This story appears in the August 2025 issue of Utah Business. Subscribe.
Having spent his youth in the Central African Republic and Nigeria, Christoph Gorder developed an intuitive understanding of diverse environments and people — a skillset he honed further in his 14 years at Americares and over a decade with charity. “I didn’t set out to build a career in disaster response, but the rush and purpose of this work have kept me engaged and committed,” he says. Now living in Utah with his family, Christoph’s extensive experiences have taught him that good people can be found anywhere you journey. “Even though people look very different or societies feel very different, ultimately we’re all the same.”
Travelpro Platinum Elite Softside Expandable Carry on Luggage
“I was on 81 flights last year. I flew four times around the globe, 100,000 real miles. I’m flying almost every week. I’ve had a lot of other bags, but they don’t hold up like this one.”
Universal Travel Adapter
“Certain oddball countries have plugs that you have never seen before. [The Universal Travel Adapter] is really helpful when you have that. I’ve had a whole bunch of [travel adapters], and I think this one is the most universal.”
Owala FreeSip Water Bottle
“The top closes. All the cool kids have them!”
Uniqlo Ultra Light Down Jacket
“I’ve been wearing the Uniqlo Ultra Light Down for years. My boss in my last job, who traveled even more than I did, turned me on to it. I’ve been through multiple generations of them now, grown with them over 15 years. I always keep one in my bag; I have one in my bag right now. You can’t go wrong.”
Moleskine Classic Hardcover Pocket Notebook
“If I’m in a meeting and I need to take notes, it’s much more polite to take them in a notebook as opposed to typing them on my laptop or into my phone. [A notebook] really shows a sign of respect [and that] what you tell me is going to be important enough for me to write down.”
Haribo Goldbears
“[My favorite color] is the green.”
KINeSYS Fragrance Free Clear Spray Sunscreen
“Best sunscreen in the world. … Nobody’s ever heard of them, but it spreads really, really easily, and it’s not greasy. It’s hypoallergenic. It’s not gloppy. It’s transparent. Somebody will figure out how to market it, and it’ll do really well.”
Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 4 Portable Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker
“I spent the last 11 years, before I joined Airbnb, working mostly in Africa. … I spent long hours in the car, and being able to pull [this speaker] out and have a great jam was fun. You have fun with the driver and the local host, and it’s just a vibe.”
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Bluetooth Headphones
“Being on a plane and being able to remove that ambient sound, which is actually very loud, really makes a big difference. I listen to Spotify. I’ve got a couple of really long playlists. It’s pretty eclectic.”