The Skift Team on stage at Skift Global Forum 2021

Leadership

Rafat Ali

Rafat Ali

Founder and CEO

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Rafat Ali

Founder and CEO

Indo-Brit-American. New Yorker. Global Soul. Mostly, my life is about travel, building businesses, media, daddyhood and such. Previously founded paidContent, sold to Guardian in 2008.

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Jason Clampet

Jason Clampet

Chief Product Officer

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Jason Clampet

Chief Product Officer

Likes editing a bit more than traveling but loves fish tacos from Baja California and Japanese curry in Tokyo more than both of those. Loves building products and telling stories that help people do their jobs a little bit better.

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Carolyn Kremins

Carolyn Kremins

President

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Carolyn Kremins

President

Carolyn has led world-class brands (Conde Nast Traveler, Brides, Epicurious, Elle) and launched start-ups (Maxim, Cookie, The Week) to great success. Her wanderlust has taken her to all seven continents. As President of Skift she has found the perfect home, combining her love for building brands with her twin passions for media and travel. But her shining success, above all else, is her family.

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Michael Cunniff

Michael Cunniff

CFO

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Michael Cunniff

CFO

Michael is a 25-year finance executive who hails from NY but now calls California home. Outside of work you can find him spending time with family, traveling, volunteering or sipping a glass of cabernet.

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Tom Lowry

Tom Lowry

Editor-in-Chief

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Tom Lowry

Editor-in-Chief

Oversees a newsroom of dogged reporters. Loves kick-ass stories, clever headlines and turning data into art. A Pennsylvania native, he enjoys B&W photography, editorial cartoons and sometimes Philly sports teams. Previously worked at CNBC, BusinessWeek and USA Today.

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Dennis Schaal

Dennis Schaal

Executive Editor/Founding Editor

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Dennis Schaal

Executive Editor/Founding Editor

Skift employee #1, after the founder and co-founder, Executive Editor/Founding Editor Dennis Schaal helps lead news coverage and analyzes online travel in his reporting. He likes receiving sensitive documents in the mail and breaking news. Dennis has written for many publications, such as USA Today.

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Editorial

Alan Woinski

Alan Woinski

Editor, Daily Lodging Report

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Alan Woinski

Editor, Daily Lodging Report

Alan is the founder of the Daily Lodging Report, now owned by Skift, and remains editor. He also founded the Gaming Industry Daily Report and Gaming Industry Weekly Report which remains under the ownership of Gaming USA Corporation, owned by Alan and his wife Kim. Alan and Kim recently moved from Bergen County, NJ to Southwest, Florida and are loving the SWFL lifestyle. Both Alan and Kim recently became grandparents for the first time to a beautiful baby girl.

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Dawit Habtemariam

Dawit Habtemariam

Global Tourism Reporter

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Dawit Habtemariam

Global Tourism Reporter

Dawit is Skift's global tourism reporter. He's energetically on the hunt to write the best stories in the industry. Before joining Skift, Dawit covered corporate travel at Business Travel News. He loves performing improv comedy, baking and cooking. He resides in New York City.

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Edward Russell

Edward Russell

Airline Weekly, Editor

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Edward Russell

Airline Weekly, Editor

Edward is Skift's Washington, D.C.-based airlines reporter. He's covered the industry from the American-US Airways combo to the depths of the coronavirus pandemic. He enjoys bikes, trains and runs with his dog, Heathrow.

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Jay Shabat

Jay Shabat

Senior Analyst, Airline Weekly

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Jay Shabat

Senior Analyst, Airline Weekly

Jay co-founded Airline Weekly in 2004 and returned to Skift in 2022. Before writing about airlines, he worked for US Airways and Air France. Before that, he studied business and international affairs with a focus on economics. His college experience also included internships at both the White House and Congress, as well as study abroad semesters in Monte Carlo and Paris. Jay is a certified IATA instructor who’s taught airline courses around the world, from Miami to Mongolia.

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Justin Dawes

Justin Dawes

Travel Tech Reporter

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Justin Dawes

Travel Tech Reporter

Justin is the tech reporter for Skift, covering the way to the future of global travel industry. Prior, he was a tech reporter for American City Business Journals in Albany. A Michigan native, Justin is living as a digital nomad for now. Work aside, Justin has a passion for travel, writing, arts, food, and culture.

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Kim Woinski

Kim Woinski

Writer, Daily Lodging Report

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Kim Woinski

Writer, Daily Lodging Report

Kim is Vice President of Gaming USA Corporation, the previous owner of the Daily Lodging Report, now owned by Skift. Kim is the primary writer of the Daily Lodging Report – North America. Kim moved to Southwest Florida in July of 2020 and recently became a first time grandmother to baby Susie.

