AWTE appoints new board for 2025

The Association of Women Travel Executives (AWTE) UK chapter held its AGM last night

where the new Board of Directors were announced for 2025-2026. Michelle Laverick, Head

of Marketing at Jules Verne, and Debbie O’Neill, Managing Director at Jules Verne, retain

their roles as Chair and Vice-chair, respectively, welcoming six new board members.

Joining the board this year, Kelly Davies, Business Services Manager at Active International

will take over as Secretary and Joanna Reeve, Head of Partnerships at Intrepid joins the

board as Partnerships Director. Sophie Morgan, Partner at communications agency FINN

Partners will take over as PR Director, while Hannah Marshall, Marketing Manager at CV

Villas, joins as Marketing Director. Elena Ktori, Founder at Antella Recruitment, and Tolene

van der Merwe, Director UK & Ireland at the Malta Tourism Authority, both join as

Membership Directors.

With the 70th

anniversary milestone recently celebrated, the addition of six new board

members marks an exciting new chapter as AWTE strives to pave the way for future female

industry leaders, adapting to the evolving needs of women within travel.

Michelle Laverick, Chair of the AWTE says: “As I approach the end of my first year in tenure,

I am reminded of the sheer power that this illustrious institution holds and the importance

of the work we do here. We had an incredible turn out for our AGM and networking in

London last night, where we had the opportunity to meet many new members who have

joined over the last few months.

• I'd like to express my gratitude to all our members, trade partners, and trade media for their

unwavering support throughout the years, and I’m privileged to be surrounded by a board

of sixteen exceptionally talented women for the year ahead".

The new Board of Directors is as follows:

• Chair - Michelle Laverick, Head of Marketing, Jules Verne

• Vice Chair - Debbie O'Neill, Managing Director, Jules Verne

• Secretary - Kelly Davies, Business Services Manager, Active International

• Events Director - Jane Pinfold, Sales and Service Manager - Africa, Scott Dunn

• Finance Director - Helen Tustin, Founder, Wellbeing Travel

• Partnerships Director - Joanna Reeve, Head of Partnerships, Intrepid

• Social Media Director - Linzi Barber, Chief Commercial Officer, AirlinePros

• International

• Comms Director - Ella Dunham, Head of Marketing, Exsus Travel

• Marketing Director - Hannah Marshall, Marketing Manager, CV Villas

• PR Director - Sophie Morgan, Partner, FINN Partners

• Development Director - Debbie O'Neill, Managing Director, Jules Vern

• Membership Director(s) - Elena Ktori, Founder, Antella Recruitment

• Membership Director(s) - Tolene van der Merwe, Director UK & Ireland, Malta

• Tourism Authority

• Benevolent Director – Barbara McAusland

Tickets are on sale now for the Summer Benevolent lunch and for the Christmas Lunch &

Annual Awards, which will be held on Friday 28th November 2025 at the Church House,

Westminster.