GBTA-Los Angeles Education Day is our signature annual event designed to inspire, inform, and connect members of the Los Angeles business travel community. This full-day program brings together top industry professionals, thought leaders, and innovators to explore the trends, challenges, and technologies shaping the future of corporate travel.

Attendees can expect a dynamic lineup of keynote speakers, expert panels, and interactive sessions.  This event allows for networking opportunities to foster new connections and strengthen existing relationships across all sectors of our industry.

Whether you're a travel buyer, supplier, or industry advocate, GBTA-Los Angeles Education Day offers fresh insights, actionable takeaways, and the opportunity to engage with the community driving business travel forward in Southern California and beyond.

Agenda: 

Session #1
Distribution 101 -The Facts Presented by Cory Garner

About Cory Garner: Cory Garner transforms corporate travel programs with strategic insights and innovative technology. As the CEO of Garner, he guides corporate travel managers, travel technology companies, travel sellers, and airlines through the complexities of airline distribution. During his 20-year tenure at American Airlines, Cory led strategies for distribution, travel agency incentives, and corporate customer programs, driving technological advancements as a co-founder of the NDC trend. Cory is widely quoted in mainstream and trade media, has twice been chosen by readers of The Beat to headline their annual conference, is one of LinkedIn's most-followed personalities in his subject matter area, and hosts his own conference, making him one of the most influential voices in corporate travel.

What to expect from this session:
An in-depth review about today’s travel landscape and the distribution channels that are shifting with the rise of IATA’s New Distribution Capability (NDC). Traditionally reliant on Global Distribution Systems (GDSs), airlines are now increasingly using NDC to connect directly with travel agencies and buyers. This enables more dynamic pricing, personalized offers, and richer content that GDSs can’t always support. As a result, the landscape is becoming more fragmented, with a mix of traditional and NDC-enabled channels. Travel managers must now navigate this hybrid environment to ensure access to the best content while maintaining efficiency, compliance, and traveler support.

Session #2
Global Safety & Security in Business Travel - Moderated by Kevin Coffey, https://www.kevincoffey.com
 
About Kevin Coffey: Detective Kevin Coffey is an internationally known safety expert, who helps organizations keep their employees traveling safe and smart. He is also a leading resource to the meeting and hospitality industries as a duty of care and risk reduction expert.

What to expect from this session:
Join LABTA for a compelling and timely program focused on Global Safety and Security in business travel. As organizations continue to expand globally, staying ahead of evolving risks and compliance requirements is more important than ever.

• Global travel risk management and emergency response
• Immigration compliance and regulatory updates
• Best practices for duty of care and protecting mobile employees
  
  

From geopolitical disruptions to technological innovation, our panel will provide critical takeaways to help you build a safer, more resilient travel program. Don't miss this opportunity to hear directly from the experts shaping global travel safety and security.  Whether you're a travel manager, supplier, or industry professional, this conversation will provide actionable insights and essential tools to help protect your travelers and strengthen your travel program.  Don't miss this opportunity to stay informed and connected with global experts at the forefront of travel risk management.
Panelists:
Michael Boshnaick- Partner-Fragomen

Michael’s career is remarkable for its sheer range of experience, encompassing service to clients of every size and maturity across multiple industries and sectors. Throughout its 30-year span, he has embraced intense and fruitful collaboration with clients and colleagues alike.
His clientele is drawn from a surprising variety of industries, including manufacturing, entertainment, IT, software development, energy, healthcare, biotech and nonprofit. He has helped some of the largest, most consequential companies in these sectors maximize efficiency and cut costs by redesigning and streamlining their legacy immigration programs.
Prior to joining Fragomen, Michael was trained in immigration law as a trial attorney for the former Immigration & Naturalization Service in the Los Angeles District, where he developed an attention to detail and a willingness to get “in the weeds” of specific immigration cases.
Today, his small- and mid-sized clients rely on these virtues when they engage Michael as a program and policy advisor. He derives special satisfaction from helping these clients advance their business objectives and growth through innovative immigration policies, which he designs in close collaboration with Fragomen’s technology, government relations, internal audit and consular service providers.
Michael is an integral member of the Los Angeles office’s Chinese Private Client Practice, which helps self-sponsored immigrants secure permanent residence through the extraordinary ability and national interest waiver categories.
While Michael has faced nearly every immigration challenge imaginable over the course of his career, his variety of experience is united by a desire to help individual employees achieve, in some small part, the American dream.

