SPEAKERS

Founder & CEO, OK Tomorrow

Michael Clinton is an author, thought leader, and keynote speaker on the evolving personal and business effects of the New Longevity.

Michael’s most recent book is ROAR Into The Second Half of Your Life. He is also a writer-at-large for Esquire and a regular contributor to Men’s Health.  The former president and publishing director of Hearst Magazines, he now serves as both the CEO and founder of ROAR forward and a special media advisor to the CEO of Hearst Corporation.

Michael lives the ROAR forward life.  He is a published photographer, a traveler to 126 countries, a marathoner (running marathons on seven continents including recently running the Tenzing Hillary Mount Everest Marathon in Nepal), a pilot, CEO of a non-profit foundation, a co-owner of a vineyard in Argentina, and holder of multiple degrees (a bachelor’s, two master’s, and an honorary doctorate).  He has won multiple awards for his support of the media industry and for his work in the New Longevity.

President & CEO Van Hooser Leadership

Alyson is on a sold-out mission to help leaders succeed in the complex, modern workforce! As President & CEO of Van Hooser Associates, Inc., and a trusted authority on effective leadership, Alyson draws from a wealth of experience—leading in the financial industry, serving as an elected city council member at just 26, and working extensively in leadership training and executive coaching across industries.

She connects authentically with the challenges leaders face today by working directly with clients across the country—from boards and executives to frontline employees. By uncovering what truly works in leadership, she brings those hard-earned insights straight to her audience.  Tough beginnings taught Alyson the radical power of an ownership mindset–one that transforms the trajectory of your life and helps you achieve audacious goals in business. Alyson’s work reveals future-proof, practical, immediately actionable, strategies for captivating, connecting, and compelling people to move forward with you, whether it be customers or team members! Her results-obsessed inspiration guides people at all stages of their careers to make practical changes that drive real-life changing results!

Senior Technology Manager, Travel Leaders Network

As a Senior Technology Manager, Andie leads Agent Profiler initiatives that help advisors put their best foot forward online. Her work centers on thoughtful technology, collaboration, and building solutions that are both practical and impactful.

CTIE, Vice President of Education at The Travel Institute

She is Vice President of Education at the Travel Institute where she leads the strategy, development, and advancement of professional certification and training programs for travel professionals. Guida brings over 26+ years of Travel Industry experience in front-line sales and education. This unique combination positions her as a dedicated leader in elevating industry standards through rigorous, practical education that strengthens knowledge and credibility. Through forward-thinking curriculum and strategic partnerships, Guida champions lifelong learning as the foundation for professional excellence in travel.

Executive Vice President and General Counsel – Internova Travel Group

Helena (Lena) Daras serves as Executive Vice President and General Counsel for Internova Travel Group, one of the world’s largest travel services companies with 100,000 travel advisors in 6,000 locations in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, and a presence in more than 80 countries.

As Internova’s Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Lena oversees all legal matters for the company worldwide, including corporate governance, regulatory and compliance matters, litigation, mergers and acquisitions, commercial transactions, intellectual property, strategic partnerships and labor and employment matters. She also oversees the company’s government affairs activities. Lena is based in the company’s New York office. She joined Internova Travel Group in 2018. Previously, Lena served as Assistant General Counsel at computer software company Persado where she was responsible for all legal and compliance matters, corporate governance, intellectual property and employment issues. She also worked as Counsel at investment management firm Columbus Nova where she managed commercial contracts, debt and equity financing, corporate governance materials and employment and litigation matters. Lena earned her Bachelor of Arts from Columbia University and her law degree from Fordham School of Law.

Founder of Bmodelr & Advocate for SMB Value Creation

Jeffrey (Jeff) Bruno is a seasoned financial leader, entrepreneur, and founder of Bmodelr — a productized service designed to help small and mid-size businesses improve performance, profitability, and value without losing the human side of business. With more than 25 years of experience as a CFO, advisor, and operator, Jeff has dedicated his career to serving SMBs that have long been underserved by traditional consulting models, lenders, and enterprise-only tools.Jeff’s philosophy is rooted in trust and human connection.

In 2013, Jeff founded Your Outsourced CFO to help SMB owners connect financial results to real operating decisions. While effective, progress depended too heavily on the advisor — insight arrived after the fact, decisions lagged the work, and improvement stalled between meetings. Jeff realized sustainable value creation required decision discipline embedded directly into how work gets managed. Bmodelr was created to systematize that discipline, so problems don’t repeat. Bmodelr reflects Jeff’s pursuit of the right way to harness AI for SMBs — pairing AI-enabled technology with structured support and human insight. Rather than replacing people, it empowers owners and teams to understand their business model, connect actions to outcomes, and manage performance independently, with Jeff and his team supporting adoption and long-term value.

