2026 Summit Speakers and Bios

Sally Berry is an experienced Tourism Professional with over 25 years of experience working at attractions, a regional Tourism office, and as an industry consultant and speaker. As Program Director at Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance, her role was to bring together different types of businesses to work together for the growth of the regional tourism economy. In her role as Global Tourism Manager at the Corning Museum of Glass, she led a team that implemented wide-ranging strategies to continually grow visitation - both from regional guests as well as visitors from around the world. During her tenure, Berry was named a ‘Top Tourism Networker’ as well as ‘Top 20 Tourism Professional in the U.S’ by Tour Operator magazine. In her current role managing both Great Lakes USA and Cruise the Great Lakes, Berry represents the organizations at trade shows and press events, and continues to build value for her partner states and members.

Adam Burke serves as President & CEO of the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board, the official, non-profit tourism promotion organization for the City of Angels. With its mission to “improve the quality of life for all Angelenos through the economic and community benefits of tourism,” Los Angeles Tourism is proud to represent over 1,000 Member businesses across the local travel & tourism sector, which is one of the region’s largest contributors to employment, business sales, and tax revenues.  With more than 30 years of travel & tourism industry experience, Burke previously served as Senior Vice President, Customer Loyalty for Hilton Worldwide with global management responsibility for the award-winning Honors customer loyalty program. He joined Los Angeles Tourism in 2016 as the organization’s Chief Operating Officer.  Burke is actively engaged in advocating for the nation’s tourism sector and has been appointed by the U.S. Department of Commerce to serve on the United States Travel & Tourism Advisory Board. He also represents the U.S. as a Vice Chair of the World Tourism Alliance, in addition to serving on the Executive Committee of the Destinations International Foundation.   Locally, Burke serves on the Executive Committee of the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation, and the Board of Directors of the CalTravel Foundation, Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, and Sister Cities of Los Angeles, as well as the Advisory Board of the Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission. 

Emily Douce is the Deputy Vice President for Government Affairs at the National Parks Conservation Association. Emily helps manage the department and advocates for additional funding for national parks, both through appropriations and supplementary sources. She has been instrumental in helping secure additional funding for national parks with the passage of the National Park Service Centennial Act, Great American Outdoors Act and national park transit and transportation funding through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. She leads the National Parks Second Century Action Coalition comprised of travel and tourism, outdoor industry, conservation and historic preservation groups to advocate for additional park funding with Congress and the Administration. She has a M.S. in Environmental Resource Policy from The George Washington University and a B.S. from Texas A&M University. Prior to working at NPCA, she worked at Marine Conservation Institute on ocean conservation issues and taught high school Chemistry and Environmental Science. 

Richard Peterson, President & CEO, U.S. Cultural & Heritage Marketing Council, is an internationally recognized leader in cultural heritage tourism, destination marketing, and community engagement. As President & CEO of the U.S. Cultural & Heritage Marketing Council (USCHMC), Peterson leads initiatives that connect people, culture, and place through innovative, community-centered strategies that advance sustainable tourism and economic vitality. With more than 25 years of international tourism experience, Peterson’s work spans strategic planning, product development, and experiential storytelling—bridging the worlds of tourism, arts, heritage, and the creative economy. His consulting collaborations with national tourism offices, global travel brands, and cultural institutions have shaped dynamic programs that celebrate authenticity and elevate underrepresented voices in destinations worldwide. Prior to leading USCHMC, Peterson held senior leadership positions with the California Academy of Sciences, Los Angeles Tourism, Hilton Hotels, and Santa Monica Travel & Tourism. He is a frequent advisor and thought leader for organizations including the U.S. Travel Association, state tourism educational symposium, Destinations International, Visit USA programs, university programs, International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association, US Conference of Mayors, and the American Indigenous Tourism Association.  Peterson has also lent his professional expertise with select industry programs that have included California Travel Association’s Board of Directors, US Travel’s At-Large Board of Directors, World Travel Tourism Council Task Force – and Arts Council Planning Committees.

Jason Reckers is the Founder of Nexus K3, Inc., where he helps destinations, inbound operators, and tourism organizations unlock the value of their institutional knowledge and apply AI in practical, operationally ready ways. With over twenty-five years of executive leadership, including two decades as COO and now Business Advisor to the Adventure Travel Trade Association, he has guided global teams through digital transformation, technology adoption, and large-scale content and event programs. During his tenure at ATTA, Jason led major initiatives that delivered industry education on emerging technologies and digital best practices, preparing thousands of tourism professionals for new tools and shifting traveler behavior. His current work focuses on AI discoverability, structured content, and workflow efficiency, helping organizations position their teams and products to remain visible, competitive, and aligned with how international travelers now search and plan.

Greg Takehara has been the CEO of Tourism Cares since 2019. He previously served on its Board, acting as its Chair before becoming CEO. Prior to Tourism Cares, Greg was the President of Trip Mate, Inc., a travel insurance administrator. He began his thirty-seven-year career in the travel and tourism industry at The Mark Travel Corporation, where he served as General Counsel. 

Greg has served on the Boards of the US Travel Association, the National Tour Association, and the IGLTA Foundation, as well as numerous industry committees. He is a frequent speaker at industry events and meetings. Greg currently lives in Orlando, is from Chicago, and has an undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin – Madison and a Juris Doctor degree from Washington University in St. Louis. 

Roni Weiss is the Executive Director of Travel Unity, a nonprofit focused on making the world of travel welcoming to people of all backgrounds and identities.

He led the creation of the first travel industry standards for inclusive practices and runs Travel Unity’s certification programs, oversees consulting projects, and coordinates its Alliance. Born in New York and raised in Washington State, Roni earned his Associate’s degree with Honors at age 12, graduated high school at 15, and completed dual Bachelor's degrees in Drama and English at 18. Roni has visited 70+ countries (including every country in Europe), six continents, and 48 U.S. states. He lives in Pleasantville, NY, with his partner, Lauren, and their four children.