Sessions & Speakers
Summit Speaker Sessions (Monday Only)
Monday, April 13 afternoon only with speakers from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM followed by the kick-off reception. Monday only registration is available for $50.
This session is included in Marketplace and Full Schedule Attendee Registrations Types. If you are already registered for the full conference, you do not need to register for this day separately.
Schedule
| 1-2 PM |
Welcome & Market Update
Presented by Michele Cota, Executive Director of Discover New England; Patrick Smyton, Senior Manager, Analytics, Tourism Economics; Chelsea Sullivan Kaiser, Senior Engagement Manager, Brand USA; and Kristen Hessel, Sr. Business Development Manager, Expedia Group. |
| 2-3 PM |
International Media Panel
Panelists: Katie McGonagle, Head of Features & Supplements, Travel Weekly, Sophie Dickenson, Deputy Travel Editor of The Independent, James Draven, Editor in Chief of JRNY, Melanie May, radio host of Dublin City FM and award winning freelance food and travel writer, Gaia Guarino, writer for leading trade publication Turismo & Attualita, and Christiane Flechtner, prominent adventure and environment photographer and freelance journalist in Germany. |
| 3-4 PM |
30-Minute Breakout Sessions
Digital Transformation – Best practices and Case Studies
Making the Pitch |
About the Speakers
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Michele Cota, Executive Director
Michele Cota began working for Discover New England in 2022 and brings 20 years of business and tourism experience. Previously, Michele worked on business, economic development, workforce and broadband policy for U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen. Prior to 2019, Michele had 13 years’ experience working for the New Hampshire Division of Travel & Tourism Development in various capacities. |
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Patrick Smyton, Senior Manager Analytics
With more than 20 years of experience in the tourism industry, Patrick brings deep knowledge of hotel operations, destination marketing, finance, and revenue management. He began his career in Las Vegas with MGM Resorts International and later served as Senior Director of Convention Strategy at Visit Seattle, where he aligned data and strategy to drive meetings and events growth. |
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Chelsea Sullivan Kaiser, Senior Manager of Partner Engagement
In this role, Chelsea develops and maintains relationships with the organization’s state, city, and corporate partners, advising them on international marketing strategy and overseeing the planning and execution of initiatives across global markets.
Prior to joining Brand USA, Chelsea managed corporate and strategic partnerships for Destination DC, the destination marketing organization for the nation’s capital. |
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Kristen Hessel, Senior Business Development Manager
Kristen has extensive experience managing and consulting across a wide range of industries, with deep expertise in working with destination marketing organizations to design, execute, and optimize travel marketing partnerships. She specializes in building on client successes to drive measurable outcomes, including increased visitation, stronger partner relationships, long-term client retention, and new business growth.
Through Expedia’s travel media and marketplace ecosystem, Kristen helps DMOs simplify the path from inspiration to booking by connecting them with high-intent travelers at every stage of the planning journey. Expedia’s technology and first-party travel data, combined with its portfolio of global brands, enable highly targeted, performance-driven campaigns that align to both awareness and conversion goals, across a wide range of budgets.
With access to robust traveler insights, market-level demand signals, and closed-loop reporting, Kristen partners with DMOs to translate consumer behavior and travel trends into actionable strategies that drive real tourism impact, not just media performance. |
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Katie McGonagle, Head of Features & Supplements
Katie McGonagle is an experienced travel editor who has spent 15 years in UK travel media, having been Editor of Cruise & Travel, Editor-at-Large at Wanderlust and now Head of Features & Supplements at Travel Weekly. She oversees all destination content for the UK’s leading travel trade magazine, including specialist supplements, destination and product features and sponsored content across print, online and video. Travel Weekly publishes regular US content including news, city guides and destination features, with an annual US-themed issue and dedicated US luxury guide via sister title Aspire. |
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Sophia Dickinson, Deputy Travel Editor
Originally from the northwest of England, she has previously worked at The Times, The Telegraph and Time Out. |
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James Draven, Editor
Multi-award-winning journalist, editor, sub-editor, producer, photographer, and picture editor and has traveled to 115 countries and territories. |
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Gaia Guarino, Journalist
Gaia has been covering the travel industry for a decade, exploring destinations, trends, and the evolving dynamics of tourism communication. Over the years, she has developed a special connection with the United States, a country she has covered extensively through features and industry analysis. After seven years as a travel journalist for TTG Italia, she began a new chapter in April 2025 with Turismo & Attualità, where she continues to combine her passion for storytelling, curiosity for people, and keen insight into market trends. |
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Chris Flechtner, Journalist & Photographer
Christiane Flechtner has been traveling around the world as a journalist and photographer for 30 years, aiming to show people not only the beauty of different countries in her reports, but also their fragility. For several years, she has been publishing reports in magazines such as Mondberge Magazin, G/Geschichte and Trekking Magazin, as well as in newspapers such as FAZ, Welt, Berliner Zeitung, BNN, and Kurier Österreich. |
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Melanie May, Radio Host & Food and Travel Content Creator Melanie May is an award-winning travel, food, and wine writer and broadcaster based in Dublin, Ireland. A member of the British Guild of Travel Writers and the Irish Food Writers’ Guild, she contributes to a wide range of international print and digital publications. |
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Karl Llewellyn, International Commercial Director
Karl leads global expansion, shapes commercial strategy, and builds strategic partnerships that position the company for long-term success. With over 25 years of experience in business growth and international operations, Karl brings a deep understanding of how to scale organizations and unlock new markets. At Wheresight, he works closely with DMOs, tourism boards, and partners across Europe, North America, and the Middle East to help destinations measure, benchmark, and improve digital maturity across their operator networks using data and strategy to turn digital potential into measurable destination growth. |
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Caroline Donaldson-Sinclair, PR Director
Caroline began her career in travel trade representation over 20 years ago. Caroline’s passion for the opportunities PR creates; opening up new reasons to travel and discovering new destination stories, is always informed by her background of what the suppliers on the ground and travel industry needs. Caroline has worked in PR consultancy for destinations, luxury hotels, attractions and FMCG brands across the map and has genuine and close relationships with media on three continents. She is passionate about developments in sustainable travel and highlighting the opportunities for change through more mindful and educated travel choices.
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