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GBTA Foundation Announces 2026 WINiT Top 50 Honorees in Business Travel

ParTara Erwin

Global industry professionals from 16 countries recognized for leadership, innovation and advancing women across the business travel industry

La Fondation GBTA, the cause-led arm of the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), has named its 2026 WINiT Top 50 which recognizes leaders who are corporate champions elevating and celebrating women as well as those who are rising talent in the business travel and meetings sector.

This year’s honorees represent 36 companies, 16 countries and five continents, reflecting the global diversity and reach of Gagne le, a GBTA Foundation program dedicated to advancing equity and opportunity for women across the business travel industry through leadership development, mentoring connections and networking. WINiT has expanded recently to a 1,200-member global community with strong regional leadership, with 40% of the 2026 Top 50 nominations coming from outside the U.S.

“The 2026 WINiT Top 50 reflects the extraordinary breadth of talent, leadership and allyship shaping business travel around the world,” said Bev Heinritz, Director, Foundation Programs at the GBTA Foundation. “These honorees are not only achieving excellence in their own careers; they are opening doors, creating opportunities and inspiring the next generation of leaders across our industry.”

Heinritz added that each of this year’s Top 50 will receive 50,000 AAdvantage® miles, made possible by American Airlines, as a token of appreciation for their efforts to build a more inclusive future in the business travel industry.

The 2026 WINiT Top 50 honorees and their companies are listed below alphabetically by last name across the five award categories – including the new “Allies in Action” category – along with the criteria for each:

Les femmes innovent dans notre façon de voyager – Honoring 13 visionaries who inspire others to join in their efforts to demonstrate revolutionary thinking and creativity in improving the business travel experience:

  • Sarah Boyd, Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC)
  • Danielle Cavnor, Blockskye
  • Alice Dunn, EY
  • Valeria Hein, Sabre
  • Kerri Homann, Rheinmetall Defence Australia
  • Toni Lo Sasso, Direct Travel
  • Anna Marshall, House of Travel and Orbit World Travel
  • Sarah Kuberry Martino, Direct Travel
  • Stephanie Millichap, United Airlines
  • Tahnee Perry, temoji consulting
  • Sue Peterson, Amadeus Cytric
  • Melanie Primevert, FCM Travel
  • Samantha Van Leeuwen, PwC

Des leaders mondiaux avec un impact mondial – Eight changemakers who are redefining leadership in business travel by creating momentum, inspiring others and making a lasting impact:

  • Olena Bezrukava, Flypoint
  • Ana Paula Hernandez, BCD Travel
  • Suzanne Horner, Gray Dawes Travel
  • Natasha Mann, Future Energy Global
  • Ana Pedersen, Corporate Travel Management
  • Clara Puertas, Sabre
  • Souhilla Taarabit, Al-Futtaim
  • Koko Tang, Colorful Earth

Leaders féminines montantes – Twelve early career, high-performing professionals who represent the future of the industry and are poised for continued success:

  • Yanisse Belarbi, IDEAL Meetings
  • Chelsea Carrasquillo, Southwest Airlines
  • Kristin Coss, American Airlines
  • Courtney Gay, Enterprise Mobility
  • Karli Kincaid, Delta Air Lines
  • Nikki McLauchlin, Enterprise Mobility
  • Shelby Riley, Delta Air Lines
  • Megan Scarbath, American Express Global Business Travel
  • Deepshikha Sehgal, Sabre
  • Bernadeta Śmiałek, Sabre
  • Nicola Teal, Orbit World Travel
  • Kyra van Egmond, Shell

FollowHer: Legends in the Industry – Fourteen exemplary leaders in the business travel industry who are committed to advancing women by inspiring change:

  • Danielle Bilbao, Accor
  • Gaëlle Bristiel, Amadeus
  • Claire Cuschieri, SilverDoor
  • Ronda Dean, F5, Inc
  • Robin Handley, Direct Travel
  • Nancy King, Aramark
  • Tracy Loiacono, Corporate Traveler
  • Cicley Lopez, Southwest Airlines
  • Beth Marino, Fox World Travel, Inc.
  • Kimberly Parker, Southwest Airlines
  • Natalee Perkins, Sixt
  • Anja Turner-Schulz, BCD Travel
  • Christine Sikes, Direct Travel
  • Eileen Wingrove, American Express Global Business Travel

Allies in Action: Champions of Change – Male leaders who consistently use their position and platform to drive meaningful progress for women and contribute to a more inclusive future for the global business travel industry:

  • Toby Enqvist, United Airlines
  • Samuel Ross, Hilton Garden Inn and Homewood Suites Calgary Down
  • Johnny Schultheiss, Enterprise Mobility

The WINiT Top 50 honorees will be recognized at the 2026 GBTA WINiT Summit on October 27 in Dallas. Under the theme of Rise & Renew, business travel professionals will explore leadership, mentorship and strategies for advancing gender equity while celebrating the individuals and organizations shaping the industry’s future. The program will feature presentations and interactive sessions facilitated by leadership from Enterprise Holdings, Career Frame, ARC and Cvent, and discussions will focus on the topics of resilience, intentional leadership, mentorship, allyship, networking and women’s travel safety.

For more information on the WINiT Summit, go to gbta.org/gbta-winit-summit. To learn more about the WINiT Awards, visit gbtafoundation.org/people/winit/winit-awards.