Margaret Murphy
co-founder
Margaret brings more than 15 years of executive-level consulting experience with Fortune 500 companies in multiple industries, including travel. Her work has included executive coaching and helping individuals develop the personal presence and relationships required to influence constituencies that are critical to their success.
Margaret was formerly a general manager of IPG public relations and a managing principal in IBM’s Global Business Transformation consulting practice. Clients have included InterContinental Hotels Group, Target Corporation, SunTrust Bank and the North Face.
Margaret regularly speaks to audiences on personal growth strategies, branding and communications. She holds professional certifications in coaching, facilitation, Myers-Briggs, and business transformation. A graduate of Emory University, she resides with her husband John, in Madison, Georgia, outside of Atlanta.
Vickie Singer
co-founder
Vickie has more than 20 years of experience as both an entrepreneur and senior corporate executive in the travel industry.
Vickie has a depth of expertise working with executives in top companies such as American Express, Forrester Research, and Microsoft to develop strategic alliances. Her work also includes designing and coordinating major national events, involving multiple constituencies and agendas.
Most recently, Vickie was the Vice President of Strategic Partnership and General Manager of TravelCom, part of the U.S. Travel Association. Her experience also includes being the principal consultant in, and founder of, Travel Technology Source.
Vickie is frequently called upon to moderate executive panels on a variety of topics. A graduate of East Tennessee State University, she resides with her husband Rick, in the Washington D.C. area.
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Advisory Board Members
Angela Brav
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, NORTH AMERICA
INTERCONTINENTAL HOTELS GROUP (LON: IHG; NYSE: IHG [ADRs])
An 18-year veteran of the hospitality industry, Angela is responsible for hotel system performance in the Americas region, IHG’s largest region, with more than 2,500 hotels. She also leads current major global initiatives including outsourcing, customer-based technology and quality. Angela attended the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, majoring in management and holds an undergraduate degree in business.
IHG is the world’s largest hotel company by room count, with more than 3,700 properties. Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express together have nearly 3,000 global locations. In addition to the Holiday Inn brands, the flagship brand, InterContinental, along with Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo, Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites comprise the IHG family of brands.
Donna Flora
VICE PRESIDENT INDUSTRY RELATIONS
American Express (NYSE: AXP)
Donna acts as the primary liaison to the U.S. travel agency community and industry associations. She is responsible for promoting the American Express brand and card acceptance within the travel trade. With more than 25 years of travel industry experience, Donna has served as Director, Travel Industry Relations, overseeing the Travel Agency Partnership Program, a corporate card lead generation program.
Donna chairs the Academy of Travel & Tourism in New York City, is an active member of the Virtual Enterprise, International Advisory Board where she helped shape policies and served as an advocate for the program to the educational, and business communities. She is also a member of the Philadelphia Chapter of the Latino Scholarship Fund, board member of the Society for Accessible Travel & Hospitality (SATH), which promotes awareness, respect and accessibility for disabled and mature travelers.
Donna is a Certified Travel Consultant (CTC) and a Certified Travel Industry Executive (CTIE) from The Institute of Certified Travel Agents.
Kelly Kuhn
PRESIDENT, CWT MILITARY & GOVERNMENT MARKETS
CARLSON WAGONLIT, SATOTRAVEL
Recognized as an expert in the travel industry, Kelly oversees the travel division of Carlson responsible for soliciting and managing travel for U.S. military and government clients. She has responsibility for all of CWTSatoTravel’s operations in the United States, Europe and Asia-Pacific.
Kelly was appointed trustee of LaSalle Hotel Properties on Jan. 27, 2003. She is also is a member of The Economic Club of Chicago, The Executives’ Club of Chicago, and The Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation Scarlet and Gold Advisory Board. Kuhn graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in music.
CWT/SatoTravel offers airline, hotel, train and car reservations for business and personal travel; leisure tours and cruises; fully integrated online booking and expense management solutions; group/meeting planning; consolidated management reporting; emergency response; and more.
Krista Pappas
GLOBAL DIRECTOR & HEAD OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Bing Travel at Microsoft NASDAQ: MSFT
Krista is the Head of Business Development of Bing Travel. Krista’s role is to establish and drive the key business partnerships and strategy alliances for Bing Travel. Krista joined Microsoft after its acquisition of Farecast, a smart travel search site that empowers consumers to buy with confidence with innovative airfare predictions, hotel rate keys and travel planning tools.
Krista is known for her deep knowledge of the travel technology, media and search industries and her ability to identify and facilitate the development of trends years before they become global. She has been a critical participant in the development of online travel sites since 2001. A highly regarded travel analyst with a focus on the intersection of electronic travel search, distribution, infrastructure, technology, and markets, Krista is a sought-after industry futurist.
