Australian by birth (and accent!), Lesa has lived and worked on four continents and traveled to all seven. Growing up in a small Australian town, she was endlessly curious about what lay beyond the next green hill—there just had to be more out there. Spoiler: there was.

After beginning her career in advertising in Australia, Lesa moved to South Korea to join Merit Communications, working on accounts ranging from De Beers and Ford to New Zealand Kiwifruit and Northwest Airlines. Her experience was deeply influenced by her brilliant Korean colleagues and mentors who were among Asia’s top PR leaders.

A chance meeting at a crowded ballroom—her future husband, a U.S. Marine in dress blues—sparked a love story that spanned continents. Six weeks after meeting they were engaged; six months later, married. Life with the Marines took them to Japan, Washington, D.C., San Diego, Kansas and back to Australia, before returning once again to D.C.

Along the way, Lesa swapped advertising campaigns for adventure travel, beginning with a role at the iconic Hotel del Coronado. Back in Australia, she discovered her true calling in expedition cruising with Orion Expeditions. When Orion became part of the Lindblad Expeditions–National Geographic family, Lesa followed—along with the beloved National Geographic Orion. Today, Lisa is thrilled to help grow our Land Experiences portfolio, the perfect blend of adventure, purpose and planet-friendly travel.