Hold the frontpage, hang up the phone, skip the morning WIP, cancel dinner with your loved ones! The Women In Travel Awards shortlist is here!!

Women In Travel recognises the incredible breadth of female talent working in our industry and it’s no surprise that we’ve been utterly inundated with hundreds of entries. (OK, we’ll admit it, we’re a bit surprised because you crashed our server, but that’s got to be a good sign, right?!)

The level has been outstanding and there just couldn’t be a better group of travel industry superstars.

A panel of industry experts has been burning the midnight oil to whittle down those entries to formulate the SHORTLIST. This will then go to a second impartial panel of industry judges who will settle on the finalists and ultimate winners.

If you are on the shortlist, it is a stupendous effort – the level of excellence displayed has been awe-inspiring!

The last round of judging is currently underway and the FINALISTS will be announced in on 12 October, 2023.

In the meantime you can get your tickets here. Space is extremely limited and we anticipate the event will sell out fast, such is volume of entries. However, do note, this current list does not guarantee a spot as a finalist due to the last round of ongoing judging.

The fabulous night of nights will be held on 5 December at Dolton House Hyde Park, where you’ll be all set for a night of dancing and celebrating.

So pop the champagne!

Without further ado, here is the shortlist for the 2023 Women In Travel Awards!

Aviation

• Candice Steffensen – Lufthansa Group
• Deidre Parkes-Finch – United Airlines
• Shalina Sabar – LATAM Airlines Group
• Zoe Gentle – Air Canada
• Parris Bohun – Etihad

Corporate

• Dana Eccles – FCM Travel
• Lea Verna – Luxe Executive Travel
• Kristy Moore – Travel Moore
• Simone Seiler – FCM Meetings & Events
• Jaime Cahill – RAA Travel

Cruise

• Michelle Warren – MSC Cruises
• Oksana Prokopenko – Aurora Expeditions
• Chloe Jones – Princess Cruises
• Christine Oliver – Holland America Line
• Alexandra Hendry – Cruise Whitsundays
• Kara Glamore – Carnival Cruise Line
• Emma Mumford – Celebrity Cruises
• Jen Pagett – Uniworld Boutique River Cruises

Employer of the Year

• Flight Centre Travel Group
• Expedia Group Australia
• The Travel Corporation (TTC)
• TAG Group
• Linkd Tourism
• Trip.com

Entrepreneur of the Year

• Lisa Pagotto – Crooked Compass
• Kristy Moore – Travel Moore
• Stephanie Myers – Stephanie Myers Academy
• Kerry Williams – The Accessible Group Pty Ltd
• Leah Greengarten – Our Travel Curator
• Nicola Veltman – 1000 Mile Travel Group
• Maite Newell – National Travel
• Cassandra Sasso – Wander
• Sonia Beckwith – Live Ningaloo
• Kathleen Olive – Limelight Arts Travel
• Ingrid Berthelsen – Evolution Travel Collective
• Anna Shannon – Travel Agent Finder
• Erin Clark – Dark Stry
• Charlotte (Charlie) Trevena – Destination Webinars

Executive Leader of the Year

• Sarah Szubanski – Platinum Travel Group
• Katrina Connor – American Express Global Business Travel
• Rebecca Day – Stuba
• Kara Glamore – Carnival Cruise Line
• Wendy Harch – Travel at 60
• Alli (Allison) Pratt – TAG – The Appointment Group
• Meighan Nash – Flight Centre Travel Group
• Lisa Teiotu – MSC Cruises
• Fiona Dalton – Virtuoso
• Melinda Lampier – IHG Hotels & Resorts
• Carolyn Turnbull – Tourism Western Australia
• Danielle Galloway – Flight Centre – Independent & Luxury brands
• Marieke Tucker – Flight Centre Travel Group
• Jo McCauley – Southern Cross Travel Insurance
• Toni Ambler – TTC Tour Brands

Hotel

• Heidi Huynh – Nesuto Apartment Hotels
• Gail Deary – Nesuto Apartment Hotels
• Jane Lyons – Hyatt Regency Sydney
• Marianne O’Donoghue – Hyatt Regency Sydney
• Florencia Aimo – Marriott International
• Bennath Evea – Marriott International
• Victoria Peterson – The Langham, Gold Coast
• Linda Collis – Crowne Plaza Hobart
• Kim Mahaffy – Pier One Sydney Harbour
• Felicity Arthur – SKYE Suites Green Square
• Anthea Scerri – Le Meridien Melbourne

