Board of Directors

Our board represents leaders in the gay and lesbian tourism industry and come from all over the world. If you are interested in how our board operates or want more information about becoming a board member, please e-mail iglta@iglta.org.

Click here to review the Board of Directors meeting notes.

Click here to review the IGLTA ByLaws.

Jon Muñoz,  Chair

Hilton

Jon Muñoz is Vice President of global diversity and inclusion for Hilton. Muñoz leads Hilton’s diversity management strategies focused on culture, talent and marketplace. Muñoz is responsible for leading external engagement with diverse strategic non-profit partners, consulting with internal diversity stakeholders, launching and executing team member resource groups strategies and developing diversity training initiatives.

Prior to joining Hilton, Muñoz served in diversity roles for Sprint and marketing roles for Nextel Communications, Bank One Corporation (now JPMorgan Chase) and NationsBank (now Bank of America).

Muñoz actively serves in numerous leadership positions of diverse non-profit organizations, including Friends of the American Latino Museum (FALM), League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) Corporate Alliance, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) ACT-SO Advisory Council, the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) Corporate Advisory Council and the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) Senior Executive Corporate Advisory Board.

Don Skeoch, Vice Chair

Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board

Don Skeoch is Chief Marketing Officer for the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board (LA Tourism), the organization responsible for marketing and selling Los Angeles as a top global destination for leisure and business travel. Renowned both nationally and internationally as a global brand marketer, Skeoch leads LA Tourism’s global brand strategy and market-growth and innovation initiatives, as well as the global marketing and communications functions.

Skeoch joined LA Tourism in 2011 following several years in the tourism industry leading the marketing efforts for some of California’s most popular attractions including the California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco’s largest cultural attraction, and Universal Studios Hollywood in Los Angeles. Skeoch has also held marketing leadership roles with such widely recognized brands as Pepsi-Cola, Teleflora and Baskin-Robbins. He holds an MBA from the Anderson School of Management at UCLA and is a graduate of Brown University with a degree in economics, organizational behavior and management.

Felipe Cardenas, Treasurer

Colombian LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce

Felipe is the Co-Founder & CEO of the Colombian LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce where he leads the board & operations for 160+ members and 15+ corporate partners in Colombia. He represents the organization internationally and ensures the consolidation of its portfolio geared at membership, partnerships, events, and certifications. Felipe has more than 10 years of experience leading high performance teams, both in physical and virtual environments at the local, national and international level. He is also an advisor to different entities in Latin America and Europe about growth, organizational development and foreign trade. He is an entrepreneur interested in senior management, business development & LGBTQ+ initiatives. He speaks three languages and was recognized with an IGLTA Honor - leadership in Networking - at the 2015 Annual Global Convention in Los Angeles.

Shiho Ikeuchi, Secretary

Pink Soleil, Inc

Ms. Shiho Ikeuchi, President & CEO of Pink Soleil, Inc., Japan, is a world-renowned hospitality industry professional with over 25 years of experience and an extensive and diverse background in hotel management and restaurant operations, international sales, and marketing. Over the past several years, Ikeuchi has been aggressively involved in the development of LGBTQ+ tourism in Japan, and steadfastly works to increase the number of national IGLTA members. In 2014, Ikeuchi was instrumental in creating same-sex wedding packages that are now becoming available through major Japanese hoteliers. However, same-sex marriages are currently not legally recognized in Japan, and the number of wedding venues that accept ceremonial same-sex couples is limited. As the direct result of Ikeuchi’s efforts, Hotel Granvia Kyoto was the very first hotel in Japan to officially announce the offering of same-sex wedding packages in 2014—a true feather in the cap of the hotel, which has been highlighted by numerous international and domestic media outlets. In November 2018, she established Pink Soleil, a forward-thinking company that focuses on consulting work for hotels and tourism professionals worldwide. One of her primary clients, The Thousand Kyoto—the signature hotel of Keihan Hotels and Resorts—announced that they have now launched a new wedding campaign for LGBTQ+ couples from around the world.

