Meet the Nava team

The founder and owner of Nautika centar Nava, a successful businessman and visionary with impeccable taste in boats and a great ability to plan and predict trends and choose the right dealerships and partners to work with. Over the years Dario has also developed his fishing skills and won the best angler title at the Big Game Fishing world championship in Cabo San Lucas in 2008 and the second best angler in Costa Rica 2014.

Although Mia pursued a different passion and interest – she has a degree in archaeology – it turns out the allure of Split and boats was impossible to resist. So Mia got more and more involved with Nava. At first, it was just helping out during boat shows but then she decided to join the Nava team full-time. She first started working as a sales representative. But now Mia is also the acting CEO. Mia is activly shaping company policies and strategies on boat sales and charter.

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Nina, too, followed different interests and has a degree in construction. But boating is becoming more and more important. She always helps out at Nava during boat shows and in busy seasons.

She holds a Master’s in Financial Management, and a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Auditing from the Faculty of Economics, Business and Tourism at the University of Split. She also spent several months in Warsaw on an Erasmus + grant. Nina’s communication, organization, and multitasking skills make her an ideal fit in our company and align with our commitment to excellence and customer-focused service.

Ourside work Nina’s interests extend to traveling, cooking, and baking, digital marketing, entrepreneurship and finance.

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She still sparks every Monday morning. Andrijana has been reigning over the charter department with professionalism and dedication, mastering the management of people and boats perfectly. With immaculate time management and her deadlines always in sight, Andrijana is has now taken over new tasks as the Fleet Manager. She is in charge of communication with all boat owners who have placed their vessel in our charter management program. Since she has been in charge of the charter department for so many years, and knows all the ins and out.

And Ms. Ozretic is truly a woman of many talents and duties. She follows up on all charter payments, invoices, and charter contracts and makes sure that all boat owners receive their monthly and annual financial statements and their income reports.

You are wondering if she still has some time for herself outside of running the show at Nava? Of course, Andrijana loves getting active in nature with her family and friends. And being the power woman she is, she also raises two amazing kids.

But Ms. Kalebić is not just fluent in Italian, she also communicates in English and Russian regularly.

While her art history knowledge comes in handy when working as a local tourist guide, this also means she also knows plenty about the area and always has a fun fact ready for our guests.

And while her personality and beaming smile make her a great colleague to be around, she’s also in charge of key business activities. Lovorka handles bookings and communicates with guests and agents alike. Last but not least, you’ll find her down in the marina, welcoming you on board your charter yacht.

Her roles have included sales, guest communication, coordination with partner agencies, and financial tasks such as invoicing. Notably, she began her career as a diving assistant, when her attention to detail and collaborative spirit were very important.

With a degree in Economics, majoring in tourism and hospitality, Zeljana has a strong foundation in market analysis, which she applies to the nautical tourism sector. She is highly proficient in digital tools and charter booking systems, making her an invaluable asset to the team. Fluent in English, she also has basic knowledge of Italian and German, enhancing her ability to connect with international clients.

Outside of work, Zeljana enjoys traveling, skiing, trivia quizzes, walking rescued dogs, and choir singing..

It turned out Andela was our person! After her graduation, we offered her an intern position and she has been an important part of the charter team ever since. Andela speaks basic German and English fluently. Having previous experience in the charter business was also a big plus for landing a job at Nava.

She is always eager to share her thoughts and ideas, which helps the charter department work together better. Since she is also quick to learn, the team stays flexible and up-to-date.

Her positive attitude keeps us all feeling good and motivated to come up with new ideas.

Andela is in contact with guests and agents, works together with the rest of the team to prepare everything for guests’ arrival, and welcomes them at the office in Split and handles the paperwork.

He is the master of all charter boats and knows each one of them inside and out. From check-in to check-out, “Riža” is your #1 contact during your sailing adventure.
So you better add him to your contacts now, because no matter what happens on your charter, “Call Robert” will always provide a solution.
He will be there for you 24/7, yes, also at 3 am on a Tuesday.

His job description might say “support and logistics” but we all know there’s nothing Robert doesn’t do. After all, his job is to make sure you have the best charter in your life.
Or at least the best one this year, we can talk about the next year later.

While his motto might be “Pomalo”, or “take it easy”, he does not take his job lightly.
He’ll remain calm no matter how the wind blows and tackles every issue like an expert.

