Join GBTA Los Angeles for our annual Education Day being held at the California Yacht Club in Marina Del Rey!

Through dynamic and interactive education seminars and networking, the GBTA Los Angeles Education Day offers travel industry professionals the opportunity to gain valuable insight into business travel, technology trends and enhancements.  This program will include travel industry top of mind topics featuring multiple speakers that are experts in their fields, and will feature special DE&I and Wellness segments that are sure to inspire. Make sure you bring plenty of business cards as you connect and network with our table top exhibitors during the breakfast (hosted by Enterprise and National Car Rental ), lunch and break hours for a chance at some raffle prizes and come prepared to take your professional headshot, complements of  Amadeus Cytric Solutions .   

See below for a special promotion from one of our meeting sponsors, Copa Airlines.

*As we continue to finalize our topics and speakers, please check back here for additional updates and a more detailed agenda in the next few weeks. 

Agenda (subject to change):
8:00 am   -   9:00 am:  Registration and Table Top Exhibits
8:30 am   -   9:00 am:  Breakfast (Hosted by Enterprise & National Car Rental), Headshots (hosted by Amadeus Cytric Solutions) and Table Top Exhibits
9:00 am   -   9:10 am:  Opening Remarks
9:10 am   -   9:15 am:  Sponsor Spotlight - CTM
9:15 am   - 10:15 am:  Hotel Session
10:15 am - 10:25 am:  Break
10:25 am - 11:25 am:  AI Session
11:25 am - 11:30 am:  Sponsor Spotlight - Fragomen
11:30 am -  1:00 pm:   Lunch, Headshots (hosted by Amadeus Cytric Solutions) and Table Top Exhibits
1:00 pm   -  1:03 pm:   Sponsor Spotlight - Enterprise Holdings
1:03 pm   -  1:30 pm:  Wellness Program
1:30 pm   -  2:30 pm:  Sustainability Session
2:30 pm   -  2:40 pm:  Break
2:40 pm   -  2:43 pm:  Sponsor Spotlight - Amadeus Cytric Solutions
2:45 pm   -  3:45 pm: NDC Session
3:45 pm   -  4:45 pm: DEI Session 
4:45 pm   -   5:00 pm - Wrap Up
5:00 pm   -   6:00 pm - Cocktail Hour

Parking:  Free

Topics & Panelists this year include:

The strong comeback of Hospitality and it's current challenges (a Hotel Industry panel)

Moderated by: 
Steven Van Overmeiren
Associate Director, Global Travel Services -Baker McKenzie

While revenue per available room (RevPAR) recovery is exceeding expectations, labor shortages are still creating challenges for hotels.  The hospitality industry is adapting to meet challenges by adjusting amenities, outsourcing more and increasing reliance on technology. 

Panelists:

                       
     Sylvie Rothenberg                             Jon Elliot
    Global Account Director                       Managing Director
      IHG Hotels & Resorts                            BWH Hotel Group
                         Bio                                                        Bio

                                             
   Lee Palmer-Turner                       Steven M. Van Overmeiren
Corporate Travel Manager          Associate Director, Global Travel Services
         MGM/Amazon                                                Baker McKenzie
                     Bio                                                               Bio

         
   Jeanne Norton, CTC, CCTE, GLP
     Director of Global Travel & Expense
                        OSI Systems, Inc.
                                Bio

What is DE&I and why is it important for your organization?  (an inspirational fireside chat with industry leader and Ph. D. Dr. Alexis Mootoo)

Moderated and conducted by: 
Dr. Alexis Mootoo, Ph. D.
Associate Vice President -University of South Florida

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are important to company culture because they foster creativity, fresh perspectives, and understanding. By implementing DE&I, people of different races, abilities, ages, genders, religion, sexual orientation, and other diverse backgrounds can be made more comfortable in the workplace

Panelist:

     
Alexis N. Mootoo, Ph.D.
   Associate Vice President
  University of South Florida
                   Bio

Ready or not...NDC 2.0 is here! An honest and open discussion between industry leaders.