Marketer of the Year

• Adelle Clements – G Adventures
• Lisa Pagotto – Crooked Compass
• Kaitlyn Birkinshaw – Railbookers
• Gabby Bailey – Flight Centre Travel Group
• Kirra Loh – Globus Family of Brands
• Mahala Summers – 1000 Mile Travel Group
• Chloe Jones – Princess Cruises
• Megan Henderson – Flight Centre
• Zoe Dean – Virtuoso
• Samantha McQueen – Intrepid
• Louisa Bayman – Ormina Tours
• Emma Mumford – Celebrity Cruises
• Alison O’Loughlin – AAT Kings
• Alison Diaper – nib Travel
• Nadia Jacobs – AAT Kings Group

Mentor of the Year

• Mylinda Joyce – The Travel Corporation
• Roslyn Ranse – Travel Agent Achievers
• Kristen Delugar – Traveldream
• Lysanda Hooper – Travel at 60
• Stephanie Myers – Stephanie Myers Academy
• Sophia Cogan – G Adventures
• Sahar Elsemary – Taste Cultural Food Tours Inc
• Allisa O’Connell – Flight Centre Travel Group
• Alex Smart – Southern Cross Travel Insurance

PR of the Year

• Anna Riedel – The Walshe Group
• Heather Mollins – Bonza
• Kristine George – The Walshe Group
• Alice Moore – Élysée Collective
• Jodie Hart – Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Retail

• Leisa Davis – Helloworld
• Kristen Delugar – Traveldream
• Rose Febo – TravelManagers
• Ashlea Blake – Blake Travel
• Melissa Goodwin – Travel Partners Cronulla
• Courtney Ledger – Flight Centre Travel Group
• Caroline Barrow – Globe Trotters Cruise and Touring
• Sonia Jones – Sonia Jones Travel
• Kelley Matson – Helloworld
• Romaine Ferdinands – Jet Travel and Cruise
• Clare Dos Santos – RAA Travel
• Samantha Young – Northshore Travel
• Diana Chan – Flight Centre Forest Hill
• Belle Goldie – itravel Penrith

Rising Star of the Year

• Casey Waller – Inside Japan Tours
• Paulina Rozbicki – AAT Kings Group
• Mary Karadimas – TAG – The Appointment Group
• Josephine Allen – Warrnambool Travel
• Kayla Morabito – Nesuto The Entrance Apartment Hotel
• Gemma Medhurst – Élysée Collective

Sales Person of the Year

• Rose Febo – TravelManagers
• Elsa Adrie McLean – Regent Seven Seas Cruises
• Amelya Grey – Aurora Expeditions
• Jacqueline Tufala – Abercrombie & Kent
• Christine Oliver – Holland America Line
• Nikki Woodward – G Adventures
• Francine Gildon – Uniworld
• Martine Nunes – Oceania Cruises
• Rachel Kingswell – Travel Associates Australia
• Sarah Catherine Hoskin – Globus Family of Brands
• Julie McLean – FCM Travel
• Gemma Boyd – The Travel Corporation
• Isabel Limn – Intrepid
• Christie Haworth – The Langham, Gold Coast
• Suzy McPhail – TTC Tour Brands

Sustainable Practices Champion

• Professor Catheryn Khoo – Torrens University Australia
• Michelle Degenhardt – Flight Centre Travel Group
• Helen Vine – YHA Australia
• Caryn Young – Adventure World
• Susanne Etti – Intrepid Travel
• Erica Hazen – Intrepid Travel

Social Media

• Lisa Pagotto – Crooked Compass
• Vicki Fletcher – Flight Centre
• Sasha McAlister – Contiki
• Emma Hale – The Langham, Gold Coast

Tourism Board Representative of the Year

• Jennifer Gaskin – Hawaii Tourism Oceania
• Balljid Kour – Tourism Malaysia – Sydney
• Yana Shvarts – South African Tourism

Wholesale/Tour Operator

• Lisa Pagotto – Crooked Compass
• Deanne June Scanlan – Enticing Destinations
• Samantha Van Eldik – Adventure World
• Hayley Jane Morris – Sisterhood Womens Travel
• Serisha Ramdhani – Tauck
• Jenny Gray – Intrepid Travel
• Tanya Blaxill – Bedsonline
• Cara McCombs – Room-Res
• Fibri Kuttinath – Bedsonline
• Melinda Wouda – Globus Family of Brands
• Sarah Catherine Hoskin – Globus Family of Brands
• Kate Baker – World Expeditions

Big thanks to our incredible sponsors!