iFive

Patrick Lafferty

Since 2005, Pat has led marketing efforts for the Travel Channel, first as an SVP at Discovery Communications and then – after an acquisition by Cox – as the Chief Marketing Officer of Travel Channel Media (TCM).  During this time, he has played a critical role in transforming TCM from a staid TV network into a high-growth multimedia business.

Pat has helped fuel growth of over 20% across ratings, ad revenue, affiliate revenue, and distribution. More recently, he has led efforts to increase brand engagement while reducing spending, through content sampling, strategic partnerships, and companywide employee involvement.

Pat co-led the company through two complex ownership transitions, first in 2007 and then again earlier this year. He initiated companywide diversity and social responsibility programs, and has coached numerous direct reports and staff to increased performance and responsibility.

Prior to joining Discovery, Pat spent ten years at Leo Burnett USA. As SVP of the $250M Army account from 2000 to 2005, he helped create the “Army of One” campaign, increasing leads 45% while decreasing costs per lead 46%. From 1995 to 2000, he oversaw accounts for McDonald’s and Kellogg’s, developing four of the top eight youth ads for Kellogg’s, including the company’s first Golden Marble winner.

Pat began his career with seven years of distinguished service in the U.S. Army. As a company commander, he led 146 soldiers on two foreign deployments to Panama and Haiti. His company safeguarded 500,000 citizens in Port-au-Prince, and his Desert Storm platoon captured 3,500 Iraqi soldiers and secured key headquarters. He earned the Ranger Tab in 1989 and the Bronze Star in 1991.

Pat holds an M.B.A. from Cornell University and a  B.A. from St. Bonaventure University.

Pat lives with his wife, Maureen, and their four children in Bethesda, Maryland.

Pamela Mitchell

Ms. Pamela S. Mitchell, is a member of the Senior Executive Service, assigned to the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, Personnel and Readiness, serving as the Director, Defense Travel Management Office (DTMO). The DTMO, a component of the Defense Human Resources Activity.

 The DTMO was established in February 2006, to consolidate and improve commercial travel oversight and management within the Department of Defense, serving as the single focal point for commercial travel both within the Department and with industry.  As the Director, Ms. Mitchell provides oversight for commercial travel management, travel policy and implementation, customer support and training, the DoD travel card program, as well as functional oversight of the Defense Travel system (DTS). 

Ms. Mitchell holds a Master of Science degree in National Security Strategy from the National War College, National Defense University and a Master of Business Administration from the Florida Institute of Technology. She is a graduate of the U. S. Army’s Command and General Staff College, and of the University of Southern Colorado with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history. Ms. Mitchell retired from the United States Army at the rank of colonel, having served over 25 years in the field of military personnel management and military personnel systems. Key assignments included Chief, Field Systems and Chief, Personnel Service Support at the United States Total Army Personnel Command, and Director, Enlisted Management for United States Army Europe. She also commanded a Personnel Services Battalion, in Germany. 

Following her retirement, she was employed in the private sector as a human resources consultant before returning to the Department of Defense.  Awards include the Legion of Merit with one oak leaf cluster, Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters, Army Commendation Medal, and Army Achievement Medal.

Susan Gurley is an attorney with experience in executive level non-profit association management, law school administration, international development and expertise in the travel industry.

In addition, Ms. Gurley has a reputation for anticipating market shifts, redefining corporate strategies and leading organizations through tumultuous change to become stronger, more profitable and sustainable businesses.

Ms. Gurley recently left her position as the Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) to join the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). At USAID she is focused on fostering public private partnerships in the health arena.

One of Ms. Gurley’s principal achievements while at ACTE, was to develop a Corporate Social Responsibility platform for the association. Due to her efforts, ACTE was the first travel and meetings related association, to hold carbon-low events and provide education on CSR-related topics, such as green procurement and the issue of trafficking of women and children.

Ms. Gurley’s senior level management experience also includes her tenure as the Assistant Dean of International and Graduate Programs at Georgetown University Law Center. She managed a $30 million operating budget and created the law school’s International Human Rights Law and National Security Law Certificates.

Ms. Gurley also has significant project management and new program development experience. While working at the U.S. Department of Commerce and at USAID she managed legal reform projects in Central and Eastern Europe and Russia and the Newly Independent States.  She also successfully created new programs, including USAID’s legal and regulatory reform methodology, which is used by USAID officials to analyze the strength of a developing country’s legal system.

She is a University Virginia School of Law graduate and a member of the Virginia Bar. She speaks Hungarian, French, and German.

