Our Speaker Lineup
Marsha-Ann Donaldson-Brown
Director of Romance, Sandals Resorts
Marsha-Ann Donaldson-Brown is director of romance for Sandals Resorts International, whose Luxury-Included® flagship brand - Sandals® Resorts, built its reputation on the romantic idea that “love is all you need.” Charged with capturing the imagination of couples around the world and helping them realize moments that will become their memories of a lifetime, Donaldson-Brown’s role is pivotal to the Sandals brand, and one that she is uniquely qualified for.
A self-acclaimed lifelong romantic, Donaldson-Brown grew up humming along to Luther Vandross and is as comfortable reciting lines from When Harry Met Sally as she is Romeo and Juliet. However, while her romantic side may inform and inspire her, Marsha-Ann’s real genius is an organized mind built for trendspotting and attention to detail.
One could say the dynamic role of Director of Romance found Marsha-Ann – as she was the textbook candidate to take Sandals’ weddings and honeymoons program to the next level. Marsha-Ann has built an incredible team of dream-makers, as that, she believes was essentially her role: dreaming alongside a couple to make their wildest once-in-a-lifetime dreams come true. Now, through Sandals Customizable Weddings and Beaches Customizable Weddings – which gives brides and grooms endless choice in shaping their big day – they make countless dreams come true every year.
“No bride wants a replica of another couples’ wedding day festivities. The ability to customize every facet of the experience, so that it truly reflects the unique personality of the individual couple and their style is paramount,” says Donaldson-Brown.
A veteran of the hospitality and special events industry, including stints at The Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, FL, Doral Saturnia International Spa Resort and for the Hilton Corporation, Donaldson-Brown began her tenure at Sandals Resorts over 20 years ago. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Hospitality Management from Florida International University and a Master of Business Administration from Nova South Eastern University. This weekend, she plans to watch Love Actually again…
Melissa O'Hara
National Manager of Dive Sales
Melissa O’Hara is in her 8th year with Unique vacations holding the newly created position of National Manager of Dive Sales. Melissa joined the UVI team in 2014 as the BDM for the Southeast Region in New Orleans, LA, covering LA, MS, and AL. In 2017 she relocated to Charlotte, NC to cover the states of NC and SC as their new BDM for the region and was awarded the Southeast Regional Outstanding Team Player award in 2019, and the Southeast Regional BDM award in 2018 and 2019.
She was promoted to Senior BDM of the Southeast region in 2019 and now Melissa’s current focus is on the SCUBA industry and growing business by working closely with the dive industry. She has been an active and passionate SCUBA diver for over 10 years.
Honorable Chester Cooper
Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of Tourism, Investment, & Aviation
Deputy Prime Minster The Honourable I. Chester Cooper was appointed Bahamas Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation on September 17th, 2021. He acknowledges that all of our core business in The Bahamas is driven by the international community and that understanding of the international context of business is absolutely critical to the socioeconomic growth of The Ministry of Tourism, Investments and Aviation.
Minister Cooper is the youngest of 12 and is married to Cecelia Cooper. They are the proud parents of three children. His early struggles pushed him to be courageous, resilient and humble; qualities which served him well as he climbed the corporate ladder to become Chairman & CEO of BAF Global Group and President & CEO of BAF Financial & Insurance (Bahamas) Ltd.
He was the inaugural Chairman of the Insurance Advisory Committee and founding Director of the Bahamas Venture Fund. He is a member of Young Presidents Organization (YPO), a Distinguished Toastmaster and serves on various private sector Boards. Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper is the Deputy Leader of the PLP and the Member of Parliament for the Exumas and Ragged Island constituency.
Adam Stewart
Executive Chairman & CEO, Sandals Resorts
Adam Stewart is Executive Chairman of Sandals Resorts International (SRI), the company founded by his late father, Gordon “Butch” Stewart and the organization behind the world’s most recognized brands of luxury all-inclusive resorts including adult, couples-only Sandals Resorts and family-friendly Beaches Resorts.
