ladders summit banner updated

The GBTA Ladders season culminates at the three-day Summit, bringing together all program pillars: professional development, global networking across verticals, and innovative presentations on the season theme. The goal of Summit is to inspire current and next generation business travel leaders and to drive industry change.

Attend Summit to experience the full value of the Ladders program.

Attendees will benefit from:

  • An environment that encourages collaboration between current industry leaders and rising top talent
  • Project presentations that showcase the transformative ideas and concepts generated from the Ladders teams
  • Content aimed to accelerate personal, professional, and industry development
  • Strengthened connections between individuals on Ladders teams
  • Boosted access and exposure to industry leaders 

100%

of attendees rated their overall Summit experience as excellent or above average

9.2 out of 10

is the average rating for all Summit networking sessions

85%

of attendees will or are likely to return to next year’s Summit

8.4 out of 10

is the average rating for all Summit education sessions

13 countries

represented in the Season 9 program

Participants include:

  • GBTA Ladders Season 9 participants – Mentors, Mentees, Alumni Advisors, Committee volunteers, and Advisory Board members
  • GBTA Ladders alumni
  • GBTA representatives
  • Keynote speaker and expert guests from outside the program

Please note – this event is by invitation only

Agenda*

Season 9 Theme: Get inspired: Looking beyond travel to drive change
Featuring subject matter experts Barbara Rose, EY Americas Travel Lead and GBTA Direct Board Member; and Kessie Bratko, Business Transformation Consultant

The travel industry is no stranger to change, but true transformation is elusive. Elusive, though not impossible. Amazon revolutionized the retail landscape. SpaceX re-imagined space exploration. And social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok shape how people educate themselves, think and communicate around the world. How do they do it? What lessons, processes and inspiration can we take from industries outside of travel? How can we think beyond our typical environment to find new paths forward?

Additionally, there will be sessions focused on hot industry topics and professional growth. Attendees will walk away from Summit with takeaways that can be applied directly to their personal and professional lives. 

While we look to nurture our industry, let’s not forget the personal responsibility we have to nurture our communities. The last day of Summit will focus on a community service event where Ladders participants will give back to those who are underserved.

Agenda subject to change.

10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Registration

Grand Ballroom Foyer II

12th Floor

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

Lunch

Riverbend

11th Floor


1:00 PM – 1:10 PM

Opening Remarks

Grand Ballroom

12th Floor

Ladders Leadership

1:10 PM – 1:25 PM

Welcome from GBTA

Grand Ballroom

12th Floor

Denise Truso

President, Board of Directors | GBTA
Global Travel Manager | PayPal

1:25 PM – 2:10 PM

Keynote Address – Transformation in Travel

Grand Ballroom

12th Floor

Barbara Rose

Direct Board Member | GBTA
Americas Travel Lead | EY

2:10 PM – 3:10 PM

DISC Assessment: What Do Your Results
Mean

Grand Ballroom

12th Floor

Juan Kingsley

Talent Strategist | Career Blindspot

3:10 PM – 3:30 PM

Networking Break

Grand Ballroom Foyer II

12th Floor

3:30 PM – 4:00 PM

Team Beth

Grand Ballroom

12th Floor

4:00 PM – 4:30 PM

Fireside Chat with GBTA Foundation

Grand Ballroom

12th Floor

Leslie Andrews

Board of Directors and Ladders Champion | GBTA Foundation
Global Category Leader, Travel | JLL

Rosemary Maloney

President, Chapter President’s Council | GBTA
Travel and Expense Manager | Alteryx

