Explore winning teams, special awards, and vital business-travel topics covered in past Ladders seasons.
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2024 | Season 10
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2023 | Season 9
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2022 | Season 8
TOPIC
Shaping the future of travel through radical collaborations and partnerships
Collaboration between governments, travel industry stakeholders, and technology companies will be crucial in shaping the future of travel. This season we task teams to consider re-engineering the travel ecosystem through globalization, governance, and partnerships to elevate traveler experiences. How can strategic partnerships help to expand the globalization of travel platforms? What will an embracement of AI look like and how can travel companies and governing bodies partner with this emerging technology? How can public and private parties come together to drive regulatory and infrastructural changes that the world desperately needs to increase travel efficiencies or to accelerate the transition to a greener future? These are just some of the questions posed to teams as you navigate this dynamic topic through Season 10.
Season Keynote: Delphine Millot, Senior Vice President, Sustainability and Managing Director, GBTA Foundation
LOCATION
Chicago, IL
WINNING TEAM
Team Trusted Travel
Team Members:
- Robert Winkler
- Julie Stuckey
- Chris Merritt
- Dawn Schuller
- Katie K.
- Mary Corrales
- Sena Williams
- Stephen Bunkiewicz
SPECIAL AWARDS
Mentee of the Year
Kelly Schimke
Mentor of the Year
Rita Visser
Outstanding Contribution
Julie Stuckey
Someone to Watch
Emily Wong
Mentorship Excellence
Doug Payne
Outstanding Service
Natalie Gardner
Pinnacle Award
Rosemary Maloney
Founder’s Award
Caitlin Gomez
TOPIC
Get inspired: Looking beyond travel to drive change
The travel industry is no stranger to change, but true transformation is elusive. Elusive, though not impossible. Amazon revolutionized the retail landscape. SpaceX re-imagined space exploration. And social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok shape how people educate themselves, think and communicate around the world. How do they do it? What lessons, processes and inspiration can we take from industries outside of travel? How can we think beyond our typical environment to find new paths forward?
LOCATION
New Orleans, LA
WINNING TEAM
Team Travel Change
Team Members
- Itzetl Villanuava
- Lorena Hurtado
- Micha Van Eijk
- Stevie Leigh Harrison
Mentor: Anja Turner
Alumni Advisor: Kayleigh Rogers
SPECIAL AWARDS
Mentor of the Year
Katie Virtue and Dan Humby
Mentee of the Year
Sarah Whiting
Outstanding Contribution
Abby Pharr
TOPIC
Corporate responsibility, what’s next? Presented by Alejandro Aguirre, Strategic Purchasing Professional at P&G.
SUMMIT LOCATION
Nashville, TN
WINNING TEAM
Team Emma & Katharine
Team Members
- Ariel Cohen
- Cari Wurzbacher
- Edgar Sams
- Karl Bromley
- Killianne Clegg
- Nick Dewey
Mentor : Emma Wilson & Katharine Henry
Alumni Advisor : Abby Pharr
SPECIAL AWARDS
Mentor of the Year
Ken Augustine
Mentee of the Year
Cari Wurzbacher
Outstanding Contribution
Benjamin Ford
TOPIC
Connection as the Future of Travel. Presented by Leslie Andrews, Global category leader – travel at JLL.
SUMMIT LOCATION
Virtual
WINNING TEAM
Team Phillip & Anja
Team Members
- David Toledo
- Diego Panella
- Lyndsey Pomella
- Mark Haines
- Nancy Padilla
- Sarah Mayman
Mentor : Phillip Pena & Anja Turner
Alumni Advisor : Lindsay Straub
SPECIAL AWARDS
Mentor of the Year
Steve Proud
Mentee of the Year
Katherine Tomasi
Outstanding Contribution
Grace Knowlton
TOPIC
Defining & articulating value. Presented by Jo Lloyd, partner at Nina & Pinta.
SUMMIT LOCATION
Virtual
WINNING TEAM
Team Proud
Team Members
- Julie Sickel
- Carolina Castillo
- Bharti Keshwala
- Kayleigh Rogers
- Juliette Jackman
Mentor : Steve Proud
Alumni Advisor : Paul Coverdale
SPECIAL AWARDS
Mentor of the Year
Dan Raine
Mentee of the Year
David Toledo
Outstanding Contribution
Alexandria Prejean-Smith
TOPIC
Moving from Trust to Numbers. Presented by April Bridgeman, Managing Director at Advito.
SUMMIT LOCATION
Washington DC
WINNING TEAM
Team Survivor
Team Members
- Gemma Todman
- Ciara Buckley
- Lindsay Straub
- Karen Sanchez
- Tim Isik
Mentor : Natalie Gardner & Jason Beckham
Alumni Advisor : Ryan Sokoloff
SPECIAL AWARDS
Mentor of the Year
Jim Carter
Mentee of the Year
Evelyn Hamilton
Outstanding Contribution
Laura Choules
TOPIC
The role of buyers and suppliers to become marketers, sales people and engagement experts. Presented by Caroline Strachan, Managing Partner at Festive Road.
SUMMIT LOCATION
Miami, FL
WINNING TEAM
Team Barbara
Team Members
- Christopher Crowder
- Erin Kopp
- Grace Knowlton
- Jessica John
Mentor : Barbara Rose
Alumni Advisor : Norman Gregory
SPECIAL AWARDS
Mentor of the Year
Marc Castro
Mentee of the Year
Annisha Brown
TOPIC
Traveler centricity and the evolution of travel management
SUMMIT LOCATION
San Francisco, CA
WINNING TEAM
Team Andy & Erin
Team Members
- Norman Gregory
- Kate King
- Luther Shoultz
- Christopher Thomas
- Katharine Williams
Mentor : Erin Wilk & Andrew Miller
SPECIAL AWARDS
Leadership Award
Will Pinnel
Mentee of the Year
Ranga Chidawanyika
TOPIC
The total cost of the travel paradigm
SUMMIT LOCATION
Fort Worth, TX
WINNING TEAM
Team Phillip
Team Members
- Allison Davis
- April Hoppe
- Oneal Avila
- Melinda Kirk
Mentor : Phillip Pena
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