And if you already went from chartering to owning a boat, she is in the best hands with Robert. His expertise and attention to detail make him the best base manager any sailor could ask for.

If he’s not working his magic, solving problems, and making the impossible happen, you’ll most likely find Robert with his family or doing his favorite thing: sailing.

With 20 years and counting as Nava’s base manager, Robert, A.K.A. Riža, has become an institution in our marina. He is the master of all charter boats and knows each one of them inside and out.

But most importantly, Mate is our Sails-Master. He knows everything there is to know about sails and can fix pretty much anything. With 15 years of experience at Nava, rest assured that Mate is the best guy for the job.

And if you think he is only setting sails in his work life, you are mistaken! Mate is also a licensed sailor. If he’s not with his family, you’ll find him spending time at sea.

He greets guests and hands over boats. In the off-season, he maintains the fleet and handles winterization. Toni helps ensure everything at the base runs smoothly.

He works on boat maintenance in the off-season and greets guests and handles the boat handover process in high season. Milan checks each vessel is ready and properly presented before departure. With an extensive experience in the charter industry, his steady and reliable approach, he is a vital part in keeping daily operations at the base organized and efficient.

Sanja coordinates both in-house and outsourced cleaning staff to ensure all boats are cleaned to Nava standards before guests’ arrival. She personally checks each boat before hand-over, manages the supply of cleaning materials and galley inventory, and organizes the washing and delivery of bed linens. Her experience and attention to detail play a key role in maintaining the quality and presentation of our fleet.

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After a lot of experience in tourism and especially working at the Zip line in Omis where he was in charge of entire groups of people who had never before experienced anything like it, Jure opted for a more laid-back position at Nava. Not that working at Nava means less work, but at least one is not directly responsible for the lives of people speeding down a zip line.

When he is not working, he is usually at a gig or rehearsal with his band where he plays the drums, or he is playing the guitar, or planning or taking the next trip with his beloved. The farther the destinations the more he likes it.

He graduated from a technical high school, worked as a skipper, and gained experience at other charter companies. Outside of work, he loves spending time with his family but is also a passionate fisherman and angler, and an excellent futsal player. His practical knowledge and hands-on approach make him a valuable part of the team.

He finished a maritime high school, worked as a skipper, and gained experience at other charter companies. Outside of work, he’s an excellent bass-guitar player and has a band.

Stanko is an excellent skipper, and has extensive experience in the charter industry. Other than yachts Stanko maneuvers small aircrafts with or without engine.

She welcomes guests, handles check-in paperwork, enters crew lists, manages invoicing, and processes payments. Before joining Nava, she worked as head of sales in a furniture store. After years of commuting, she now enjoys the balance of working in her hometown and spending more time with her son.

She oversees boat cleanliness and prepares each yacht for guest arrival. Her duties include checking the boats before hand-over, supplying galley inventory, cleaning materials, making sure all bed linens are clean and distributed according to each charter guests’ needs, and coordinating with the cleaning teams. Maja values the convenience of working close to home, which allows her more time for her family, household, and the beach during the summer. In the off-season, she enjoys attending yoga classes in Rogoznica.

Maja and Katica check boats before hand-over together. She previously worked for years in a local bank branch until it closed, after which she began part-time cleaning for charter companies and private apartments. She enjoys working close to home, which gives her more time for her family, and relaxing at the beach during the summer.

With an economic degree and a rich background in the hospitality industry, our valued colleague, Vjera, joined the Nava family more than 15 years ago. Vjera was first assisting at sales, charter, and even boat shows, regattas, and company events, and later she transitioned to the accounting department. She was

Recently, she became Head of our Aftersales Department. She is in charge of keeping track of all the work that goes into delivering a first-grade boating experience. For instance, installing and ordering additional and optional equipment, interventions, spare parts, and working hours.

Beyond her professional work, she delights in capturing picturesque moments of Split’s sunsets and sunrises during her dog walks, as well as her culinary endeavors. Making the most of time with her daughter, or family, Vjera also enjoys dining or hiking with friends.

While studying at the Maritime Faculty in Split Nikolina worked in faculty administration. After graduation, she started working in operational administration for passenger ships and continued as a procurement coordinator for these ships.

