Our Story

The idea for Elective first took shape over 20 years ago, when Carrie was the Executive Director of Oxbridge Academic Programs, running academic summer courses for American students in five European cities. Watching students transform through the experience of studying abroad left a lasting impression. It was there she first wondered, “Why doesn’t something like this exist for adults?”

That question stayed with her as her career evolved, taking her from New York to Paris and beyond. Carrie’s expertise spans the fields of travel, education, and cultural exchange, having managed teams operating in over 30 countries.

Most recently, she served as Executive Vice President at FTLO Travel, overseeing operations for modern group travel programs aimed at young professionals, and before that at BlueStripe, managing housing for American study abroad students across Europe. Previously, she coordinated transatlantic study tours for emerging leaders at the German Marshall Fund of the U.S. and managed two non-profit foundations supporting college enrichment programs for students in New York City’s most underserved areas. Early in her career, Carrie taught French at NYU and English at l’Université de Paris René Descartes, laying the foundation for her lifelong commitment to education and cultural exchange.

Through these experiences, Carrie’s vision for Elective crystallized. She realized that the study abroad experience so many of us regret missing—or wish we could revisit—would only exist if she created it herself. And so, Elective was born: a program designed to bring academic learning, meaningful travel, and cultural connection to curious minds at any stage of life.