Meet Our Team

Bruce A Phillips
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Bruce A. Phillips is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Luxury Pickle Travel, a global platform redefining active luxury travel through elite pickleball experiences paired with exceptional hospitality, wellness, culinary, and cultural programming.
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Prior to founding Luxury Pickle Travel, Bruce built and exited a highly successful, forward-thinking professional services firm. A Certified Public Accountant by training, he was an early contributor to the emergence of cloud-based accounting, helping shape a new operating model at a formative stage. That experience reinforced a disciplined approach to building organizations defined by clarity, consistency, and long-term value.
Over the past several years, Bruce has lived and traveled extensively, including relocating to Costa Rica, a decision that deepened his immersion in destination-driven living, active lifestyles, and globally inspired hospitality. His travels — and time spent playing pickleball across diverse international settings — informed a clear understanding of how sport, place, cuisine, and culture intersect to create experiences that feel both elevated and authentic.
These perspectives shape the foundation of Luxury Pickle Travel. The company is designed with intention, emphasizing thoughtful structure, repeatable excellence, and seamless coordination behind the scenes, so that every guest experience feels effortless, personal, and impeccably delivered.
As Chief Executive Officer, Bruce oversees vision, brand stewardship, capital strategy, and long-term partnerships. He leads the assembly of world-class professional partners across pickleball, hospitality, wellness, culinary, and operations to ensure each experience meets uncompromising standards.
Under Bruce’s leadership, Luxury Pickle Travel is an enduring platform defined by discretion, craftsmanship, and thoughtful execution – creating experiences that resonate well beyond the court.

David Pinsky
Co-Founder & Director of Business Development & Strategic Partnerships
Dr. David Pinsky serves as Director of Business Development & Strategic Partnerships at Luxury Pickle Travel, bringing over 25 years of elite athletic experience to drive the company’s growth. He personally coached his two sons from early junior levels to #1 national rankings in U.S. junior tennis, training alongside legends including Serena and Venus Williams.
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This immersion in world-class environments honed his deep expertise in elite training standards, competitive rigor, mental fortitude, and long-term performance development—principles that led to national tournament successes and top collegiate scholarships for his players.
Dr. Pinsky later applied this proven methodology to pickleball, where he continues to compete at the highest levels: winning the US Open Pickleball Championships two years ago and capturing the National Pickleball Championship in December 2025.
At Luxury Pickle Travel, David focuses on strategic growth, partnership development, and client relationships, ensuring every experience reflects the company’s uncompromising standards across pickleball programming, hospitality, wellness, culinary, and cultural immersion.

Andrei Daescu
Owner • Co-Creator • Curator of Play
Andrei Daescu is a professional pickleball champion, elite coach, and co-creator of Luxury Pickle Travel. As a partner and owner, Andrei is responsible for curating the on-court experience across all destinations — from player matching and daily training design to competitive formats that elevate both performance and enjoyment.
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Currently ranked #4 on the PPA World Tour, Andrei is a 2025 Major League Pickleball Champion, a 12-time PPA Tour gold medalist, and the 2023 US Open Pickleball Championships Champion. His career reflects sustained excellence at the highest level of the sport.
His approach blends world-class instruction with thoughtful progression, made possible through intentionally small, limited-capacity groups that allow for deeper coaching, meaningful improvement, and genuine connection among guests. Every experience balances elite play with relaxed, social moments that extend well beyond the court.
Beyond competition, Andrei believes pickleball should be experienced at its highest level — exceptional venues, inspiring destinations, and an environment defined by care, craftsmanship, and intention. Through Luxury Pickle Travel, he is helping define a new global category: intimate, design-forward pickleball experiences for players who value excellence in both play and lifestyle.
