Meet Our Magical Team
Chris Gunn
CEO
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Chris Gunn is the founder of Hats off adventures. Chris was born in Florida 30 minutes from Walt Disney World, so as a child he traveled to Disney often. Knowing how magical & special Disney is, he has made many memories with his children where he grew up. It truly is the place where dreams come true! Chris has spent time in the Islands as well, traveling to Jamaica, Turks & Caicos, and The Bahamas.
As a member of the Air Force, Chris has also traveled abroad to places like Dubai & UAE. He is very excited to make your next "Adventure" come true!
Email Chris at cgunn@hatsoffadventures.com
Tim Gunn
VP of Operations
Vacation Extraordinaire, Tim Gunn has been planning, coordinating and scheduling the most enjoyable trips for for over 15 years. If you are looking to get the most out of your vacation, Tim is your man. He is excellent at making each trip personal and finds adventures that are meaningful to you. As a father of 2 girls, and an educator of 26 years, Tim knows how to have fun as a family on vacation, and brings that to his planning! If you love having fun and need your vacation planned with great detail, Tim has you covered.
Email Tim at tgunn@hatsoffadventures.com
Shawna Lee Irish
Travel Agent /
Business Manager & Administrator
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When Shawna Lee was little, all she wanted to do was go to Walt Disney World! Her parents made her dream a reality by giving her a dream vacation for her high school graduation. College was followed by first job, and she met her Prince Charming who agreed that they should honeymoon at Disney! When their 2 amazing kiddos were scared to death of characters, their first trip was a little delayed, but watching their eyes light up as they saw Cinderella Castle, ride their first rides, and watch the fireworks was worth it! She took took her youngest for his high school graduation, and when it's time to for a vacation, they always have a tough time choosing a destination besides Disney World!
Shawna Lee is disabled, so she is very familiar with traveling and planning for disabilities. She is comfortable talking about and planning for all contingencies and possible medical issues.
She does love to plan all-Inclusive vacations to the Caribbean, and cruises as well! She can't wait to plan your first, your fifth, or your 10th Magical vacation!
Email Shawna Lee at slirish@hatsoffadventures.com
Megan Burnett
Travel Agent / Marketing Manager
Megan was born and raised in Charlotte, NC and currently lives right over the state line in Fort Mill, SC. When she had the opportunity to join Hat's Off Adventures, she knew this was her sign. Megan went to Walt Disney World on her honeymoon, and now she and her husband take their 3 girls to Disney World every year. Always a kid at heart, Megan’s knowledge of Disney World is unmatched. Her love of Harry Potter has expanded her adventures to Universal Studios. You can catch her casting spells in Diagon Alley and waiting first in line for Hagrid’s Magical Motorbike Adventure. And whether it's hopping on a train in Italy or zip lining on a cruise excursion in the Caribbean, Megan’s extensive knowledge will take you and your family on an adventure that you will never forget.
Email Megan at mburnett@hatsoffadventures.com
Jill Ashe
Travel Agent
It all started with a mouse… Jill’s first love was Mickey Mouse and the infatuation has only grown over the years. Along with her husband, she has raised a Disney family! They have traveled to Disney World almost ever year, sometimes multiple times a year, have surprised their kids with a trip to Disneyland and in recent years have discovered the fun at sea with Disney Cruise Line. The magic of Disney is undeniable and she loves to help others experience it!
Email Jill at jashe@hatsoffadventures.com
Iona Dupill
Travel Agent
Iona was born and raised in North Central Massachusetts. After raising 5 children and weathering the brutal winters, she knew she would eventually move to Florida where her parents were already snowbirds. Iona and her husband saved their tax refunds so they could vacation at Disney with their 5 children. The first trip was a 21 hour drive with all the kids in a van for a 10-day stay at the All Star Sports resort, complete with length-of-stay park passes and a dining package. That’s where her Disney obsession started. After retiring early from a government job, she and her husband moved to Lakeland, Florida, with the main objective of being close to Disney. They immediately became Annual Passholders and DVC members so they could visit Disney often. Her son proposed to his wife in the Rose Garden (which is no longer there), and her daughter was proposed to along side her favorite character, Eeyore, during breakfast at the Crystal Palace. She was married at The Boardwalk in a Disney Fairytale Wedding and honeymooned at The Animal Kingdom Lodge. To say they are a Disney family is an understatement. When the opportunity presented itself to become a Travel Agent, it was a natural choice to team up with an authorized Disney Travel Agency. Iona says, “I can’t wait to share travel advice and tips to help you with your next vacation, whether it’s at Disney World in Florida or across the world at Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Paris or any of the many Disney Resorts.”
Email Iona at iona@hatsoffadventures.com
Kim Hartleb
Travel Agent
Growing up in Daytona Beach during her high school years, it was always just a quick drive for Kim to see her favorite character, Donald Duck! Weekend jaunts to Disney World were a "no-brainer". Every chance she had, she was hanging out with Mickey and Friends. The adventures were endless. As Mickey would say, "Laughter is timeless, imagination has no age, and dreams are forever!" Kim lives by that! She will never be too old to live this quote.
