Women in Travel & Hospitality Conference by TIEWN

July 14, 2021

SEGMENT 01

Pre-Conference Activities

6:00 - 7:25 am PDT

Networking

Walk the Exhibit Hall

We invite you to discover a curated selection of exceptional companies in the travel & hospitality industries. You will have the ability to chat with the company representatives directly in their virtual booth!

6:00 - 6:30 am PDT

Networking

Relationship Building

To start off the day, we bring our attention to the root of our industry: relationships. With this round of speed dating, we encourage you to head on over to the BLLA Speed Dating Hub and connect with like-minded, inspiring professionals.

6:30 - 6:55 am PDT

Workshop

A Lesson in Wellness: Body, Mind, and Spirit

with Julie Keller Callaghan, Co-Founder of Well Defined and Heather Mikesell, Co-Founder of Well Defined

In this session, the founders of Well Defined will highlight wellness-inspired ways to overcome burnout, including mindfulness, meditation, healthy eating, creating boundaries, and learning to put your self-care needs first. We will also focus on effective and unexpected self-care practices to support your wellbeing and will present the results from the groundbreaking Global Wellness Institute’s Women in Wellness Leadership survey.

6:30 - 6:45 am PDT

Networking

Introduce Yourself

Come say hello on video with fellow attendees! First-come, first-serve basis.

7:00 - 7:25 am PDT

Workshop

A Discussion on What Resilience Really Means

with Beverly Maloney-Fischback, CEO, Founder, & Publisher of ORGANIC SPA MEDIA and Kim Marshall, Co-Founder of S'Well PR & Host of the Global Wellness Summit Podcast

Join us for a frank and fun conversation between two female executives in the wellness travel space. Beverly Maloney-Fischback, CEO, founder and publisher of ORGANIC SPA MEDIA, and Kim Marshall, Co-Founder of S’Well PR and Host of the Global Wellness Summit Podcast, will be discussing practical ways to embrace resiliency in your professional and personal life. And they should know, since many of their clients had to press the “pause” button during COVID, but each of these female entrepreneurs found ways to “keep the lights on,” both literally and metaphorically. They’ll discuss challenges and coping tools -- for employee care, family care and self care -- that they’ve put into practice over the past year, as well as success stories of how other people in the wellness space have come out the other side of the pandemic shutdown even stronger.

SEGMENT 02

Welcome

7:30 - 7:50 am PDT

Welcome

Setting the Intention for the Day

with Frances Kiradjian, Founder & CEO of TIEWN, BLLA, StayBoutique, & Boutique Money Group and Ariela Kiradjian, President of TIEWN and Co-Founder & COO of BLLA, StayBoutique, & Boutique Money Group

The “Mother Daughter Duo of Boutique” welcomes you to this special day — a day where leading visionaries can come together and celebrate an authentic passion for the travel and hospitality industries.

7:55 - 8:20 am PDT

Keynote

Resilience: Your Path to Happiness & Success

with Tia Graham, Founder, Chief Happiness Officer, & Business Growth Expert of Arrive At Happy

The ability to bounce back and become stronger after challenges is a key to professional and personal well-being. In this inspirational and heartwarming talk, attendees will learn how to increase their resilience, happiness, and success utilizing the science of happiness. A worksheet and additional resources will be available to support each person’s growth. The talk will include stories and proven, powerful take-aways that can be used immediately.

8:25 - 8:50 am PDT

Panel

Resilience: The Future of the Hospitality & Travel Industries and the Relationship to Education

with Assia Riccio, Founder of Evolvin’ Women and Dr. Sowon Kim, Associate Professor at Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (Switzerland)

Interviewed by Xenia zu Hohenlohe, Founding Partner/Director at Considerate Group

Education is at the forefront of knowledge, growth, and change. How do we use education to promote diversity, inclusivity, and sustainability within the travel and hospitality industries? And, how do we use education to encourage women on a global scale to reach their potential as female leaders? We welcome these top minds as they explore the initiatives necessary to grow these sectors and better support the advancement of women.

8:45 - 9:25 am PDT

Panel

Incorporate Wellness Into Your Home or Company Office Set-Up

with Master Surendran, Accredited Feng Shui Master, Vastu Consultant and Bio Energetican, Yancy Wright, Founder/CEO of ALTERNAVIDA Leadership, and Kay Lang, CEO & President of Kay Lang + Associates

Interviewed by Nile Tuzun, Founder & Chief Creative Storyteller of Studio Nilebrand

According to a Harvard Business School survey, 94% of service professionals put in 50+ hours a week. And while some people claim long hours are necessary, study after study shows that when we lose work life balance, everyone suffers the consequences. A life of wellness starts with the basics. Wellness is more than not being sick. It is a balance of body, mind, and spirit. Everyone’s balancing points are unique, and they constantly shift over time, which is why wellness is a lifelong journey.

