IITA Board Officers and Directors Elected to Two-Year Term

The IITA membership recently elected its Board officers and four new Directors two serve a two-year term from March 1, 2026 through February 28, 2028. 

Current Chair Lena Ross, COO of America 4 You, and current Vice Chair Oswaldo Freitas, CEO of Easy Time Travel, were elected to serve a second term in their respective roles. Nick Hentschel, President & COO, American Tours International, was elected as secretary, and Umang Malbari, President of Discover Destinations will serve as treasurer. 

Two inbound operator directors elected were Marco Jahn, CEO & President, New World Travel, and Chris Pilley, CEO, Rocky Mountain Holiday Tours. Kiersty Kastner-Burr, Senior Director Travel Trade, Crescent Hotels & Resorts was elected as the supplier director, and as director-at-large was Heather Egan, Director of Leisure & International Sales, Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Other elected and appointed positions remaining on the Board are:

Peter van Berkel, Travalco, Immediate Past Chair
Julie Katz, TourMappers North America – Inbound Operator Director
Jason Murray, Southwest Adventure Tours – Inbound Operator Director
Mindy Shea, Visit Savannah – DMO Director
Paul Gagner, Dreamland Safari Tours – At-Large
TBD, Advisory Council Representative
Tyler Gosnell, U.S. Travel Association
Richard Kerekes, Director Emeritus