Mike Anderson-Director of Risk Solutions-Crisis24 
Mike Anderson is a Director of Risk Solutions with Crisis24 focused on supporting clients with integrated risk management solutions such as travel risk, crisis response, and global medical/security assistance. He has worked in corporate security for over 18 years, almost entirely at Microsoft, managing datacenter and high value asset physical security programs. Prior to joining Microsoft, Mike was a Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) in the Army, serving with the elite 75th Ranger Regiment as an Infantry Team Leader. He is the former Chairperson of the ASIS International Physical Security Community and currently serves as a Community Vice President, overseeing several subject area communities. He holds board certifications from ASIS International in security management (CPP) and physical security (PSP) and is an active member of the Enterprise Security Risk Management (ESRM) Steering Committee. Mike holds a bachelor’s in political science from UC San Diego and an MBA from Washington State University. He lives with his family in Colorado Springs, CO.

Session #3
Transformative World of AI Presented by Mary Flor and Alex Nichols

About Mary Flor: Mary started her career with luxury hotels and resorts after graduating from San Diego State University with a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality and Tourism Management. Mary was on the opening team at the Resort at Pelican Hill and Mandarin Oriental Hotel Las Vegas. During her involvement in these preopening teams, Mary’s passion for training and development grew as she crafted and delivered materials aimed at enhancing sales metrics and guest satisfaction scores.
Mary’s dynamic approach to facilitation has enabled her to travel the world as a Master Trainer and speaker working with senior sales professionals and leaders. Mary specializes in creating and translating a company’s service standards from theory into usable practices. She has a unique ability to communicate with diverse groups of people from leadership to hourly staff.
She is driven by her commitment to hospitality and her passion for service excellence. Mary on-boards our new facilitators and consultants and works closely with Cindy Novotny (Managing Partner) on market trends and ensuring our content is up to the minute.

About Alex Nichols: Alex holds a degree in Quantitative Risk Analytics from Michigan State University and is a specialist on the Travel & Expense team at Atlassian, where he plays a pivotal role in managing and optimizing travel operations. He oversees the maintenance of travel policy, corporate card management, transportation, and relationships with airlines and hotels.
With a strong background in analytics, Alex has made significant contributions to the field by developing high-level dashboards for Atlassian employees using Tableau. More recently, he has been instrumental in building new tools within Atlassian Analytics for travel estimation, alongside creating comprehensive how-to guides for it to teach beginners how to code.
Alex is also deeply engaged with artificial intelligence, having developed innovative AI solutions with Slack AI and Rovo AI. He has been actively involved in holding seminars and implementing AI into a variety of tools, enhancing efficiency and productivity. He has been with Atlassian for two years, during which he has aligned closely with the company's focus on maximizing AI in the workplace to simplify processes for everyday users.
In his role, Alex continues to explore and implement AI-driven solutions, bringing valuable insights and advancements to the Travel & Expense team. He is excited to share his expertise and insights on leveraging AI to improve travel management and streamline operations today.

What to expect from this session:
In this dynamic session, attendees will dive into the transformative world of AI and explore how it’s revolutionizing various aspects of travel management.

Industry leaders will share real-world case studies that highlight practical applications of AI, from optimizing travel policies to enhancing sales strategies.  This interactive session will provide hands-on guidance on how to effectively integrate AI into your daily operations, making it easier to streamline processes and achieve measurable results. Speakers will cover a wide range of topics, including: 

This session is perfect for travel managers, sales professionals, and anyone looking to stay ahead of the curve in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.

Exhibit at LABTA Education Day – Maximize Your Visibility at Our Premier Event 

Secure your Sponsorship here

As GBTA Los Angeles’ highest-attended annual event, Education Day offers an unmatched opportunity for suppliers and industry partners to connect directly with key decision-makers in the business travel space. By purchasing a tabletop exhibit, your brand will be front and center with travel buyers, managers, and influencers from top corporations throughout Southern California.

 Space is limited — secure your tabletop early to ensure your place at this must-attend event!

Location:
HYATT REGENCY-LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
6225 West Century Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90045

Valet Parking is $34
Self Parking at Quick Park on 98th St. for $35

Discounted rooms are available as well! Discounted rate of $175/ plus tax & parking.
https://www.sertifi.com/hyattregencylax/r.ashx?su=Osm1IF8LVakIMCY6
If you have any questions related to rooms, please contact Jamie Brock at: [email protected]

Thank you to our Annual sponsors!