SEGMENT 03

Strategic Planning

9:25 - 9:50 am PDT

Workshop

Customer Service Makeover: Adapting to New Luxury Customer Expectations

with Daniel André Langer, CEO of Équité & BLLA Committee Member

Luxury customers have traditionally had expectations of grandeur when it comes to customer service. Have their expectations changed with these times? Yes and no. What does value have to do with it? Is paying more driving expectations to the same level before the Pandemic? How do younger customers value luxury and define it? They are bringing new requirements to the luxury market, both inside and outside the travel industry. With this new evolution, how should hotel and other travel brands re-think their approach to cover both old and new traditions and values?

9:25 - 9:50 am PDT

Workshop

Crisis Communications Overview, Lessons Learned from Covid

with Lou Hammond, Chairman & Founder of Lou Hammond Group, Laura Motta, Editorial Director at Lonely Planet, and Karissa Kruse, President of Sonoma County Winegrowers

Being prepared for a crisis – no matter the type – is critical to containing damage and protecting a brand’s reputation. The LHG presentation will offer tips and direction on how to handle unforeseen situations before, during and after a crisis. It will establish guidelines gained from years of experience along with lessons learned during the Pandemic. A panel of industry professionals will follow, offering first-hand involvement in crisis management and reputation preservation.

10:00 - 10:25 am PDT

Workshop

Creating Alignment to Boost Revenue & Loyalty

with Adele Gutman, Host of the Hospitality Reputation Marketing Podcast & TIEWN Advisory Board Member

Travel is back! But times have changed, as it always does. Our travelers’ needs have changed and will continue to do so. As travel and hospitality leaders, we can come back strong when we build a culture of agility and flexibility with teams that are engaged, aligned, and laser-focused on our mission, goals, and vision. Resiliency is often defined as the ability to snap back to the former way of being. But many leaders realize that in the face of this extraordinary challenge, we have an opportunity for a fresh start.

Let’s find ways to work smarter and innovate so that we move forward, stronger than ever. There has never been a more important time for travel and hospitality leaders in Sales, Marketing, Revenue, and Operations to align forces to strengthen our bond with past, present, and future guests, customers and travelers. In this conversation, I will share very pragmatic tips any hotel, restaurant, travel service, or attraction can fold into a daily practice to enhance your sales, marketing, and revenue initiatives.

10:00 - 10:40 am PDT

Panel

Is it Time to Re-Think Your Content & Digital Marketing Strategy?

with Christina Erny, Director of Marketing at Reno Tahoe and Susan Black, Founder of Our Travel Circle and Wowzitude and Shirnett Fleet, Chief Marketing Officer at Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection

Interviewed by Cathy Decker, Travel Communications Pro at The Decker/Royal Agency

For marketers planning their post pandemic content and digital marketing strategy, the world is a very different place. And so are audiences. Digital channels filled the vacuum of the real world in 2020, not only from client acquisition but to delivering experience itself. Unprecedented may have been the word of 2020, but as we look to the last two quarters of 2021 and to the year ahead, it is agility. In this session, we will explore the challenges (such as the disappearance of cookies and rise of first-party data) and the opportunities facing marketers in a moment when we have learned that the moment is everything.

SEGMENT 04

Innovation

10:40 - 11:20 am PDT

Panel

New Technology: What Have You Adapted to Address Customers Post-COVID?

with Caryl Helsel, Founder & CEO of Dragonfly Strategists, Wendy Zapach, Senior Vice President of Sales, North America at ALICE - Hospitality Operations Platform, and Jenna Villalobos, Vice President of Commercial Strategy at Outrigger Hospitality Group

Interviewed by Jessica Kramer, Head of Corporate Development at SEVENROOMS & TIEWN Advisory Board Member

With the advent of the past 20 months, the adoption of digital technologies was accelerated, particularly for travel and hospitality. It looks like they are here for the long haul and it's about time. Our industry is now at the forefront of better and faster methods to take care of our customers. This panel will discuss this and more with today's digital revolution.

10:40 - 11:20 am PDT

Panel

Digital Solutions: For a More Resilient, Responsive & Efficient Enterprise

with Amy Infante, Visionary & CEO at GitGo, Kari Bigot, VP Head of North America Sales at ALTOUR, and Stephanie Smith, Founder & Digital Matriarch at Cogwheel Marketing

Interviewed by Kris Potter, Founder of The Potter Co. & TIEWN Advisory Board Member

Most travel organizations struggled to respond to changing market conditions in 2020. As travel businesses across all sectors continue to deal with the challenges of the last 16 months, building organizational resilience and developing operational continuity have become critical to their future success. This has led business leaders to rethink every part of their organization.

