Michael excels as an adventure athlete and a filmmaker. He has been to the summit of Mount Everest five times with cameras rolling. Michael's lens has captured scientists at the South Pole for National Geographic, ice cave explorers in Greenland for NOVA, tornado chasers for The Discovery Channel, avalanche patrols in the Alps for the BBC, extreme skiers across the globe, and rock and mountain climbers for several giant-screen IMAX movies. His films always tell heartfelt human stories set against dramatic landscapes and exciting adventures. Michael has received many film festival and industry awards, including three national Emmy Awards, the International Alliance for Mountainfilm’s Grand Prize, and the Explorer’s Festival’s 'Camera Extreme.' Michael’s other passion is teaching adventure filmmaking with an emphasis on storytelling. Outside Magazine described the cerebral filmmaker as a "swashbuckling librarian," and Men's Journal calls him "a master of gut-dropping action.”

Gisele is the founder of Global Vision Access (GVA), a consulting firm specializing in strategy, communication, and marketing. Established in 2009, the company has earned national and international recognition for its innovative approach, strategic planning, commitment to excellence, and passion for all its projects and initiatives.

With extensive expertise and involvement in the tourism sector since 2002, Gisele boasts solid experiences in the North American, Canadian, Brazilian, and Latin American markets. Her contributions have been acknowledged through industry awards, such as the 50+ Powerful People in Tourism by Panrotas in 2016, which recognized leaders excelling in crisis management. In 2018, she was honored with planting the FESTURIS Integration Tree for her sustainable practices in the travel industry. In 2019, the Radar & TV Group paid tribute to her leadership and collaboration in developing Brazil's travel and tourism industry. In 2020, Giselle received the Amigos Festuris trophy and was acknowledged by Rossi & Zorzanello for their lasting and productive partnership.

Giselle believes true innovation lies in finding solutions to any problem or challenge. This mindset led to the creation of the Bureau Mundo platform in 2020, a digital meeting point dedicated to the travel and tourism industry. This platform offers customized solutions that enhance reach, business opportunities, and networking among professionals in the sector, fostering a collaborative, productive, and effective mindset.

In 2020, amidst the pandemic, Giselle created the Positive Impact Award and its associated digital platform to give visibility and recognition to businesses positively impacting Brazil and the world. Fondly referred to as the "Oscar for the Good," the award secured sponsorship from the National Small Business Administration (equivalent to US SBA) and received institutional support from the United Nations Development Program, Yunus Social Business, B Corporation, and the Conscious Capitalism Institute chapter in Brazil in 2022 and 2023.

Giselle continually invests in innovation, seeking solutions that benefit not only her team, customers, and partners but also her community and the planet. A testament to her commitment as a businesswoman (or businesshuman as she likes to say) is the award and homage by Humanizadas, listing GVA Brazil among the "Best Companies for Brazil" in 2022.

In August 2022, Giselle relocated to the United States and launched GVA USA. The company is privileged to represent responsible and sustainable destinations in North America, with Mato Grosso do Sul, a leading advocate for ecotourism worldwide, prominently featured in GVA USA's portfolio of clients.

Julie has always been drawn to the watery world, compelled to leave our blue planet better than she found it. A diver for 25 years, she has spent two decades working to bring about planetary change as an innovative conservationist and brand and PR expert. Julie started several ocean conservation organizations and has been an executive in the dive industry for the last 15 years. She also has a unique specialty in sharks; she's spent 15 years swimming with them free of any cages, and she exposes issues related to the shark fin trade that is driving their extinction. As such, she has been involved in some of the most influential shark campaigns on the planet.

Mary Ann is a global communications and media relations expert with over three decades of experience forging strategic partnerships with high-profile talent and leading fast-paced production teams for elite broadcast organizations.

In more than 20 years at NBC News and The TODAY Show, five-time Emmy Award winner Mary Ann wrote and produced thousands of noteworthy television events and travel and lifestyle pieces, including segments with Rihanna, Madonna, Bill Clinton, and the Dali Lama. She covered breaking travel news from the "Miracle on the Hudson” to the 2013 Edmond, Oklahoma Tornado. Mary Ann also traveled as the Gulf War field producer in Afghanistan, Kuwait, and Qatar. She produced The TODAY Show's international travel stories with Peter Greenberg in Peru, Cape Town, Buenos Aires, and Costa Rica, among many other global locations.

Mary Ann provides media training and insight into the do's and don'ts of pitching earned media.

Before launching Everything Everywhere Daily in July 2020, Gary spent the previous 13 years traveling around the world, twice, to more than 200 countries and territories and all 50 U.S. states. His blog Everything Everywhere was named one of the world’s Top 25 Blogs by Time Magazine. He is also one of the world’s most accomplished travel photographers and was named Travel Photographer of the Year in 2014 by SATW and in 2013 & 2015 by the NATJA. He is also a three-time Lowell Thomas Award winner. Everything Everywhere Daily features stories of people, places, and things covering a wide variety of topics, including history, science, and geography. The podcast gets more than one million monthly downloads and has accrued over 20 million downloads since 2020.

Becky joined TPG in 2022 after spending nineteen years in the tourism industry, six as Deputy Director of the Arizona Office of Tourism, leading teams and content strategy in the U.S., China, Australia/NZ, Canada, Mexico, U.K., France, and Germany. She has traveled extensively and enjoys helping others plan travel and save money. As a spokesperson for the tourism office and TPG, she routinely gives interviews on the positive economic benefits of tourism, workforce development, and travel tips. She has been featured in USAToday, CNBC, WSJ, NPR, and the Weather Channel. Her previous work experience includes publicity and sales positions with the historic Arizona Biltmore Resort and Capital-Gazette Newspapers in Annapolis, Maryland.

Kristen works primarily with U.S. and Canadian media. Originally from Michigan, Kristen moved west in 2007 and immediately fell in love with the Golden State. After nearly 15 years in the California tourism industry, that love has only grown. In her role at Visit California, she manages the organization’s domestic public relations agency and all media and influencer relations programming. She also works closely with Visit California’s marketing, content and social teams on all Visit California campaigns and channels, and aids in expanding the organization’s global media messaging across 13 international markets.

Ross is an American entrepreneur based in California. He founded MatadorNetwork.com in 2006 and bootstrapped the company into a fast-growth 8-figure business and one of the internet's leading media publishers focused on travel and adventure. Across digital and social, Matador's content now reaches over 100M people per month with a mix of articles, videos, city guides, and social-first content. Matador executes media campaigns and video and influencer projects for many of the world's biggest brands and destinations and has won numerous awards. In 2023, Matador launched GuideGeek, a free GenAI travel agent, delivered across WhatsApp and Instagram. It is currently the world's number one AI in Travel.

Lulu joined ABC News as the Vice-President of Content in March of 2022. Lulu is responsible for leading the editorial operations of ABC News’ digital brands – ABC News, GMA Digital and FiveThirtyEight. She leads the content creation, calendar, and strategy from web to social media platforms

She was Senior Executive Producer at Yahoo Finance, a division of Yahoo, from 2018 to 2022. She oversaw all aspects of production, including news gathering, field production, guest bookings, special programming, and live events. Lulu created two most popular interview series at Yahoo, Influencers with Andy Serwer and Yahoo Finance Presents. She also led all the special programs on Yahoo Finance and produced general news specials in collaboration with other Yahoo brands, with 112 million monthly active users (MAUs).

