Welcomes Four New Board Members
FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida (14 November 2024) — The International LGBTQ+ Travel Association (IGLTA) is pleased to announce its Board of Directors for 2025-2026. Four industry leaders in the tourism and hospitality sectors have been appointed to join the board, each bringing fresh perspectives and a deep commitment to LGBTQ+ inclusivity. Their two-year term begins in January 2025.
IGLTA welcomes the following new board members:
- Aisha Shaibu-Lenoir (she/her), Founder of Moonlight Experiences (London, United Kingdom)
- Keshav Suri (he/him), Executive Director of The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group (New Delhi, India)
- Sophia Hyder Hock (she/her), Chief Inclusion Officer at Destinations International (Washington DC, United States)
- Danny Guerrero (he/him), CEO & Founder of The Culturist Group (Los Angeles, United States)
Both Shaibu-Lenoir and Guerrero were IGLTA Foundation Fellowship recipients.
“While these four individuals are new to the board, they are not new to IGLTA. Each of these leaders has been a strong supporter of our mission, and we look forward to their contributions in advancing LGBTQ+ travel worldwide,” said Dougal Mckenzie (he/him), 2024 IGLTA Board Chair. “The strength of our board lies in its diversity and commitment, and together, they help drive IGLTA’s vision forward. We’re confident that this board will continue to make a meaningful impact on the future of LGBTQ+ tourism.”
IGLTA is pleased to present the 2025 Board Executive Committee:
- Dougal Mckenzie (he/him), Chair, Google
- Meg Ten Eyck (she/her), Vice Chair, EveryQueer
- Norma Dean (she/her), Co-Treasurer, Delta Air Lines
- Josh Good (he/him), Co-Treasurer, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA)
- Burcu Kisakurek (she/her), Secretary, Unison Turkey Travel & Events
- Felipe Cardenas (he/him), Immediate Past Chair, Cámara de la Diversidad
We are also proud to welcome back our returning board members:
- Sean Howell (he/him), Buffalo Market
- Glenn Stress (he/him), Marriott International
- Cheryl Richards (she/her), Visit Dallas
- Antonietta Varlese (she/her), Accor
- Sangeeta Naik (she/her), American Express
- Shiho Ikeuchi (she/her), Ace Hotel Kyoto
- Fred Dixon (he/him), Brand USA
- John Tanzella (he/him), Ex Officio Member, IGLTA
IGLTA board members are selected from a nominating committee composed of current board members who are not up for reappointment and IGLTA members at large from around the world. Thank you to this year’s Nominating Committee: Amy Martin Zeigenfuss (she/her), Carnival Cruise Line; Dougal Mckenzie (he/him), Google; Mariangela Silvestre (she/her), Swissotel; Silvia Perez (she/her), Axel Hotels; and Alex Bernardes Pereira (he/him), LGBT+ Turismo Expo.
IGLTA would also like to thank the departing board members for their years of dedication and service: Amy Martin Zeigenfuss (she/her), Carnival Cruise Line; Albert Herrera (he/him), Internova; Maria Cuba (she/her), Airbnb; and Oriol Pamies (he/him), Queer Destinations.
For full bios of the IGLTA Board members and appointees, please email Allison.Mazzeo@iglta.org.
About IGLTA & the IGLTA Foundation
The International LGBTQ+ Travel Association is the global leader in advancing LGBTQ+ travel and a proud Affiliate Member of UN Tourism (formerly known as the United Nations World Tourism Organization). IGLTA’s mission is to enable authentic travel that enriches lives and connects the LGBTQ+ community and tourism industry. IGLTA's global network includes 13,000+ 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 at @IGLTA, @IGLTABusiness and @IGLTAFoundation, X and LinkedIn at @IGLTA and @IGLTAFoundation, and Instagram @IGLTA.