APPOINTMENTS
Ely Matlow/Voyzant Corporate Travel
Voyzant Corporate Travel has appointed Ely Matlow as Vice President of Sales, which it describes as a strategic addition to its leadership team as the company positions for sustained growth in the evolving corporate travel sector.
Matlow brings over 15 years of progressive sales leadership and deep expertise in the travel industry to this role, where he will be responsible for the corporate travel global sales team, expanding Voyzant’s market presence and driving enterprise client acquisition.
Léonardo Fiori/Transat
Transat has appointed Léonardo Fiori to the role of Account Manager for the territories of Montréal, Laval, Lanaudière, Laurentides, and Abitibi.
Fiori holds a degree in tourism and hospitality management and is fluent in five languages: Portuguese, English, Spanish, French, and Italian. He has held several positions at Transat Tours Canada, including Special Groups and Events Coordinator, Group Agent, and Reservations Agent. He also spent several years working for Club Med, where he held management roles in various international destinations such as Turkey, Brazil, and Mexico.
Transat says his career reflects a strong adaptability, a keen sense of customer service, and a passion for human relations.
He can be reached at: [email protected].
Gihana Galindo/Cuba Tourist Board
The Cuba Tourist Board has announced that Gihana Galindo has been appointed as the new Director of the Cuba Tourist Board in Toronto.
Galindo’s appointment is effective Oct. 15, 2025 and she succeeds Mr. Lessner Gomez, who will return to Havana after six highly successful years leading the organization in Canada.
Galindo brings extensive experience to her new role. For the past three years, she has served as Commercial Director at the Ministry of Tourism of Cuba, where she led several international initiatives to promote the island as a premier travel destination.
Her work has included close collaboration with Canadian tour operators, giving her strong familiarity with the market and its key players.
Daniel Finkel/Ensemble
Daniel Finkel has been named as Senior Vice President, Partner Relations, for Ensemble effective immediately. Finkel will lead Ensemble’s partner strategy with an external-first focus deepening relationships with preferred suppliers and negotiating high-value, profitable agreements that enhance member success.
He brings a proven track record of more than 13 years in the global travel space, having shaped strategy, partnerships, and growth at some of the industry’s most recognized brands. This includes his tenure at Expedia in Strategy and Transformation where he was responsible for setting strategic direction, driving new business development, and leading internal transformation across the company’s leisure air, lodging, corporate travel, and advertising divisions.
He also held several executive roles at Navan including Chief Commercial Officer and Chief Travel Officer leading global expansion and strategic partnerships while driving business development and operations across the company’s travel and fintech businesses. He also held leadership roles at Fareportal as Chief Operating Officer and at Navigatr.
Marco Pozzobon/ACTA
ACTA has promoted Marco Pozzobon to the role of Vice President, Strategic Partnerships and Business Development, effective Oct. 1, 2025.
In his new role, Pozzobon will continue to forge key partnerships and further drive business development to support ACTA’s long-term vision.
Pozzobon has been with ACTA for 15 years and his leadership, expertise, and ability to foster strong relationships have been instrumental in positioning ACTA for continued success.
Caroline Tinsley/Intrepid Travel
Intrepid Travel has promoted Caroline Tinsley to the newly created role of head of partnerships, Canada, marking a key strategic investment in the company’s growth across the Canadian market.
In her new role, Tinsley will lead Intrepid’s partnership strategy in Canada, with a focus on accelerating industry collaborations, expanding brand alliances, and forging strategic partnerships that deliver long-term impact and visibility for Intrepid.
She will report directly into the regional leadership team and oversee a growing team of Key Partnership Managers as part of an expanded Canadian structure. Tinsley previously served as Global DMC Partnerships Manager, where she was instrumental in building global supplier relationships and developing scalable, purpose-led travel products. Tinsley officially stepped into the role on Sept. 22, with a phased handover of her global responsibilities already underway.
Sébastien Benedict/TIAC
The Tourism Industry Association of Canada’s (TIAC) Board of Directors has announced the appointment of Sébastien Benedict as the new President and Chief Executive Officer of the association.
Benedict’s appointment is effective Oct. 20, 2025, and he brings extensive experience in public affairs, government relations, and leadership as he takes on the new role of leading Canada’s tourism industry forward during a time of opportunity and renewal.
In making the announcement of Benedict’s appointment, TIAC’s thanked Claude Paul Boivin, who served as interim CEO during the transition. His steadfast stewardship helped guide TIAC through a period of change and ensure continuity for the organization and its members.
Nathalie Bombardier/TravelBrands
TravelBrands has appointed Nathalie Bombardier to the role of Business Development Manager for Québec. In her role, Bombardier will focus on supporting travel agents in Rive-Sud, West Montreal, Downtown Montreal, Estrie, Abitibi, and Gatineau regions, ensuring
they have the tools, training, and resources to maximize their success.