Chris is the creator of AmateurTraveler.com, a popular online travel podcast and blog focusing primarily on travel destinations. The Amateur Traveler podcast was started in 2005 and expanded into a full blog with videos and travel photography in 2007. The show was downloaded over 2 million times in 2023.

Amateur Traveler is an over 18 podcast that usually features an interview with a destination expert or a traveler who has been to the destination recently. The show intends to help travelers decide where to go next. The podcast is used to teach English at Oxford University and to test English proficiency for employment with the Thailand Foreign Ministry.

Prior to Amateur Traveler, Chris was an EVP of Engineering and Operations for a Silicon Valley company that ran online communities. He is still a director of engineering at American Express. He enjoys learning new languages before traveling, and although he has studied several languages, he is only fluent in English and that only when properly caffeinated.

Chris has won a Lowell Thomas Award, 5 NATJA awards, and a SMITTY Award from Travel+Leisure as the best independent travel journalist.

Danielle is a travel and personal finance writer who has written six travel books. She also hosts a highly-rated travel podcast called The Thought Card, which aims to inspire financially savvy travelers to explore the world while living on their own terms. Recently, Danielle co-launched a new travel podcast called Road Trip Ready, which explores some of the best road trips and destinations across the U.S. and Canada. Danielle has partnered with tourism boards, attractions, and financial institutions to create engaging audio content that reaches thousands of listeners worldwide.

As senior director of public relations and communications, Lei-Ann manages public relations efforts at Hawai‘i Tourism United States on behalf of the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority. Her responsibilities include developing and executing successful PR programs that share the incredible stories of Hawaiʻi with national media in an effort to influence editorial coverage and educate visitors about Hawai‘i's people, place, and culture. Lei also manages the statewide Malama Hawai‘i Program, an initiative that encourages visitors to form deeper connections to Hawai‘i's people and place through voluntourism, and has fostered relationships with dozens of community organizations statewide.

Kara is an executive in the tourism industry and a lawyer. She is the CEO of Visit Estes Park, a destination marketing and management organization located at the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. An advocate for leadership in the tourism industry, Kara serves on the board of delegates for the U.S. Travel Association and has her CDME through Destinations International. She sits on the advisory boards for Simpleview and eTourism Summit.

A seasoned professional journalist, Kara has been featured as a travel expert for national media outlets like Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure, Travel Channel, and HuffPost. Additionally, she has served as Editor-in-Chief of several luxury lifestyle print magazines in the Palm Beach, Aspen, and Miami markets for Modern Luxury Media.

A licensed attorney in the state of Florida, Kara earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Denver and started her career as a criminal prosecutor in Miami. She obtained her Bachelor of Science in journalism and strategic communications from the University of Kansas. A native Kansan, Kara served three seasons as an NFL Cheerleader for the Kansas City Chiefs. She recently obtained an executive certificate in artificial intelligence and business strategy from MIT.

CBS News Travel Editor Peter Greenberg is on an airplane two to three days a week, somewhere in the world, reporting for the network, Peter's nationally syndicated radio show, or Peter's weekly Travel Detective series for public television. When Peter is not on duty for CBS, the multiple Emmy award-winning journalist remains an active volunteer fireman in New York. Peter Greenberg lives in Los Angeles, New York, Bangkok, and at most major airports around the world.

Shannon is Chief Sustainability Officer for The Travel Corporation (TTC), a family of 40 travel brands operating worldwide. In this role, she leads the development and implementation of the group’s sustainability strategy, including the group's journey to net zero. Shannon also oversees the TreadRight Foundation, TTC’s not-for-profit dedicated to supporting projects under the foundation's three pillars of Planet, People, and Wildlife. Shannon is an advocate for pragmatic and transparent actions that lead to genuine impact in the pursuit of sustainability, and led The Travel Corporation in the development of its industry-leading Carbon Fund, a financial mechanism designed solely to enable the business to decarbonize its operations.

Her first and best job was as a sea kayaking guide in her home province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.

Tomiko is the creator of PassportsandGrub.com, a lifestyle blog with a focus on travel, cuisine, trying new things, and inspiring others to do the same. Her readers look to her to learn about off-the-beaten-path destinations as well as experiences with various foods and luxury boutique hotels. She is also the TBEX North America Conference Director and Vice President of the Black Travel Alliance.

Rob is the Founder and Chief Strategist for GLP Films, a leading strategic storytelling agency in sustainable tourism. Rob founded GLP in 2008 with a simple goal: to build a production and marketing company committed to authentic storytelling on important global issues. Today, GLP is a trusted partner for destinations and tourism businesses around the globe, empowering them to reach their sustainability goals using award-winning video storytelling and global content marketing campaigns. With more than 30 years of experience in the sustainable tourism industry, Rob has spearheaded global strategic marketing campaigns for top-tier destinations, media, brands, and operators. Rob has led workshops on strategic storytelling, destination stewardship, and regenerative tourism in destinations ranging from Croatia, Northern Ireland, Armenia, and Willamette Valley, Oregon.

Allyson is a executive editor for National Geographic Books, where she leads the publishing strategy for travel books, as well as cookbooks and lifestyle content. She has been with National Geographic for nine years. Her titles include the New York Times bestselling Blue Zones Kitchen, the best-selling 5,000 Ideas series, the upcoming National Geographic Bucket List Family Travel, Catch Me If You Can, and the top-selling 100 of a Lifetime and Journeys of a Lifetime series. Prior to National Geographic, she worked as a lifestyle editor at Every Day with Rachael Ray magazine, where she covered food and travel. She has also been published in USA Weekend magazine, Brides.com, TheKnot.com, and Brit + Co, among other publications.

Maureen has been a journalist in Canada, the U.S., Africa, and Vietnam. Currently based in Toronto, she is executive editor of Culture Magazin (no e), a lifestyle/food/travel publication that focuses on “East Meets West” and caters to the Vietnamese diaspora. She is also a prolific freelance writer with articles seen in CNN Global Travel, nationalgeographic.com, The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, Panoram Italia, USA Today’s 10 Best, National Parks Traveler, and Hotel-Scoop.com. Her beat includes culture, history, food/beverage, soft adventure, and wellness. She is on the board of SATW and the World Food Travel Association and is a member of TMAC.

Kathy is the host and executive producer of Dream of Italy and Dream of Europe, airing on PBS stations, CreateTV, GoTraveler, Amazon, and more. Season 3 of Dream of Italy has just premiered with special guests Andrea Bocelli, Marisa Tomei, and Massimo Bottura. The first season of Dream of Europe, currently in production, will debut later this year with its first episode featuring Lake Annecy in France. Kathy founded the award-winning magazine and membership website Dream of Italy in 2002. More than 200 issues later, Kathy loves sharing where to go, what to eat, and who to meet in Italy with her devoted readers. She’s the author of two books on Italy and is frequently quoted in the media.

Theresa's career has brought her from working in public relations and publications for a college to being a freelance writer to her current position at AAA Club Alliance as lead editor of two travel-focused magazines published for members: AAA World (circulation 3.5 M) and AAA Traveler Worldwise (circulation 170 K).

