Christopher Graham

Christopher started his professional career as a financial trader working for large International Financial Institutions. However, after 10 years of climbing the corporate ladder, he decided to take a sabbatical in order to step away from his fast-paced career.

His three-month sabbatical, cycling New Zealand, turned into five years of working and living abroad while he pursued his passion for photography and explored other life style choices.

After the three-month New Zealand sabbatical, he moved to Australia to teach diving for a year, and while working at the dive shop, he set up a back-packer’s inn for travelers. During this time, he gained a new understanding of work/life balance from the individuals, of the many different cultures, that passed through his Dive Inn.

In the following three years, he was involved in: cycling tours in France, Spain, Italy, and Cuba; volunteering as a researcher on a sea turtle project in a remote coastal region of Costa Rica; undertaking a 4-wheel drive expedition to photograph the rugged coastline of Australia; studying underwater photography; and continuing his advanced training in diving while volunteering at various dive centres.

Upon his return to Canada, Chris was inspired to attend Ryerson University to study documentary development  and was invited to attend the National Film Board of Canada’s workshop, "Momentum".

Presently, Chris is researching the growing trend of sabbaticals in the workplace and the concept of volunteering as an alternative travel experience.

Martine Racette

Martine has always dreamed of traveling, of exploring other cultures, and of challenging the parameters of her own society. In preparing for this, she has taken various roads, from working as a guide in the tourism sector to recently completing two short films as a production designer, the last being featured at the 2007 Toronto Filmmakers Festival.

Her journey began in Ottawa’s French theatre where she explored both acting and production. She then became a guide in one of Canada’s most interesting museums, the Canadian Museum of Civilization. There she built an expertise in the field of client services and developed a keen interest for working in the tourism industry. Following her desire to help others, she began her studies in the field of social work, which led her to complete an undergrad at the University of Quebec and a Masters degree at the University of Ottawa.

After working for several years in her field, mostly with seniors and elders, Martine was taken back by the constant reminder that “you generally don’t regret the things that you’ve done, but the things that you haven’t done”. This prompted her to follow her dreams and begin her journey towards creating StepOut Experience.

As co-founder, Martine brings a strong understanding of the human psyche, a rich feeling of creativity and a wealth of knowledge to her new and exciting venture.