GBTA CELEBRATES AND HONORS THE TOP 40 WOMEN IN TRAVEL

Alexandria, VA (October 31, 2019) – The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA)—the voice of the global business travel industry, today announced the Top 40 Women in Travel. These outstanding women leaders were selected due to their contributions to the travel industry.

The WINiT Advisory Board will be hosting its inaugural WINiT Gala in New York City on November 7, 2019.  In addition to the Gala, we will be holding the first WINiT Gala 2019 Awards.  The goal of the inaugural WINiT Awards is to recognize the women, men and companies, who together are driving positive change for the career mobility of women in the travel-related industries.

“GBTA is honored to celebrate such an impressive group of women leaders and others at the first annual GBTA WINiT Gala on November 7” said Scott Solombrino, GBTA executive director and COO.  “All those to be honored have worked tirelessly to get where they are, crossing barriers that are both clear and invisible. Our industry is better off thanks to their strength, work ethic, and determination.”

WINiT Gala 2019 will be an exclusive social event recognizing excellence in leadership in advancing women in travel-related industries. The Gala will feature the inaugural WINiT Awards acknowledging individuals and companies who have gone above and beyond in driving career mobility and gender parity. To attend or purchase a table, please click here.

The Top 40 Women in Travel are:

 

Argie Agrapides                                       Ashley Allott                                Nancy Atkinson
Executive Director                                         Head of Sales, Americas                Chief Travel Officer
Morgan Stanley                                              Engencia                                            TripActions

 

Maurita Baker                                         Kathy Bedell                                Karen Bond
Vice President and                                        Senior Vice President                     Travel Manager
Managing Director, North America           BCD Travel                                        HNTB
Travelport

 

Elizabeth Carisone                                  Gabrielle Carr                            Jennifer Charlton
CEO                                                                   Managing Director USA                Vice President, Global Supplier
GroundLink                                                     TAG                                                   Relations EMEA, American
Express Business Travel

 

Elise Eberwein                                         Wendy Ferrill                             Aileen Furlong
Executive Vice President,                             Vice President—Global Sales       Managing Director,
People and Communications                      BWH Group                                      Specialty Sales,
American Airlines                                                                                                      United Airlines

 

Kate Gebo                                                     Mary Ellen George                   Lisa Hoehn
EVP, HR and Labor Relations                       Head of North America                 Senior Vice President-
United Airlines                                                Tramada Systems                            Global Account Management
                                                                                                                                  ALTOUR

 

Megan Howard                                        Juliet Howie                                Patricia Huska
Director of Sales                                             Director of Sales for Europe,        Chief People Office
Short’s Travel Management                        Middle East, & Africa (EMEA)      American Express Global
Oakwood                                           Business Travel

 

Beth Kinerk                                              Valerie Layman                         Charlene Leiss
Senior Vice President of Sales                    Chief Product and                           President, Corporate Brands
Avis Budget Group                                         Services Officer                               Flight Centre Travel Group USA
Yapta

 

Melissa Maher                                         Rosemary Maloney                  Karen McGilvray
Senior Vice President,                                  Senior Manager, Global Travel    Senior Vice President &
Marketing & Innovation                              Tapestry                                            Gen Manager, Pacific Region
Expedia Group                                                                                                           Corporate Travel Management

Alecia McGuire                                        Traci Mercer                                    Donna Miller
Area Sales Manager                                      Senior Vice President,                    Vice President, Global
Enterprise Holdings, Inc.                            Global Lodging, Ground                 Customer Operations
& Sea                                                 Egencia
Sabre

 

Kathy Morgan                                           Amy Padgett                                Krista Pappas
Vice President, NDC Solutions                    Director of Supplier                        Senior Vice President
Sabre                                                                 Strategy & Marketing                     of Business Development                                                                                                                                                         SAP Concur                                      Lola.com

 

Vicki Parris                                               Christina Reichelt                    Kristen Shovlin
Director of Operations,                                Assistant Director, Global             Vice President, Sales Operations
Southeast Asia and Hong Kong                  Network Management and           and Development
FCM Travel Solutions                                   Development                                   Delta Airlines
World Travel, Inc.

 

Alison Taylor                                            Amy Theissen                             Veronica Torres
Senior Vice President of                               Manager, Global Travel                 Experience Director
Global Sales and Distribution                      AEG                                                   Visit Dallas
American Airlines                                           Anschutz Entertainment Group

 

Jennifer White                                         Emma Wilson                           Valerie Ann Wilson
Director, Destination                                    Vice President of                            Founder, Chairman and CEO
Marketing Canada                                         Marketing                                        Valerie Wilson Travel
Hilton Worldwide                                          Sabre

 

Lily Wilson
Director of Events
Access Boston

 

About WINiT

WINiT is a network of over 3,000 women and men focused on delivering career development services, resources and programs to women in travel-related industries. WINiT is an educational organization that, through generous support, provides Members with a variety of unique opportunities including leadership and industry training, mentoring, recruiting, career search services, as well as educational, inspirational, and networking events. For more information, visit www.winitforwomen.org. Stay connected on LinkedIn and Facebook. Follow WINiT on Twitter at @WINiTorg and Instagram at @winit4allwomen.

 

About the Global Business Travel Association

The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) is the world’s premier business travel and meetings trade organization headquartered in the Washington, D.C. area with operations on six continents.  GBTA’s 9,000-plus members manage more than $345 billion of global business travel and meetings expenditures annually.  GBTA delivers world-class education, events, research, advocacy and media to a growing global network of more than 28,000 travel professionals and 125,000 active contacts.  To learn how business travel drives lasting business growth, visit gbta.org.