Meet the Team
Chair & PR Director
Michelle Laverick
Michelle has been an AWTE Board member since 2018 and has spent a lifetime in travel working in and leading, award-winning marketing teams across the sector including HF Holidays, Collette Travel, Wendy Wu Tours, Explore, Inghams, First Choice and Direct Holidays. She is passionate about the AWTE and its values, and strives to support women throughout their working careers, offering guidance on opportunities for development and mentorship, and support for whatever challenges are encountered.
Outside of work, she spends much of her time running around after her two daughters. Although she’s never happier than when she is either swimming, hiking up mountains, out on her bike or planning her next big challenge. Open water swimming helps Michelle cope with the challenges that life throws at her, and competing helps maintain her overall fitness and enables her to challenge herself further. In 2022 she embarked on a new adventure and completed a skydive in support of the AWTE charity for 2022/3 Papyrus. More recently, the latest challenge was completing the 100mile RideLondon cycle - completely out of her comfort zone!
Vice-Chair & Development Director
Debbie O'Neill
Debbie is the Managing Director for Jules Verne, a qualified NLP practitioner and a Women’s Empowerment Coach. Having worked in the travel industry for over 30 years, she has successfully worked her way to the most senior position within the organisation through a series of change ideas and cultural change initiatives.
More recently, she has completely reimagined the way she looks at corporate life and is determined to change the workplace as we know it. Coaching, connection, and authenticity sit at the centre of her vision and this ‘people focussed’ management ethos is creating a workspace where people can flourish and thrive.
A Mum to Max and Wife to David, all of whom share a passion for travel; in the spare time she has, Debbie enjoys practicing Reiki & Tai Chi, taking long dog walks, and indulging in the occasional pamper treatment.
Finance Director
Helen Tustin
Helen joined the AWTE Board in August 2021. Her travel career began in January 1982, when she became a YTS trainee at a family-owned independent travel agency, where she was fortunate enough to be mentored by the owner. By the age of 21, she was appointed Branch Manager. Over the next 36 years, the company expanded into a robust award-winning independent business with four offices. When the proprietor retired, Tailormade Travel acquired the business. After overseeing the merger of the two businesses, Helen sought a new challenge and launched Wellbeing Travel just before the pandemic in December 2019.
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Helen also sits on the South Wales CoR for ABTA as well as sitting as Chair of the ACC at Cardiff Airport.
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In her spare time Helen likes to spend time with family at the gym which is her down time and social time. She also enjoys cooking and loves to make a good sourdough loaf.
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Sectretary
Lynette Dungey
Lynette joined the AWTE Board in November 2021. With 18 years in the leisure, travel & tourism industry, she has a history in managing successful Sales and Account Management Teams as well as Commercial and Strategic Partnerships across tour operator, airline, and airport sectors.
She has held roles at Cardiff Airport, Thomas Cook, Avis Budget Group, The Travel Chapter and Holiday Cottages.
In her own words, her success in the travel industry, comes not only from sheer hard work and determination, but has been facilitated and accelerated by strong and successful female leaders who have supported her professional development and motivated her to succeed.
She loves to travel and take long walks with her beloved German Shepherd, Zac. Now a Menopause Ambassador in her place of work she is passionate about supporting and educating women in the workplace.
Membership Director
Jessica Simpson
Jess joined the AWTE as Membership Director in 2023 as she is extremely passionate about women supporting women in both their careers and personal development.
In her treasured role of Head of Partnerships at Travel Gossip she gets to meet an array of people across the travel industry including tourism boards, cruise lines, hotel chains, and travel agents, to name just a few, and is excited to be able to spread the word about the great AWTE network and offering.
Outside of work Jess is extremely interested in fitness and nutrition, so much so that she is currently studying to qualify as a fitness instructor. Fresh air and exploring new places also bring her a lot of joy, whether it’s making sure to stretch her legs on her lunch break or day trips with her boyfriend at the weekend! So, if you have a favourite walking route (and if it has a great café to stop at even better) make sure to share it with Jess the next time you see her!
Events Director
Yvonne Kinder
Yvonne Kinder is currently the Events & Partnerships Manager at AITO The Specialist Travel Association. She is also the Travel Agent Liaison at the association. She absolutely loves her job as she believes she is a true people person and enjoys organising any event from start to finish. Whilst living in Singapore, she took up tennis playing for the first time playing socially at the British Club and moved on to playing in the different teams, leagues over a short period of time. Tennis is her true sport and currently plays in two Tennis Clubs, the Lensbury Club in Teddington and at Surbiton Tennis Club, Surbiton. Being competitive is in her DNA and currently plays in the LTA Tennis Middlesex League and Surrey League tennis tournaments in a high division. She has two fabulous sons who she is extremely proud of. By nature she enjoys meeting people, curious about how the world works and manages difficult situations with tact and ease. Travelling the world has been a privilege and have experienced and visited fabulous destinations. What is the future? I look forward most of the time whilst learning from the past but never look back. Life passes by too quickly to regret so I would like to say I am a very positive person with so much passion for life. I soak myself with anything that makes me happy and leave the negative and sad experiences in a tiny box. Music and dancing always lifts my spirits!
Events Director
Jane Pinfold
Jane has been an AWTE member since 2016 and 5 of those years as a board Member , taking a little break last year to focus on her new role with Scott Dunn.
