Avery Hale Smith is the Chief Experience Officer at Backroads, where she brings a lifelong passion for travel, cultural connection and guest experience. Raised in the Bay Area and deeply influenced by her family’s global adventures, she returned to Backroads in 2021 after building a career in strategy, Marketing and Customer Experience. Avery played a key role in launching Backroads Women’s Adventures and continues to help shape the future of active travel.  Her passion for creating meaningful impact began early—at age 12, she founded a nonprofit focused on social advocacy, a commitment that was later recognized by the United Nations. She holds a degree in Communications and Psychology from Wake Forest University and now works alongside her father, Founder and CEO Tom Hale, to lead innovation, quality and growth in active travel.