Hannah Leonhard
Domestic Operations Manager - Operations, VA Office
Known for turning tight schedules into smooth experiences and challenges into good stories.
When I Joined ETA & What I Love About Working Here
Professional Background
Hannah Leonhard has spent most of her professional life coordinating trips, leading groups, or figuring out how to make a very detailed schedule actually work in real life. As an Operations Manager, she focuses on the behind-the-scenes systems that keep student travel organized and stress levels low. She’s managed hundreds of student travel tour guides, designed custom itineraries, and led middle schoolers through some of the busiest cities in the country — so she understands both the planning and the reality of life on the road. Before coming back to student travel, she ran corporate events and client experiences, and still returns to summer camp each year – where she originally learned that flexibility and a sense of humor are just as important as a good plan.
Fun Facts About Hannah
Interesting Facts
I survived Scarlet Fever in elementary school.
Favorite Place Traveled:
Scotland during the Fringe festival and Tattoo. Because silent disco dance parties during the day turned into a bagpipe concert at night.
Favorite subject to study in school:
Math – it made sense, and a logical way to get to the answer.
Most Recent Passport Stamp:
Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia.
Most unexpected moment while traveling:
Hopped on a city bus to get back to the Metro after visiting the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington DC. A Vietnam veteran that happened to be on the bus with us started telling us a little about his deployment during the ride. Since it was a Christian School, and we approached our stop, I let the lead teacher know and asked if he wanted to ask the students if they wanted to pray over this veteran. He thought it was a great idea, and 4 students volunteered to offer up prayers. We held hands during the prayer, and all of a sudden it got quiet. The driver had pulled over, and turned the bus off to participate in the prayer over this veteran.
Window seat or aisle seat?
Window so I have something to prop up on to sleep.
Dream destination (not yet visited):
Croatia.
Go-to travel snack:
Goldfish or White Cheddar Cheeze its, because they are comfort snacks.
One thing I hope students gain from traveling:
An appreciation and compassion for things outside of their day to day lives.