Theresa’s work as lead editor also includes reporting on travel news and writing features about her travels, which have recently taken her to the Galapagos, Southeastern Europe, Mexico, and the Caribbean. She and her staff have won numerous awards, including a 2022 NATJA bronze award in the Travel Magazine category for AAA Traveler Worldwise. She is equally proud of the freelancers she works with who win awards for their writing published in AAA magazines.

Andrew Nelson until the closing of Nat Geo Traveler was the director of its editorial projects. He is now freelancing for a wide variety of publications including NGT and the WSJ with a focus on cities and overseas destinations. His multi-platform production with partner Tourism New Zealand was named one of the "10 Best Branded Partnerships in 2017" by Ad Age. In 2016 his feature on Bulgaria for the magazine garnered the gold for best destination travel article from NATJA. A longtime educator, first at Loyola University New Orleans' School of Mass Communication, Nelson is inaugurating a class in strategic narrative for the College of Charleston for spring semester 2020. Nelson feels passionately about instilling young writers with an appreciation of travel, culture and place.

Kristina has both her heart and professional life in travel. At Visit Sweden, her mission is to put Sweden in the spotlight with creative brand communication, to create curiosity and increase the demand for travel to Sweden. Before joining Visit Sweden in 2021, Kristina spent 25 years in brand and marketing management in the tourism and transportation industry. She has charted a dynamic career path covering senior management positions within Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) and Stena Lines (Northern Europe’s Largest Ferry Operator) as well as running a family tour operator business, EverTrek, offering hiking and biking travel. As you can see, it is all about travel for Kristina!

Sucheta is an award-winning South Asian food and travel writer contributing to more than two dozen publications, including TIME Magazine, CNN, Travel + Leisure, HuffPost, and AAA. Sucheta is a five-time author of the Beato Goes To series of children's books that educate kids about the diversity of the world. She has personally traveled to more than 100 countries across seven continents and writes about her experiences firsthand. She also founded the non-profit Go Eat Give to raise awareness of different cultures through travel, food, and community service. Sucheta’s mission is to promote meaningful and sustainable travel for the betterment of the global community.

Josh is the Consumer Travel Editor at USA TODAY, based out of Washington, D.C. He has a bachelor’s degree in public communications from the University of Puerto Rico and a Master’s in entertainment business from Full Sail University. Josh has worked for more than a decade as a writer and journalist, publishing and editing work for USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, Univision, The Detroit Free Press, and El Nuevo Dia, among others. He is an alumna of Wharton’s UPenn Seminars for Business Journalists, Poynter’s Leadership Academy, and Yale’s Writer’s Workshop, and was the executive editor for Gannett’s first national Pride magazine in 2022.

Taryn, “The Sparkle Boss”, started TK PR in 2008 and has spent 16 years building the award-winning public relations firm specializing in the travel & hospitality industries. Taryn’s clients have been seen on CBS This Morning, The Today Show, and Good Morning America, as well as features in Travel + Leisure, O the Oprah Magazine, Better Homes & Gardens, Food & Wine, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and thousands more.

Under her leadership, TK PR has received seven Adrian Awards from HSMAI – the largest and most prestigious global travel marketing competition that honors excellence in hospitality, travel, tourism, and media.

Will is the Producer of Undiscovered America TV. His extensive leadership journey includes roles such as President & CEO and Chief Marketing Officer at VISIT FLORIDA; President and Managing Director at Connect Travel; and Vice President of Marketing at Visit Denver. Across his dynamic career, Seccombe has consistently been at the forefront of innovation, with a keen interest in harnessing the potential of AI to revolutionize destination marketing.

David, a proud graduate of the University of Chicago and CEO of Glassbox Media, is an accomplished entrepreneur and investor. He previously founded Giant Media, an early video advertising exchange and network that included Toyota, American Express, L'Oreal, and Dollar Shave Club as clients. Launched in 2009, Giant Media was successfully acquired in 2014 by Adknowledge, an AdTech platform funded by TPG, JMI, and Nokia.

Some of David’s current startup investments include Eaze, Grove Collaborative, Hawthorne, and Mogul. David is also a Partner in Dog Whisperer Productions, the beloved TV franchise with a broad library of iconic content that features Cesar Millan. The episode catalog is enjoyed on PlutoTV in Europe and Latin America and will expand availability elsewhere in December 2023.

As marketing manager Súsanna leads all promotional efforts by the official tourism board in the Faroe Islands. This entails extensive global PR campaigns such as Sheep View and Closed for Maintenance, as well as collaborating with international media and heading press events on behalf of Visit Faroe Islands. Establishing connections and nurturing relations with key media representatives resulting in successful visits and editorial pieces, is a vital part of Visit Faroe Island’s daily promotion of the country. It invites a broader perspective on the culture, customs, people, and most of all their uncommon stories of island living in the heart of the north Atlantic.

Súsanna has been an integral part of Visit Faroe Islands since its re-establishment in 2013 with only three employees to a still small but resourceful team of 10 today, which now also constitutes as a DMO and development department alongside overall the promotion. This provides Susanna with a unique insight into the traits of the Faroe Islands, helping to centralized efforts with regenerative decision-making into every aspect of the organization, and to continue to grow a well-developed network of relevant individuals shaping the country into more than just a tourism destination - a Home.

Nick founded TravMedia in 1999 after his experience as travel editor of Courier Newspapers, Australia, for ten years. His knowledge and contributions to the travel industry are extensive. Nick is an active member of the ASTW, a judge for the Gourmet Travel Annual Awards, a proud supporter of the SATW, and sponsors the ONE Travel Conference Travel Writer award for outstanding work in promoting US travel, the British Guild of Travel Writers Awards, and the ASTW Awards.

Nick created IMM twelve years ago, and The Summit seven years ago. The platform also powers the online event marketplaces for IPW, Destination Canada’s Corroboree and ATE.

Richard Quest is CNN's foremost international business correspondent and anchor of Quest Means Business, the definitive word on how we earn and spend our money. Based in New York, he is one of the most instantly recognisable members of the CNN team.

Quest hosts CNN International's signature monthly feature program, Quest's World of Wonder, an immersive travel series that finds him exploring a new destination each month and meeting fascinating people who reveal the heart of that city.

Quest’s dynamic and distinctive style has made him a unique figure in business broadcasting. Quest Means Business destroys the myth that business is boring, bridging the gap between hard economics and entertaining television. Guests of the show have included world leaders such as David Cameron and Petr Necas of the Czech Republic; Jamie Dimon of JP Morgan Chase and Robert Zoellick, the former President of the World Bank; European policymakers including IMF boss Christine Lagarde, EC President Jose Manuel Barroso, and former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn; and some of the most influential names in corporate America including DreamWorks CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg and Ford CEO Alan Mulally.

Quest also serves as CNN Business editor-at-large and often hosts the digital live financial show "Markets Now" live streamed from the floor of the NYSE at CNNBusiness.com. He regularly reports from G20 meetings and attends the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, each year. Quest has covered every major stock market and financial crisis since Black Monday in 1987 and has reported from key financial centres globally, including Wall Street, London, Sao Paolo, Tokyo and Hong Kong.

