Originally from Boulder, Colorado, the love of travel was instilled in Jess at an early age. She attributes her travel bug and unending desire to bridge cultural gaps to her mother’s Hong Kong roots and her family’s first visit there when she was 9 years old. After studying International Political Economy and French at Colorado College, she worked in the non-profit sector in health and policy. But adventure and the outdoors beckoned. After working a few years in Wyoming and Colorado as an outdoor guide, she found her way to Backroads, where bridging cultural gaps for guests is one of her specialties.