WHY IT RATES: The biggest LGBTQ+ association for the travel industry is welcoming first-time appointees to their two-year terms as members of the board of directors, leading the association into the future. - Lacey Pfalz, Associate Writer, TravelPulse
The International LGBTQ+ Travel Association announced today their board of directors for 2021-2022. Three industry thought leaders, representing three different sectors in tourism/hospitality, were first-time appointees and will begin their two-year term in September:
Meg Ten Eyck, LGBTQ+ Marketing Consultant, Editor of EveryQueer, Director of Analytic Strategy at Travel Curator, based in New York
Patrick Pickens, Delta Air Lines, Specialty Sales, Global Sales Manager - Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, & Exhibitions, based in Atlanta.
Antonietta Varlese, Accor South America, Senior Vice-President Communications, Institutional Relations & Corporate Social Responsibility, based in S?o Paulo. (Brazil is IGLTA's second-largest membership base after the United States.)
"We received more applications for our board than ever before, with an incredible range of experiences," said former IGLTA Board Chair Juan Juli, who led the board nominating committee. "As we move forward and build back tourism, IGLTA needs strong, strategic leadership and we feel confident that Meg, Patrick and Antonietta will complement the existing board-already a dynamic group-and expand the skillsets we can tap into for future growth."
Current board members who were reappointed for another two-year term are:
Felipe Cardenas, Co-Founder/CEO, Colombian LGBT Chamber of Commerce
Albert Herrera, Chief Commercial Officer, Internova Travel Group & Global Travel Collection
Uwern Jong, Experientialist-in-Chief/Co-Founder, OutThere magazine
Richard Krieger, Director, Sky Vacations
The new board takes effect during the board meeting prior to IGLTA's 37th Annual Global Convention in Atlanta, September 8-11. In addition to the appointments, the returning board members are Apoorva Gandhi, Vice President, Multicultural Affairs, Marriott International; Shiho Ikeuchi, President, Pink Soleil; Oriol Pamies, Founder, Queer Destinations; Sandi Robinson, Director of Sales, The Godfrey Hotel Chicago; and Jon Mu?oz, Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, Booz Allen Hamilton, who will move to the Immediate Past Chair role. John Tanzella, IGLTA President/CEO, holds a non-voting seat on the board.
IGLTA board members are selected from a nominating committee composed of current board members who are not up for reappointment and IGLTA members at large from around the world. Thank you to this year's nominating committee: Maria Tuttocuore, Monaco Tourism Bureau; David Meany, The Travel Corporation; Sabrina Harrigan, Orbitz; and Juan Juli, Axel Hotels.
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