AWTE announces the new board for 2024/25

The Association of Women Travel Executives (AWTE) UK chapter has held its AGM last night where the new Board of Directors has been announced for 2024-2025. Lindsay Garvey-Jones, National Retail Manage with Holiday Extras is stepping down as Chair, after her two year tenure, with Michelle Laverick, Commercial Director at Marketing Radar, stepping into the position of Chair, with five new board members joining. Debbie O’Neill, Managing Director at Jules Verne, will be stepping into the position of Vice-chair

Jane Pinfold, Head of Sales at Scott Dunn, returns to the board, reassuming her role as Events Director. Yvonne Kinder, Events Manager at AITO, will join her as Events Director. Julie Murphy, Country Sales Manager at All Nippon Airways, will step in as Partnerships Director. Ella Dunham, Head of Marketing at Exsus Travel and a recipient of last year's 30 under 30 award, will join as Marketing Director, while Manisha Blair, Marketing Manager at Classic Collection, will assume the role of Membership Director.

Michelle Laverick, Chair, and PR Director of the AWTE says: “As I step into the role of Chair for the AWTE during our 70th year, I'm honoured and thrilled for the opportunity to be working with such an incredible team of ladies as we enter our 70th year of supporting women in travel. Lindsay's contributions over the past decade, particularly her leadership as Chair over these last two years, has been invaluable and she will definitely be missed. 

I'm still overwhelmed by the turnout at our AGM and networking drinks in London last night, with members and potential members joining us from near and far, some even traveling from as far as Inverness. It was truly an incredible evening, offering a fantastic opportunity for everyone to connect with board members and colleagues from across the travel industry.

We are welcoming five new board members, this year marking an exciting new chapter as we adapt the AWTE to meet the evolving needs of women in the travel industry. It's crucial that we extend our support to the younger generation as they navigate their careers in travel.

In the coming months, the new board and I will be charting our course with events and activities, including the rollout of our Personal Development programme, which was launched with tremendous success last month with the first lunch and learn, hosted by our Development Director, Debbie O’Neill, with a second session taking place on 24th April and members can register online to attend. Stay tuned for the full launch in the weeks ahead.

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 eleven exceptionally talented women for the year ahead".

The new Board of Directors is as follows:

·       Chair – Michelle Laverick, Commercial Director, Marketing Radar

·       Vice-chair – Debbie O’Neill, Managing Director, Jules Verne

·       Secretary – Lynette Dungay, Head of Property – The Travel Chapter

·       Finance Director – Helen Tustin, Founder Wellbeing Travel

·       Social Director – Linzi Barber, Director of Aviation, Loveholidays

·       Events Director – Jane Pinfold, Sales Manager, Scott Dunn

·       Events Director –Yvonne Kinder, Events Manager, Aito

·       PR Director – Michelle Laverick

·       Marketing Director – Ella Dunham, Head of Marketing, Exsus Travel

·       Membership Director –Jessica Simpson, Head of Partnerships, Travel Gossip

·       Membership Director – Manisha Blair, Marketing Manager, Classic Collection

·       Development Director – Debbie O’Neill

·       Benevolent Director – Barbro McAusland

Tickets are on sale now for the Summer Benevolent lunch and tickets will be on sale soon for the Christmas Lunch & Annual Awards, which will be held on Friday 29th November 2024 at the Church House, Westminster.

For more details and to book your place visit: https://www.awte.org.uk/events.