Speaker Biography     

Mark Meader

Senior Vice President, Industry Affairs & Education, American Society of Travel Advisors

Mark joined the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) in April 2015 and as Senior Vice President Marketing, Industry Affairs & Education has a broad focus on marketing ASTA, its sub-brands, events, products and services. He also represents the travel agency and consumer communities within all components of the travel industry – travel suppliers, technology providers, coalitions and trade associations, government entities such as the U.S. DOT (U.S. Department of Transportation), and the TSA (Transportation Security Administration) and more. Mark is the driving force behind much of the highly-rated content of ASTA’s annual Global Convention and Premium Business Summits being responsible for ASTA’s educational efforts, fostering agency growth and learning worldwide. While monitoring industry issues and trends, Mark advocates for, promotes and defends the agency community to ensure the agent’s voice is heard clearly and the agent is well represented within all components of the industry.  Mark also serves on the Board of Directors of the WTAAA – the World Travel Agents Associations Alliance – where he functions as Vice Chair – an organization facilitating the exchange of ideas and information to the agency community across the globe.

A travel industry veteran with global experience in the agency, GDS, airline and travel association communities, Mark served previously as Vice President, Business Development at the Airlines Reporting Corporation where he led initiatives ranging from corporate strategy, product marketing, partnership development, new business development and sales to corporate communications, marketing programs and brand management. He has firsthand knowledge of the travel industry from his time with the Sabre Corporation where he was a senior executive not only in the U.S., but in both Europe and Asia-Pacific as well. And at United Airlines, Mark worked on various aspects of their merger and integration with Continental Airlines. Mark began his travel industry career as an outside sales agent at a travel agency in the Boston area.

Having worked and succeeded for multiple years in many facets of the travel industry, it should come as no surprise that travel is Mark’s passion. When not focused on marketing or the plethora of issues and education facing the agency community and our industry in general, you’ll find him plotting and planning his next travel adventure to a new part of the globe he’s yet to explore.