Prior to becoming Executive Chairman, Stewart spent more than a decade as Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the organization, leading the brand’s transition to its now Luxury Included® signature and overseeing a period of great expansion that also introduced the region’s first over-the-water accommodations. His efforts have been recognized by numerous hospitality industry awards including being named the 2015 Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association Hotelier of the Year. He now follows in his father’s footsteps in leading the strategic vision of the company as it prepares for a bold strategy forward.
In addition to his expanded role with SRI, Adam Stewart continues his leadership role in the family’s extensive hospitality, media, automotive and appliance business holdings, including his position as Executive Chairman of The ATL Group, comprising the Jamaica Observer, the country’s leading daily newspaper and ATL Appliance Traders, a chain of domestic and commercial appliance outlets combining exclusive distributorship of the world’s top electronic brands and ‘unbeatable’ customer service throughout Jamaica.
An entrepreneur in his own right, Stewart is founder and CEO of leading attraction and tour company Island Routes Adventure Tours, offering more than 500 tours in 13 Caribbean destinations, making it easy for visitors to authentically connect with locals and experience the region.
Deeply committed to the region, Stewart is President of the Sandals Foundation, the 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization aimed at making a difference in the Caribbean communities where Sandals Resorts operates. One hundred per cent of the monies contributed by the public to the Sandals Foundation go directly to programs benefiting the Caribbean. He is an active member of the Jamaica Hotel & Tourist Association, where he recently served as 1st Vice President and is chair of the country’s Tourism Linkages Council, which seeks to enhance the capacity and competitiveness of local suppliers, making the strength of tourism work for all.
Recently appointed to the Executive Committee of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), Stewart is a graduate and active alumnus of The Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management at Florida International University in Miami. A dedicated runner and outdoorsman, Stewart lives in Montego Bay, Jamaica with his wife Jill and the couple’s three children.
Zane Kerby
President & CEO, ASTA
As ASTA’s president and chief executive officer Zane Kerby reports directly to the board of directors on all internal and external ASTA business and is the primary spokesperson for ASTA. Kerby moved to ASTA from a successful career with the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA).
Beginning in 2009 he held the position of senior vice president with responsibility for all aspects of GBTA’s global annual convention. Previously he was Deputy Executive Director, Vice President of business development and held a series of other posts of progressively greater responsibility beginning in August, 1999. Kerby earned a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Maryland and a Bachelor of Arts from Brigham Young University.
He and his wife have five children and he currently is an assistant coach of a U12 basketball team. Cycling, swimming and reading are just a few of his favorite activities.
Nicola Madden-Greig
Group Director of Marketing & Sales, The Courtleigh Hospitality Group
With over twenty-five (25) years’ experience in the Hospitality business, Mrs. Madden-Greig started her career in the industry as a Customer service representative in the airline industry. During the years she has worked in various sub-sectors of the industry including cruise lines, attractions and hotels. She has held various Management positions and is currently The Group Director of Marketing & Sales for The Courtleigh Hospitality Group which properties include The Courtleigh Hotel and Suites, The Knutsford Court Hotel, The Courtleigh Corporate Centre, The Jamaica Pegasus Hotel and The Holiday Inn Resort, Montego Bay – All-Inclusive.
An active participant in the business of tourism is currently the President of the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA), sits on the boards of The Jamaica Tourist Board, The Jamaica Hotel & Tourist Association, as well as The Tourism Linkages Council and external to the industry, The Jamaica Chamber of Commerce and Alpha Academy High School. She is a Past President of the Jamaica Hotel & Tourist Association and current Chair of the Gastronomy Tourism Network.
