About Our Staff
Michele Abrate, Tour Director, President of Armstrong & Hedges
Michele is a lifelong
resident of California and began traveling at an early age. Her wanderlust has taken her
to the distant shores of Australia, Turkey, Israel, Europe, and the British Isles. She
began her travel career after receiving her Bachelor's degree in Art History and working
in several well known galleries in Los Angeles. Her interest in art and history led to the
natural progression of a career in travel consulting. Combined with extensive knowledge of
culinary pursuits, antiques, fashion, collecting, and interior design she offers an
extraordinary personal experience for each of her clients.
For more than twenty years she has shared extensive travel knowledge gained both here and
abroad, creating a network of unique and special experiences offered on each of the varied
itineraries created by Armstrong & Hedges LTD. She earned her CTC in 1987. This designation
is the highest educational designation awarded in the travel industry, the equivalent of a
master's degree. She also teaches travel courses in a local college. Sharing her
professional abilities with her students is a source of great pride.
Those who know Michele are always amazed by her energy, sense of humor, and joy of life.
She enjoys sharing a destination and an experience in a personal way with each traveler to
create a unique experience that is there' s alone. Travel from a woman's point of view is a
wonderful perspective from which to explore the world.
Fran Wilder, Program Coordinator, Operations Director, and Tour Escort
Fran was born in France and immigrated to the US with her parents as a small child. She
speaks fluent French. Her family is from the Alsace region. Her experience is reflected
in 15 years of planning, designing and escorting tours the world over. Her interest in
gardens came many years ago while traveling abroad with her family. She is currently
serving on the board of the Diablo Foothills District Garden Club which has assocaitions
with garden clubs across North America. She has created garden tour programs for several
clubs in her district to many of the most important garden events in the United States and
Canada. Her vivacious personality and friendly manner have created many loyal clients over
the years. Most of the ladies always say "we will go with you to the ends of the earth".
Armstrong & Hedges LTD accepts
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"Thank you so much for being so creative and thoughtful your personal touches made my
vacation one I will surely remember." M. O'Neil, Savannah/Charleston October 2001
Armstrong & Hedges LTD was founded with
the idea to offer women a nurturing enviornment in which to live their dreams,
expand their horizons, and make new friends. We are a California Seller of Travel,
ID #2054400-40.
We offer extraordinary experiences to exciting destinations both here and
abroad. Our combined professional expertise spans more than four decades of
travel planning and group tour operations. Extensive personal destination
information gathered over many years of visiting the destinations you have
dreamt about: Paris, Nantucket, London, Boston, Provence, New York,
Florence, Newport, Venice, the Cotswolds is woven into each itinerary. With
advanced degrees in art history, expertise in the fine arts, culinary
pursuits, antiques, gardens, collectibles, fashion, and home decor you can
be assured of a qualifed professional escort on all of our programs.
Personal attention to each and every client has earned us a reputation among
our clients of creating an "experience of a lifetime".