New sponsors, new membership programs, and new events are driving the great expansion of the TIEWN NETWORK furthering the sentiment of global women in the travel industry

Los Angeles – March 8, 2022 – TIEWN (Travel Industry Executive Women’s Network) announces the completion of several initiatives in extended support of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the travel, tourism, and hospitality industries.

During these difficult times in our world, TIEWN is humbled to announce sweeping changes in our Network as we grow activities exponentially. TIEWN, as one of the oldest established organizations, has been bringing women together since 2008 and even before that under another umbrella. The Network continues to grow at a rate of more than 500 annually, showing the continued importance of TIEWN’s advocacy of industry women and the sentiment that there is still much work to be done in the boardrooms, in the C-suites and on the stages of many conferences and events.

Frances Kiradjian, Founder & CEO of TIEWN & BLLA stated,

“I could not be prouder of this incredible group of global women who have stood by us for the past 14 years as we patiently built a strong foundation for this network. The supporters along the way have been steadfast in their belief in our principles and we are grateful.”

The programs being delivered thus far in 2022 include:

New Sponsors of the Network

• DISH Network is a Founding Corporate Sponsor. Sonya Jamula is the official Committee Head of the TIEWN Mentorship Program. “DISH Business is honored to be the first Corporate Founding Sponsor of TIEWN! We are grateful for the opportunity to support an organization that continues to tirelessly promote diversity and inclusion within the industry. Our goal with this sponsorship is to prepare the next generation of women to successfully carry the torch of those that blazed the trails before them,” stated Sonya Jamula, Head of Hospitality at DISH Network.
• EHL Hospitality Business School, headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland has become the TIEWN Founding University Partner, working jointly with the Network on custom surveys, white papers, trend reports and research as well as assessing the need for advanced educational programs for women in the industry. “We are absolutely delighted to be the University Founding Sponsor of TIEWN! We look forward for a fruitful partnership to promote and educate the travel, tourism, and hospitality industry on leadership, culture, and policies that foster gender diverse and inclusive environments that enable individuals and organizations to thrive,” stated Dr. Sowon Kim, EHL Professor and Founder of Women In Leadership (WIL).
• Choice Hotels joined as a Corporate Sponsor for TIEWN’s new Mentorship Program, supplementing Choice’s own inclusion and diversity programs. “Choice Hotels is excited to be a Corporate Sponsor for TIEWN’s new Mentorship Program. As part of Choice’s ongoing diversity, equity and belonging efforts, this sponsorship aligns with our mission to create and bridge leadership pathways for women in all sectors of the travel and hospitality industry,” said Janis Cannon, senior vice president, upscale brands, Choice Hotels. “We look forward to working collaboratively with TIEWN to light the torch and provide opportunities for the next generation of women through mentorship, education and collaboration.”

• The new TIEWN Membership Program brings together the almost 13,000 group members onto a platform to better connect with each other and includes many benefits, such as:
• • Education and awareness through access to past event, conference and webinar videos
  • The ability to join the Mentorship Program as a Mentor or Mentee
  • A Directory of Members with the opportunity to showcase a full bio and connection links
  • Resources such as trend reports, educational learning documents and access to international event listings
• TIEWN recently announced a partnership with the African Association of Women in Tourism and Hospitality (AAWTH), a community of female change-makers and achievers on a mission to assist and support the African hospitality and tourism industry.

New Events to Educate and Inspire Our Community

• The Events series for 2022 includes a virtual celebration on March 8, 2022 which is International Women’s Day and an in-person conference on July 11-12, 2022 in Los Angeles.
• The upcoming virtual event will address the theme of “Embracing Change and Leveraging New Opportunities.” The program will begin with a panel discussion focused on ways to transform the dynamic state of the travel industry into valuable opportunities for women. The featured experts will include Heather McCrory – CEO of Accor North & Central America, Shailja Gulati – Executive Director of JPMorgan Chase & Co., Flo Lugli – Founder and Principal, Navesink Advisory Group – Travel, technology and hospitality consulting, and Susan Black – Founder of Our Travel Circle and Wowzitude. Following this conversation, Frances Kiradjian – Founder & CEO of BLLA & TIEWN, and Ariela Kiradjian – COO of BLLA & President of TIEWN, will speak on the exciting updates within the Network. The event will conclude with a workshop led by bestselling author, Monica Dubay leading a workshop on “Utilizing Clubhouse to Expand Your Presence”, and the finale will be a virtual networking session for all attendees.
• The live July event taking place in Los Angeles will gather women leaders in the travel and hospitality industries and will offer further insight on the growing influence of women in these fields. The program will spark dialogue surrounding the theme of “Money, Abundance, and Manifestation.”