Many have implemented new digital solutions designed to automate and streamline key operational aspects of the enterprise. By combining the right technology and the right attitude, leaders will build resilience in their business and instill confidence that their organization can be successful, no matter what the future holds.

This session explores how technology investments can help build enterprise resiliency.

SEGMENT 05

Trends in Travel

11:25 am - 12:05 pm PDT

Panel

Journalist Panel: New Trends in the Travel & Hospitality Landscape

with Rosanna Caira, Editor/Publisher at Kostuch Media Ltd., Julia Cosgrove, Vice President & Editor in Chief at AFAR Media, and Amy Alipio, Associate Managing Editor at National Geographic Travel

Interviewed by Lisa Ellen Niver, Founder, Travel Journalist, & TV Host of We Said Go Travel

We are fortunate that three top editors will share their knowledge about travel and storytelling. One key part of resilience is connection and becoming part of a community which we can learn about from their magazines. These editors shape experiences to engage their audiences and navigate restarting after the great pause of travel during COVID.

11:30 am - 12:10 pm PDT

Panel

Top Female Agency Owners / Travel Industry Companies Strategy for Growth in the Time of the Pandemic

with Olga Ramudo, President & CEO of Express Travel, Amanda Klimak, President/Co-Owner of Largay Travel, Inc., Kemi Wells, Founder & President of Wells Luxury Travel & TIEWN Advisory Board Member, and Wendy Burk, CEO & Founder of CADENCE

Interviewed by Vivian Chambers, Founder of The Muse Collection

During the past many months of agencies working remotely with limited capacity and business only now trending upwards, there are opportunities to survive in spite of any setbacks, if you plan properly and strategize about things like digital marketing as well as reconnecting with travel suppliers. Ensure that you consider the perspective of your customer as well. Through all of this, ensure each and every staff member has fine-tuned their selling skills along with compelling content.

12:05 - 12:35 pm PDT

Networking

Walk the Exhibit Hall

12:05 - 12:45 pm PDT

Networking

Coffee & Commerce

Grab your cup of Joe and head on over to the BLLA Speed Dating Hub to engage in meaningful conversations, create lasting connections, and open the door to newfound possibilities.

SEGMENT 06

Legacy

12:35 - 1:05 pm PDT

Keynote

Leaving a Powerful Legacy

with Diana Stobo, Founder/Owner of The Retreat Costa Rica, Founder/CEO of Truth Bar, & Founder of Diana Stobo LLC

Interviewed by Frances Kiradjian, Founder & CEO of TIEWN, BLLA, StayBoutique, & Boutique Money Group

Whether you're 17 or 70, it's never too early or too late to think about your legacy. We should all be thinking about the mark that we leave behind. A legacy is about leaving a lasting footprint. It showcases something that may benefit future generations. The process includes planting a seed and watching it grow over many years. It could be all about your passion, your beliefs and much, much more. It includes perseverance and dedication.

It should come naturally and may take some time to percolate. You might also think of it as your memoir. It's the culmination of your impact on your world.

1:10 - 1:20 pm PDT

Awards

Celebrating Women Legends in Travel

The Legends in Travel & Hospitality Award is a special award of merit given to those female leaders who went above and beyond the call of duty for our industry throughout their careers. They will have achieved a high level of success as witnessed through the organizations they have served, through press and media interviews/podcasts/videos or other recognition. They will have positively impacted the industry. This is your time to nominate someone whom you believe has left an extraordinarily positive mark on our industry. This individual will have made a difference in our industry as well as leaving a mark or footprint, including their legacy. They will be remembered for their accomplishments for future women in travel and hospitality. They will have also made an impact on others lives and may have assisted in helping set-up their future plans and assessing progress along the way.

SEGMENT 07

Career Growth

1:35 - 2:00 pm PDT

Interview

Career Path: Navigating and Climbing a Sometimes-Unsteady Ladder

with Virginia Messina, Senior Vice President, Advocacy & Communications of World Travel & Tourism Council

Interviewed by Frances Kiradjian, Founder & CEO of TIEWN, BLLA, StayBoutique, & Boutique Money Group

Our travel and hospitality industry, while severely impacted the last year and half, is starting to make a comeback. There are strategies you might consider to set yourself up for success going forward, whether that is within the industry and making a full career change. In either case, you need to carefully assess your situation as well as reaching out to the industry for advice and ideas. This assessment should include reviewing your skillset and where your true interests, values and passions are, spelling them out carefully. Standing out in a crowd is of utmost importance along your journey.

