GBTA Announces Acclaimed Actress and Comedian Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Featured Speaker at GBTA Convention 2016

Alexandria, VA (March 2, 2016) – The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) – the voice of the global business travel industry – today announced internationally acclaimed actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus will be a featured speaker at GBTA Convention 2016, July 16-20 in Denver, Colorado. Louis-Dreyfus will speak at Convention Arena on Monday, July 18.

“Julia Louis-Dreyfus is an incredibly talented actress and comedian and we are extremely pleased to welcome her to the stage for GBTA Convention 2016,” said Michael W. McCormick, GBTA executive director and COO. “Given the long line of political figures – and people who play political figures – who have spoken at Convention, Julia was a natural fit for this year’s speaker line-up. Her star power and unique sense of humor will no doubt entertain our attendees as they balance a packed schedule during the ultimate business travel networking and education experience of the year.”

Julia Louis-Dreyfus earned worldwide acclaim and recognition for her portrayal of ‘Elaine Benes’ in the hit NBC series Seinfeld, as ‘Christine Campbell’ in the CBS hit comedy The New Adventures of Old Christine and most recently as Vice President ‘Selina Meyer’ in the HBO series Veep. Between all shows combined, she has received seven Emmy Awards with twenty nominations, a Golden Globe Award with seven nominations, six Screen Actors Guild Awards with fourteen nominations, a Television Critics Association Award with three nominations and five American Comedy Awards with ten nominations.

Louis-Dreyfus is currently in production on the fifth season of the HBO series, Veep. The half-hour comedy centers on ‘Selina Meyer,’ the new Vice President of the United States. Louis-Dreyfus has previously received critical acclaim for her starring role in Enough Said, opposite the late James Gandolfini, Catherine Keener and Toni Collette. This role has snagged Julia a Golden Globe nomination – making her one of the elite few who have had the honor to be concurrently nominated for both a film and television role.

Her other television credits include appearances on HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm, a recurring role on The Simpsons, a recurring role on Fox’s critically acclaimed Arrested Development, NBC’s Watching Ellie, and the TNT animated film Animal Farm. Louis-Dreyfus first made her mark on television during a three-year stint (1982-1985) on Saturday Night Live where she subsequently hosted the show twice, becoming the first female former cast member to return as host. Feature film credits include Disney’s Planes; Pixar’s animated hit A Bug’s Life; Woody Allen’s Academy Award-winning Hannah and Her Sisters; Allen’s Deconstructing Harry; North; Fathers’ Day; and Jack the Bear.

Register by March 29, 2016 to receive $300 in savings. More info on speakers and programs will be unveiled in the coming months. For the latest developments and more information, please visit gbta.org/convention.

Media registration is complimentary. GBTA will also host its second annual Media Day on Sunday, July 17.

About GBTA Convention
The GBTA Convention, with nearly 7,000 attendees, is the largest, most comprehensive annual gathering of business travel and meetings managers, meeting planners, procurement professionals and suppliers anywhere in the world. The Business Travel Event of the Year ® features: more than 80 industry-leading education sessions organized into 20+ specialized tracks geared to specific levels of experience and a variety of disciplines; a 400+ company Exposition showcasing market choices not available at other industry gatherings; sessions featuring world-renowned speakers and industry leaders; a wide selection of professional development opportunities; and, much more. For more information on the GBTA Convention, visit gbta.org/convention.

About the Global Business Travel Association
The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) is the world’s premier business travel and meetings trade organization headquartered in the Washington, D.C. area with operations on six continents. GBTA’s 7,000-plus members manage more than $345 billion of global business travel and meetings expenditures annually. GBTA and the GBTA Foundation deliver world-class education, events, research, advocacy and media to a growing global network of more than 28,000 travel professionals and 125,000 active contacts. To learn how business travel drives business growth, visit www.gbta.org.

CONTACT: Colleen Lerro Gallagher, +1703-236-1133, cgallagher@gbta.org