Juan Julia, Immediate Past Chair

Axel Hotels

Juan P. Juliá Blanch is the founder and owner of Axel Hotels. AXEL HOTELS is a small hotel chain specializing in the LGBTQ+ community. “It all started with a dream… to open a hotel for the LGBTQ+ world, my world”. Each of its hotels provides a setting where ambience, diversity and respect are highly valued. Axel Hotels provide accommodation with a professional and personalized service, anticipating the needs of their guests for the purpose of ensuring their loyalty. Axel Hotels knows and vitalizes the local gay scene and offers their guests information and a heterofriendly environment. Each of its hotels are places where diversity and respect are valued. Axel Hotels is a hotel chain aimed at the LGBTQ+ public ,but above all, it is a free and respectful space, where diversity and respect are highly valued and two men, two women, or a man and a woman are equally welcome. Any person regardless of his/her sexual orientation is welcomed, valued and respected. For this reason, Axel Hotels does not wish to define as gay, because Axel Hotels represents much more, for which it has coined a new term: heterofriendly. A space aimed at the gay public but open to everyone. Axel Hotels was founded in 2003 with the opening of the first Axel Hote in Barcelona. Juan Juliá has been involved in the gay community since his early thirties when he opened the Axel Barcelona. Juan has also being engaged with young entrepeneurs as a mentor and giving lectures in different conferences and universities.

Albert Herrera, Board Member

Virtuoso

Albert M. Herrera has an innate understanding of the luxury travel market, which has elevated him to one of Virtuoso’s most prominent executive positions: senior vice president of the network’s extensive product portfolio. Since joining Virtuoso in July 2004 as the Vice President of Hotels & Resorts, Albert has added cruise lines, tour operators, on-site destination management companies, and tourism boards to the list of key relationships he develops and directs on behalf of the organization. Albert’s impressive career spans 30 years, and his expertise includes creating sales and marketing strategies, identifying key market segments, recruiting and training strong sales and marketing teams, while increasing the customer base for travel providers of all sizes and in varying markets. Under his leadership, Albert’s team manages relationships with more than 1,300 hotels and resorts, 150 On-Site destination management companies, 60 tour companies, 30 cruise lines and 80 strategic alliances. He directs staff in Virtuoso’s three U.S. offices: Seattle, Washington; Fort Worth, Texas; and New York City, where he is based.

Uwern Jong, Board Member

OutThere Publishing

Uwern is the Editor-in-Chief for OutThere Publishing. He has  guided the OutThere brand from its inception to what it is today, a leading luxury and experiential travel journal and portal for the high-end gay traveller segment driving audience figures to what is now over 250,000 people in 20 markets across the globe. In addition, Uwern has exponentially grown the brand commercially and OutThere is now the flagship title within the portfolio of five publications. An avid traveller, Uwern's reach extends across the globe, and is particularly engaged in Southeast Asis in his capacity as Luxury and LGBTQ+ Travel Ambassador for the Kingdom of Thailand.

Richard Kreiger, Board Member

Pride World/The Isramworld Portfolio of Brands

Richard is the President for Pride World/The Isramworld Portfolio of Brands located in New York, NY. With a background spanning more than 20 years in the travel industry, Richard has had a broad range of experience. His early career was spent as a retail Travel Advisor in New York City. From there, he moved into agency management and relocated to South Florida. During these years he opened PrideWorld, an LGBTQ+ tour operator/travel agency. Post September 11, he also did consulting and management work focusing on agencies that were looking to evaluate their position in the market and expand, merge, sell or close. In 2008 he was asked by the owner of The Isramworld Portfolio of Brands to move back to New York to work with him on expanding into new markets and destinations as well as placing a fresh focus on PrideWorld. In 2013 he took on the leadership role as company president, overseeing all aspects of the portfolio and its five hallmark brands. 

Steven Larkin, Board Member

Delta Air Lines

Steven has more than 20 years in the travel industry spanning retail, wholesale and airline. He currently serves as the Director of Sales, Canada for Delta Air Lines. He oversees the leisure and corporate segments of the market as well as acting as the brand 'voice and face' for the brand via sponsorship, partnership and community outreach. Steven is a former co-owner and founder of OUT Adventures, a proud member of IGLTA that ahas run successful LGBTQ+ tours worldwide since 2008. He also previously let Intrepid Travel Canada, a small group adventure tour operator specializing in Asia, Africa and Europe; served as Vice President Global Sales of G Adventures, the world's largest independent small group tour operator, and held senior sales roles with Virgin Atlantic Airways and Singapore Airlines.