1:35 - 2:05 pm PDT

Panel

Entrepreneurial Path: Navigating and Climbing a Sometimes-Unsteady Ladder

with Carolyn Schneider, Partner & President of Casetta Group & BLLA Advisory Board Member and Jamila Ross, Co-Owner of The Copper Door B&B & BLLA Committee Member

Interviewed by Ariela Kiradjian, President of TIEWN and Co-Founder & COO of BLLA, StayBoutique, & Boutique Money Group

When it comes to boutique hospitality, there is no such thing as a perfect roadmap to success. Join these leading boutique hoteliers as they reflect on the challenges of being a boutique hotel brand, as well as highlight the moments that make all of their passion and drive worthwhile.

1:35 - 2:05 pm PDT

Workshop

Leverage LinkedIn for Your Personal Brand

with Kate Paine, Founder & CEO of Standing Out Online

Have a LinkedIn profile page but not sure how to make it work for you and your business? Want to learn how to make your profile stand out from your competition so you can be discovered online? Your digital footprint LIVES on LinkedIn! In this session, we’ll cover tips to improve your profile, and how to build your social proof so people know how you can serve them in your business. You’ll leave with some top profile tips and tools to enhance your profile to reflect your personal brand and stand out using LinkedIn.

SEGMENT 08

Leadership

2:10 - 2:35 pm PDT

Fireside Chat

Spotlight on Curator Collection: Hotel Zena & Female Empowerment

with Jennifer Barnwell, President of Curator Hotel and Resort Collection & BLLA Advisory Board Member and Andrea Sheehan, Principal, Art Director at Dawson Design Associates, Inc.

Interviewed by Amy Jakubowski, Director of Interior Design at LEO A DALY

The Zena Hotel is the celebration of women and their accomplishments so we will be focusing our conversation on this hotel as it is perfectly fitting for our Women in Travel and Hospitality Conference. Join us as we delve into this story!

2:10 - 2:35 pm PDT

Fireside Chat

How to Adapt Leadership Skills in a Changing World

with Niki Leondakis, CEO of CorePower Yoga and Renie Cavallari, Founder, CEO, & Chief Instigator of Aspire

Resilient leaders understand that they must sustain their energy level regardless of the pressure. They need the skills to cope with disruptive changes, adapt and bounce back from setbacks. They also must overcome major difficulties without being drawn into dysfunctional behavior.

Join Niki and Renie as they catch up on how to resiliently lead and find the inner strength to persevere and shine. Navigating today’s pressures and challenges has never been more dynamic. Listen in on their conversation as they explore what it takes for leaders to rise as success will come no other way.

SEGMENT 09

Industry Progression

2:40 - 3:05 pm PDT

Workshop

Diversity in the Workplace - Overcoming Microaggressions in the Workplace to Achieve Inclusion

with Faye Hall Jackson, Professor of Sales & Marketing at Tuskegee University and Galit Kierkut, Shareholder in Greenberg Traurig, LLP

Microaggressions can have a big impact. In the workplace, microaggressions can lead to employee burnout, isolation, and increased turnover. The unintentional infliction of the microaggressions does little to diminish the pain felt. In this session, we discuss workplace microaggressions and offer strategies to overcome them both as a recipient and initiator of the actions.

2:40 - 3:05 pm PDT

Workshop

Personal Resilience: Survival Strategies for Post-COVID Times

with Dr. Peter Tarlow, Author and Founder & President of Tourism & More Inc. and Séverine Obertelli, Author, Growth Strategist, & Management Consultant & TIEWN Advisory Board Member

Join top minds, Severine and Dr. Peter Tarlow, as they delve into the meaning of personal resilience for women, key topics of health, spiritual factors, and social and financial stresses.

3:10 - 3:25 pm PDT

Networking

Introduce Yourself

Come say hello on video with fellow attendees! First-come, first-serve basis.

3:10 - 3:25 pm PDT

Networking

Walk the Exhibit Hall

SEGMENT 10

Hotel Investment

3:30 - 3:50 pm PDT

Workshop

Hotel Ownership 101

with Davonne Reaves, President of The Vonne Group

Join expert, Davonne Reaves, as she gives an overview of what it looks like to be a hotel owner. She will candidly discuss what the options are, what the struggles are and what the opportunities are. Hotel ownership is an art and when executed properly, can become a very successful venture. This session is for those looking to build their first hotel and for those looking to join a team of new hotel owners.

