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Ashley Blake

Founder, Traverse Journeys & Cultural Consultant

Ashley Blake is the Founder and CEO of Traverse Journeys, an impact-focused adventure tour operator that leads small group trips to over 25 countries worldwide.13 She describes herself as an "accidental entrepreneur" who combined her passion for travel, social justice, and conscious capitalism to launch Traverse Journeys in 2017.1

Background and Experience

Ashley is a travel specialist and cultural consultant with extensive experience in the industry:

  • She has traveled to over 70 countries across Latin America, Europe, Asia, and Africa.2
  • Her career in travel began with directing tours in Europe and taking guests to the Olympics in Beijing and Vancouver.1
  • She holds a master's degree in Media Studies from the University of Texas, where her thesis explored music as an agent for social change.1

Traverse Journeys

Under Ashley's leadership, Traverse Journeys has developed into a company that:

  • Focuses on creating positive impacts through travel.1
  • Emphasizes building long-term relationships with local businesses in the destinations they visit.1
  • Offers unique, off-the-beaten-path experiences for travelers.1

Ashley later joined forces with Laura Hamm, another travel entrepreneur, to expand the company's reach and impact.1

Personal Philosophy

Ashley's approach to travel and business is characterized by:

  • A belief in travel as a catalyst for positive change.1
  • A commitment to responsible and conscious tourism.1
  • An emphasis on collaboration and relationship-building.1

As a location-independent entrepreneur, Ashley demonstrates her passion for exploration by running her business while traveling, such as hosting a group trip in Greece while managing operations from a catamaran.12

Highlights

Sep 16 · linkedin

Exciting news, Tourism is back and we're growing! Traverse Journeys is looking for an Office Coordinator to support the our efforts in operations, administrative, and marketing. Please tag & share, we are so excited to find just the right fit for this position! #tourism #jobpost #administrative #remotework #remotejobs

Aug 7 · linkedin

Podcast Interview! 🎙A big thanks to Rohith Amruthur for sitting down with me to chat about responsible travel and why it's such an important approach in today's globally interconnected world. In an industry that accounts for 10% of world GDP and 1 in 10 jobs, the potential for travel & tourism as a force for good is immense!

#responsibletravel #culturalcompetency

Related Questions

What inspired Ashley Blake to start Traverse Journeys?
How did Ashley's experience in Brazil influence her career?
What are some unique experiences offered by Traverse Journeys?
How does Traverse Journeys aim to make a positive impact?
What challenges did Ashley face when starting Traverse Journeys?
Ashley Blake
Ashley Blake, photo 1
Ashley Blake, photo 2
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Experience

Founder, Traverse Journeys
Consultant, Independent Consulting, COO and Co-founder, Bona Dea

Education

MA in Media Studies, The University of Texas at Austin (2011 - 2012); B.S and B.A in New Media Communications and International Studies with minors in Music and Spanish, Oregon State University (2003