Leah Smith Fulenwider is Vice President of Coastline Travel Group, where she plays a central role in shaping the company’s strategy, partnerships, and advisor network. Since joining the company in her senior year of college, she has been instrumental in transforming Coastline from a traditional agency into a modern travel collective known for its collaborative, advisor-first culture.
Although Fulenwider studied abroad and traveled throughout her childhood, she didn’t set out to build a career in travel. A political science major on a pre-law track, she planned to follow a more traditional path. That changed when she joined Coastline during college in a short-term position to help pay for a spring break trip.
Her first role as a bookkeeper wasn’t the right fit. “I did an absolutely horrible job,” she says. “I made so many mistakes.” She was fired but showed up at work the next day anyway, answered a call when no one else was available, and sold a major trip. “That saved my job,” she says. She quickly found success as a travel advisor.
Over time, Fulenwider expanded her role beyond sales, identifying opportunities to grow the business and increase advisor capacity. After earning her MBA from Cornell’s School of Hotel Administration, she returned to Coastline with a focus on building new platforms and partnerships. Fulenwider launched Tafari Travel, a brand that helped lay the groundwork for Coastline’s evolution into a more scalable, multi-channel business. She also played a key role in securing strategic partnerships and expanding the company’s footprint with retail agencies in markets such as Denver, New York, and California.
Known for her ability to see the bigger picture, Fulenwider approaches leadership as a collaborative effort. “We’re in it together,” she says. “Everybody brings something to the table.”
That philosophy extends to Coastline’s broader business model, which emphasizes connection, collaboration, and shared learning across its network. Initiatives like Collective—small, invite-only gatherings for top advisors—reflect this approach by creating space for candid, think tank-style conversations.
Fulenwider is also focused on helping advisors expand their reach without sacrificing the high-touch service that defines luxury travel. As the industry evolves, she sees technology as a key enabler, allowing advisors to grow their businesses while maintaining meaningful client relationships.
A lifelong traveler, Fulenwider is drawn to places where she can live like a local and often returns to Paris, now with her young family in tow. She loves slowing down and settling into everyday life, from neighborhood cafés to local shops. “Good things happen if you just take the pressure off and do what you would do at home if you had time to yourself,” she says. “Just go and live.”