With nearly 30 years of experience in marketing – including almost a decade supporting partner relations for a major loyalty program and, most recently, seven years in the travel industry as a Marketing Specialist – Bombardier brings extensive experience and passion for travel to her new role at TravelBrands.
Her strong marketing background gives her a clear understanding of the challenges agencies face in promoting products and meeting traveller expectations. She provides practical, tailored solutions,
whether it’s helping agents better position TravelBrands’ offers or sharing simple, effective sales ideas. Her focus remains consistent: to equip agents with the tools and confidence they need to succeed.
Jodine Clement/TTC Tour Brands
TTC Tour Brands has promoted Jodine Clement to Director of Sales, Canada. In her new role, Clement will oversee national sales strategies, strengthen partnerships with travel advisors and continue building on the company’s growth in the Canadian market. Clement was recently recognized as a Favourite Supplier Representative at the 2025 Agents’ Choice Awards, and brings 33 years of experience in the travel industry to her new leadership role.
To build on its momentum in Canada, TTC Tour Brands is expanding its sales team, recruiting for Clement’s successor as Sales Manager for Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and adding new sales development roles focused on delivering localized resources and stronger partnership opportunities for advisors.
Effective immediately, Clement will work alongside Jenni Berg, Director of National Accounts, who continues as a core leader for both Canada and the United States, ensuring advisors benefit from consistent guidance and support. These investments highlight TTC Tour Brands’ focus on delivering more leadership access, on-the-ground expertise and sales support to advisors, ensuring Canada remains a priority growth market.
Juliana Ramirez, Caitlin Peddle, Eric Tanner/Flair Airlines
Flair Airlines has announced three new internal promotions for its leadership team, rounding out the airline’s c-suite for the next stage of growth. Juliana Ramirez as Chief Digital Officer (CDO), Caitlin Peddle will serve as Chief People Officer (CPO) and Eric Tanner as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO).
Ramirez has led Flair’s digital strategy and innovation, delivering top-performing ancillary products and driving major upgrades to streamline the customer journey.
Peddle has been a driving force behind Flair’s inclusive workplace culture. She led the introduction of the company’s new corporate culture and is now leading its strategic rollout across the 1,150+ person organization.
Tanner, a four-year Flair veteran, has overseen commercial transformation, including record revenue growth and the launch of the Flair FWD brand strategy.
Shannon Lofdahl/Allianz Global Assistance Canada
Allianz Global Assistance Canada (Allianz) has appointed Shannon Lofdahl as vice president and head of field sales for North America.
Lofdahl joins Allianz after spending more than 25 years in the travel insurance and travel and tourism industries, which included a long-term executive role at a major travel insurance provider.
Her new duties at the travel insurance and assistance company include leading the travel markets field sales team to support partners in the retail travel advisor and wholesale cruise and tour markets.
Lofdahl will support the company’s outstanding field sales team to ensure the success of new and existing partners in both Canada and the U.S.
Bernadine D’Souza/Onvigo
Onvigo has appointed Bernadine D’Souza to its training team. D’Souza is a seasoned travel industry professional with more than 25 years of expertise in sales, training and leadership. Her arrival marks an exciting step in Onvigo’s strategic shift from a learning and development model to a focused, training-specific approach designed to equip travel advisors for lasting success in today’s fast-evolving travel market.
D’Souza’s career included being a Travel Branch Manager for over two decades. She has opened, closed, and merged retail locations while leading teams to repeatedly surpass revenue goals. Her leadership style is rooted in mentorship, hands-on coaching, and an unwavering commitment to professional excellence.
Beyond front-line leadership, she has worked as a Training Manager and Workforce Development Manager, specializing in elevating advisor performance. Earlier in her career, she served as a Business Development Manager for an air consolidator in Toronto and shared her deep industry knowledge as a travel and tourism instructor at both public and private Ontario colleges, helping to inspire the next generation of travel professionals.
Cindy Lam/Cathay Pacific
Cathay Pacific has appointed Cindy Lam as Senior Vice President, Americas. Starting Sept. 1, Lam will lead Cathay’s strategic vision and business operations in the region, covering passenger travel, cargo and lifestyle.
Lam brings nearly 24 years of distinguished service at Cathay Pacific, having built an exceptional career spanning multiple continents and diverse operational areas. Lam is succeeding Chris Vanden Hooven, who will be retiring.
