OUR TEAM

is a 36-year veteran in the hospitalityand tourism industry after starting her career at Continental and UnitedAirlines before spending the next 15 years in hotel management at Hilton Hotelsand Resorts, Hyatt Regency and The Ritz Carlton Hotel brand. Karin is anexperienced destination marketing professional after working in severalleadership positions at Visit Loudoun, (Virginia) Visit Montgomery (Maryland) before beinghired as the President & CEO at the Greater Newark Convention and VisitorsBureau. •Karin is responsible for the strategicdirection of the organization to include financial performance, short/longrange planning, advocacy and branding. Karin is a recognized, thought leader and currently holds certificationsas a Certified Tourism Ambassador, (CTA), Sports Tourism Strategist (STS), Executive Education -Hospitality &Tourism Certification from Florida Atlantic University, Certificate inDiversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and pending Certified DestinationManagement Executive (CDME) from Destinations International. Karin isalso managing partner at KKD TourismAdvisors, LLP.

With over 25 years of tourism experience and formerly served as Vice President of Sales for the Pocono Mountains Convention andVisitors Bureau, Inc. and as Meeting and Event Sales for the Bucks CountyCVB. David is responsible for businessand revenue growth, research, planning and implementing new target marketing initiatives. David has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Marketing from Hampton University and hasbeen awarded the designation of Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) by theEvents Industry Council (EIC). He currently serves the Executive Board for (NYSAE) NewYork Society of Association Executives and is a former past president ofPhiladelphia Chapter of Meetings Professionals International (MPI). David isalso managing partner at KKD Tourism Advisors, LLP

John is an innovator and operator with over 25 years of leadership, management, and entrepreneurial experience. In 2002, John co-founded The Hub, an innovative “3rd Space” corporate meeting space platform, disrupting the work place with on-demand meeting space and all-inclusive pricing. The Hub was also a socially responsible vanguard as a founding B-Corp member and the United States’ first privately-held green meeting facility.

A creative and imaginative thinker since she was young, Yvonne always had a gift for thinking outside the box. She obtained her bachelor's in Advertising Art and Marketing from McDaniel College in 2009, since graduating she’s earned six professional certifications in Marketing and two professional certificates from Cornell. In 2017 she founded PinkDollhouse Marketing, through her business, Yvonne specializes in working with creatives, non-profits, and Minority-owned small businesses to grow their brand voice through social media, strategic corporate sponsorships, & brand management. An advocate for education and the arts, Yvonne has worked with Washington DC-based nonprofits Red Sprinkle, Suited for Change, and iFly youth; organizations dedicated to providing minorities and women with educational and career readiness training. She created a social media-based fundraiser #MPowerBlackWomenMarketers to raise awareness about the need for diversity and inclusion for Black women in the industry, who currently represent 6% of the field from entry-level to executive. Yvonne continues to share her knowledge by creating her YouTube show turned podcast Coffee with Yvonne, -achieving 10k downloads in its first year as a podcast- in which she connects with thought leaders and creatives changing the game in their industry... over coffee. In 2023 she was recognized by the African American Marketing Association as one of the 50 Black Marketers To Watch 2023-Influencers & Media Innovators & Social Media & Podcast & YouTube and MarTech Awards 2023: Best Boutique Marketing Agency-Washington, DC.

John has been at the forefront of the meetings and events industry for years, having pioneered Strategic Meetings Management, electronic RFPs, meeting and spend management software, industry business communities and specialty applications & processes for businesses.During the Covid-19 pandemic, John took the lead in industry research by conducting 65 weekly surveys to meeting professionals and decision makers. Its findings and data have been published extensively, and used by numerous industry organizations, enterprise clients and service providers around the world. John is a four-time winner of the 25 Most Influential Executives of the Travel Industry” award, and a four-time winner of the !25 Most Influential Executives in the Meetings Industry” award.

David Ward is a strategic advisor who has over a decade of experience in operations management across the Hospitality and SaaS industries. He began his career in Human Resources, quickly establishing himself as a key player in transforming operational efficiencies and improving company processes. David then transitioned to hotel and conference operations, where he excelled in managing costs and improving customer service. David holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from East Carolina University. He is committed to continuous improvement and innovation, applying data-driven decision-making to guide operational strategies. David also has a passion for community service, regularly engaging in volunteer work that supports technology education initiatives. His leadership extends beyond professional settings as he mentors emerging professionals in the industry, helping them harness technology to drive business success. David is currently the Director of Operations with the Museum of Illusions and he is the Co-Founder of Aloha Life.