Jeff holds a Bachelor’s degree from The George Washington University and a Master’s in International Business from Temple University’s Fox School of Business.

Chief Risk Advisor, Internova Travel Group

Dr. John M. Rose is a globally recognized authority on mergers and acquisitions (M&A), geopolitical strategy, organizational behavior, and travel risk management, with over 20 years of executive experience, including roles as President, Chief Operating Officer, and Chief Risk Officer for major multinational firms. Rose offers unmatched expertise at the intersection of corporate growth, strategic risk, and operational execution. He has led or advised on more than 120 M&A transactions worldwide, with a specialized focus on post-merger integration and cultural alignment. His original research on the financial impact of organizational culture in M&A is widely cited and serves as the foundation for his forthcoming contributions to the Advances in Mergers and Acquisitions academic series. Dr. Rose is also the architect of a proprietary framework that quantifies cultural friction and integration costs, bridging theory and practice to drive real-world deal success. A trusted advisor to Fortune 500 companies, private equity firms, and U.S. government agencies, Dr. Rose speaks internationally on the implications of macroeconomic volatility, regulatory shifts, and geopolitical disruption on cross-border business strategy. His sessions translate complex global dynamics into pragmatic insights for boards, investors, and senior executives.

Dr. Rose is also one of the world’s foremost experts on travel risk management and duty of care. He has developed global crisis response programs supporting millions of travelers, conducted high-risk extractions, and built operational continuity systems for global enterprises. He is a frequent media analyst, featured by FOX News, CNN, ABC, Bloomberg, and BBC, where he delivers trusted commentary on global risk and preparedness. In addition to his corporate and advisory roles, Dr. Rose serves on the faculty of Pepperdine University’s Graziadio Business School, where he teaches executive-level courses in M&A, strategic risk, and international business. A Fulbright Specialist, MENSA member, and decorated U.S. Marine Corps veteran, he brings academic rigor, operational depth, and global perspective to every audience.

Sr. Digital Strategist – Travel Leaders Network

Joshua Mathe is a seasoned digital marketing professional with extensive experience in developing and executing comprehensive growth strategies. His career highlights a strong proficiency in search engine optimization (SEO), content marketing, and data-driven decision-making to enhance brand visibility. He has successfully led cross-functional teams and managed high-impact campaigns across various digital platforms to drive user engagement and conversion. Additionally, his background reflects a commitment to staying at the forefront of marketing technology and industry trends to deliver measurable business results

VP, Compliance & Sustainability, Internova Travel Group

Ka-Wai Siu has over 30 years in the travel industry, with two decades focused on regulatory compliance and corporate governance. She oversees compliance, ethics, and sustainability programs at Internova Travel Group, where she led the company to EcoVadis medal status and earned a Gold Magellan Award for its new ESG strategy. Ka-Wai also manages Internova’s Green Circle, an Eco-Luxe Sustainability initiative. Previously, she served as Director of Strategic Partnerships at Internova, worked with a leading financial institution, and held various positions at Global Business Travel (GBT), American Express TRS, and Citibank Zurich.

Kimberly Cohen is a Board-Certified Cardiovascular Nurse Practitioner with over 20 years of experience in critical care and heart health, a certified meditation and yoga instructor, IIN Health Coach, and Certified Excellence Menopause Coach.  Kimberly works with busy professionals balancing demanding schedules at work and at home. Through movement and mindfulness practices, she helps high performers feel better in their bodies, clearer in their minds, and more grounded in their daily lives.

At conferences and corporate events, Kimberly demonstrates practical movement, breathwork, and short meditation techniques designed to fit seamlessly into real workdays—between sessions, at your desk, or on the road—so participants leave with tools they can use immediately. Kimberly is also the founder of Midlife Mentor Kimberly, where she supports women in navigating the physical, emotional, and psychological shifts of midlife with clarity, confidence, and joy.

Kris Parkin serves as Chief People Officer of Human Resources for Internova Travel Group, a leading travel services company that directly employs approximately 3,000 staff managing operations of three specialized travel divisions. Ms. Parkin is responsible for all aspects of human resources including organizational development, employee benefits, payroll, recruitment and employee relations. She has spent more than 30 years as a human resources professional within the travel industry. She has worked to automate the hiring and performance management processes and align the human resources systems and programs of new acquisitions with the larger organization.

