eta_michelle_and_pal_2023

Michele Wagner

Travel Specialist - Sales, NJ Office

I truly value my close-knit caring family and friends who I treasure and love spending time with – I enjoy lots of laughter, having fun and taking lots of pictures when we are together. Everyone likes to tease me about taking pictures.

Why Educators Love Working with Michele

Michele is passionate about helping teachers plan seamless, meaningful trips that students will remember for years to come. Here’s what educators have to say about working with her.

We had a school field trip to Washington DC planned with ETA. I worked with Michele W and she was very kind and helpful with our itinerary and patient with our registration for the trip. She always followed up when I had questions. Thanks Michele!

Thank you also to Kathy our tour manager. Although we were delayed by about an hour we were still able to see and do everything in our itinerary. She was kind, informative and patient with our students. Thanks Kathy!

Suzanne D.

Primary School Educator

ETA was awesome! This was my first ever out of state trip with a group of students, and we had a blast! For our group, half of the students had never been to NYC before, so there were some nerves around that. However, Michele made everything super easy and organized! Once on the tour, Javi took over and man….Javi is THE BEST! He is so knowledgeable of NYC and the kids loved him. It was also nice, as Javi was able to make certain stops and give suggestions that made the trip even more personalized and special. I am thankful to Michele, Javi, and ETA for the most perfect inaugural theatre department trip, and I look forward to booking another trip in the near future.

Jill G.

Drama & Theatre Director

I’ve used Educational Travel Adventures twice — once for my daughter’s 8th grade D.C. trip and again for my son’s a few years later through a different school. Michele handled both and was absolutely phenomenal. Seamless process, amazing tour guides, zero hiccups either time. Two different schools, two perfect trips. When my youngest hits 8th grade, we’ll be calling Michele for trip number three without hesitation. Highest possible recommendation for any school or group travel.

Heather M.

Group Leader and Parent
Read More Google Reviews

When I Joined ETA & What I Love About Working Here

August 2023, I love my job because every day brings something new. It is so great collaborating with teachers / administrators and planning fantastic and educational travel experiences for students.I also enjoy working with such a fun, supportive team at ETA.

Professional Background

I have over 20 years of experience managing large accounts, building strong partnerships, and leading teams across the pharmaceutical/mail order and insurance industries. What I have always loved most is supporting people on my team and my clients. I channel that same care and organization into working with teachers to plan exceptional student travel experiences.As a Mom of two who was very involved in my children’s schools, I understand how meaningful these trips are and I am passionate about making them an experience they will always cherish.

I love spending time with my family and friends, whether it is getting together, taking a walk around the neighborhood together or with my dog, meeting friends/family out for coffee or dinner, or laughing over a game of Mahjong with my girlfriends. I like a cozy movie night with popcorn at home or in the theater, I love NYC energy, Broadway shows and cooking. Life feels best when it’s shared with the people I love.

Fun Facts About Michele

Interesting Facts
I never had a dog growing up, so getting one as an adult was a total game changer. Thanks to my husband and kids for forcing me into it. Pal bonds our family in such a heartwarming way.

Favorite Place Traveled:
HAWAII – Snorkeling every day, exploring the beautiful beaches, Haleakalā Crater, driving the Road to Hana, enjoying delicious meals, and having the best time with my husband. I also love the NJ shore, Cape Cod and Nantucket which are all peaceful and beautiful places. I love bike riding along the beaches and enjoying the quaint, peaceful vibe of the towns.

Favorite subject to study in school:
Psychology was my favorite subject because I was always interested in understanding human behavior and the thought processes behind people’s actions. I really enjoyed my criminal law class too, which explains why I am now hooked on all criminal law shows.

Most Recent Passport Stamp:
Italy.

Most unexpected moment while traveling:
When I went parasailing with my mom and my aunt in Key Biscayne and the boat took a while to get us back down. We were flying forever! My sister and I saw a mind blowing magic show in Las Vegas that caught us totally caught us off guard. It was really incredible and surprising.

Window seat or aisle seat?
Window seat – I like the window seat so I can keep my eye on things and pretend I have some control.

Dream destination (not yet visited):
My dream adventure would be a cross country road trip exploring every town and city, indulging in all the snacks and local eats, meeting people and taking in the beautiful scenery across the United States.

Go-to travel snack:
No matter what time it is, Bloody Mary and pretzels on a plane are my favorite

One thing I hope students gain from traveling:
I hope students not only gain knowledge but also have the most memorable experiences while traveling with us. Along the way, they will build lasting bonds with their classmates and teachers. Travel creates memories that stay with them for a lifetime.

Accredited by the Industry’s Leading Travel Associations

IATA Logo
SYTA Logo
NTA Logo
ABA Logo