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Matthew Parsons

Matthew Parsons

Corporate Travel Editor

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Matthew Parsons

Corporate Travel Editor

Matthew covers the corporate travel sector, with his eye on the intersections of procurement, technology and culture. He was previously editor of Buying Business Travel, overseeing its transition to BTN Europe before becoming a Skifter. He lives in London with his young family, but as a self-confessed Francophile loves to hop across the channel for a taste of the good life.

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Peden Doma Bhutia

Peden Doma Bhutia

Asia Editor

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Peden Doma Bhutia

Asia Editor

This Darjeeling girl’s job has taken her places — five continents so far — and she wouldn’t have it any other way. She enjoys exploring new places and keeping abreast of things, and took to travel journalism like a cartophile to an atlas. Her career with leading Indian media houses saw her setting up ET TravelWorld in her most recent role. She has tons of stories to share, but first, get her a flat white.

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Rashaad Jorden

Rashaad Jorden

Editorial Assistant

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Rashaad Jorden

Editorial Assistant

Rashaad covers tour operators and travel advisors. Before finding his way to Skift, he bounced around the U.S., France, Japan and UK. He greatly misses the all-you-can-eat Vegetarian curry at his favorite restaurant in Japan. He is also adept at running half-marathons and, despite living in New Jersey, rues the fact he doesn't spend enough time on the Jersey Shore.

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Sean O'Neill

Sean O'Neill

Senior Hospitality Editor

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Sean O'Neill

Senior Hospitality Editor

Sean O’Neill is our first travel tech editor, focusing on business-to-business tech (not consumer tech). He was previously editor-in-chief of Tnooz and an expat in London. He now lives in the Philadelphia area. Please stop him before he begins another home improvement project.

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Selene Brophy

Selene Brophy

Travel Business Experiences Reporter

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Selene Brophy

Travel Business Experiences Reporter

Selene delves into businesses creating the core of why we travel - Experiences. She has an extensive journalism background, including ten years as the Travel Editor for Africa's largest digital news platform, News24. She is passionate about all aspects of travel and tourism. Selene lives in Cape Town, South Africa and loves spending time outdoors, taking relaxing walks with her family and two dogs.

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Skift Research

Wouter Geerts

Wouter Geerts

Head of Research

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Wouter Geerts

Head of Research

Netherlands-based Skifter. Research focus in hospitality and tech. Tries to apply his research skills to becoming a craft beer connoisseur but failing miserably.

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Seth Borko

Seth Borko

Head of Product Strategy

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Seth Borko

Head of Product Strategy

Seth is a Director in Skift’s Research department where he serves as an industry expert covering online travel, hotels, and travel economics with extensive public speaking experience. He is currently working on building new data products to serve the travel industry. A true data nerd, he loves nothing more than pouring a cup of coffee and digging into an excel file. Seth loves to travel and has been to all seven continents.

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Saniya Zanpure

Saniya Zanpure

Research Analyst

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Saniya Zanpure

Research Analyst

Saniya is a hospitality graduate, Her education and recent experience have fueled her admiration for travel and exploring new cities. She is an Excel geek and enjoys number crunching. Outside of work, you can find her reading a book, sipping on a cup of coffee or cooking a delicious chicken curry.

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Varsha Arora

Varsha Arora

Senior Research Analyst

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Varsha Arora

Senior Research Analyst

Varsha is the first India-based Skifter. Prior to Skift, she was working as a consultant with Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA) and worked in the Revenue and Network strategy department of two airlines. A traveler by heart, she has a collection of 30+ souvenirs from all over the world. A yoga enthusiast who is also extremely fond of cooking and eating. Often compared with Monica, from Friends, for her obsessive cleaning and organizing habits.

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Sales

Pamela Firestone

Pamela Firestone

VP, Head of Sales

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Pamela Firestone

VP, Head of Sales

NJ native, NYC careerist, and ongoing relocation fantasist. Enjoys a business challenge and leading teams to success. Prior to Skift worked for legacy brands In Style, WWD, and Departures.

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Anne Duffy

Anne Duffy

Subscription Sales Director

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Anne Duffy

Subscription Sales Director

Anne is a Long Island native, currently calling Manhattan 'home'. She enjoys long romantic walks with her dog, Shelby, and spends most of her free time looking for flights anywhere she'll get a tan.

