Melissa

Before Becoming an Advisor …

I was a career counselor helping others meet their career and education goals. I felt like I needed a change, so I career counseled myself and decided to turn my passion for travel into a vocation.

My Favorite Travel Experiences

We’ve been fortunate to have lived in Asia and Europe and to have explored other continents in our travels. We’ve really tried to go beyond the typical tours in favor of something more experiential. There are key moments that stick out, like my children playing with local children in the streets of Nepal. These are things you can’t plan but moments that my family will always remember. My daughter will never forget getting spit on by an alpaca in Peru; my son, losing his hat while almost falling out of a boat in the Mekong Delta. While we are on vacation, I love seeing how my children are open to experiencing new cultures. My notoriously picky son will eat his way through a country and will try anything. My kids even had a contest on who could eat the most termites! They will ask questions of our guides about their families and how they were raised. They know that the world is bigger than them and it’s such a gift that they embrace that.

Why I Love My Job

When my clients come back and tell me stories about their trips and how their children had a great experience, it solidifies that I made the right choice in changing careers. I want to make each vacation unique and special, and when they tell me it was the trip of a lifetime, I know I exceeded expectations. Not every destination is right for every family, and I work hard to connect with my clients so that they trust me to make recommendations. During the planning process I love being able to paint a picture of what their trip will look like and hear the excitement in their voice. Vacations are just a moment in our lives, and helping families take a step away from everyday stress is a gift.