Prior to her new role, Lam served as General Manager Customer Care from July 2021 based in Hong Kong, during which she led Cathay’s customer service strategy and operations across its global network. Her extensive background also includes serving as Head of Strategic Planning and Projects in the Flight Operations Department from 2017 to 2021, where she played a pivotal role in shaping operational strategy and executing key efficiency initiatives.
Lam’s appointment comes at a pivotal time as Cathay continues to expand its global footprint and strengthen its presence in the Americas market.
Dave Hodges/Virgin Atlantic
Virgin Atlantic has appointed Dave Hodges as its new Vice President, Americas, effective Oct. 1, 2025. Hodges has been at Virgin Atlantic for 12 years, with roles ranging from government affairs, cabin crew operations, and as Country Manager for India, Virgin Atlantic’s third largest market behind the UK and the US.
Currently, he serves as the Head of Heathrow, where he oversees the airline’s operation and presence at its home hub airport. In this cross-functional leadership role, Hodges will be located in Atlanta, overseeing Virgin Atlantic teams across the US, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean.
His remit will span Commercial, Cargo, Airport Operations, Finance, People, and more, across 18 destinations. He will work closely with leaders in the UK to develop and execute the Americas strategy, supporting the company’s vision to be the most loved travel company.
Paola Briata/CATO
The Canadian Association of Tour Operators (CATO) has appointed Paola Briata, VP of Contracting and Operations Product Delivery at WorldStrides, to its Board of Directors, effective immediately.
Briata is a multilingual and accomplished travel industry executive with 30 years of international experience across the leisure, corporate, cruise, and educational travel sectors.
Originally from Europe and residing in Canada for the past two decades, Briata brings a uniquely global perspective shaped by her extensive career and multicultural background. She began her professional journey with an Italian tour operator specializing in FIT and leisure groups before expanding her expertise across MICE, corporate, and cruise travel operations.
Anthony Considine/Intrepid Travel
Intrepid Travel has announced the promotion of Anthony Considine as Head of Sales, North America, marking a significant step forward in the company’s ambitious 2030 growth strategy.
Since joining Intrepid in 2024 as Sales Manager for Tailor-Made, Considine has made a major impact, growing Tailor-Made sales by 66% year-over-year, delivering a record-breaking month in December 2024, and representing Intrepid at key industry events.
In his new role, Considine will oversee Intrepid’s sales strategy across the U.S. and Canada, reporting to Christian Wolters, Intrepid’s North American GM.
Based in Vancouver and relocating to the Toronto office, Considine is focused on scaling revenue, deepening trade relationships, and building a dynamic, unified sales culture aligned with Intrepid’s B Corp values.
Lisette Martinez/Swan Hellenic
Michele Kempf/TTC Tour Brands
TTC Tour Brands announced changes to their sales team in Canada with the hiring of Michele Kempf as sales manager representing Atlantic Canada and Quebec. Kempf joins the team following the recent retirement of Ken Nickerson from his sales manager role after 16 years with The Travel Corporation.
Based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Michele brings more than seven years of experience in the tourism industry with a strong background in sales, operations and client relationship management. Fluent in English, French and German, she is passionate about connecting with travel advisors and creating meaningful partnerships.
Noah Case/VoX International
VoX International has appointed Noah Case to the role of account executive, Eastern Canada for Tourism Australia, based in Toronto.
Case began his career in the tourism industry with VoX as a summer intern and grew into a full-time position while completing his Bachelor of Business Administration in Hospitality and Tourism Management at George Brown College. His experience spans event coordination, marketing, and trade development, including representing destinations at industry trade shows, leading in-person training sessions for travel agents, and supporting logistics for events of all sizes.
In his new role, Case will support Tourism Australia’s travel trade efforts in Eastern Canada alongside Paul Larcher, the Tourism Australia account director for Canada, while working closely with Gustavo Inciarte, who continues to support Tourism Australia in the Western Canada market based in Vancouver.
He can be reached at Noah@voxinternational.com.
Monique Lalonde/TRAVELSAVERS Canada
TRAVELSAVERS Canada has promoted Monique Lalonde to senior director, strategic partnerships, a role the company said reflects her deep industry expertise, proven leadership and unwavering commitment to building meaningful partner relationships.
With over 35 years of experience in the travel industry and more than four years at TRAVELSAVERS Canada, Lalonde manages preferred supplier relationships and drives strategic growth. In her new position, she will lead the development of innovative strategies, cultivate new accounts, and continue to enhance the value TRAVELSAVERS Canada delivers to both its network and suppliers.
Samantha Gillingham/Bedsonline
Bedsonline US & Canada has named Samantha Gillingham as key account manager to support travel agencies and agents in Eastern Canada.
Gillingham has many years of travel industry experience with roles at Club Med, Sunwing and most recently at Jayne’s Luxury Rentals.
