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 and South 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. Andrew’s years spent with AdventureSmith have allowed him to experience Alaska, Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands, Amazon Rainforest, Antarctica and the Mediterranean. In 2011 Andrew was recognized at the Travelage West Wave Awards as the Grand Prize winner in the category of “Rockstar Travel Agent under 40.” Working at AdventureSmith Explorations offers him a chance to continue exploring the world while helping fellow travelers discover our unique style of expedition cruises and wilderness adventures.

Lis Korb

Lis Korb is AdventureSmith Explorations’ Content & Office Manager. An Atlanta, Georgia, native and a eight-year North Lake Tahoe resident, Lis is bonded with both US coasts but enjoys exploring the expanses in between and beyond. She’s fascinated with the American Southwest and loves to travel to sand and sun. Her wanderlust has taken her from getting lost in Venice to living in Madrid to officiating a wedding in Tulum, Mexico, and swimming with penguins in the Galapagos Islands. Her SEO experience and content management skills landed her at AdventureSmith, but she maintains a sideline creative edge by writing a bimonthly art column for Moonshine Ink, moonlighting as a block printer, collecting postcards and wearing jumpsuits from the eighties.

Aaron Gaines

A native of Western New York, Aaron spent childhood summers camping and canoeing in the Adirondack Mountains. In the years since, he has traveled extensively in the US and beyond, developing deep connections in places like Vermont, Kauai, and coastal Maine along the way. Along with his wife, Christina, he’s explored the old cities of central Europe and has sought out the most remote and overlooked places around North America. Remembered the advice of his grandparents, Aaron has strived to be a life-long learner, curious and thoughtful about the world around him. Kayaking, photography, alpine skiing, and community service work are among his hobbies. At AdventureSmith, Aaron combines his rich background in customer service with his natural love for exploring.

Melody Warnes

Growing up on the north shore of Lake Tahoe, Melody is a nature lover who developed her sense of adventure at a young age. Taking advantage of the wilderness the Sierras provide made her an outdoor enthusiast. Melody has been drawn to sustainability and has taken many environmental classes and participated in conservation volunteer work. After graduating from college, she caught the travel bug while backpacking through Western Europe. This trip launched her interest in the travel industry in hopes of accumulating more journeys abroad by combining travel with work. As the AdventureSmith Office Manager, she enjoys working on product development, interacting with clients, and is pleased to be able to indulge her passion for the outdoors, travel, and sustainability.