Cathy Backus

Cathy Backus

President
Send Me On Vaction, Inc.

Cathy Backus is the President and Founder of Send Me On Vacation. She is the former Global Director for CSA Travel Protection / Europ-Assistance headquartered in San Diego CA, Bethesda MD and Paris France. Ms. Backus developed a travel insurance vertical in the loyalty and vacation ownership market that has met with tremendous success, landing some of the industries’ largest customers as her clientele.

Ms. Backus is a founding President of Women in the Industry (WIN). WIN is a dynamic, diverse, non-partisan international organization dedicated to fostering the growth of women in the vacation industry. WIN is a 501 (3) (6) organization that engages in education, research, networking and philanthropy. Ms. Backus has successfully developed the philanthropic arm of WIN, creating programs for Girls, Inc. (assisting young inner city adolescent girls in Harlem NY to experience a full college experience away from home. Ms Backus founded Send Me on Vacation” a 501 C3 who’s mission is to send women who have recently completed treatment for breast cancer on healing and empowering vacations to renew their body, mind and spirit.

Ms. Backus founded Corporate Citizenship Charities, Inc., a 501 (c ) ( 3) charitable tax exempt organization that develops and manages private label corporate citizenship programs for small to mid-size companies. She is on the cutting edge of social responsibility in the corporate world, creating ways in which these companies can be noteworthy corporate citizens with their own unique charitable programs.

Ms. Backus graduated from Illinois State University in 1976 with a bachelor’s degree in communications and urban education. At Illinois State, Ms. Backus was a nationally recognized gymnast, a varsity cheerleader and also participated in Gamma Phi, the oldest collegiate circus in the country who’s mission was to raise funds of the illinois Heart Fund. 

Ms. Backus started her vacation industry career with Club Med as Director of Sales for North America. While at Club Med, she introduced travel insurance as a member benefit which lead to her success in creating  the travel insurance vertical in the loyalty and vacation ownership market. 

Ms. Backus has written and lectured in the vacation industry. She has been a keynote speaker at national women’s organizations, travel industry forums and charitable venues.

She has 6 children and 3 grandchildren and lives in Trinity Florida, Las Vegas Nevada and Cortona Italy.