In addition, Quest is CNN's established airline and aviation correspondent, where he presents the monthly CNN Business Traveller show, the definitive authority on making the most of doing business on the road - moving from A to B on company time. As a business travel specialist, Quest has become a voice of authority on subjects like the launch of the Airbus A380. He has interviewed all the major airline executives, including current Delta CEO Ed Bastian, AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes and President of Emirates Sir Timothy Charles Clark. The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) awarded Quest the 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award for his reporting on the travel business.

Quest extensively covered the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 across CNN/US and CNNI. He travelled to Kuala Lumpur, where he landed a television exclusive interview with Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak. His book 'The Vanishing of Flight MH370: The True Story of the Hunt for the Missing Malaysian Plane' details his unique perspective on covering MH370 for CNN.

Quest's coverage of breaking news, which has spanned more than three decades, has seen him report on a range of stories, from the death of Yasser Arafat and the Lockerbie Pan Am 103 crash to the death of Michael Jackson. Quest is more than just business; few journalists have had guests as varied, from His Holiness, The Dalai Lama to actress Joan Collins to the founder of Playboy Magazine, Hugh Hefner.

In 2014, Quest fronted the CNN Freedom Project documentary Cocoa-nomics, which explored how the chocolate industry is trying to eradicate slavery from its supply chains. Joined by an executive vice president at Nestle, Quest visited cocoa plantations in Ivory Coast to see if any progress had been made in the fight against child labour.

Prior to joining CNN, he worked at the BBC, where he was the North America business correspondent based on Wall Street for 12 years. Quest is British, holds an LLB (Hons) degree in Law from Leeds University, and was called to the Bar.

A strategic, results orientated and commercially astute leader with a passion for success, Allison has worked in the travel industry for more than a decade. During that time, he has developed a deep expertise across multiple sales channels and marketing disciplines to become a valued senior manager with skills and experience bridging both online and offline sales as well as marketing.

Born and raised in Scotland, Allison’s career has taken him all over the globe, from London, UK to Vancouver, British Columbia. Currently based in Los Angeles, he now leads Tourism Australia’s priority markets of the USA and Canada.

Allison became Regional General Manager (RGM) North America for Tourism Australia in June of 2022 and has been acting in the RGM role since July of 2021. He has been with the organization since 2019, initially leading Distribution and Partnerships for North America.

Previous roles include Country Manager in the US and Country Manager in Canada for Air New Zealand, where Allison strategically managed all sales, marketing and airline partnership activity for the USA outbound market. At Air New Zealand, he managed a team of 35, generating annual revenues of $350 million on a marketing budget of $5 million.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Allison kept Australia in the conversation, investing in the North American market (Australia’s third largest source market for international visitation and the second most valuable for spend) to keep content in front of consumers, so that they’d be inspired to travel to Australia in the future.

Allison also helped develop a major marketing initiative for Australia’s return. Within the first four weeks of Australia’s reopening, the government launched its $40 million marketing campaign, highlighting the tagline “Don’t Go Small. Go Australia.” The catchphrase was tapped into the travel trend for once-in-a-lifetime type trips, which many high-value travelers were planning in the post-pandemic landscape.

Additionally, Allison devised the return of Tourism Australia’s Marketplace North America event for the first time in three years, with Australia’s industry leaders meeting with U.S. travel agents and tourism operators in-person in Los Angeles.

As an individual who is driven by challenge, Allison’s proven track record for success has emerged through consistent achievement and exceeding of sales targets by developing, implementing and executing business strategies as well as building and leading successful cross functional and high performing teams. As Tourism Australia continues its post-pandemic recovery, Allison’s innovative efforts in the North American market will be essential.

Allison studied a BA (Hons) in Business Studies and Marketing at Northumbria University in Newcastle, England. Upon graduation, he was a part of the Thomas Cook Graduate program. Now, as an Angelino, he spends his spare time either at the beach or on the ski fields in the winter. You might also see him flying above the skies of LA and Southern California, having recently got his Private Pilot License.

Director of Marketing for Indigenous Tourism Alberta, helping develop and market Indigenous experiences in Alberta. Spent the previous five years leading the Brand & Content Studio with Travel Alberta. Canadian. Former (and occasional) journalist. Author of a book about winter bike riding. Side-hustle is a Youtube channel about bike commuting.

Ryan Becker is the vice president of Communications for Visit California. He leads the team responsible for developing communications strategies that promote Visit California’s mission to cultivate demand for the California brand. These strategies encompass corporate communications, media relations, industry relations and public affairs initiatives. Ryan has worked at Visit California since 2012. He has more than 10 years of media experience, primarily as a newspaper editor. He holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

A California native, Ryan enjoys the state’s active lifestyle. He seizes every opportunity to snowboard in the Sierra or SCUBA dive along California’s spectacular coastline. He lives in Sacramento with his family.

Matthew Cameron-Smith commenced as CEO of Voyages in August 2020. Matthew has an extensive and highly successful background in national and international tourism, joining Voyages from The Travel Corporation, where he spent almost 10 years leading the Trafalgar Guided Holidays brand as well as his most recent position as Global CEO of AAT Kings.

His prior experience has included roles with Tourism Australia - promoting the country in the UK and Europe markets, global roles with Rydges Hotels & Resorts, South Bank Parklands and Dreamworld.

In his role as Voyages CEO, Matthew is responsible for the oversight of Voyages National Indigenous Training Academy (NITA). The National Indigenous Training Academy (NITA) aims to providing market leading training and employment programs while empowering a growing Indigenous workforce at both Ayers Rock Resort and Mossman Gorge Cultural Centre. The unique training, working and residential program supports trainees to participate in the local community, learn life skills and build a solid foundation for their future career. It includes accommodation and a dedicated residential and training team on location.

Matthew is also a director of Ultimate Winery Experiences of Australia, the Anangu Community Foundation and previously a director of the Council of Australian Tour Operators. He holds an Associate Diploma in Human Resource Development and a Master’s degree in Business Administration and Management.

Camila Clark serves as the Sr. Vice President of Marketing and Communication for Visit Lauderdale, where she is responsible for the advancement of the GFLCVB’s mission through strategic advertising, branding campaigns, public relations, and targeted destination marketing.

An accomplished, results-driven communications strategist, Camila has been a trusted advisory to the C-suite, key spokesperson for government agencies and led some of the most dynamic and award-winning campaigns around the globe. She has successfully generated significant and sustained media coverage and enhanced brand awareness and positioning for travel brands and destinations by leveraging a strong combination of marketing, public relations, promotions, and events. Camila has shepherded organizations through devastating crises such as the aftermath of hurricane Katrina, post 9-11 recover, and the global pandemic.

Most recently, she served as the senior director of corporate communications for Brand USA, the public-private partnership responsible for launching the United States’ first-ever nationally coordinated tourism marketing effort. In this role, Camila was responsible for establishing and enhancing strong relationships with key stakeholders by designing and executing public relations and communications strategies, programs, and materials to support partnership initiatives, business-to-business marketing outreach, and other efforts that advanced the organization’s mission.

