Meet Rachael Berthiaume, our new media & creative contributor
At R.O.S.A., storytelling helps us connect people to the communities, projects, and ideas behind our work. As we continue expanding our initiatives in Zanzibar, we are excited to welcome Rachael Berthiaume, a Media & Creative Contributor who brings experience in communications, content creation, and responsible travel.
Rachael first joined R.O.S.A. remotely, helping us share meaningful volunteer opportunities with young adults through social media. Now, her role is expanding as she prepares to join our team in Zanzibar and help document our teacher training initiatives on the ground.
How would you introduce yourself beyond a job title?
I don’t really define myself by just one role. I work at a coffee shop near Boston, pet sit on the side, and recently started a graphic design program.
I also have a background in Communication and have built much of my creative experience through freelancing, social media strategy, and working with small businesses.
How did you build your creative and travel background?
After earning my degree in Communication, I gained a lot of my experience through hands-on projects and freelance work, from social media strategy to book launches.
Over the past few years, I also started managing my own travel social media accounts and hosting group trips around the world. Those experiences helped me strengthen my creative and communication skills while also changing the way I think about travel.
For me, travel became less about simply visiting a destination and more about learning, observing, and building meaningful connections.
What drew you to R.O.S.A.?
As I traveled more, I realized I was looking for experiences that felt immersive, ethical, and respectful of local communities.
What really drew me to R.O.S.A. was their consideration for the communities they serve. Their programs are integrated in a way that helps without taking away, while respecting the culture and people they are working with.
That community-centered approach really aligned with the way I believe international volunteering and travel should be approached.
How has your role with R.O.S.A. evolved?
At first, I helped spread the word about volunteer opportunities through social media, especially to young adults who were interested in meaningful international experiences.
Now, my role is expanding as I prepare to join the R.O.S.A. team in Zanzibar. I’ll be helping document and share the organization’s teacher training initiatives through photography, video, social media, and digital storytelling.
I’m excited to help highlight not only the programs themselves, but also the educators, partners, and communities behind them.
Why does this opportunity with R.O.S.A. feel meaningful to you?
What makes this opportunity especially meaningful to me is that it brings together several parts of my life that I care about: travel, creativity, and connecting people with meaningful experiences. As both a traveler and someone who works in digital storytelling, I understand the kind of audience R.O.S.A. is trying to reach. I’m excited to use that perspective to help people see volunteering not simply as a way to visit another country, but as an opportunity to learn, contribute, and build genuine connections with the communities they enter.
What message do you hope to share through your work?
Having seen the impact of tourism firsthand, I want to encourage people to travel more responsibly and intentionally.
For me, travel should involve more than simply seeing a new place. It should also be about observation, learning, respect, and genuine collaboration with local communities.
Through my work, I hope to help people better understand the places they visit and the people they meet.
What keeps you inspired when taking on something new?
I’m honored to be part of a team working toward meaningful global social change.
Whenever I need a reminder to take that first step, I come back to one simple rule:
“If there’s no one to go with, do it alone!”
I’m excited to bring my creativity, travel experience, and passion for storytelling to Zanzibar and help share R.O.S.A.’s work with a wider audience.