our staff

Todd Smith

As founder and president Todd put the "Smith" in AdventureSmith Explorations. Todd has traveled throughout the world working as a guide and manager for small ship cruise lines and prominent ecotourism operators. As a recognized industry leader in small ship cruising Todd has been featured on television shows such as Lonely Planet and Jack Hanna's Animal Adventures. He has been a guest lecturer at the Seminar for Thematic Cruises and Ecological Tourism in the Sea of Cortez, Outside Magazine's IATOS World Congress on Adventure Tourism in Chicago and the REI Flagship Travel Show in Seattle. He is experienced in a wide range of disciplines relating to adventure travel, small ship cruising, guest services, guide and safety training, natural history interpretation and the development of sustainable tourism.

Chris Harter

Chris is an integral part of the team as Operations Manager. He developed an early love for wilderness exploration and outdoor adventures growing up along coastal Maine and the mountains of Colorado. Chris worked his way through college as a wilderness guide for at risk youth, exposing them, and himself, to the natural wonders of the desert southwest. After numerous international adventures in Latin America Chris moved to Tokyo, Japan where he taught English. Using Japan as a base Chris spent several years exploring Asia. Upon returning to the United State he began work in sales, development and operations for a prominent educational tour company in Boston. A desire to return to natural settings led Chris to Lake Tahoe where he enjoys working with AdventureSmith Explorations clients on exciting new trips and working with staff to ensure the AdventureSmith Explorations team are true experts.

Lisa Exley-Smith

Lisa is the Chief Financial Officer and adventure consultant for AdventureSmith Explorations. Originally from the tiny Micronesian island of Yap, Lisa is naturally drawn to the water. Her childhood was spent throughout the South Pacific islands, Hawaii and even Alaska. She has worked as hotel manager aboard numerous small ships and as shore manager for a prominent small ship cruise line. Lisa has guided kayak trips in Alaska and had a successful career as an information technology project manager for Fortune 500 companies.

Andrew Browning

Growing up in Arizona and attending college in Colorado gave Andrew a passion for outdoor adventures. International travel with family and friends has been an integral part of his life since early childhood. He began studying Spanish at an early age and his numerous trips to Central America have focused on Spanish language immersion, as well as exploration. Andrew is an avid snowboarder, mountain biker, hiker and traveler who is always seeking new challenges and new destinations to experience. Working at AdventureSmith Explorations offers him a chance to continue exploring the world while helping others discover our unique style of expedition cruises and wilderness adventures.

David Selcon

David has a passion for people and finds that the essence of a place is best experienced through the lens of local residents. For ten years he worked as a professional guide for a prominent international tour operator based in the United Kingdom. He designed, operated and guided small group multi day adventure trips throughout Alaska, Canada, Mexico, Belize and Guatemala. While not guiding trips David used his base in Europe as a launching pad for personal journeys to more than 30 countries around the globe. Working at AdventureSmith Explorations provides David with the opportunity to share with others those personal travel experiences that have enriched his life and brought him so much personal fulfillment. David utilizes his extensive destination knowledge to help travelers find the perfect expedition cruise or wilderness adventure.

Joe Staiano

Joe is a long time friend of AdventureSmith Explorations and contributes with trip planning, consulting, photography and administrative support. He is an accomplished photographer, world explorer and adventure travel pioneer whose work spans 55 countries on all 7 continents. Joe spends much of his time abroad investigating new destinations and volunteering with sustainable community projects in rural villages.

Brandie Ahlgren

Brandie is Communications Director for AdventureSmith Explorations Brandie has over ten years in the leisure market - first, as director of marketing communications for a small ship cruise line, then as director of marketing for a gourmet chocolate company. Brandie's professional experience also includes working for the United States Senate and Alaska State Legislature as well as a past board member of the Alaska Travel Industry Association's Pacific Northwest Chapter. Currently, she serves as a director-at-large on the executive committee of the Public Relations Society of America's Travel and Tourism Section. Brandie is founder and director of BSA communications and she is also founder and editor of City Dog Magazine in Seattle, Washington.