Prior to joining Brand USA, Camila served as public relations and promotions manager for the Maryland Division of Tourism, Film, and the Arts, where she managed the global communications efforts to promote the state of Maryland as a world-class travel destination. Additionally, she was a member of the Board of Directors for Capital Region USA (CRUSA), a tourism coalition comprised of the Virginia Tourism Corporation, Destination DC and the Maryland Office of Tourism Development. In her role with CRUSA, Camila oversaw multiple international public relations firms responsible for promoting the CRUSA in key U.S. feeder markets.

Camila held various positions of increasing responsibility at Choice Hotels International, including manager of diversity PR and communications. During her tenure with Choice Hotels, Camila was instrumental in launching the organization’s diversity initiatives, the highly successful “Thanks for Traveling” campaign immediately following 9-11, the worldwide rebranding of the iconic Comfort Suites, Comfort Inn, and Sleep Inn brands, as well as the launch of Cambria Suites.

A native Marylander, Camila also worked for such Baltimore-based companies as Vertis, Inc. (formerly TC Advertising) and Metroventures USA, Inc. in public relations and marketing roles.

Camila holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism with a concentration in public relations and advertising from Bowie State University and a master’s degree in strategic communications from the University of Maryland Global Campus.

Camila, her husband of nearly 25 years, Dion, and their rescue pup, Buddy, recently relocated from their hometown of Baltimore, MD to live in coastal paradise of Fort Lauderdale, FL. They are also the proud parents of one adult son, Chazz.

Rajan is an award-winning, highly versatile international broadcaster, journalist, conference speaker, and moderator. He is perhaps best known for presenting some 30 half-hour travelogues for BBC TV as well as the weekly BBC Travel Show program, but he also presents the BBC World Service’s The Forum as well as numerous BBC Radio 4 documentaries and stints as host of The Media Show and Front Row on Radio 4. For seven years previously, he was a reporter on current affairs strands Newsnight and The Money Programme on BBC2. In addition, for 30 years, he is the founder member of 8 piece globetrotting ska and reggae band Maroon Town who have released five albums.

Amanda Finnegan is a Washington, D.C. based journalist. She’s the editor of By The Way, The Washington Post’s travel destination for news, tips and city guides. It’s a concept she successfully pitched, developed and launched.

Prior to that, Amanda was a homepage editor at The Post where she managed breaking news and enterprise content for desktop, mobile and app homepages. She’s also been an editor on the Politics and Local desks.

Before moving to D.C., Amanda spent more than three years in Las Vegas reporting on the casino industry for the Las Vegas Sun and helped launch VegasInc.com, the paper’s business news website. Shortly after its launch, the site won an Editor and Publisher award for best business news site.

Amanda has reported on multibillion-dollar resort openings, profiled top executives, investigated scandal in the city’s nightlife industry and analyzed the financial crumbling of one of Las Vegas’ most affluent communities. In 2011, she was named the Nevada Press Association's Journalist of Merit.

She’s covered education at The Philadelphia Inquirer, helped produce Bloomberg's government news initiative, reported on trends at the world’s largest technology expo and traveled to the Middle East to learn about the Iraqi refugee crisis through displaced persons.

Amanda is a New Jersey native, went to college in the Philadelphia suburbs and now lives on Capitol Hill with her dog Cooper. She's a fierce defender of her home state and always on the hunt for the perfect bagel or slice of pizza (no toppings, please).

Originally from Adelaide, Australia, and now living in Fiji, Brent is a multi-award winning marketer and leader, and joined Tourism Fiji as CEO in July ’21 after 6 years at the South Australian Tourism Commission. In 2021 Brent led the incredible effort to reopen Fiji to the world in December 2021, achieving the 21-22 visitor arrivals targets 3 months ahead of schedule. Brent leads a team based in Nadi, Fiji, as well as offices across the world, in pursuit of the goal of $3B in tourism revenue by December 2024 – equating to 38% of Fiji’s economy.

AIANTA CEO Sherry L. Rupert (Paiute/Washoe) has nearly two decades of executive-level experience managing and promoting Native American tourism. Since joining AIANTA as CEO in 2019, she has spearheaded several initiatives, including the organization’s groundbreaking new Tribal Agritourism program and overseeing AIANTA’s first-ever virtual American Indian Tourism Conference, which drew a record number of registrants in 2020.

As CEO of the only national association dedicated to indigenous tourism, she is the leading voice when it comes to advocating for travel and tourism as a significant economic driver in tribal nations. She also holds leadership positions on various national boards including the Board of Directors for the U.S. Travel Association, the America250 Hospitality and Tourism Advisory Committee and the Office of National Marine Sanctuary System (ONMS) Business Advisory Council under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce.

Under her leadership, she launched the Economic Impact of U.S. Indigenous Tourism Businesses, the first-ever ever study of its kind. She also curates a robust educational program for tribes and indigenous-owned hospitality enterprises around the country. Prior to assuming the role of CEO, she served as President of AIANTA’s Board of Directors since 2010. During that time, she was instrumental in working with Congress to pass the Native American Tourism and Improving Visitor Experience (NATIVE) Act.

Rupert was formerly the Executive Director of the State of Nevada Indian Commission, where she reported directly to the Governor of Nevada to serve as a liaison to the state’s 27 tribes, bands and colonies. During her tenure, she developed the Nevada Indian Territory initiative and won awards and accolades for her work in preserving the site of the Stewart Indian School as a museum and cultural center.

Anne Madison oversees global marketing and strategic communications, including digital marketing, branding, crisis communications, research and analytics for CLIA and also supports strategy and business planning. Over the course of her career, Anne has led a number of areas, including strategic planning, business development, B2B and B2C marketing, research, media relations, public affairs, issues management, crisis communications, investor relations, human resources, information technology, and events. Prior to her work with CLIA, Anne was chief strategy and communications officer for Brand USA, the nation’s destination marketing organization for the United States where she established the strategic foundation on which Brand USA continues to successfully pursue its mission. She also developed award-winning communications strategies to build strong and positive engagement with internal and external stakeholders worldwide. Earlier in her career, she held similar roles with Choice Hotels, Enterprise Community Investment, and The Ryland Group (now Lennar Homes).

Mike Paul is president of Reputation Doctor® LLC. He is a top, strategic, public relations, reputation, corporate communications, crisis management and litigation-support PR expert known worldwide by the registered brand name, the Reputation Doctor®. With over 25 years’ experience in public relations, Mike helps build, maintain and repair the leading reputations and brands of global and national corporations, governments, NGOs, as well as famous people & public leaders in both good times and bad. He is listed among the world’s top crisis PR experts by PRWeek Magazine, called “the Master of Disaster” by Business Week, “Mr. Fixit” by Sports Illustrated and named one of the Top 100 Thought Leaders in Trustworthy Business Behavior in the U.S. in both 2012 and 2013 by Trust Across America™.

Mike provides global consulting and counseling services to leading corporations, governments, nonprofit organizations and their leaders worldwide. He has also counseled some of the top celebrities and athletes in the world. Mike is a global TV, radio and print news commentator regarding all types of reputations in crisis. You’ve seen him weekly on CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, ABC News, NBC News, MSNBC, CBS News, CNBC, BBC, ESPN and Bloomberg TV to name a few.

