TEAM MEMBERS
Jim Davis, President of California Tour Consultants
Jim Davis graduated from The American University in Washington, DC with a degree in International Affairs. During college he interned for Senator Pell of Rhode Island and did research relating to the senator's membership on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In addition, he interned at the U.S. Embassy in London
and worked at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the National Gallery of Art.
After working in operations for Washington Group Tours and managing New York Group Tours Jim moved to California to oversee San Francisco Group Tours. He then branched out on his own and established California Tour Consultants. Thirty years later Jim is still actively involved running the company and is currently integrating new product lines such as voluntourism and ecotour activities into the firm's programs.
In addition to his travel industry career Jim is a professional digital photographer and loves to combine his passion for travel and photography. Jim is an avid kayaker and does volunteer work for Search for Common Ground which fosters peace at troubled areas throughout the world. He and his wife Jennifer spend weekends at the beach with their three dogs and they enjoy hiking on Marin trailsides.
Caria Tomczykowska, Director of Operations
Caria Tomczykowska was born in Europe, spent her early childhood in Boston and then moved to the San Francisco Bay Area, living now in the beautiful Oakland hills for over thirty years. An avid traveler, she has been around the world, traveling to more than 30 countries, some more than once, and is looking forward to seeing even more. She is bi-lingual in Polish and has worked as a legal and medical interpreter in addition to guiding groups from Poland. Owning her own event-planning company for almost ten years, Caria is now Director of Operations at California Tour Consultants, a receptive operator for the entire west coast. She brings with her some innovative new ideas, well- tested programs and itineraries and her valuable contact resources. Caria has organized several diplomatic visits to San Francisco for two of Poland’s Presidents as well as the President of Uruguay. She has also been a local Guide and over-the-road Tour Director for corporate and academic groups.
Caria has been an active member of the SFTGG, NAFE, NAPW, World Affairs Council, Commonwealth Club, San Francisco Symphony, Oakland Symphony, The United Nations Association, The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, the International Museum of Women, People to People Program, Sister Cities and American Women for International Understanding. Caria has been quoted in The Washington Post, The San Francisco Chronicle, Incentive Travel , COURIER Magazine and on various websites. Among her hobbies are photography, poetry and gardening.
Caria has been actively involved in the Polish Community of the Bay Area for most of her life, and is now President of the Polish Arts and Culture Foundation, established in 1966 to celebrate Poland’s Millenium. In this capacity she has presented many concerts, educational and cultural exhibitions, school lectures on Polish Heritage and Traditions, receptions for visiting artists, musicians and professors and the PACF’s annual Gala Polonaise Ball. She was Chair of The Splendor of Poland Cultural Events Committee during the SF Legion of Honor Museum’s exhibit Leonardo daVinci and The Splendor of Poland in the spring of 2003, bringing in a record 218,000 people to see the 74 masterpieces in only ten weeks. In 2004 Caria was named Polish Field Producer for the extraordinary documentary film The Rape of Europa about the stolen art treasures of World War II. The film has been seen by over eight million people and was considered for a 2008 Academy Award nomination. In July 2009, Caria was a member of the San Francisco Delegation to Poland to sign the San Francisco-Krakow Sister Cities Agreement. Caria has been invited to coordinate the Polish Delegation’s reciprocal visit to San Francisco in spring 2010.
David Olivier, Senior Tour Director
David Olivier is a native of San Francisco and has lived in the Bay Area nearly all his life. From his family's frequent vacations and outings in California and elsewhere, David caught the travel bug early on. A great curiosity to explore the world continues to be a major theme in his life. This once resulted in a five-year adventure during which he lived and taught English in both Japan and Italy, while backpacking around much of the globe.
Education and service have always been the principle components of David's professional life. Following his years of undergraduate and graduate study at San Jose and San Francisco State Universities, David moved into San Francisco's tourism and hospitality industry. He spent several years as a concierge at the St. Francis Hotel, then shifted into hotel management before opting to become a tour guide. For over 15 years he has been the senior tour director at California Tour Consultants and has been instrumental in the company's success.