She began her career with Minneapolis-based Carlson Leisure Group (CLG), rising to the position of Senior Director, Human Resources, prior to being appointed Vice President of Human Resources for Travel Leaders Group in 2008. She is credited with playing a pivotal role in the growth and development of the company, as well as its inception in 1996. The company changed its name to Internova Travel Group in 2020. Ms. Parkin holds a degree from the University of Northwestern in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Max Goldfarb is a seasoned cybersecurity and technology executive with more than 25 years of experience driving enterprise-scale transformation and securing complex, global environments. As Global Chief Security Officer at Internova Travel Group, he leads the organization’s global cybersecurity strategy, overseeing enterprise risk management and identity and access management across a diverse portfolio of travel brands. Prior to his role as GCSO, Max served as Internova’s Chief Technology Officer, where he led major digital initiatives including cloud migrations, enterprise application deployments, and large-scale infrastructure modernization efforts.

His career spans hands-on systems engineering through executive leadership, enabling him to combine deep technical expertise with strategic vision. Max holds multiple industry-recognized certifications, including CISSP, CGRC, and ISSMP, and earned his degree in Information Systems Security. He has contributed to industry advisory boards and technology committees and is passionate about delivering secure, scalable solutions that align with business objectives while meeting regulatory and compliance requirements.

Owen Van Syckle brings over 23 years of hands-on experience in helping sales teams, leaders and organizations achieve breakthrough growth. At the heart of his mission is the belief that high-performance sales aren’t just about tactics—it’s about transforming mindset, process and team culture. His approach combines a deep understanding of human behavior (including tools like DISC assessments) with proven sales methodology and real-world business strategy.

He’s worked across diverse industries with private & public sector clients, helping both small teams and large corporations reset their sales engines and consistently deliver record results.

She began her travel industry career in 1984. Her career path has been fun and exciting, including stints as a Travel Director and
Operations Manager at Maritz Travel, Cruise Sales, and VP of National Accounts at INTRAV.

Noonan is an accomplished public speaker and educator and spends much of time coaching and mentoring travel industry professionals, especially those considering careers in travel.

Renee has 25+ years of experience in branding, institutional growth, and integrated communications. At The Travel Institute, she leads national marketing initiatives supporting certification advancement and industry partnerships.

Her background includes executive-level brand leadership in higher education and strategic communications for construction initiatives at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Renee holds a Master of Science in Marketing Communications and is dedicated to advancing professionalism through education and strategic storytelling.

Renee has 25+ years of experience in branding, institutional growth, and integrated communications. At The Travel Institute, she leads national marketing initiatives supporting certification advancement and industry partnerships.

Her background includes executive-level brand leadership in higher education and strategic communications for construction initiatives at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Renee holds a Master of Science in Marketing Communications and is dedicated to advancing professionalism through education and strategic storytelling.

Stuart Cohen is an unshakeable force in the travel industry—a former supplier executive, entrepreneur, and performance strategist who brings a rare blend of insider credibility and perspective-flipping insight. With 22 years on the supplier side and 18 years on stage as a sought-after speaker, Stuart is bold, witty, and refreshingly direct. He served in executive leadership roles with influential brands including World Travel Holdings, Celebrity Cruises, Vacation.com (now Travel Leaders Network).

Stuart’s real-world entrepreneurial success gives him actualized, earned authority when speaking about mindset, strategy, and performance.  Stuart later founded Resort For A Day™, a high-growth online business he built from the ground up and ultimately sold to World Travel Holdings—scaling hotel day passes into a globally recognized offering benefiting hotels and cruisers. Known for his belief that loyalty-grade service is the true engine of sustainable growth, Stuart’s Endurance Selling work helps sales teams reach stretch goals through energy management and relationship mastery. A competitive endurance triathlete, Certified ADHD Life Coach, and founder of ADHD As A Skill Set™, he brings a deep understanding of human behavior that helps individuals and organizations achieve lasting success and happiness.

Thomas R. Carpenter is an attorney in private practice, representing clients in the arts, entertainment, media, and travel industries. With 30 years of experience, he has run the legal department of two major entertainment industry labor organizations and served on the leadership team that led the merger between the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (“AFTRA”) and the Screen Actors Guild. He was named Labor Counsel of the Year by the Association of Media and Entertainment Counsel in 2012. He is a Professional Educator with The Travel Institute, and participates in the International Forum for Travel and Tourism Advocates. He is also a co-founder of Huckleberry Travel, an award-winning travel business.