Previously, Mike was president and senior counselor at MGP & Associates PR, executive vice president of communication, branding and advertising for NYC Economic Development Corporation under former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani, global managing director of communications, marketing and advertising at MCI Systemhouse, vice president and senior counselor of public affairs at Hill & Knowlton and senior associate in the Aviator Management Training Program at Burson Marsteller. He was also a former aide to former U.S. Senator Alfonse D’Amato and a former aide to several elected officials in the New York State Legislature.

Mike resides in New York and is very active in the global, philanthropic and local charitable communities. Mike is currently an advisory board member of the Museum of Public Relations. He is a current member of The Wise Men, a leading NYC-based association of top executives working in corporate communications and public relations.

A proud member of the Musqueam Nation in Vancouver BC, Ryan manages media relations for the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada.

Ryan has a love for travelling, experiencing new cultures and a passion for making a difference in Indigenous communities. He takes great pride in representing Indigenous interests in his career.

Aaron is a Senior Editor at Cruise Critic, the world's largest online cruise resource. He is responsible for the direction of Cruise Critic’s day-to-day editorial content, from important news cruisers need to know to features on emerging trends, new ships and itineraries, and useful information designed for both new cruisers and experienced seagoers.

Aaron's cruise experience spans 23 years – first coming onboard at the age of 15, before founding the popular cruise site, From the Deck Chair, in 2009. Aaron has worked on ships as an expedition guide and has authored three books about ships. An expert in all-things cruise, Aaron's expertise has been featured in outlets like The Washington Post, Forbes, and the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Paige Williams Shepherd joined the Chickasaw Nation in October 2008 as the director of tourism for the Department of Commerce. Currently Paige serves as the director of corporate development and tourism. Paige's primary responsibility include planning, development, management and operation of tourism for the Chickasaw Nation. Under the tourism umbrella, Paige oversees Chickasaw Country, the travel and tourism destination representing over 7,600 square miles of culture, nature, recreation and entertainment located in south-central Oklahoma. Currently Paige serves as a board member for the US Travel Association, OKC Ballet, Civic Center Foundation, Mount St Mary's High School, UCO Foundation and Oklahoma State University School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. Paige has been recognized by ION OK for 30/30 NextGen, Journal Records Achievers Under 40, OKC Friday as Next Generation Most Powerful Oklahoman and as Most Powerful in Communications by OKC Friday. Prior to joining the Chickasaw Nation, Mrs. Shepherd, an Oklahoma native, lived and worked in Washington, DC. Paige holds a Doctorate of Education in Leadership and Learning in Organizations from Vanderbilt University, Masters of Tourism Administration from The George Washington University in Sustainable Destination Management and a Bachelor of Arts in Hotel Restaurant Administration from Oklahoma State University.

Eusi brings over two decades of knowledge and experience to the tourism and hospitality industry. As the USA Director of Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc., Eusi develops and implements initiatives to promote destination awareness, visitor arrivals, and increased spend from U.S. travelers. Eusi also served five years as the Caribbean Tourism Organization's Chair of the Rum & Rhythm Benefit Committee, and was twice recognized by Travel Agent magazine as Top Supplier Sales Representative in the International Tourist Board category.

Caroline is a longtime travel editor and writer based in New York City. She has been an editor at Fodor's Travel, a content editor at Google, and is currently a commissioning editor at Lonely Planet. Caroline has a passion for the unexpected and the unexplored. She's a born and bred city girl, but one with an unabashed penchant for hiking, biking and camping, and she's learned that traveling with a headlamp is always a good idea.

Originally from Colombia, Nikki is a travel editor, published author, and writer now living in New York City. As a published author, Nikki is represented by the literary division of the Paradigm Talent Agency. Her first book, Wanderess, is an exhaustive women's travel resource combining the wisdom, expertise, and experiences of leading women in the travel industry. Wanderess was published by the Clarkson Potter imprint of Penguin Random House in February 2022. Nikki is currently writing her second book, a travel memoir for the Hanover Square Press imprint at Harper Collins.

Currently, Nikki is a senior editor for Fodor's Travel, where she commissions, writes, edits, and produces daily travel stories for the digital site, as well as works closely with the team on special editorial projects. In addition, Nikki is the Founding Editor of Unearth Women, a women’s travel publication she founded back in 2018. Unearth Women's mission is to show travelers how to support women worldwide, while also sharing women's stories. Her work with Unearth Women has appeared in The New York Times, Good Morning America, CNN, Vogue Spain, and The Washington Post.

​Previously, Nikki worked as a Travel Editor for The Infatuation, Atlas Obscura, and Culture Trip. In addition to her editorial experience, Nikki is a freelance journalist with bylines in Cosmopolitan, Zagat, VICE, Food & Wine, Roads & Kingdoms, and more. As a public speaker, Nikki has spoken at various travel conferences including the Women’s Travel Fest, Women in Travel Summit, Latino Travel Fest, the Travel + Adventure Show, and the former New York Times Travel Show.

Claudia Vecchio brings more than 25 years in the destination and consumer brand marketing arenas to her role of President and CEO of Sonoma County Tourism.

Vecchio comes to Sonoma County from Nevada, where she was the director of the state's Tourism and Cultural Affairs Department. During her career, Vecchio has held multiple leadership roles in tourism organizations, serving as the State Tourism director at the Ohio Department of Development, Division of Travel and Tourism, and senior vice president overseeing the tourism group at Edelman PR in Chicago.

Claudia is the 2015 recipient of the J. Desmond Slattery award for tourism marketing awarded by the Travel and Tourism Research Association. Claudia also has served on the Executive Committee of the U.S. Travel Association as well as the boards of the National Council of State Tourism Directors and the Public Relations Society of America.

Nick founded TravMedia in 1999 after his experience as travel editor of Courier Newspapers, Australia, for ten years. His knowledge and contributions to the travel industry are extensive. Nick is an active member of the ASTW, a judge for the Gourmet Travel Annual Awards, a proud supporter of the SATW, and sponsors the ONE Travel Conference Travel Writer award for outstanding work in promoting US travel, the British Guild of Travel Writers Awards, and the ASTW Awards.

Nick created IMM twelve years ago, and The Summit seven years ago. The platform also powers the online event marketplaces for IPW, Destination Canada’s Corroboree and ATE.

Jennifer Weatherhead Harrington is Canada's top travel expert based out of Toronto, Canada who's been travelling around the world for the past 12 years. Her Covid-safe, stress-free and affordable tips are centered around finding undiscovered gems, the best and safest getaway destinations for families, honeymooners and singles during the pandemic and beyond.

A seasoned guest on TV, Jennifer is one of the most recognizable faces on major TV networks in Canada, appearing on morning and afternoon shows in cities from coast-to-coast. She's appeared on over 25 news and talk programs on America and Canadian networks and affiliates CTV, Global, FOX, ABC, CW and CGTN, as well as the long-running celebrity and lifestyle talk shows The Marilyn Denis Show, Entertainment Tonight Canada and The Social in Canada, and entertainment talk show The List in the US.

Jennifer launched a video series in late 2021, Next Destination. The short videos highlight up and coming destinations with a strong focus on local businesses a getting travellers to explore beyond the main tourist attractions. The goal for Next Destination is to publish 12 destination videos per year.

A digital travel writer as well, Jennifer has written for on-line publications such as The Globe & Mail, Refinery29, TinyAtlasQuarterly, Unearth Women, and FLARE.