Along with her husband and two children, she has created a Disney family. No matter what their day has in store, "a little bit of magic" is all they need. The magic of Disney is undeniable!
As a first grade teacher, Kim instills the love of Disney in her classroom. Mickey and Friends and Toy Story are all around! "Mrs. Hartleb" even drives around in a Disney Jeep decked out in Mickey and Friends! And of course, she included one of her favorite quotes, "to double infinity and beyond."
She can't wait to help you with your adventures!
Email Kim at khartleb@hatsoffadventures.com
Stephanie Milldrum
Travel Agent
Born and raised on the West Coast where she grew up camping, hiking and traveling throughout every National Park with Tahoe and Yosemite practically in my backyard, Stephanie's love for adventure and travel started early. Being close to Disneyland, SeaWorld and more, added the thrill of theme parks and rides to those core memories making her parents responsible for creating an eager adventurer. She can not wait to create those for her own family as well as others.
That adventurous side had her uproot herself to the Northwest into her adult life where there was a whole new world of mountains in her front yard and the coast in her backyard. Monthly trips to Astoria were the best because, well...Goonies Never Die! Fast forward 15 years, 3 kids later, a couple years in Nashville, TN, then back to the west coast in Reno, NV, she is now in Cincinnati, OH.
Her oldest is still back in Portland but she has 2 girls now, 6 and 7 years old, that keep her on her toes. Summer days are their favorite and when it gets too cold there....guess what's only a 2 hour flight away? Disney World! She loves watching her childhood memories reignite through them and is eager to share so much of her childhood adventures with them as they grow!
Stephanie finds so much joy in what people always joke with her about and refer to as "Hallmark moments," and making them happen. Whether it be for herself, a neighbor, friend or stranger, if she can be part of their next story of memories and experiences they shared together, THAT makes HER just as happy as it makes them!
Email Stephanie at stephanie@hatsoffadventures.com
Katie Rawlings
Travel Agent
Katie has loved traveling and all things Disney her whole life. Growing up she visited her family in California and grew up going to Disneyland. Then in second grade she took her first trip to Walt Disney World and was hooked! In college, her dreams came true when she became a Disney Cast Member and joined the Disney College Program. From there she worked for Walt Disney World for 10 years! She worked with the characters at all four parks and many of the resorts. In her free time she would “play” in the parks and explore all the rides, restaurants and experiences Disney has to offer. She would love to share her tips, tricks, and experiences with you to make your next vacation extra magical!
Email Katie at kwekall@hatsoffadventures.com
Nicole Smith
Travel Agent
Nicole Smith grew up on Long Island New York and loved boating and the beach. She met her husband, had a couple of kids, and moved to South Carolina in 2019.
Since moving, she and her husband decided to start living for family experiences. Being a Disney Villain family, they booked a Disney Vacation and fell in love with everything Disney had to offer. Now she can’t wait to help you and your family book your next experience together so you too can make amazing memories of your own.
Email Nicole at nicole@hatsoffadventures.com
Casey Torchio Travel Agent
Casey has always loved traveling. From big family vacations to quick weekends away, she is an avid traveler near and far. All-inclusive resorts, cruising, cross-country road trips, European vacations, and exploring the United States from coast to coast, she loves them all, She's thankful to have had the opportunity to enjoy many amazing destinations throughout her life so far. But Disney destinations became her obsession when she moved to Charlotte, NC in 2015. Shortly, after her move, she realized she was just a drive away from Walt Disney World. They took their then tiny baby and toddler for the first time and she fell in love with Disney all over again, like when she was a child. Casey truly felt the magic of Disney and couldn't stop planning her own trips. Eventually this led to helping plan family and friends' Disney trips, and then becoming an official Disney travel agent.
Casey is currently residing in California, so Disneyland has become her family's home away from home. They are Magic Key holders and have loved discovering all of the ins and outs of the Happiest Place on Earth, while still visiting Disney World at least once a year. They have also visited Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa, on the island of Oahu, and have enjoyed Disney cruising out of San Diego. Casey loves all things Disney and wants everyone to love Disney as much as she does, and with her expertise feels that's possible when she helps families plan stress-free magical vacations.
Email Casey at ctorchio@hatsoffadventures.com
Stephanie Walker
Travel Agent
Howdy from Texas! Stephanie is a mom of 6 who loves to travel. After teaching for over 25 years, she wanted to find her fun career that she can do til the end of her days, so jer husband suggested travel.
After a little research, Stephanie soon jumped into the travel industry and has loved being a part of it! Stephanie currently books corporate travel, group sales, all-inclusive properties, and cruises. Of course, she is always am working toward new specialties. That is why she loves her new team at Hat's Off Adventures because we are Disney Pros. Stephanie love all things Disney, especially Star Wars, and she loves Universal too- especially Harry Potter world. Stephanie will be our hands-on girl when Universal opens their new property in Texas!
Email Stephanie at mgtravelpro@hatsoffadventures.com