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Deborah Knudsen

Deborah Knudsen

Executive Director, Sales

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Deborah Knudsen

Executive Director, Sales

First and foremost, Deb is having the time of her life watching and learning about the world through the eyes of her amazing 11-year-old twin boys. Deb went to college to be a teacher but has spent most of her career in the media world and feels like she’s gone full circle by coming to Skift. A Jersey girl at heart, she lives with her boys and husband/best friend in Montclair, New Jersey.

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Diana Nay

Diana Nay

Customer Success Manager

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Diana Nay

Customer Success Manager

Born and bred in Paris, France, Diana is always on the lookout for an adventure. You can typically find her looking up flights, studying (drinking) wine for her next sommelier certification, hiking with her 90-pound Doberman Frank, and playing piano.

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Elsa Verzijl

Elsa Verzijl

Sales Coordinator EMEA

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Elsa Verzijl

Sales Coordinator EMEA

Based in Manchester, UK. Elsa adores hiking, exploring new cities, pottery and looking after her exceedingly out-of-control indoor plant collection. When she is not working, you can find her either at Old Trafford with her head in her hands or drinking a Guinness in her local beer garden.

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Jennifer Kedzierski

Jennifer Kedzierski

Global Sales Operations Manager

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Jennifer Kedzierski

Global Sales Operations Manager

Jennifer is Midwest expat with Polish roots currently enjoying what East Village has to offer. As an avid sports fan she is often found shouting at TVs with unwavering, and questionably blinded, support. She’s always been an explorer, recently returning from an around the world trip (go to Budapest!), and has found her home at Skift where she is excited to continue living the Skift brand.

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Jeunesse Jackson

Jeunesse Jackson

Account Executive, Sponsorship Sales

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Jeunesse Jackson

Account Executive, Sponsorship Sales

Bronx born and raised, with a love for travel, fashion and entertainment. Jeunesse enjoys exploring the world from shopping in Japan, sipping champagne in France, to tanning on hot sand beaches in the tropics. Being a social butterfly and a lover of music, when not traveling, Jeunesse loves the nightlife in NYC.

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Kate Irwin

Kate Irwin

Commercial Director, Europe + Middle East

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Kate Irwin

Commercial Director, Europe + Middle East

London based Skifter. Big fan of travel tech and innovation. Exploring the world one destination at a time with her family in tow.

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Lindsay Bashan

Lindsay Bashan

Account Executive, Subscription Sales

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Lindsay Bashan

Account Executive, Subscription Sales

Lindsay is our Subscriptions Sales Account Executive hailing from South Florida. She merged her career with her love of traveling when she joined Skift as our Account Manager, eventually building her way to subscription sales. Find her in Central Park or at NYC's latest art exhibit in her free time.

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Lisa Weier Parilla

Lisa Weier Parilla

Director, Business Development

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Lisa Weier Parilla

Director, Business Development

Brand builder, revenue developer and all-around collaborator. Equal parts art aficionado and wilderness lover. Wife and Mother of two. Minnesota native who now calls California home but will never lose the NY state of mind.

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Robert Mendoza

Robert Mendoza

Global Accounts Director

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Robert Mendoza

Global Accounts Director

Hailing from Austin, TX, Robert joins Skift with over 12 years of experience impacting positive organizational outcomes through sales growth and strategic partnerships. Having sold for both large hospitality brands (Hilton Worldwide, Sonesta Hotels) and early-stage start-ups (The Guild) he is passionate about all things travel. Outside of work, Robert enjoys adding stamps to his passport, snapping travel photos, and spending time with his family and French Bulldog, Winston.

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SkiftX

Jeremy Kressmann

Jeremy Kressmann

Head of Studio, SkiftX

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Jeremy Kressmann

Head of Studio, SkiftX

Jeremy helps oversee editorial and research efforts for Skift's sponsored content partners. This former New Yorker now lives in LA, where he spends most of his free time hiking, camping and enjoying the great outdoors.

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Alison McCarthy

Alison McCarthy

Content Director

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Alison McCarthy

Content Director

Native New Yorker with time spent in Boston and Los Angeles, Alison comes to Skift with over seven years of experience working in digital media. She loves exploring museums, making Spotify playlists and is always looking for book recommendations.

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Anna Zawislak

Anna Zawislak

Content & Event Producer, SkiftX

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Anna Zawislak

Content & Event Producer, SkiftX

Anna was born and raised in Connecticut with a passion for travel. She loves cooking and creating new recipes but most of all her dog.

