life, and is a Chicago girl at heart.
Picked up a new hobby during the COVID lockdown of paint by numbers – try it, it’s a great stress relief!
Biggest fear is going down escalators. Don’t laugh, it’s real…