3:30 - 4:10 pm PDT

Interview

European Perspective to the Global Hotel Sector From a Financial Point of View

with Louise Gillon, Head of Hotel Finance at Leumi UK

Interviewed by Ronit Copeland, CEO & Founder of Copeland Hospitality & BLLA Committee Member

This session will look at the impact of the crisis on hotel investments, lending and valuations. From the need to implement new financial practices and measures, to managing operational costs and balancing financial leverage, to pursuing more diversity in the organization. COVID added layers of complexity to business operations as we navigate transitions in where and how we work, travel, and how we live our lives. Carrying the innovation of the past year forward and building on it offers true opportunity for our companies and the men and women working in the hospitality industry.

SEGMENT 11

Hospitality & Closing

4:05 - 4:35 pm PDT

Fireside Chat

Food and Beverage

with Julia Heyer, Managing Director at Heyer Performance

Interviewed by Jody Pennette, Founder & CEO of cb5 Hospitality Group

Whether we recognize it or not, the food & beverage sector plays a pivotal role in spotlighting the vibrancy of a hotel or business. It’s a driving tool for revenue, a reflection of lifestyle, a way to enhance human connection. How can a creative F&B concept help you develop an emotional connection with guests? With the dilution of available labor, what are some creative measures to attract and enlist staff? Hear from these leading visionaries as they relate F&B to topics of social media marketing, innovation, and ultimately bring forth an awakened awareness as to the role of women within the industry.

4:05 - 4:25 pm PDT

Interview

The Woman Breaking Barriers in Hospitality

with Amber Asher, President & General Counsel of Standard International & BLLA Advisory Board Member

Interviewed by Frances Kiradjian, Founder & CEO of TIEWN, BLLA, StayBoutique, & Boutique Money Group

Amber Asher is a powerhouse in the hotel world. She has worked with some of the greatest legends in the industry and is now leading the expansion of the world famous, Standard Hotels. Get a sneak peak at how she worked her way through a competitive and male-dominated industry and where she sees the future of diversity in hospitality headed.

4:05 - 4:35 pm PDT

Panel

Hospitality Design: Building the Future of Travel Experiences

with Ashley Wilkins, Founder & Creative Director of Isyln Studio and Sequoyah Hunter-Cuyjet, Vice President at Determined by Design

Interviewed by Ariela Kiradjian, President of TIEWN and Co-Founder & COO of BLLA, StayBoutique, & Boutique Money Group

To design is to share stories of community, to shape meaningful experiences for guests, and to create spaces that are unique and inviting. As we build the future, in what ways can we bring the idea of hospitality into unconventional spaces like healthcare? And, in what ways can owners and operators do better to make their hospitality spaces more inclusive? Join these creative minds as they offer tips to optimize design in a contemporary world.

4:40 - 5:10 pm PDT

Panel

Staying Independent in a Very Corporate World

with Moniqua Lane, Owner of The Downtown Clifton Hotel & BLLA Committee Member and Dee Patel, Managing Director at The Hermitage Hotel & BLLA Committee Member

Interviewed by Andrea Foster, Senior Vice President of Development at Marcus Hotels & Resorts

There is an entire market sector that is both independent and lucrative. To this end, it is imperative that we generate more space for women to lead and flourish within this growing boutique space. In what ways can female leaders leverage and celebrate their women-centric positions within their properties, careers, and lives? And, what are the true benefits of being independent? We welcome this panel of daring women as they tap into the reality of being a female supporter of the boutique lifestyle within a highly corporate world.

4:40 - 5:10 pm PDT

Panel

Becoming More Valuable in the Workplace Without Sacrificing Your Femininity

with Robin Staten, Founder/CEO of Tiny Urban Escapes and Natasha Drisdelle, CEO & Co-Founder of Lord & Liberty Hotels

As a female business leader, can you stay true to who you are while carving out a seat at the table with mostly men? Common knowledge says to “man up” and be like them but is there a better way?

Join Natasha Drisdelle, Founder and CEO of Lord & Liberty, and Robin Staten, Founder and CEO of Tiny Urban Escapes, as they reveal some of their tried-and-true secrets and discuss the complementary skills and abilities women often possess which can lead to unusual success in the workplace.

5:15 - 5:30 pm PDT

Closing

Closing Remarks

Join Frances and Ariela as they wrap up this eventful day!

5:30 - 6:00 pm PDT

Networking

Final Goodbyes

Before you sign off, head on over to the BLLA Speed Dating Hub to squeeze in any last conversations for the day. You never know who you could meet!

5:30 - 6:30 pm PDT

Networking

Walk the Exhibit Hall

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