Sharing our passion for Africa

To the Maasai people who knew him as a boy, Sam Stogdale was always destined for a prominent position in the safari trade. The son of renowned Kenyan hotelier David Stogdale, Sam spent much of his formative years with the young tribesmen who were training to become lodge managers and guides under his father’s tutelage.

It was in the Mara that Sam cut his teeth as a young guide. By the age of 15, he was a certified guide and, at 17, completed the definitive FGASA Professional Safari Guide course. Along the way, he picked up advanced qualifications in trail guiding, birding and game tracking.

Since launching Africa Born in 2011, Sam and his business partner, Paolo Parazzi, have established a reputation as two of the continent’s finest ‘beach and bush’ outfitters. Sam’s specialties are the game-ruled plains of southern Kenya, and particularly the sweeping Mara-Serengeti ecosystem that is considered by many to be the single-most important wildlife sanctuary on Earth.

Born to an Ethiopia-born Italian businessman and a Sri Lanka-born English environmentalist, Paolo grew up in Watamu, a coastal town on Kenya's north coast. He was immersed in a world of conservation from an early age: the Parazzi family’s Local Ocean Trust has successfully released over 21,000 sea turtles, many of which were rescued from local fishermen's nets.

At the forefront of a new generation of Kenyan guides, Paolo embraces a more holistic, innovative and creative approach to guiding. With an unquenchable sense of adventure and a wealth of experience, Paolo’s diverse skill set ranges from being a trained accountant and private pilot to a safari guide, diver and seasoned fisherman.

His adventures across sub-Saharan Africa have allowed him to establish connections with local operators and communities along the way. With an extensive network of relationships throughout the continent, Paolo particularly loves crafting our ocean adventures, curating unforgettable bespoke experiences - with meaning - for our guests: far beyond the usual bush and beach safari.

Antonia creates the incredible meals and menus for all Africa Born’s private mobile safaris. 

Although she was born in and grew up in England, Atonia is of Kenyan ancestry, and family holidays were spent on safari in the country. A competent horsewoman and trained chef, Antonia’s thirst for adventure and hunger for the vast expanses of Africa led to her moving to Kenya in 2007, where she started a community conservation project running her own camp, Tassia Lodge, in partnership with the Maasai community in Northern Kenya.

At Tassia, Antonia put her professional training to good use, teaching the local Maasai how to create a sumptuous colourful fusion of food in the bush. She’s also the founder of Antassia, a grassroots initiative which harnesses the traditional beading and jewellery-making skills of the Maasai women to create a sustainable source of income for them and their families.

In 2018, Antonia started Antonia's Kitchen, her cookery school on the slopes of Mount Kenya that offers a variety of cookery courses catering for safari chefs, home cooks and youngsters on gap years. She’s also the creator of the incredible meals and menu planning for all Africa Born’s private mobile safaris.

As Africa Born’s marketing consultant, Henrietta helps shape and share the stories that bring the brand to life.

Growing up in a family of four sisters in the Welsh countryside, Henrietta’s childhood instilled a love of nature, wildlife and family adventures. Surrounded by chickens, dogs and ponies, Henrietta was never destined for corporate city life and instead left the UK for Kenya after graduating from university. 

Henrietta cut her teeth managing a camp in the Masai Mara. These two years gave her an insight into the importance of guest experience, the vital role of conservation in these remote and rugged spots, and sparked a passion for life in the bush. 

Moving to Nairobi in 2013, Henrietta honed her skills working in the portfolio’s sales and marketing team, before taking a new role as Marketing Manager of The Safari Collection in 2015 and later joining the Africa Born team in 2022.

Henrietta now lives in Watamu with Paolo and their twin girls. Life on the Kenyan coast continues to be a series of adventures. Ever the entrepreneur, Henrietta’s love of beachcombing led her to founding Drift Kenya: a home decor collection created from natural, foraged and recycled materials found on the shore of Watamu. In 2023, she then joined forces with The Buluu to launch a new venture, The Buluu Drift: a sustainable lifestyle and interior showroom showcasing the work of Kenya’s talented local artisans. Incredibly, Henrietta also finds the time to run Africa Born’s comms and marketing team, crafting stories across all our platforms.’

Edna was born and raised in Nakuru, Kenya which sits at the heart of the Great Rift Valley. From an early age Edna loved nature, taking part in wildlife club conservation excursions as a child. She later dedicated the thesis of her Master's degree to the Role of Media Diplomacy in Promoting Tourism in Kenya.

Prior to joining Africa Born, Edna gained a breadth of experience working in the banking and publishing sectors, honing her skills in sales and marketing. She is also a talented musician and has shared a stage with legendary international acts such as Kool and the Gang and UB40.

Edna has been a part of the Africa Born Team for over 10 years, where her role now encompasses operations, administration and human resources. She works behind the scenes to ensure the smooth running of the many constituent parts of an Africa Born safari.

Having grown up in a small coastal village in South Africa, Andrew’s passion for birds, creepy crawlies and of course the wonder of the ocean began at a very early age: his entire childhood was spent immersed in nature.

After high school, he completed a diploma in game ranging and began his career as a guide in South Africa’s Eastern Cape. He has since managed, trained, mentored and guided at some of the top lodges in South Africa, Mozambique and Tanzania.

Andrew and his wife moved back to South Africa when they were expecting their first child, and he now specialises in planning safaris throughout East and Southern Africa. Having guided clients for over 10 years - and offering exceptional knowledge of Southern Africa, in particular - Andrew is a natural at working with clients to craft the perfect bucket list itinerary.

Tamara brings a deep passion for wildlife, indigenous cultures and traditions. 

Tamara Moller was born and raised in Kenya, growing up on a Wildlife Conservancy in Laikipia. When she was 13 years old, her family moved to Tsavo National Park, where her father co-founded Tsavo Trust. A highly respected conservationist, her father’s love for the natural world has shaped Tamara’s deep passion for wildlife, indigenous cultures, and traditions.

In 2014, Tamara moved to the UK to study Business Management. After completing her degree, she returned immediately to Kenya. She’s been a Manager at Borana Lodge in Laikipia since 2019 and joined the Africa Born team in 2023. 

Cara’s African adventures offer valuable insights to our guests.

Cara grew up in a renowned wildlife conservancy in Laikipia, which naturally instilled in her a passion for wildlife and conservation. This, coupled with her enthusiasm for travel, led her to explore Africa on a road trip from Nairobi to Cape Town in an old Land Rover Defender after leaving school, when she spent time working in several high profile Kenyan lodges. 

After graduating from Exeter University in 2013, Cara returned to the safari world, working with Africa specialists in London before managing the UK and European sales and marketing for Classic Portfolio, a leading collection of private camps and lodges across Africa. In this role, she explored much of East, Southern and West Africa, including the lesser-known destinations CAR and São Tomé & Príncipe.

After the birth of their first child in 2022, Cara and her husband moved back to Kenya, where she now works as a safari specialist for Africa Born.