Sandi Robinson, Board Member

The Godfrey Hotel Chicago

Sandi Robinson serves as Director of Sales at The Godfrey Hotel Chicago, overseeing the events and the sales team at the property, as well as day-to-day operations. Robinson joined the hotel team prior to the property’s opening in 2014 as the Senior Events Manager and was then promoted into her current role. In 2017, Robinson was awarded HSMAI’s Director of Sales and Marketing of the Year, which recognizes excellence, creativity, and leadership in hotel sales. With more than 20 years in the hospitality industry, Robinson has mastered the craft of executing successful events and finds the most joy in her work when her clients are happy with their celebrations and meetings. 

Before joining The Godfrey team, Robinson served as the executive events manager for the Dana Hotel and Spa. In her four years at that property, Sandi focused on corporate events for Vertigo Sky Lounge, where she increased sales by 60 percent during her first year. Prior to the Dana Hotel, she worked in event sales for several brands, including the Four Points by Sheraton Chicago, Holiday Inn Hillside, and Spirit of Chicago. 

Robinson prides herself on being an integral part of the Chicago community in hospitality and beyond. She is a Board Member Emeritus for the Lesbian Gay Bisexual & Transgender Chamber of Commerce, serves as a Choose Chicago Ambassador, and is a Co-Chair of the Greater North Michigan Avenue Association Lights Festival Committee.

Apoorva Gandhi, Board Member

Marriott International

Apoorva Gandhi is Vice President for Multicultural Affairs for Marriott International, and a dedicated and proud straight ally to the LGBTQ+ community. At Marriott, he shapes and executes an externally focused global strategy to build loyalty and preference from all diverse customers for the Marriott portfolio—including all of their diverse LGBTQ+ guests, families and friends.

His responsibilities bridge most of Marriott’s business units and he often engages with the company’s public affairs stances and their steady support for LGBTQ+ equality and inclusion. Marriott’s consistently earns a 100% perfect score on the HRC Corporate Equality Index, a signal of its strong global policies. This year, significantly, Marriott was among the first companies—and the first global hotel leader—to endorse the historic United Nations LGBTQ+ Standards of Conduct for Business, aimed to tackle discrimination globally against Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans and Intersex People. Apoorva recently served on the board of directors for PFLAG—advocating for the families, friends and co-workers of LGBTQ+ people everywhere and twice was named the co-chair for the annual PFLAG Straight for Equality Gala held in New York City.

Oriol Pamies, Board Member

Moovz

Oriol Pamies is a Spanish entrepreneur, LGBTQ+ activist and LGBTQ+ tourism expert. In 2014, he attended his first IGLTA Annual Global Convention in Madrid just as he was beginning his online startup, an LGBTQ+ social network that he wanted to connect to the LGBTQ+ tourism industry. IGLTA connections were an integral part of his new company’s success and now Moovz has more than 3 million LGBTQ+ users.

Pamies also develops innovative marketing strategies for tourism destinations around the world, particularly in Latin America and spends his time expanding Moovz globally, speaking at conferences and consulting on LGBTQ+ tourism. He wants to focus on IGLTA’s Latin American expansion, connecting the organization and its members to the latest online marketing trends and reinforcing the association’s B2C value.

Maria Tuttocuore, Board Member

Monaco Goverment Tourist Office

Maria G. Tuttocuore is the Senior Executive of Sales & Marketing for the Monaco Government Tourist Office. Originally from Sicily in Italy, she arrived in the United States as a foreign student at Mount Holyoke College in 1997. After graduating from college, she started working in the travel industry in Italy and never looked back. Tourism became such a passion that she returned to the U.S. to pursue a master’s degree in Tourism and Travel Management at New York University. She gained further experience with the Leading Hotels of the World and the New York State Department of Tourism. She did some consulting for NYU and PhoCusWright before finally joining the Monaco Government Tourist Office where she covered a range of positions before landing her current role. 

Maria conceives, plans and implements marketing efforts for the Principality of Monaco in North America, working closely with the travel advisor community, agencies, suppliers and business partners to deliver an effective message across business-to-consumers and business-to-business channels. Her strong digital background and analytical skills have played a significant role in developing the online presence of the Principality of Monaco. She has also been a strong advocate for Monaco to join IGLTA and pursue an LGBTQ+ marketing strategy to position the Principality as an open and welcoming destination for all.  

When she is not at work, she enjoys the company of her wife Laura Fantini, contemporary art, travel, tennis, bike spinning and olive oil. Her family back in Italy produces EVOO and she has recently pursued the Olive Oil Sommelier Certificate Level 1 at the International Culinary Center in New York.

John Tanzella, Ex Officio Board Member

IGLTA