Becky Rhodes leads one of the most dynamic organizations within the Office of Governmentwide Policy at the U.S. General Services Administration.

As the Deputy Associate Administrator for the Office of Travel, Transportation and Asset Management and a designated member of the federal government’s prestigious rank of the Senior Executive Service, Ms. Rhodes develops policies and guidelines in the areas of Travel, Transportation, Mail Communications, Aircraft, Personal Property, and Vehicle Management. 

GSA created the Office of Governmentwide Policy in December 1995 to serve as a central policy operation and to work closely with the Executive Branch in developing policies and guidelines for real property, personal property, travel and transportation, information technology, electronic commerce, the Regulatory Information Service Center and Federal Advisory Committees.

Ms. Rhodes’ career has marked more than 39+ years of federal government service. Coming up through the ranks, she began her career as a procurement and contracting officer. Before arriving at the Office of Governmentwide Policy, she served as the Assistant Commissioner for Marketing and Chief of Staff for GSA’s Federal Supply Service, reorganized in 2006 as the Federal Acquisition Service. Ms. Rhodes’ career path includes “hands-on” management experience with one or more of the programs currently under her direction.

Customer services leads to customer satisfaction, something Ms. Rhodes knows well. She supports GSA’s efforts to increase interagency collaboration through, commitment, communication and cooperation. The Office of Travel, Transportation and Asset Management works closely with its many customers to form partnerships that leads to innovation and collaborative advantages.

Ms. Rhodes is the 2008 recipient of the National Business Travel Association’s inaugural National Travel Forum Icon award and the Presidential Rank Award.  In 2009, she was honored with the inaugural iFIVE Leadership in Government Travel award.

Kelly L. Kuhn is the president of Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT) Military & Government Markets, known in the marketplace as CWTSatoTravel, the travel division of Carlson responsible for soliciting and managing travel for U.S. military and government clients. Kuhn oversees all of CWTSatoTravel’s operations in the United States, Europe and Asia-Pacific from her Washington, D.C., area office. With more than 50 years of experience and a host of honors and award recognition, CWTSatoTravel is the nation’s largest provider of travel management and fulfillment services to the U.S. Government, fulfilling over $1.8 billion in annual air sales. CWTSatoTravel 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. CWTSatoTravel employs nearly 1,500 Associates in over 160 locations in 14 countries and US territories.

Prior to the merger between Carlson Wagonlit Travel and TQ3Navigant, Kuhn was president of SatoTravel, a Navigant International company d/b/a TQ3Navigant. Within the span of 15 years, Kuhn held several key positions at TQ3Navigant (and previously Arrington Travel Center prior to its acquisition by TQ3Navigant), including North Central regional president, president and chief operating officer, executive vice president, senior vice president, vice president of Operations, director of Client and Industry Relations, and manager of Corporate Communications.

Kuhn is recognized as an expert in the travel industry. She is a member of the Board of Directors of iFIVE, the travel industry’s 21st century leadership network.

She is frequently quoted in major trade publications such as Business Travel News, Travel Weekly and Travel Agent Magazine. She was named a “Rising Star” in Travel Agent Magazine in 2000 and 2001. Kuhn also is listed on the distinguished 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 “Who’s Who in Chicago Business” published in Crain’s Chicago Business.

Kuhn is very active in the business community. She was appointed trustee of LaSalle Hotel Properties on Jan. 27, 2003, and is a member of the company’s Compensation and Nominating and Governance committees. Kuhn 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 in 1987 with a degree in music. Prior to joining Arrington Travel Center, Kuhn worked for various music and theater organizations in the Chicago area as a developer and corporate fundraiser. Kuhn resides in Arlington, VA.

Carlson Companies is a global leader in the marketing, business and leisure travel, and hospitality industries. Among the names in the Carlson family of brands and services are: Regent International Hotels®, Radisson Hotels & Resorts®, Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts, Country Inn & Suites By Carlson, Park Inn® hotels, Regent Seven Seas Cruises®, T.G.I. Friday’s® and Pick Up Stix® restaurants, Carlson Wagonlit Travel, Cruise Holidays, All Aboard Travel, Cruise Specialists, Fly4less.com, Cruise Deals.com, Results Travel, Carlson Destination Marketing Services, Carlson Leisure Travel Services, SeaMaster Cruises®, SinglesCruise.com, Partners In Travel, Carlson Marketing, Carlson/SatoTravel, Peppers & Rogers Group®, and Gold Points Reward Network®.