Alexandra Horne
Alexandra Horne is a dynamic sales leader and travel professional currently serving as General Manager and Partner of Dream Vacations – Lainey Melnick & Associates. With more than a decade of success in consultative sales and a strong foundation in the service industry, she brings a client-first mindset, strategic insight, and an exceptional work ethic to every engagement. She began her journey in the travel industry three years ago as a Business Manager Associate, operating as a travel advisor while simultaneously managing the business side of the franchise. After one year, she was invited into partnership and has since spent the past two years helping lead and grow the agency alongside her mother.
In her day-to-day role, Alexandra oversees both client-facing and operational functions of the business. She manages a team of two assistants—one specializing in itineraries and the other in air bookings—ensuring clear direction, workflow management, and seamless execution. She maintains her own active book of business, working closely with clients to design personalized vacations that maximize value and deliver unforgettable experiences. In addition to sales and client strategy, she handles back-end operations including expenses, payroll, and overall business administration, ensuring the agency runs efficiently and profitably. Her focus is not only on matching or exceeding retail pricing, but on creating meaningful travel experiences that result in lifelong memories.
Prior to transitioning into travel, Alexandra built a robust career in business development and account management with organizations including HP, The Knot Worldwide, OneTouchPoint, and Office Depot. She is a confident public speaker and certified spokesperson who has shared industry insights and earned media best practices at national conferences. A graduate of Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts–Austin, she combines creativity with technical proficiency in Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, Salesforce, Google Workspace, and Microsoft Excel. As the agency prepares for a future leadership transition, Alexandra is intentionally establishing herself as a trusted industry professional, ensuring clients feel confident in the continued excellence and longevity of the business.
• Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts-Austin - AAS
• The University of Texas at Arlington, Architecture
• Franchise Top Performer – 2025
• Industrial Speech Contest Winner – 2018
• CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association)
• Toastmasters
• Vice President of Education, Office Depot Toastmasters of Austin
• Religious School Teacher, Congregation Beth Israel, Austin
• Co-Chair of National Convention 2014, National Organization of Mothers of Twins Clubs
• Austin Mothers of Multiples
What do you attribute your success to?
She attributes her success to the love that she has for the travel industry and now she has made partner and is working with her mom who owns the business. She loves helping her clients have the vacations that they will enjoy and memories that will last a lifetime.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
You can have the career of your dreams and be able to have a happy healthy life as she is also a mother to two 17 year old twin sons.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering the travel industry is that you can absolutely have a fulfilling career while also enjoying life as a mom both are possible with dedication and balance. I’ve personally experienced the rewards of building a career I love while managing a growing family, and I encourage others to pursue their professional passions without compromise. Along the way, I’ve been honored to receive recognition for my work, including winning the Industrial Speech Contest in 2018 and being named Franchise Top Performer for 2025, achievements that reflect my commitment to excellence, continuous growth, and leading by example in the industry.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges and at the same time, opportunities in the travel industry today is gaining the exposure necessary to grow a business. With so many advisors and agencies in the market, standing out and connecting with potential clients requires strategic marketing, consistent visibility, and leveraging every platform available to share expertise. Those who can effectively showcase their knowledge, build trust, and create meaningful connections are the ones who can turn these challenges into significant opportunities for growth and long-term success.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Establishing my personal brand is really important to me because as the business partner with my mom, I do feel a lot of the times like it's her business that I'm behind. Since she's looking to retire in coming years and sunset out, I want to be established as a professional when that happens so that our clientele feels confident in continuing to stay with us. I love spending time with my kids - I have two identical twin boys who are 17 years old. One of them is really interested in cooking, so I'm glad he's kind of inherited the kitchen skills from me. Outside of work and family, I love to crochet and I'm also really into TV and films.