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Dan Marcec

Dan Marcec

Research Editor, SkiftX

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Dan Marcec

Research Editor, SkiftX

Based in Atlanta, Dan is overjoyed to be back in an editorial role after stumbling onto the dark side of the media business for a few years (no offense intended, PR friends) Outside of work, you'll find him writing and recording music with his band, tasting a new beer, or playing outside somewhere with his wife, toddler, and dogs.

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Darren Frei

Darren Frei

Branded Content Editor

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Darren Frei

Branded Content Editor

Based in New York, Darren has been helping travel brands tell their stories for over a decade. He finds creative inspiration hiking in the great outdoors, reading about popular science and technology, listening to all kinds of music, and keeping up with all things Marvel.

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Gianna Greco

Gianna Greco

Senior Manager, Operations & Events

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Gianna Greco

Senior Manager, Operations & Events

Gianna is a project manager with strong passion for event planning. She’s able to keep calm in chaos, multitask well, and loves organization. She currently resides in New Jersey. Catch her on a long walk, listening to true crime podcasts, cooking something new she found on TikTok, or binge watching Friends.

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Kate Anderson

Kate Anderson

Creative Content Strategist

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Kate Anderson

Creative Content Strategist

A people-pleaser at heart, this Washington, DC based Skifter loves delivering exceptional client experiences. When not planning her next travel destination, you'll find Kate hiking & skiing.

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Y-Danair Nierah

Y-Danair Nierah

Project Manager, Branded Content

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Y-Danair Nierah

Project Manager, Branded Content

Born and raised in Charleston, SC, Y-Danair comes to Skift from the publishing industry. He’s been immersed in martial arts since he could walk, and he loves playing heavy metal on the drums and bass guitar. He splits the rest of his free time between experimenting with Texas- and Carolina-style barbeque and writing historical fiction about the Degar-Montagnard peoples.

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Skift Meetings

Miguel Neves

Miguel Neves

Editor-in-Chief, Skift Meetings

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Miguel Neves

Editor-in-Chief, Skift Meetings

Miguel has a Portuguese soul. He built his career in the UK and is now raising a young family in rural Denmark. He is passionate about the events industry and considers himself a curious creator and caring curator of computerized content and a conscious connector of charismatic characters.

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Andrea Doyle

Andrea Doyle

Senior Editor, Skift Meetings

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Andrea Doyle

Senior Editor, Skift Meetings

Andrea has been covering meetings, events, and trade shows for more than three decades. She is the proud recipient of many journalism awards, the most recent of which was a story featuring Ron Walden, Reed Exhibitions USA’s first Global Executive Sponsor for Race. She received a B.A. from New York University, majoring in English and journalism. She kicks off every summer by participating in the Spring Lake Five Mile run and spends many weekends “down the shore” enjoying Asbury Park’s dynamic mus

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Angela Tupper

Angela Tupper

Branded Content Editor, Skift Meetings

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Angela Tupper

Branded Content Editor, Skift Meetings

Angela Tupper is the Branded Content Editor for Skift Meetings, a branch of the Skift media company. She has been reporting on both event industry news and event technology for over three years. Angela’s background includes a combination of writing, editing, marketing, and teaching roles, as well as hands-on experience with association events. With an interest in all topics related to events, she is keen to learn more from industry professionals. She currently calls Montreal, Canada, her home.

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Colette Edenborough

Colette Edenborough

Skift Meetings Project Manager

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Colette Edenborough

Skift Meetings Project Manager

Colette lives in Glasgow, Scotland with her rather rambunctious Romanian rescue Otis. She’s all about lists and organization, which comes in handy at work! Outside of work you’ll most likely find her with her nose in a book (if you need a recommendation, she’s your gal!), listening to a podcast, watching some form of sport, creating some kind of disaster in the kitchen, or spending time with her family and all their dogs.

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Lori Cioffi

Lori Cioffi

General Manager, Skift Meetings

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Lori Cioffi

General Manager, Skift Meetings

Lori considers the business events industry to be her career “home," having spent more than three decades leading content teams for travel- and meetings-focused media brands. She’s a natural connector, enjoys a good dive down a rabbit hole and is an unrepentant lover of rescue dogs. She divides her time between Manhattan and the Northern Catskills.

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Pam Bucaro

Pam Bucaro

Director of Sales, Skift Meetings

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Pam Bucaro

Director of Sales, Skift Meetings

Pam is a custom solutions provider to her clients and truly understands the value of connecting in-person and virtually. She previously grew revenue for Stash Hotel Rewards, Conde Nast and Meredith. Born and raised in Chicago, she loves to travel anywhere and just enjoys the journey. Pam is a travel and fashion enthusiast, and also enjoys tennis, golf, and acting. Most of all, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters.

