Event Details
| Date | Wednesday, Feb 12, 2020 |
| Time | 11:30 AM reception/12:00 PM luncheon |
| Location |
Maggiano's Little Italy - Chicago 111 W. Grand Chicago, IL 60654 see map |
Need to 'land your pitch' for your next travel related PR effort? Want to find out the latest trends in destination marketing?
Sign up for the latest PCC luncheon taking place on Wednesday, February 12, 2020.
Panelists
Elaine Glusac, Freelancer, ElaineGlusac.com & SATW: Travel Journalist of the Year
Laura Powell, Pundit-in-Chief, Dailysuitcase.com
Lori Rackl, Travel Editor, Chicago Tribune
Jeanenne Tornatore, On-Air Travel Expert & Content Creator, Theoutsideinsider.com
Moderator
David Zapata, CEO, Founder & Partner, Zapwater Communications
Speaker Bios
Elaine Glusac writes about travel, food, and conservation. She has won numerous awards for her work, including the Gold Medal as Travel Journalist of the Year in 2019 from the Society of American Travel Writers, and the Silver Medal as Travel Journalist of the Year in 2018.
In 2019, the judges said, “Elaine Glusac’s portfolio demonstrates a mastery of every form of travel writing, from a breaking news story about the FAA’s refusal to regulate airline seats to beautifully written features about her adventures in under-frequented spots on the globe.”
In 2018, the judges noted, “her writing voice is that of the wide-open traveling companion who knows to sit at the bar, make friends and listen carefully for the story.”
Elaine writes regularly for The New York Times. She also contributes to AARP, AFAR, The Chicago Tribune, National Geographic Traveler, Real Simple, Travel + Leisure, Virtuoso Life and many other publications
Laura Powell is a nationally-recognized travel journalist. She has covered the world of travel for more than 25 years. Laura started her career in travel journalism by creating CNN's travel programming. She covered travel for the network for nearly five years. Since leaving CNN, her work has appeared in The Washington Post, USA Today, National Geographic Traveler, CNN.com and several airline magazines.
Laura currently serves as chief luxury and wellness correspondent for Skift, the top publication for travel industry insiders. She also is a popular speaker at industry conferences and appears frequently on television and radio as a guest travel expert.
Wearing her consulting hat, she has worked with dozens of travel industry companies, destination marketing organizations and associations.Clients have included the World Travel & Tourism Council, U.S. Travel, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the American Hotel & Lodging Association, and Destinations International.
Laura recently moved to Chicago from Washington, DC, where she served as the city's go-to television travel expert.
Lori Rackl is the Tribune’s travel editor. Her wanderlust has taken her to more than 70 countries. She's contributed to several guidebooks on Chicago and her work has been featured in Lonely Planet publications.
Jeanenne Tornatore is a nationally-recognized travel expert, TV commentator and spokesperson, specializing in industry trends, savvy consumer advice and destinations insights. With over 20 years experience in the communications and travel industries, Jeanenne's career has taken her from living on the slopes of Breckenridge Ski Resort to PR Director and Consumer Travel Expert at Orbitz.com to independent on-air travel commentator and respected media resource for national print and broadcast outlets.
She has worked in every corner of the industry with online agencies, tourism bureaus, airlines, hotel brands, theme parks, cruise lines, ski resorts and major attractions. From broadcasting on-location media tours to scripting and shooting destination videos to reporting on the hottest travel predictions, her gift for developing content that flawlessly bridges meaningful editorial and brand messaging creates compelling travel stories that resonate with both the media and consumers.
Find and follow Jeanenne's work at www.theoutsideinsider.com and on IG @theoutsideinsider
David M. Zapata is CEO and Founder of Zapwater Communications, an award-winning public relations agency with offices in Chicago, Los Angeles and Miami. Zapwater was named a 2020 finalist by PRWeek for "Outstanding Boutique Agency" in the United States. In 2019, The Holmes Report named Zapwater a finalist for "Creative Agency of the Year in North America." Zapata is a public relations executive with diverse government, political and agency experience. He has advised clients ranging from major consumer brands to global airlines and international tourist boards to elected officials. At Zapwater, he continues to work with a unique blend of clients in a wide variety of categories. A self-proclaimed airline brat, he has traveled to 65 different countries.