We add the “Spark” to your Experience

A true San Franciscan at heart, what gets Heather out of bed on foggy mornings is fresh-roasted coffee and warm sourdough bread (plus one extremely persistent terrier!).

Heather grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and is passionate about welcoming people to her home. From the first moment you meet, she strives to make every guest feel like you’re with an “old-friend” in San Francisco.

After +10 years as a professional guide, Heather still  adores her job.  She’s incredibly grateful for the amazing opportunities that come with a career in travel— not only has she traveled the world, but meets the most fascinating people (like you!) along the way.

Heather came to guiding by blending a business, tech and education background. She designed her first tour itinerary while managing Executive Programs at UC Berkeley Haas. Discovering that the University didn’t offer the caliber of campus visits that her visiting scholars, dignitaries and senior professionals needed, she created one. Over time, that evolved into Silicon Valley corporate site visits and sightseeing excursions in San Francisco and Wine Country. After eight years connecting the higher-ed and business world, Heather leaped into to hospitality full-time and never looked back! This background has helped her be uniquely prepared to serve as an ambassador for discerning visitors and locals.

She is also extremely proud to have served nearly a decade as the California Tour Director Team-Lead and a Cruise Director for the nation’s oldest and most respected luxury tour operator, TAUCK World Discoveries. She feels strongly that doing the right thing and “how you see the world” truly does matter!

In addition to a Master’s Degree in Education, Heather is a field instructor for numerous hospitality industry organizations, and has completed the following formal certifications:

• San Francisco Tour Guide Guild (SFTGG)
• International Tour Management Institute (ITMI)
• International Association of Tour Directors and Guides (IATDG)
• International Association of Travel Agents (IATA)
• SFTravel, the Official San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau
• Certified Travel Ambassadors (CTA)

A San Franciscan by choice, Todd moved to the City from Arizona in 2009 in search of cooler weather and an urban lifestyle.  Many years later, he’s built an exciting life around a community of like-minded friends and loves showing off his new home to visitors from around the world.  Todd entered the tourism industry straight out of college and after 20 years leads trips throughout the USA and eastern Canada.  He makes it a point to leave the country every year to explore the world and enjoys learning about culture and history while seeking out local food and craft beer. 

Even though Chris began his tour experience in the East Bay, San Francisco has always been his first love. A native of the Bay Area, he first became a student of San Francisco when he moved to the city in 1997, with a particular interest in early California history, and the city’s LGBT culture. For Chris, a city isn’t just pretty buildings and random facts, but a living, breathing organism with its own personality. He considers San Francisco a truly unique spot on the planet, and he loves introducing it to people.

Jason discovered early on that he loves showing people around. For many years he led tours as a volunteer with historical and architectural societies, then decided 18 years ago to leave the corporate world and follow his passion — sharing the incredible beauty and history of San Francisco with visitors from around the country and the world! In fact, Jason recently authored a “tour guide’s guide to San Francisco,” a training manual used by other guides.  We are VERY proud to have the man who literally “wrote the book” as part of our expert team!

Sharon has been a professional guide since 2010 and is certified by the San Francisco Tour Guide Guild.  Over the years she has shared her favorite Bay area destinations with visitors from around the world, including San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Muir Woods, wine country, Point Reyes, Monterey and Carmel, and Yosemite.  She lives in Silicon Valley and has created a specialized tour of Silicon Valley history (HP Garage and Intel Museum) and Silicon Valley currently (Google, Meta, Apple and more).  Her Silicon Valley tours have been written about in the Washington Post (2017) and in Forbes Magazine (2018).  A curious lifelong learner, Sharon holds a BA in English and MA from the University of Chicago.

Rebekah is a Bay Area native, born in San Francisco and raised in Marin County among Redwoods- just 15 minutes north of the Golden Gate Bridge! She is passionate about storytelling and is constantly reading and following the news for the most fascinating local tales.  She particularly enjoys working with families and kids (learning the ropes with Adventures by Disney).  Rebekah has visited 37 different countries and guided in Canada, Italy, Switzerland and Costa Rica. She has visited all 50 states and guided in many. Rebekah mountain bikes, crafts and reads (voraciously) in her free time. She looks forward to exploring her favorite Bay Area spots with you and your family!

Roberto has been enamored with San Francisco from day one, and has now lived here in “Baghdad by the Bay” for +12 years. Having grown up in Italy and experienced many cities throughout Europe and Latin America, he’s always appreciated SF’s uniquely cosmopolitan culture. Roberto writes stories for both newspapers and cultural institutes- and enjoys sharing our beautiful region with visitors from around the world.

Jessa is an 11th generation native Monterey Californian. She has guided guests of all ages, youth to refined mature travelers, throughout the United States. After 10 years in the industry, her favorite spots to share with guests remain her historic hometown Carmel-by-the-Sea and the City of San Francisco. Jessa’s travel philosophy is “Travel like you Belong.” She’s always looking for the most authentic experiences and unforgettable moments to share – from Pacific Ocean sunset, music jam session, or one-of-a-kind gourmet food tasting. You’re bound to make delicious memories with Jessa!

Valerie has over 12 years of experience as a professional photographer.  She and her trusty camera have traveled throughout the world, serving thousands of clients.  A creative lifestyle photographer, Valerie excels at capturing happy moments and emotions with a style best described as bright, poetic and joyful.  Portfolio @gusevaphoto

Cedric began his career as a classically trained artist and Imagineer for the Walt Disney Company at Disneyland Paris. He eventually taught himself to code and transitioned into digital arts and UI/UX. Cedric started coming to San Francisco many years ago as an annual MacWorld attendee and fell in love with the City. He dreamed of one day moving here permanently… then nine years ago he got his chance! He arrived with two suitcases and one Ikea sofa and is now living the American Dream.

As an original co-founder of Spark Experiences, Sparky played a critical role in product development, particularly in the selection of gourmet snacks and refreshment we provide to guests. Now semi-retired, he continues to make valuable contributions as a member of our Board. In his spare time, he also enjoys long walks on the beach and playing fetch.