New York and Cape Town based Deborah Calmeyer is the founder and CEO of the esteemed ultra-luxe experiential travel company ROAR AFRICA. Living between New York and Cape Town for the past twenty years has given the Zimbabwe-born entrepreneur a profound understanding of the needs and desires of discerning travelers. Deborah grew up on a farm in Zimbabwe, riding horses and playing with the families pet lioness “Carmel” that her father rescued. Both of her parents spent a lot of time in the African bush, seeding in Deborah a deep commitment to the preservation and support of the people, animals, and environment of her fragile and extraordinary homeland. In 2005, Deborah created ROAR AFRICA, a New York company run primarily by women, supported by native-born guides and a curated network of experts based predominantly in Africa. The company is known for providing exceptional and exclusive insider access (frequently built upon Deborah’s lifelong relationships in Africa), coupled with an extraordinary dedication to making every detail perfect to ensure a seamless and uncomplicated experience from the moment clients step off the plane. Deborah is inquisitive and cultured, with her finger on the pulse. She is a highly respected specialist in the industry and constantly seeks out - and creates – impeccable experiences in food, culture, and the arts, as well as on safari. On safari, people are transformed, and in exploring how and why that is, Deborah developed the Rewilding Experience - a deeper submersion into the human epiphanies while on safari. Another industry first is the annual Women’s Empowerment trip designed to pioneer a movement in the safari industry. ROAR AFRICA’s “If African women rise, wildlife will thrive” is driving the change in the previously male-dominated industry. With her eye on helping Africa and Africans at all times, Deborah gives back to her homeland through her work with the Girls College of Tourism, The Tracking Academy, Uthando, and The Imibala School for marginalized children. She has received recognition and awards as one of South Africa’s top 25 entrepreneurs (2015). Also, in 2015, she was the first Western woman in tourism to be invited to speak at The Hervillage conference in Beijing on the illegal trade of wildlife, a speech viewed by 190 million viewers online. She also spoke as the South African Representative at the International BRICS forum in New York in 2014 on the impact of tourism on the BRICS countries’ economies.

Under Deb’s visionary leadership, ROAR AFRICA has received numerous awards, including Condé Nast’s 2019 - 30 Most Powerful Women in Travel, Travel & Leisure, A-List (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022), Condé Nast Traveler’s Top Travel Specialists (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022) and Robb Reports The best of the best award.