Ernest White II is a producer, journalist, and keynote speaker. He is the founder and CEO of Presidio Pictures, and the executive producer and host of award-winning television travel docu-series FLY BROTHER with Ernest White II, currently airing in the United States on PBS stations and Create TV nationwide, and streaming worldwide at PBS.org and Revry.

Ernest’s writing includes fiction, literary essay, and travel narrative, having been featured in Afar, Condé Nast Traveler, Time Out London, USA Today, Getaway, Skylife, Ebony, The Manifest-Station, The Bitter Southerner, Sinking City, Lakeview Journal, Matador Network, National Geographic Traveler’s Brazil and Bradt’s Tajikistan guidebooks, and at TravelChannel.com. He holds an undergraduate degree in political science from Florida A&M University, an MFA in creative writing from the American University in Washington, and is currently earning his Certificate in the Business and Management of Entertainment from the University of California, Los Angeles.

A Florida native, Ernest’s obsessions include Thai curry, Brazilian samba, and Rita Hayworth.

James Gregory Wilkinson is an award-winning TV show host, Editor-In-Chief and global travel expert.

He is the host of the executive travel and lifestyle TV show WAYFARER and Editor-In-Chief of the Wayfarer website and newsletter that was launched in 2017.

WAYFARER Series 1 was broadcast on Sky News Australia (it generated 1.2 million viewers and is still available online at skynews.com.au and Foxtel On Demand) and is about to be broadcast on WestJet in Canada to 25 million passengers.

WAYFARER Series 2 is currently in final production and episodes set to be broadcast will feature Austin, Beijing, Fort Worth, Hong Kong, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, New York, Shanghai and several more global cities to be announced.

WAYFARER Series 3 is currently in production in 4K Ultra HD and destinations will include Paris, Fiji, the Whitsundays in Queensland, Auckland, Sydney, Singapore and several more global cities to be announced.

Each episode showcases some of the best hotels, restaurants, bars, galleries, shops and much more in the world's hottest destinations.

For the last 19 years, James has been the Editor-In-Chief of the Asia-Pacific region's highly respected hotel industry magazine, HM, and its online products.

He is formerly the Travel Editor of Time Out Australia and a Contributing Editor to SPICE magazine and SpiceNews.

From late-2012 to early 2018, James was a regular guest (appearing on over 200 episodes) on the Sky News Business Channel television show 'Business Class', which is now broadcast on Your Money and features airlines, hotels, destinations, travel accessories and much more.

James is also Chair of Laureate Australia Hospitality's Industry Advisory Board and Deputy Chair of the Young Garvan committee at the Garvan Research Foundation.

In 2003, James co-founded the HM Awards (Australasia's largest hotel awards) and in 2010, the AHICE Conference, also the region's largest.

He Chairs the Content Committee for AHICE and is the Chief Judge and co-organiser of the HM Awards.

James has also been a guest on Channel 7's 'The Morning Show', radio 4BC in Brisbane and 3AW in Melbourne, and is formerly the Editor-In-Chief of Hilton, Australian Hotelier, Signature Cocktails and bars&clubs magazines. Prior to this, James was at Courier Newspapers.

James was named 2008 Travel Writer of the Year for Trade / Industry by the Australian Society of Travel Writers, while in 2003, James received the received the Golden Circle Award from Marriott International.

At the 2008 HM Awards, James screened a moving film (that he wrote, filmed, narrated, directed and produced) about the Sala Bai Hotel School in Cambodia that has since raised over 0,000.

In 2010, James was a finalist for Travel Writer of the Year at the National Tourism Industry Awards (NTIAs), presented by AFTA.

Doug Lansky is a Stockholm-based tourism consultant and keynote speaker who spent 20 years as a travel journalist, editor and author contributing to such publications as The Guardian, Lonely Planet and Skift.

Doug has given acclaimed lectures at nearly 100 universities, given two TEDx Talks, presented at National Geographic Headquarters, for the United Nations World’s Tourism Organization, at Google Travel, Booking.com, Amadeus, ITB Berlin and for over 100 destinations around the world, from Singapore to South Dakota, Finland to Florida, introducing audiences to new insights and smart tourism concepts.

Mike and Anne left on their honeymoon in January 2012...and never came home. They created HoneyTrek.com to chronicle their journey across all seven continents and help people mobilize their travel dreams. Their story of “The World’s Longest Honeymoon,” savvy tips, and blog have been featured in over 150 media outlets, from USA Today to Lonely Planet. The Howards authored National Geographic’s bestselling couples travel book "Ultimate Journeys for Two" and the Lowell Thomas award-winning guidebook, "Comfortably Wild: The Best Glamping Destinations in North America". As content creators and personalities, they are regularly commissioned for projects by tourism boards and lifestyle brands, including a 10-part video series for Go Dominican Republic, a month-long social media campaign for Visit Florida, and a primetime television commercial for Microsoft. Brands understand the value of working with the Howards and find that few travel influencers come from such a place of professionalism and authenticity.

Anne is the Editor of BBC Travel, BBC.com's award-winning Travel vertical, where she creates original, engaging and sharable content for a global audience. Previously, Anne was the executive editor and face of SmarterTravel.com (a Trip Advisor company). As a sought after travel expert, Anne has appeared on major broadcast programs such as ABC Nightline, The Early Show, Good Morning America and CNN. Anne's commentary has also been featured among leading media outlets, including The Associated Press, The New York Times, The Washington Post, NPR and Condé Nast Traveller. Her travel stories have appeared on USAToday.com, ABC News and Boston.com. Anne is also a trained pastry chef.

Paul Brady is the articles editor at Travel + Leisure. Paul has been covering the travel industry for more than 15 years, for outlets including Condé Nast Traveler, Skift, and The Huffington Post. Though he’s worked at both legacy and start-up media outlets and for both print magazines and digital-only publications, his reporting over the years has focused on how consumers can have better trips and the trends shaping the future of the industry. Outside of work, he's an unrepentant traveler who's fond of flipping through old passports and sailing small craft on the beautiful Hudson River.

A short blonde hair, black female, pronouns she/her, self-identifies as a limb difference individual due to bone cancer, a human rights advocate and renowned ‘island gal’ continues to represent The Bahamas, regionally and internationally over the past seventeen years.

Erin Brown is the leading Disability Inclusion Consultant, in the first disability-led consultancy; Erin Brown Connects (EBC), in The Bahamas, Director in the Office of Disabilities and Compliance for The University of the Bahamas and the newest Royal Caribbean International Godmother of Odyssey of the Seas; the first Paratriathlete, Bahamian and black woman with a disability!

As an avid traveler; working directly with travel industry actors and brands to address the existing accessibility gaps. Removing the barriers to amplify the voices of travelers with disabilities; recognizing their value to access, integrating inclusive marketing strategies in their current business models and workforce retention; while promoting a truly inclusive brand and service.

Tori Emerson Barnes is Executive Vice President, Public Affairs and Policy, at the U.S. Travel Association, the leading voice for all segments of the U.S. travel and tourism industry. Barnes directs the association’s government and political affairs, external and industry communications, marketing and research teams.

Barnes is highly regarded on Capitol Hill and across the industry for managing a portfolio of domestic and international travel issues focused on transportation and infrastructure, security and travel facilitation, tax policy, sustainable travel practices, Brand USA, and national parks and public lands.

