The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) – the world’s largest business travel association and worldwide leader in education, research, networking, and advocacy for the industry – today announced the Top 50 Women in Travel.
The Top 50 Women in Travel is a distinguished group of professionals who are promoting the important mission of WINiT by GBTA while also serving as the best and brightest in their own careers. These outstanding women leaders were selected for their contributions to the travel industry across EMEA, APAC, LATAM, Canada and the U.S.
“Never has the mission of WINiT by GBTA been more important than now, when women have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic especially hard,” said Dorothy Dowling, chair of the WINiT Strategic Advisory Board and senior vice president and chief marketing officer for Best Western Hotels & Resorts.
“These women have been selected for this esteemed list not only for the determination and focus they’ve exhibited in elevating their own careers but for their dedication to reaching a hand out to help other women rise in the industry as well.”
The Top 50 Women in Travel from 2020 are:
Edyth Adedeji, Delta Air Lines Michele Allen, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts Leslie Andrews, JLL Tori Barnes, U.S. Travel Association Linda Bekoe, APLBC Kari Bigot, Altour Lisa Bliss, Boeing Maureen Brady, Corporate Travel Management Michelle Brown, United Airlines Doreen Burse, United Airlines Silvia Camarota, Expedia Group Lisa Checchio, Wyndam Hotels and Resorts Maria Chevalier, PredictX Corrie DeCamp, Sabre Michelle De Costa, Takeda Katharine Farrell, Dots & Lines Inc. Wendy Ferrill, Best Western Hotels & Resorts Kathleen Garcia, Cvent Martine Gerow, Amex GBT Amy Green, Sabre Maren Hanschke, Flight Centre Travel Group Mexico Jennie Ho, Delta Vacations Christle Johnson, Johnson Downie LLC Keyra Lynn Johnson, Delta Air Lines Emma Jones, Willis Towers Watson Sharlene Ketwaroo-Nanoo, Rogers Communications Silke Koehnecke, Southwest Airlines | Mary Kohler, Amex GBT Susan Lichtenstein, DigiTravel Consulting Molly MacMillan, Enterprise Holdings – National / Enterprise Melissa Maher, Expedia Rosemary Maloney, Sprinklr Beth Marino, Fox World Travel Marilyn Markham, Amex GBT Traci Mercer, Sabre Sophie Nelson, Avis Budget Group Beth Potter, Tourism Industry Association of Canada Christina Reichelt, World Travel Inc Lauri Reishus, Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC) Jeannette Ross, AT Kearney Inc Donna Sbarra, Enterprise Holdings Inc. Carmen Smith, ICF Laura Smith, Hertz Corporation Joanne Sully, Amex GBT Alison Taylor, American Airlines Jody Unterberger, ALTOUR Sandra Vermeulen, BCD Travel Devi Virdi, WHTT Michelle Ward, Best Western Hotels & Resorts Emma Wilson, Sabre Jennifer Wilson-Buttigieg, Valerie Wilson Travel, Inc Christina Woronchak, Deem |
Through its stewardship of WINiT and throughout all of the Association’s initiatives, GBTA is committed to being the industry voice advocating for diversity, equality and inclusion, and to raising the profile for all individuals from all walks of life, religion, race, age, gender, sexual orientation and disabilities, mental health and invisible illnesses.
“The WINiT ceremony, held virtually this year, provides us with the important opportunity to come together as an industry and celebrate our peers who are making a difference in this industry we love,” Michelle (Mick) Lee, founder and vice chair of the WINiT Strategic Advisory Board and managing director at BNY Mellon.
“I’m thrilled to honor these Top 50 women who are connecting, educating and advocating for the advancement of women in our industry.”
All recipients will be honored at the WINiT Awards & Virtual Gala on March 8 at 1 p.m. ET. In addition to recognizing these 50 outstanding women, awards will be presented for Founders Award, Rising Female Leader, Best Mentor/Coach – Female, Best Mentor/Coach – Male, Company Achievement: Creating a Company Culture for Women to Advance and Succeed, and the Lifetime Achievement Award.