WHEN I ARRIVED at Wake Forest from Northern California, I was far outside my comfort zone. I didn’t know anyone, I’d never lived on the East Coast, and I wasn’t sure how I’d fit into a place so different from what I knew. But almost immediately, I was pulled in — by the energy of the campus, the strength of the community and the deep sense of purpose and tradition that defines Wake Forest.
That spirit is hard to explain until you experience it. You see it in the way students show up for each other, in the loyalty people have to the school and in the shared commitment to something bigger — what Wake Forest calls Pro Humanitate. It’s not just a phrase. It’s a mindset that influences how you think, how you work and how you move through the world. I felt that from the start, and it helped turn a place that felt unfamiliar into one that felt like home.
Now, as both a new mom and as a business leader, I find myself constantly drawing on the foundation Wake Forest gave me. Balancing the demands of parenthood and an executive role requires clarity and purpose (not to mention good time management and hard work!) — qualities first tested and strengthened during my time at Wake Forest. The rigor of the classroom sharpened my strategic thinking. The friendships and relationships I built gave me a deep sense of community and support. And the Pro Humanitate ethos has stayed with me, influencing how I lead at work and how I show up at home.
I’ve carried the Wake Forest mindset throughout my career, specifically into my work at Backroads, where I serve as chief experience officer at the company my father, Tom Hale (P ’16), founded and leads. At our core, we’re about creating meaningful, active experiences in the outdoors — ones that connect people not just to beautiful places but to one another and to themselves.
My Wake Forest education, both inside and outside the classroom, laid the foundation for that. It gave me the tools to lead with purpose, to stay curious and to prioritize connection and community in everything I do.
One of the most pivotal experiences I had was a summer study abroad program in India with Professor of Communication Ananda Mitra (MA ’87). We explored the complexities of globalization and sustainability not just from textbooks, but by engaging directly with local communities. It was challenging, eye opening and exactly the kind of experience that Wake encouraged us to seek out. That trip taught me how to navigate unfamiliar environments with humility and curiosity — skills that have served me in both business and life. Looking back, it was a turning point that gave me the confidence to embrace uncertainty and lead with a global perspective.
I also credit Wake Forest’s strong sense of tradition with teaching me the value of shared experience. Those rituals, large and small, build bonds that last. And there’s comfort in knowing one is part of something with deep roots. Even now, years later, I can walk across a campus like Wake’s — or a trail in the Dolomites — and recognize what matters most: the relationships you build, the ideas you chase and the purpose behind the work.
Wake Forest didn’t just prepare me for a career. It helped shape how I show up in the world and the kind of leader and person I want to be.
Avery Hale Smith (’16) 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 has 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. At Wake Forest she studied communication and psychology. She lives in the Bay Area with her husband and son.