Moderated by:  
Chris Lefevre
Vice President Program Management -BCD Travel

Consistent to our Education Day 2022 session on this hot topic, we’ll be hosting an open discussion about New Distribution Capability’s current and foreseeable impact on corporate travel. NDC initiatives continue to gain traction globally, but what does this mean from a commercial, technological, traveler experience, and overall managed corporate travel program perspective? Our panel of experts representing the Direct / Buyer, Travel Management Company, and Online Booking Tool / Global Distribution System will be sharing their views on NDC’s outlook for corporations and their travelers both short- and long-term. Be sure to join what will likely be one of most dynamic panels!

Panelists:

                                                         
                     Joel Bailey                                                                    Fred Bowen
Chief Technology Officer, North America         Sr. Director, Corporate & Global Business Accounts
                                 CTM                                                                                              Amadeus
                                   Bio                                                                                       Bio

                                                         
                  Kelli Erving                                                                                   Chris Lefevre
   Global Travel Manager, Equinix                                          Vice President Program Management, BCD Travel

Sustainability on Meetings and Events (an industry leaders conversation on how M&E can successfully thrive and maintain green initiatives)

Moderated by: 
Mary Ellen Eichler
Director, Worldwide Sales -Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts

&

Brian Landers
Senior Vice President & Team Director -Conference Direct

Learn from industry leaders on how your organization can take steps to create a plan around sustainability with your events.  As a growing initiative within many companies, it’s important to keep abreast of the different ways you can implement sustainability, these initiatives can be adopted into your live events.

Panelists:

                                   
        Mary Ellen Eichler                                    Brian Landers
      Director, Worldwide Sales                                 SVP/Team Director            
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts                           ConferenceDirect
                      Bio                                                                    Bio

                         
        Sara Jensen                                    Larry Hanson
       Co. Founder & CEO                                 Chief Marketing Officer
           Hugh & Grace                                             ConferenceDirect
                    Bio                                                               Bio    

AI in corporate travel...  is it an enhancement or replacement to the human experience?  (an industry leaders panel on the emerging role of Artificial Intelligence in the Corporate Travel space)

Moderated by:
Jessica Hurley-Jones
Associate Service Manager -American Honda

Panelists:

               
         Atyab Bhatti                     Jessica Hurley-Jones
  Co-Founder and CEO              Associate Service Manager
              SkyLink                                          American Honda
                Bio                                                    Bio
                      
       Miriam Moscovici                        Vaughn Davis
VP Partnerships & Research                    General Manager
                 BCD Travel                                       Dream Hollywood
                     Bio                                                      Bio

 Bring Wellness to your workplace  (an interactive and fun "wellness in Travel" session)

Moderated and Conducted by:
Nicole Mixdorf
Chief Wellness Officer, Balance by Nature

This fun, interactive and energizing wellness session is designed to provide a powerful toolbox of skills to reduce stress, build resilience and enhance performance in the workplace.  What you learned today can also be applied while you are and your travelers are on the road.  A wellness session with Nicole is a true treat!


  Nicole Mixdorf
Chief Wellness Officer
   Balance By Nature
              Bio

A special thank you to our Education Day headline sponsors:

Thank you to our Education Day Table Top exhibitors:

SPECIAL PROMOTION: Please stop by the Copa Airlines table top exhibit and drop a business card to be eligible to win and air and hotel certificate package! Winner will be announced at the end of Education Day. (Must be a GBTA Los Angeles Member and present at the time of giveaway, other restrictions apply)

A special thank you to our Annual Diamond sponsors:

Sponsorship opportunities for this program and future programs are available!
Contact our Director of Sponsorships, Jeannine Singleterry for details. 

Mark your calendars for our June Meeting: 

Wednesday, June 7th at 5:30 PM

SLS Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Beverly Hills
465 N La Cienega Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90048

*The June meeting will feature a TM60 Meeting (Buyers' Only) at 4:30 PM, followed by our all Chapter monthly meeting (Buyer and Allied members) at 5:30pm