The travel industry was the current that carried my family to Texas, Georgia, and then to Raleigh, North Carolina where my parents established a travel agency in 1989. While my sister joined the family business for a period, I became a high school social studies teacher in the public schools of NC after receiving a full scholarship to do so. I met my husband Brian while he was an educator; he soon became a sworn officer for the Raleigh Police Department and, by 2007, we were blessed with two amazing daughters.
Travel remained a priority in the subsequent years and I was afforded opportunities to see the American West and the Bahamas, complete a brief fellowship in Japan, and lead student tours in Peru, Europe, and China. Brian gained some experience in the travel industry by becoming a tour bus leader for student groups on his days off and I learned vicariously through his experience.
Upon retiring after 28 years with Wake County Public Schools, I joined my father and sister in the family business. The onboard training and support provided by the Travel Experts network, combined with the day to day, side-by-side guidance by my family members has been invaluable in my professional development in this new and exciting role. The detail orientation, communication skills, and relational awareness teaching requires dovetails nicely with the role of travel agent and I am enjoying the endless research that naturally creates a deeper well of expert knowledge.
A particular area of interest for me and my sister is removing barriers for independent women to travel and therefore I am project lead for the development of the Travel Sisters Circle network. It is a personal mission to create processes and structures that serve as a catalyst in creating travel opportunities and experiences for like-minded women to see the world.
Interests: Culture, History & Arts, Adventure, Air Travel
Destinations: Peru, China, Japan, Italy, Spain