Claudia was born and raised in Cartagena and, with the exception of a few years spent in Spain and Bogotá, has lived most of her life in her native city. She has an intense love for history and culture, both of which helped shape an MA in history from the University of Cartagena. Claudia taught Columbian and world history at the University Jorde Tadeo Lozano for 7 years. She is passionate about her hometown and loves sharing her in-depth knowledge of the area with travelers as she welcomes them to Cartagena.

A Native of Cartagena, Alexander is a passionate community leader. Having grown up in the low-income San Francisco district, and seeing how education and learning English can improve a child's future, he founded the <a href="http://thealexrochayouthcenter.tumblr.com/">Alexander Rocha Youth Center</a> in 2012. Although a project very much in progress, the center is already making a difference in the community and is the focal point of our <a href="https://www.contexttravel.com/city/cartagena/walking-tour-details/the-barrio-visiting-and-volunteering-in-san-francisco">The Barrio visit.</a>

Kristen Reed is a former professional opera singer from Santa Barbara, California. She received her Bachelor’s of Music degree in Opera Performance and her opera career began in Switzerland at the age of 21 which would continue over the next 14 years. She performed throughout Europe and The United States, singing some of classical music’s most glorious repertoire. Travel was always a wonderful perk as an opera singer, however enjoying the sights in between a packed schedule of rehearsals and performances was a rare commodity. After many years on the road, she returned to her home town to take a classical art form and make it palatable for the modern listener by collaborating with other art forms and pop culture. Santa Barbara is where she also shifted her performance of opera into the world of Latin music. Kristen always had a love for the Spanish language, culture, and music, at times performing classic boleros (old Spanish folk songs) as a hobby between opera performances. In a desire to expand her repertoire and understanding of Latin American music, she decided to leave the United States and spend extensive time in Argentina and Colombia. She currently resides in Cartagena, where she has fallen in love with the way of life, and especially the multifaceted world of music.