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Events

Brian Quinn

Brian Quinn

Head of Programming

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Brian Quinn

Head of Programming

Over the last 15 years, Brian has created, curated and produced hundreds of events and experiences across tech, business, media, food, music and design. Originally from upstate New York, he studied jazz performance at The New School in NYC. He lives with his wife and daughter in Brooklyn.

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Regina Yuen

Regina Yuen

Senior Director of Events

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Regina Yuen

Senior Director of Events

A native New Yorker. She talks fast and moves even faster. Her pride and joy is putting on a seamless event. When she's not planning events, you can find her looking for the next destination to explore and RUNNING! Her goal is to eventually run all 6 Abbott World Marathon Majors.

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Chris Hayden

Chris Hayden

Editorial Events Producer

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Chris Hayden

Editorial Events Producer

Chris joins Skift with nearly 20 years of media experience. He spent time at several newspapers across New England serving as reporter, copy editor, editor, page designer and photographer. When he’s not working, Chris enjoys Maine with his wife, two daughters and German Shepherd. He’s a lifelong hockey player, unabashed New England Patriots and Boston Bruins fan. He does his best to stay in shape and on top of the newest technology to escape his children’s scorn.

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Jane Alexander

Jane Alexander

Editorial Events Producer

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Jane Alexander

Editorial Events Producer

Jane is a hummus-loving editorial events producer with a variety of experience in the worlds of media and events production. She learned a love of travel out of the need to escape the winters of her hometown of Detroit, Michigan. In her free time, she can be found running, hiking and drinking coffee by the gallon.

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Priya Birk

Priya Birk

Events Manager

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Priya Birk

Events Manager

London based Skifter, with a big passion for events and travel! When I’m not planning my next event I enjoy taking my dog for long walks, reading and the odd bit of cooking.

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Samantha Dunnigan

Samantha Dunnigan

Events Manager

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Samantha Dunnigan

Events Manager

Originally from a small island off the coast of Maine, but currently residing in Utah, it's safe to say that Sam is a cold weather person. She enjoys being involved in all aspects of event planning. When not working on an event you can find her in the great outdoors, or finding any excuse to visit a tropical destination.

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Marketing

Hailey Smith

Hailey Smith

Senior Marketing Manager

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Hailey Smith

Senior Marketing Manager

A native-Baltimorean turned Gamecock, Hailey loves all things culture and travel. At work, you can find her diving into the latest marketing trends, writing up a storm, and analyzing as much data as she can get her hands on. Outside the office, she spends her time perusing record stores, catching last-minute flights and concerts, and endlessly searching for the best Chipotle-style restaurant.

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Alexx Mattox

Alexx Mattox

Retention Marketing Manager

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Alexx Mattox

Retention Marketing Manager

Based in San Diego, California. Alexx is a big travel bug and extremely passionate about all things Marketing! Outside of work, you can find her reading, writing, watering her plants or playing with dogs (that aren't hers)

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Angie Kirby

Angie Kirby

Acquisition Marketing Manager

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Angie Kirby

Acquisition Marketing Manager

Angie was born in France but resides in the UK. Formerly an accountant she now has 6+ years experience in Digital Marketing where she has found her true passion. An avid traveller and adventurer, you can usually find her out of work on her paddle-board or on adventures with her dogs.

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Nicole Meyer

Nicole Meyer

Event Marketing Manager

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Nicole Meyer

Event Marketing Manager

Residing in Nashville, TN, Nicole is passionate about travel and has 7+ years of marketing experience. In her spare time you can find Nicole brunching, researching and stalking cheap flights, taking photos of her dog, or at a winery.

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Technology

Mike Linden

Mike Linden

Senior Engineering Manager

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Mike Linden

Senior Engineering Manager

A Minneapolis native, Mike is a software engineer and a professional guitarist with a degree from Berklee College of Music. In his free time he enjoys going for walks with his family.

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Elliot Cromwell

Elliot Cromwell

Developer

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Elliot Cromwell

Developer

A born and bred Londoner, Elliot enjoys solving problems with code and tinkering with new tech stacks. When not at his computer you'll likely find him at home listening to a DJ mix or down at his local listening bar enjoying a Negroni.

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Rachel Bronstein

Rachel Bronstein

Developer

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Rachel Bronstein

Developer

Rachel hails from Boston but calls herself a New Yorker. When not doing back-end development, she sings jazz and gospel music, scouts gluten-free eats, adds to her formidable collection of lipsticks, and pets as many dogs as possible.

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