Barnes is credited with securing pandemic-related federal relief utilized by hundreds of travel businesses and destinations. In 2020, she helped stand up the Let’s Go There Coalition that united dozens of major businesses and organizations in a national consumer campaign to inspire future travel amid the pandemic. The effort evolved into the Let’s Meet There Coalition to focus on the safe restart of business travel and professional meetings and events.

A thirty-year veteran of the Travel & Tourism industry, Amir leads the entire team responsible for the development and execution of all facets of the organization from program development to customer acquisition and retention.

He joined Longwoods in 2015 from his previous role as Vice President, Partner Engagement with Brand USA, the public-private partnership serving as the destination marketing organization dedicated to increasing international visitation to the US. He led the team responsible for helping to increase Brand USA's partnership base and ensuring that participants received excellent service throughout Brand USA's deployment of joint marketing programs. During his tenure, Brand USA grew its base to 475 partners, comprised of destination marketing organizations, convention and visitor bureaus, attractions, travel brands, airlines, and tour operators.

A Chicago-based travel writer, Elaine Glusac is the Frugal Traveler columnist for the New York Times Travel section. She also contributes to consumer publications including the New York Times, Afar, Conde Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure and Virtuoso Life.

Uwern Jong is Experientialist-in-Chief of luxury and experiential travel journal and publishing brand rooted in diversity, discovery and discernment, OutThere.

He is board member of the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association (IGLTA), Founding member of the Belmond LGBTQIA+ Advisory Board, Founder of the global LGBT+ Travel Symposium series, Board Member of Checking-In (the LGBTQ+ Hospitality Network) and Co-Founder of Stockholm LGBT, a members-based destination marketing platform for the Swedish Capital, as well as Brand Ambassador and Editor for the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s landmark “Go Thai Be Free” initiative.

He was the 2020 winner of “Editorial Leader of the Year" at the Campaign Publishing Awards and led OutThere to win “Diversity Initiative of the Year" at the PPA Independent Publishers Awards in 2020 and "Publication of the Year" the 2018 Travel Media Awards.

Tom Kiely serves as the president and CEO of Visit West Hollywood, the official tourism bureau for the city of West Hollywood, California, a position he has held for the past five years. Prior to joining Visit West Hollywood, Tom was the Executive Vice President of Tourism at the San Francisco Travel Association, that city’s official visitor and convention bureau. Tom’s career spans over three decades and included stints at the Walt Disney Company, Universal Studios, Atlantis the Palm Dubai as well as time with Hilton Hotels Corporation and the Mandalay Resort Group, both in Las Vegas. Tom is a graduate of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas with a degree in Hotel Administration.

Emily Lauer is the Vice President of PR and Communications at Destination Cleveland, the destination marketing and management organization for Greater Cleveland. She joined the organization in July 2015 as a Senior Director to develop and oversee team implementation of PR strategies that contribute to changing perceptions and improving the narrative of Cleveland among potential visitors, meeting planners and residents.

As part of the Destination Cleveland team, Emily led the PRSA Silver Anvil Award-winning PR for the Cleveland 2016 Host Committee for the Republican National Convention, managing all inquiries from and outreach to regional, national and international media. She has also run PR efforts for the community’s hosting of the 2019 MLB All-Star Game, 2021 NFL Draft and the 2022 NBA All-Star Game.

Prior to Destination Cleveland, she spent 18 years at two highly regarded public relations and marketing agencies in Cleveland. Emily is a native Clevelander and resides along the Lake Erie shore in suburban Cleveland. When not globetrotting in her spare time, she enjoys exploring Cleveland’s greenspaces, catches live music performances at one of the city’s many venues and seeks out unique culinary experiences throughout her hometown.

Martinique Lewis is an award winning diversity in travel consultant, influencer manager for NYCgo, President of the Black Travel Alliance and the creator of The ABC Travel Greenbook! The number one resource connecting travelers to the African Diaspora Globally. Trusted amongst her peers as a ‘’connector’’ she is always connecting the dots to ensure the travel industry is mindful of diversity, not just as a ‘Buzz word’’ but an action that produces results.

As a Digital Disruptor whose immensely in love with all things travel, daily I strive to change the narrative by advocating for travelers that represent different demographics across multiple platforms. Working directly with tourism boards and travel brands I create content that is exciting and influential. Her mission is to change the face of tourism forever, so that we all feel represented and see ourselves reflected!

Annita is the on-air personality of the award winning travel radio show, Travel With Annita. She shares fascinating human interest stories exploring destinations through the eyes and voices of people who call them home. Travel with Annita has been on the air for eight years with broadcast signals in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, North Georgia and metro Atlanta. She also hosts the podcast, Quarter Miles Travel, exploring the U.S. based on the designs on the state and commemorative U.S. Mint quarters.

For 13-years Annita traveled the world with Pan American World Airways, working as a purser. Annita worked with the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the 1996 Olympics Planning Committee training volunteers in intercultural communications and awareness for the Olympic Games. Annita has been to over 98 countries and continues today exploring destinations inspiring others to have a travel adventure.

Arnie Weissmann is editor in chief of Travel Weekly and executive vice president/editorial director of parent company, Northstar Travel Group.

Weissmann initially wrote travel articles for consumer outlets from the Washington Post to the LA Times. He subsequently launched Weissmann Travel Reports (unbiased country profiles, now incorporated into Northstar’s Travel42.)

He also created AOL’s destination database, authored a geography textbook and was publisher of critical hotel and destination guides in the U.S. and U.K.

Weissmann is seen on PBS’ “Travel Detective;” his commentary has appeared on CBS, NBC, CNN, BBC, Sky News and NPR, and has been quoted in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today.

Starlight Williams, a National Geographic Travel associate editor, focuses her time on national parks, adventure, history, and culture. As a digital producer and writer, Starlight takes a special interest in topics at the intersection of conservation, culture, and community. As an editor, she has developed award-winning, engagement-driving content across platforms. Before joining National Geographic as a research editor in 2018, Starlight worked as a staff reporter, covering education, business, and city government at Community Impact Newspaper in Texas and as a culture and festival contributor for The Times-Picayune and NOLA.com. When not on the hunt for engaging pitches (send yours to starlight.williams@natgeo.com), you can find Starlight on her yoga mat working on her niyamas and yamas.

Heather Wyatt has over 20 years of experience in media, brand management, public relations strategy, business development and global partnerships. With a focus on travel and tourism, Wyatt recently joined Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) as a communications consultant responsible for public image, marketing, public relations, and messaging to support global cruise resumption efforts.

Prior to joining CLIA, Wyatt managed all communications strategy for National Geographic Travel, National Geographic Expeditions, and National Geographic Licensing and Consumer Products, where she was instrumental in creating the first-ever National Geographic Traveler luxury edition, co-founded the National Geographic Editorial Council, and developed the first-ever Digital Nomad social media franchise integrating on-the-ground reporting with custom content for commercial partnerships.

Wyatt is heavily involved in the travel industry having served on the U.S. Travel Communications Committee, the World Travel & Tourism Council Advisory Board, the TravMedia Advisory Board, and the Board of Directors for the Public Relations Society of America’s Travel and Tourism chapter.