Directors
Nancy J. Needham, Executive Director - Dr. Needham has business, academic, and philanthropic experience. Currently, she is President of Global Initiatives, a nonprofit corporation that houses the GTTP, and President of ICGS, Inc, a consulting firm she founded in 1978.
Ray Shanks, GTTP Ireland - Educated at St. Andrews College in Dublin, and later at the Blackrock Academy, he commenced his career in Irish Banking at The Royal Bank of Ireland before transferring to Merchant banking in the City of London with American Express International Banking Corporation.
Mariana Aldrigui, GTTP Brazil - Mariana Aldrigui has both business and academic experience. She began her career in the tourism industry in 1994, specializing in marketing and commercial relations including work for a travel agency specializing in cruises, a public organization and two hotel chains, Caesar Park Hotels and Blue Tree Hotels.
Essie Gardner, GTTP Jamaica - Essie Gardner is an experienced Communications Specialist and has also served in the academic arena. Currently she is Marketing Communications Manager for the Jamaica Tourist Board and the Director of GTTP Jamaica, a travel & tourism programme aimed at exposing secondary level students to the industry. The Jamaica Tourist Board is the government agency charged with marketing Jamaica as a tourist destination. As the JTB’s Marketing Communications Manager. Ms. Gardner has operational responsibility for public relations and brand management initiatives.
Attila Horvath, GTTP Hungary - Dr. Attila Horvath is a graduate of ELTE University, Hungary, faculty of Arts and has his Ph.D. from Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS. He spent almost twenty years in educational research at the National Institute of Public Education and served as the Deputy Director of the Institute before opening his own consultancy, Horváth & Dubecz Consulting Kft in 1998.
Chammy Lau, GTTP Hong Kong - Chammy Lau is an experienced educator and trainer for both youth and tourism practitioners for Hong Kong. She graduated from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, with Bachelor of Arts Honors degree in Tourism Management and Master of Science in Information Systems. Prior to teaching, she worked in the hospitality and tourism industries for a number of years. Her concrete experiences in the travel agency and hotel sector provided her with strong industrial support in addition to her academic credentials.
Joseph Okelo, GTTP Kenya - Joseph Okelo is the Executive Director of Makini College. The College offers professional courses in Marketing, Public Relations, Communications and Accountancy. He is also a Director of Makini Schools, a private school in Nairobi that comprises a kindergarten, primary and high school.
Nina Kuznetsova, GTTP Russia - Nina has been GTTP Russia Director since 2003. During this time the program has been growing year on year both in the number of students reached across the country and raising the profile of GTTP in Russia, encouraging more young people to participate, more adults to teach and volunteer, more businesses and more society and government leaders to support GTTP mission, goals and objectives.
Lisa Gordon Davis, GTTP South Africa - Lisa Gordon-Davis is the owner and Managing Director of Kundiza Training and Consulting, a business that specialises in training and consulting to the tourism and hospitality industries and beyond. She has extensive experience in the field, having started her career as a Hotel School lecturer, with a National Diploma in Food Service Management. She acquired higher diplomas in Post School Education, Food and Nutrition and Management Practice during her tenure as a lecturer at the Cape Technikon Hotel School in Cape Town.
Claire Steiner, GTTP UK - A CIPD qualified HR & Training Consultant, Claire has over 16 years working in the HR and Training field, predominantly in the travel and tourism industry. This includes seven years as Head of HR for the Travelbag Group and since 2004 as a freelance consultant working with a variety of clients including ABTA, lastminute.com, Taxi Media and the NHS. She was named as Director, GTTP UK, in 2010.
