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The award-winning entrepreneur, speaker and author will address delegates on 27 October
Milan, Italy (11 October, Coming Out Day, 2022)— The International LGBTQ+ Travel Association (IGLTA) announced that Jennifer Brown, Founder and CEO of Jennifer Brown Consulting (JBC), will be a keynote speaker at this year’s Global Convention in Milan on Thursday, 27 October. Brown’s session will focus on expanding strategies that promote safe and inclusive workplace environments for traditionally marginalized identities—women, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people with disabilities.
Ahead of Brown’s keynote address, there will be a Women’s Leadership Networking event hosted by Booking.com for women attending the convention to meet Brown and connect with other women entrepreneurs to share the ideas, best practices, and the unique challenges that women in business face. This will take place in the convention host hotel Lobby Bar, UNAHOTELS Expo Fiera Milano, from 18:00h-19:00h, Wednesday, 26 October prior to the convention Opening Reception at Sforzesco Castle
“Women entrepreneurs—especially LGBTQ+ women entrepreneurs—face persistent barriers that make achieving economic success a serious challenge with lasting consequences,” said IGLTA President/CEO John Tanzella. “Which is why I’m so excited to have Jennifer here in Milan, to share her experience with others and her strategy for creating more inclusive workplace cultures where everyone can thrive.”
Brown is an award-winning entrepreneur, speaker, author, and diversity and inclusion expert who is deeply passionate about building more inclusive and welcoming workplaces. As the Founder and CEO of JBC, a certified woman- and LGBTQ+-owned firm, Brown and her team design and execute inclusion strategies that have been implemented by some of the biggest companies and nonprofits in the world. She is the bestselling author of two books, Inclusion: Diversity, The New Workplace and The Will to Change (2017) and How to Be an Inclusive Leader: Your Role in Creating Cultures of Belonging Where Everyone Can Thrive (2019)—with the newly expanded and updated Second Edition just released on 4 October.
“Instead of ignoring or denying differences, we need to acknowledge that we all have identities that impact our experience in the world and in the workplace,” Brown said. “We need to recognize the impact of bias, stereotypes, and dominant cultures on people with marginalized identities, not have them swept under the rug by pretending they don’t exist. When we recognize that the journey is more arduous for people of certain identities, we begin the real work of challenging systems and building equity.”
For more information about this year’s convention in Milan, please visit igltaconvention.org.
The 38th Annual IGLTA Global Convention would not be possible without the generous support of our convention sponsors. Institutional Presenting: Italian National Tourist Board; Comune di Milano; YesMilano; AITGL. Presenting Level – Discover Puerto Rico; International Experience Canada/Government of Canada; Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau; Tourist Board of Spain - Turespaña; Visit València; Sevilla City Office. Official Level – American Express Travel; Booking.com; CAP Travel Assistance by FocusPoint International; Visit Lauderdale; Delta Air Lines; Hilton; IMG; Israel Ministry of Tourism; The Florida Keys & Key West; Malta Tourism Authority; Simpleview; Starhotels; Toscana Promozione Turistica; The TreadRight Foundation; Visit Philadelphia; Visit West Hollywood. Conference Level – AIG; Cvent; Fidenza Village; Google; PROMPERU; Tourism Seychelles; SXM Media; Visit Greater Palm Springs. Breakout Session Sponsors – WeTravel. Community Partners - Allumeuse; Arcigay; Community Marketing & Insights; EDGE: LGBTI+ Leaders for Change; Mantra Communications; myGwork; NEBE; Pink Media; Sonders and Beach; World Food Travel Association.
About IGLTA & the IGLTA Foundation
The International LGBTQ+ Travel Association is the global leader in advancing LGBTQ+ travel and a proud Affiliate Member of the United Nations World Tourism Organization. IGLTA’s mission is to provide information and resources for LGBTQ+ travelers and expand LGBTQ+ tourism globally by demonstrating its significant social and economic impact. IGLTA global network includes 12,000 LGBTQ+ and LGBTQ+ welcoming accommodations, destinations, service providers, travel agents, tour operators, events, and travel media in 80+ countries. The philanthropic IGLTA Foundation empowers LGBTQ+ welcoming travel businesses globally through leadership, research, and education. For more information: iglta.org, igltaconvention.org or iglta.org/foundation and follow us on Facebook @IGLTA, @IGLTABusiness or @IGLTAFoundation, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram @iglta.