Celebrating an ATA National Treasure: Sarah Saleh
This month we celebrated a historic moment in both the history of the company and the life and career of our cherished Sarah Saleh, ATA’s Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration. 40 years! What a milestone.
We often talk about all the crises we have survived. Sarah has been by our side throughout, shepherding our finances, assiduously tracking cash flow, performing insightful analyses and helping us zero in on what the data tells us. Her mind is grounded in logic and reason, and never forgets a detail.
During the darker days of COVID, when a vaccine did not exist and the future was uncertain, Sarah produced endless spreadsheets and documents to satisfy the bank for our PPP, working diligently into the early hours of the morning, to ensure our submissions were prompt and precise. Her competence and dedication brought comfort and reassurance during challenging times.
Upon reflecting on the rich legacy left to us by David and Susan Parry, the former owners of ATA, it becomes evident that one of the most invaluable treasures we inherited was Sarah herself. She is, without a doubt, an ATA national treasure. Happy anniversary, Sarah!
Culinary 🤝 Wellness: Brain Health Kitchen
We are delighted to be working with Dr. Annie Fenn, physician, author, and culinary instructor. The author of The Brain Health Kitchen: Preventing Alzheimer’s Through Food, Dr. Fenn has been offering retreats around the world for years, teaching participants how to prepare and select the healthiest foods for their brains and bodies.
Partnering with ATA, she has decided to explore the world’s Blue Zones, starting with Sardinia, May 18-25, 2025. A Blue Zone is a region distinguished by the prevalence of centenarians, people who have lived over 100 years. Sardinia was the first place where the study of Blue Zones began in 1999, numbering 13 centenarians per 100,000 people. Author Dan Buettner continued this research, adding Okinawa, Nicoya (Costa Rica) and Icaria (Greece), Loma Linda (California) and, most recently, Singapore.
Dr. Fenn has designed the Sardinia trip to include visits with centenarians, cooking classes, a winery visit, tastings, many healthy local meals, easy e-biking and hiking, and even yoga on the beach. Led by Dr. Fenn herself, an easy-going, humble super star who has been to Sardinia a few times, the trip promises to be truly life-changing. In fact, we figure this trip will likely extend your life by a few years! Visit her website for more information.
Washington DC Retreat
At the end of August, the Program Department gathered for a retreat in our DC office. With the team spread across several states along the East Coast, the days spent together were extremely productive, marked by in-depth discussion and camaraderie.
The focus of the retreat was two-fold: it gave both the Program and Client Services Departments the opportunity to review operational policies and procedures prior to the busy fall season, and with the Sales and Marketing team time to look ahead and get a jump start brainstorming new trip ideas for 2026 and beyond.
They rounded out the retreat with a team building escape room activity – there is no doubt everyone in the division is very focused when it comes to problem solving!
