ATTA® Chief Executive Kgomotso Ramothea joins the board of Association of Women Travel Executives as membership director
Debbie O'Neill, Managing Director of Jules Verne, has been appointed as the new chair of the Association of Women Travel Executives (AWTE), taking over from Michelle Laverick, head of marketing at Jules Verne. Elena Ktori, founder of Antella Recruitment, joins as vice-chair. The appointments were announced at the AWTE's annual general meeting, alongside a new board of directors for 2026 - 2027 that includes seven new members spanning events, finance, social media, marketing, and sponsorship functions. Notably, African Travel & Tourism Association (ATTA®) Chief Executive Kgomotso Ramothea joins the board as membership director, and Advantage Travel Partnership's head of business development Lee Ainsworth has been appointed as a male ambassador to champion allyship across the travel industry.
O'Neill said her focus as chair will be on "fostering a modern, inclusive, and deeply human community - one where women feel a genuine sense of belonging, are empowered to grow both personally and professionally, and where allyship and collaboration shape the future of our industry together." The AWTE board refresh signals a renewed commitment to evolving the association's role as the travel industry continues to change, with the new leadership team representing a broad cross-section of travel sector disciplines and international experience.
Source: Travel Weekly