We welcomed Nikolina to our after sales Department to handle all warranty claims, regular boat and engine servicing and ordering spare parts.

After working hours Nikolina enjoys functional training, confectionery, and spending time with her small family.

Toni is a long-standing member of Nava staff. He has specialized in all types of delivery of new boats and is highly dedicated to after-sales support. He prepares and coordinates all new deliveries and is always at your service.

Milko is an expert electrician who can make anything run on power, both on board and off board. He is also an authorized Mercury engine mechanic and in charge of all installments, repairs and servicing. He met his wife while working at Nava, and outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his family.

He os responsible for ensuring all electrical systems on board and on shore function reliably and safely. His deep knowledge and hands-on approach make him a trusted member of the technical team.

Outside of work, Frane is a passionate mountaineer. He is a member of the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service (HGSS) and volunteers as an instructor at the Croatian Mountaineering Association, where he shares his expertise and love for the outdoors.

After working at the Rogoznica charter base for several years he is now part of the aftersales department. Outside of work he is a passionate sailor, angler and diver and loves to travel with his family.

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After graduating from a high school in Split, he preferred skippering to studying and in 2024 joined Nava’s aftersales team.

Vasja has been with Nava for a long time. After the faculty of Maritime Studies in Split, Vasja worked as a Radio Officer at Mediteranska Plovidba and then came to work at Nava.

He keeps the warehouse well stocked and arranges that we have exactly the part that you need. He also makes sure that all the complaints are processed in a timely manner and he always puts the customer’s needs first.

He is here to help you when purchasing a spare part for your engine or additional equipment for it.

His training from Commercial High School makes him an excellent addition to the team.

If you are purchasing a spare part for your engine or additional equipment for it, Ivan will be happy to help. He finished Economics High School.

During his studies, he completed his practicum at our Volvo Penta workshop, where he gained hands-on experience with marine engines and maintenance. Now part of the team, he continues to build his skills as a junior technician.

Ana is helping out with payments, doing all the “back office” stuff. When she’s not at Nava she’s walking her dog. Ana has discovered their passion for mountains and hiking and has recently acquired a diploma from the Croatian Mountaineering Association.

Nikolina easily manages accounts, figures and deadlines with a smile on her face. When she is not at work, she enjoys traveling and spending time with her family.

One is from the Faculty of Organization and Informatics and the second one from the Academy of Arts in Split, where he studied film and video. He initially worked with Nava also as a designer and official photographer, but as the company grew, he transitioned into a full-time IT role.

Meticulous, thorough, and highly dedicated, he ensures the security and stability of all our systems and digital infrastructure. Outside of work, he enjoys disconnecting from technology and spending time with his family at his grandparents’ house on a small island near Hvar.

With a degree in tourism communicology, Jelena worked in one of the first online agencies for private accommodation fresh out of college. Due to her passion for foreign languages, she speaks English, German, French and some Italian and Russian, she managed to get back to her desired profession – tourism. Because of her awesome writing skills (in Croatian, as well as English) and the desire to learn and take interest in new marketing trends, she ended up in the marketing department. She worked on launching the new navaboats website back in 2015, as well as this one, coordinated the EU grant project, Adriatic Lagoon Regattas, all the Erasmus interns that Nava has been welcoming since 2014. Helping out in charter during the summer seasons is also on her task list.

When she’s not working or taking care of her 4 daughters, Jelena likes to relax at home with some yoga, or a good book, bake cookies, plan the next family trip, or dance.

After completing her studies, we offered her a position, and to our delight, she accepted. She contributes to creating content for social media, writing blogs, news articles, and newsletters. Ljubica also assists in coordinating events related to Nava, such as the Lagoon Escapade, Open Days, and boat shows. She enjoys weekend trips, traveling, spending time with her dog, and social gatherings with good food, a glass of wine, and vinyl records. With a passion for marketing, she takes additional courses and projects now and then to deepen her knowledge and experience and also works on some faculty projects.

After graduating, he expanded his skill set by completing a web design course. He supports Nava with web development, event organization, and catering coordination.

Miro is also an experienced event specialist and catering expert. This comes in handy when we’re organizing events, boat shows or official dinners. He is known for his attention to detail and practical approach. Outside of work, he is a passionate cook who enjoys skiing, sailing, and spending time on the water with his family.