Having worked in the travel sector for over 3 decades managing sales team and commercial roles for Funway Holidays , United Vacations , James Villa holidays and during Covid the launch of a new Villa business. Jane is passionate about the AWTE and its values, and strives to support women throughout their working careers, offering guidance on opportunities for development and mentorship, and support for whatever challenges are encountered. Always at hand to lend and ear and support.
Outside of work, Jane likes nothing more than getting creative whether that’s floristry or baking , also plays Netball, loves organising personal travel plans also . Jane loves a comedy show and going to concerts .. a social butterfly
Development Director
Julie Muphy
Since joining ANA in 1997, Julie has significantly aided the growth of the brand, which is today rated as one of the top five airlines in the world and Japan’s largest 5-star airline.
As the Country Sales Manager for the UK & Ireland, Julie is responsible for maintaining commercial actions through entrepreneurial drive, data analysis and proposing strategies to grow the business. Her global airline industry expertise has helped raise the profile of ANA in the UK and Irish markets and established the foundations for maintaining and increasing customer loyalty.
Julie works closely with the travel trade eco system for both the corporate and leisure travel markets. She is often called upon for speaker and panel session opportunities at key travel industry events and conferences across industry sectors and is currently the Chairperson for the Star Alliance Country Steering Group, UK & Ireland and is the Vice Chair for the Foreign Airlines Association UK and a board member for the Institute of Travel and Tourism.
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Social Director
Linzi Barber
Linzi has been in the travel industry for over 20 years starting her career with Jersey European Airways in ops planning and scheduled planning. From the start of her aviation career, she was hooked and remains a self confessed plane geek today. After seeing Jersey European transform to British European and onto lead the way with many low cost initiatives as Flybe and being part of the teams leading both the acquisition of BA connect and also Finncomm it was time for a move. During her latter years as a senior member of the sales team with Flybe Linzi was responsible for leisure, sales, charter sales and the groups department. A natural move was into the world of charter broking and Linzi enjoyed 6 years in a slightly different side of the industry working for Air Partner, one of her largest clients back in her Flybe days.
In 2019 an opportunity of a lifetime arose to work with AirlinePros a former supplier to Flybe and support the management team to expand globally into 42 new markets. Linzi will always be grateful for the opportunities she has been given. In her own words “working for possibly not the biggest players has given me an amazing opportunity to learn and get involved in areas of the business which would otherwise not have been possible. It is these skillsets and mindsets that have set me up for where I am today.
Memberships Director
Manisha Blair
Manisha Blair brings enthusiasm and energy to the esteemed AWTE board this year. After years of supporting the association, she’s delighted to fulfil this long-held aspiration. Joining the travel industry after graduating from university, Manisha now has eight years’ travel marketing experience and is on a mission to empower women in travel to support their personal and professional growth.
Currently Classic Collection’s Trade Marketing Manager, Manisha plays a pivotal role in shaping and executing B2B marketing strategies across many trade channels. Event planning - locally, nationally and overseas - is also a key aspect of her current role. Previous experience comes from marketing positions held at other award-winning companies, including AmaWaterways and The Travel Network Group. In her multifaceted roles, Manisha collaborates closely with a wide spectrum of industry stakeholders from travel agents to hoteliers and tourist boards. This extensive network of connections positions her as an impassioned advocate for championing the core values of AWTE.
Beyond her professional pursuits, Manisha's love affair with travel remains undiminished. Last year alone, she embarked on 10 memorable journeys to destinations including Barcelona, Rome, Crete, Palma, Ibiza, Rhodes, and Madrid.
Outside of work you'll find Manisha strolling through the Surrey countryside with her husband and beloved toy poodle, Reggie. Or she can be found in her kitchen experimenting with new recipes, for Manisha, food truly is love personified!
Marketing Director
Ella Dunham
Ella Dunham has worked in travel since leaving school, across a variety of companies including the likes of First Class Holidays, Andorra Resorts, Travel Counsellors, and is currently Head of Marketing at Exsus Travel.
Ella’s background in marketing began with a viral Twitter page, which equipped her with the skills to pursue travel writing, video journalism, and social media management. She has also had a radio segment on national radio stations talkSPORT and talkRADIO. In 2023, Ella was named in TTG’s ’30 Under 30’ and named ‘Rising Star of the Year’ by the Association of Women Travel Executives. She is a guest lecturer for the Institute of Travel and Tourism’s ‘Future You’ Programme, which aims to inspire and mentor students entering the industry.
In addition to her marketing expertise, Ella is a freelance travel writer and graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in Broadcast Journalism. Her passion for exploring new destinations (over 45 countries visited thus far), immersing herself in different cultures. She is a huge advocate for positive mental wellbeing and loves anything to do with wellness, particularly yoga, breathwork and anything to do with self-development!
Benevolent Director
Barbro McAusland
Barbro’s career in the travel industry has spanned over 40 years. For the first 30 years, Barbro worked tirelessly for the Swedish Tourist Board, now known as Visit Sweden, and based in London, ultimately becoming Director. It was a lovely time, building the awareness of Sweden and all that the fabulous country offers: launching campaigns, producing brochures and running a renowned PR department, making Sweden available for so many journalists and TV crews. The last 10 years of Barbro’s career was spent as Director of the US office for Visit Sweden as well as for major market Germany and The Netherlands. Such a lot of travelling but always good fun!
Barbro joined AWTE in 1973 – specifically for the purpose of networking with the travel trade – and she became Chair of AWTE from 2012-2015 and then joined the AWTE Benevolent Board.
Barbro reflects that the Travel Industry has changed so much over these years and she can only say, “What joy and friendships it has given me!”