A graduate of Convent of Mercy Academy (Alpha), she pursued undergraduate studies at The Florida International University receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management (Honours) and was enrolled in the Phi Kappa Phi Honours society. On returning to Jamaica, she pursed further studies at The University of the West Indies (Mona School of Business) attaining an Executive Masters in Business Administration (Distinction)
She has also held positions such as Councilor: Jamaica Hotel & Tourist Association (JHTA), Chairman of the Membership Sub-committee: JHTA, Chairman of the Fundraising and PR Sub-committee: JHTA, Area Chairman of the JHTA Kingston Chapter and Chairman of the Finance and Development Sub-committee of the Tourism Product and Development Company (TPDCo), member of the Boards for the Tourism Enhancement Fund and the Tourism Product Development Company as well as a member of the Tourism Covid-19 Recovery Taskforce.
External to the industry she is the founder and co-chair of the Kingston City Run (Half Marathon/10K/5K) charity run now in its 8th year.
In 2021, she received the Order of Distinction, Officer Class (OD) from the Government of Jamaica for her contribution to establishing Brand Jamaica on the world stage. In June 2019 she again received the prestigious JHTA President’s Award for her invaluable support to the Association. She previously received the JHTA President’s award in 2006 for her Significant Contribution to The Jamaica Hotel & Tourist Association and to the marketing and promotion of Kingston in particular and Jamaica in general.
Her passions include travelling to new destinations across the world, dancing, acting and volunteerism. She is married to Stephen Greig.
Francisco Blanch
Leisure Sales Director, Discover Puerto Rico
Francisco Blanch is a veteran of the Hospitality industry, having held positions at several Receptive Tour Operators until joining Wyndham Hotels as Director of Latin America sales at a time when 5 iconic Puerto Rico properties were managed by Wyndham.
Also collaborated in Starwood, Hilton, SLS and Marriott properties in managed and franchised hotels, including La Concha in Condado, as well as independent brands participating in the opening of iconic Resorts such as the Fontainebleau Miami Beach, Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort and SLS Bahamar.
Francisco is currently Leisure Sales Director at Discover Puerto Rico and is proud to represent this amazing destination where he has lived and worked, has many friends, and has represented throughout his career.
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Marvin Alvarez
Caribbean Sales Manager, American Airlines
Marvin started her career with American Airlines in 1995 as an International Reservation agent in Caracas Venezuela. She moved to New York in 1997 to join the American Airlines Caribbean Sales. Since, she has worked as an account manager with a diverse group of clients covering Caribbean/Latin Travel Agencies, Corporate Accounts, Wholesales, Consolidators and many country tourist boards in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Washington D.C. In 2013 Marvin relocated to Florida as a Corporate Account Manager.
A graduate with honors from Caracas University in Venezuela majoring in Business Administration, specializing in Travel and Tourism and a three-time winner of the American Airlines PAACESETTER award for her Leadership, Initiative, Teamwork and Customer focus, On a personal level, Marvin enjoys traveling with her family and sharing her experience with friend. On weekends she loves spending time with her boys at the beach in Miami playing Volleyball, running and fishing.
Vandia Sands
Coordinator of Domestic Communications, Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments, & Aviation
Vandia is an effervescent Marketing professional with over eight years of experience at The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation. She obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Abilene Christian University and later pursued a Master of Business Administration with a concentration of Marketing, graduating Summa Cum Laude from Nova Southeastern University. Her love for being an ambassador for the country grew tremendously while training and working at tourism's head office in Nassau, before relocating abroad to the Bahamas Tourist Offices in Washington, DC, and New York to join a dynamic sales team.
While working overseas, Vandia has mastered managing a territory of 9+ states, creatively promoting the destination to bolster sales while simultaneously building relationships with key industry leaders. Additionally, she has been a part of the organization's Global Sales Conference's winning team for best and brightest ideas, for two consecutive seminars.
The former Miss Earth Bahamas, who competed in the international Miss Earth Pageant in 2013 and made history winning the gold medal for Best National Costume, enjoys traveling, lounging on a beach, spending time with family and friends and volunteering within her community.