Delphine Millot

SVP, Sustainability & Manading Director | GBTA Foundation

4:30 PM – 5:00 PM

Team Anja

Grand Ballroom

12th Floor

5:00 PM – 5:15 PM

Closing Remarks

Grand Ballroom

12th Floor

Ladders Leadership

6:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Welcome Reception

Riverbend

11th Floor

7:00 PM – 8:30 PM

Scavenger Hunt around NOLA

TBD

8:30 PM – END

Informal Meet Up, Location TBA

TBD

8:00 AM – 2:00PM

Registration

Grand Ballroom Foyer II

12th Floor

8:00 AM – 9:00 AM

Breakfast

Riverbend

11th Floor

9:00 AM – 9:15 AM

Opening Remarks

Grand Ballroom

12th Floor

Ladders Leadership

9:15 AM – 10:00 AM

Building Your Brand

Grand Ballroom

12th Floor

Mike Daly

SVP, Sales | Serko

Tita Moreno

Director, Business Marketing | Avis Budget Group

Ali Prejean Smith

Director, Marketing & Communications | BCD Travel

10:00 AM – 10:30 AM

What Would You Do? Leadership Edition

Grand Ballroom

12th Floor

Grace Morrisey

Director, Global Travel & Expense | General Atlantic

Katie Virtue

Principal, Supplier Consulting | Festive Road

10:30 AM – 11:00 AM

Networking Break

Grand Ballroom Foyer II

12th Floor

11:00 AM – 11:30 AM

Team Mike

Grand Ballroom

12th Floor

11:30 AM – 12:15 PM

Ready or Not, Here (A)I Come

Grand Ballroom

12th Floor

Natalie Gardner

Sr. Global Travel Manager | Electronic Arts

Dan Raine

CEO and Founder | Unlocked Data

Lindsay Straub

Vice President, Sales | The BTN Group

12:15 PM – 1:15 PM

Lunch

Riverbend

11th Floor

1:15 PM – 3:15 PM

1. Standing out as top talent continued:
Career progressions available in travel

Chairman

12th Floor

Kim Napolitano

Executive Director, Industry Relations & Intermediary Group Sales | Hilton

Abby Pharr

Director, Marketing | TRIPBAM

Denise Truso

President, Board of Directors | GBTA
Global Travel Manager | PayPal

2. TMC, Airline, Hotel walk into a bar: Supplier
ecosystem, partnership, revenue strategies,
negotiation

Executive

12th Floor

Emily Wong

Head of T&E | Jefferies

Laura Choules

Sr. Director, Global Sales | Global Hotel Alliance

Christopher Crowder-Bromley

General Manager, B2B Marketing | Delta AIr Lines

Benjamin Ford

Client General Manager | AMEX GBT

3. Improv/Public Speaking

Salon

12th Floor

Allison Davis

Key Account Manager, Global Gateways | American Airlines

Christina Reichelt

Sr. Director, Global Client Team | BCD Travel

3:15 PM – 3:30 PM

Networking Break

3:30 PM – 4:00 PM

Team Dan and Katie

Grand Ballroom

12th Floor

4:00 PM – 4:45 PM

Entrepreneur Spotlight: Season 9 Presentation
Recap

Grand Ballroom

12th Floor

4:45 PM – 5:15 PM

Awards + Closing remarks

Grand Ballroom

12th Floor

Ladders Leadership

5:30 PM – 6:30 PM

Mentor / Committee / Alumni Adviser Mixer

Riverbend

11th Floor

7:00 PM – 8:30 PM

Small Group Dinners


8:30 PM –End

Informal Meet up, Location TBA

9:00 AM

Giveback Event

New Orleans Mission

1130 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd.,
New Orleans, LA 70113

9:00 AM – 9:30 AM

Breakfast

New Orleans Mission

9:30 AM – 10:00 AM

Tour

New Orleans Mission

10:00 AM – 10:30 AM

Making of Brown Bags

New Orleans Mission

10:30 AM – 12:30 AM

Distribution of Brown Bags

New Orleans Mission

Location

The GBTA Ladders Summit 2023 is hosted by The Westin New Orleans
100 Iberville St, New Orleans, LA 70130

A room block has been secured for the duration of the summit.  Room accommodations can be secured through the reservation link or by calling the Reservations Department (504) 566-7006. Individuals must identify themselves as being with the group, GBTA Ladders Summit, at the time the reservation is made in order to receive the special group rate.

The reservation cut-off date is FRIDAY, APRIL 28th. Reservation requests received after this deadline date will be subject to availability and the prevailing rate. 

Room Rates:
Single/Double, City View: $156 (plus applicable taxes)
The group rate will be available from 5/22 – 5/25. The group rate will also be available 2 days pre and post event, based on availability.
Hotel room, tax, incidentals, airfare and other expenses are the responsibility of the attendee.
Check-in: 3:00 PM
Check-out: 12:00 PM

Room Cancellation Policy
Room cancellations can be made no less than 72 hours prior to arrival without penalty.

Hosted By

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As you plan your travel, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines have graciously provided discount codes for airfare to and from Summit, exclusive to Ladders members. Very special thanks to our Ladders members at United and Delta for their support!

Delta Air Lines:
Please click here to book your flights. You may also call Delta Meeting Network® at 1.800.328.1111* Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. (EST) and refer to Meeting Event Code: NM2KY. *Please note there is not a service fee for reservations booked and ticketed via our reservation 800 number.

United Airlines:
To make flight reservations online please click on discount code ZN9T872396. MileagePlus members earn valuable miles for their travel when using the Meetings discount code. You may also call United Meetings Reservation Desk Monday – Friday at (800) 426-1122 for booking assistance. Booking fees are waived for Meeting reservations. International customers may contact their local United Reservation Desk.

As you plan your travel to/from the airport, or your dinner reservations, drvn has graciously provided discounts for car service needs during Summit, exclusive to Ladders attendees.

Please click here to reserve your chauffeur at drvn. You may also book private car service by email res@drvn.com.

Registration

This event is by invitation only.

Registration is complimentary* to GBTA Ladders Participants.

If you need assistance in making the business case for attendance to your employers, we have created this document detailing the benefits of Ladders Summit for your use.

*You must be a member of GBTA in good standing to attend Summit.  If you need to renew your membership, please click here.

If you are not a current or past season Ladders Participant but are interested in attending Summit, please reach out to ladders@gbta.org

Registration Powered by

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Thank you to our generous sponsors

Platinum Plus

Platinum

Gold

Featured

Silver

Interested in becoming a sponsor?

Showcase your company as a passionate leader who invests in the future of the travel industry. Summit attendees are buyers and suppliers who are both veterans and rising stars alike. To download the Sponsorship Brochure, click here.