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Education Sessions

The 2014 education sessions focus on four educational pillars that were identified by the conference Steering Committee as the top global industry issues:
  • Data Access & Analytics
  • Industry Innovations
  • Talent Development for Travel Professionals
  • Traveler Centricity


Pre-conference Activities

*NEW* ACTE Working Groups
Kickoff meeting: Sunday, 27 April, 3:30-4:15PM
ACTE is launching a series of Working Groups to tackle specific industry issues related to ACTE’s four educational pillars: data access & reporting, industry innovations, talent development, and traveler centricity. Working groups will meet onsite in Miami to kick off planning for 2014. Interested in joining a working group? Email Linda Gerson and indicate your area of interest.

Add-on Workshop: How to Navigate the World of Global Travel Management
Sunday, 27 April, 1:00 - 3:00PM
This 2-hour add-on workshop is designed to explain the complex world of global travel management to industry newcomers. Industry experts will provide an overview of:
- The roles, interests, and revenue streams for key industry stakeholders
- The language of industry acronyms and travel-specific references 
- The travel transaction from start to finish – from content through reporting
- Highlights of the complexities of the industry’s biggest challenges

Speaker:
Dan Maschoff, Global Category Director, Travel & Entertainment, Accenture
(Workshop is free for ACTE Members; Additional fee of $199 for non-members)


Data Access & Analytics

Using Data to Influence Traveler Behavior
Monday, 28 April, 3:00-4:00 PM

Our industry has been swept up in the buzz of ‘big data,’ which has left many feeling overwhelmed by a flood of data that is incomplete or unusable. This session will clarify the concept and share examples from companies who are successfully using data to influence behaviors and trigger additional savings.
Speakers:
Eric Bailey, Senior Travel Manager – Strategy and Technology, Microsoft
Kathy Rust, Director, Global Travel Services, NetApp

 Compliments of:
 

From Data Mining to Predictive Modeling: A Keynote Conversation
Tuesday, 29 April, 11:30 AM-12:30 PM

Join keynote speaker Eric Siegel for practical insights on how to turn data mining exercises into predictive modeling opportunities that impact negotiations, improve compliance, and enhance traveler satisfaction.
Featuring:
Eric Siegel, Ph.D., Founder, Predictive Analytics World; and author of Predictive Analytics: The Power to Predict Who Will Click, Buy, Lie, or Die
Moderated by:
Mat Orrego, President & CEO, Cornerstone Information Systems
 Compliments of:
 

Leveraging Smart Data for Travel Insights
Monday, 28, April 3:00-4:00 PM and Tuesday, 29 April, 2:00-3:00 PM

Attendees and data experts will debate and discuss the industry's biggest data challenges. No pitches, no PowerPoint, no formal presentations - just an open exchange of ideas and expert opinions.
Facilitated by:
Michael Lyons, Global Travel Manager, United Technologies Corporation (UTC)
Contributors Include:
Peter Brodbeck, Global Travel Management, Syngenta
Keesup Choe, CEO, PI Limited
Susan Hopley, Founder,The Data Exchange
Mary Miklethun, Vice President Product Management, Travel Payment Solutions, U.S. Bank
Matt Raos, VP Corporate Sales, Global Sales, Emirates 
Richard Sebald, Manager, Meeting & Travel Services, Bearing Point
Chuck Thackston, General Manager - Data & Analytics, Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC)
 Compliments of:
 

Industry Innovations

From Inside the Box to Breakthrough Innovations
Monday, 28 April, 1:30-2:30 PM

In a recent ACTE survey, respondents acknowledged that an innovation mindset is one of the qualifications they personally need to improve most to be a successful travel professional. Keynote speaker Drew Boyd will facilitate an interactive workshop to demonstrate a counter-intuitive and powerfully effective approach that can be applied to anything you want to innovate.
Featuring:
Drew Boyd, Co-author, Inside the Box: A Proven System of Creativity for Breakthrough Results


Innovative Partnerships in Global Service Delivery Workshop
Monday, 28 April, 1:30-2:30 PM

Join this interactive workshop to explore innovative approaches to developing products, services, and processes that optimize global service delivery. Discover ways that companies are collaborating to find innovative solutions, deliver results, and provide metrics for success.
Facilitated by:
Steven Mandelbaum , Vice President, The Advisory Board Company

 Compliments of:
 


IGNITE the Industry: Did You Know?
Monday, 28 April, 3:00-4:00 PM
This fast-paced, IGNITE-format session will provide a series of 5-7 minute updates to quickly give attendees the pulse on the newest products and trends in our industry.
Featuring:
Dave Gagliano, Head of Corporate Sales, U.S. Bank Corporate Payment Systems
David Grace, AVP, Global Sales, Enterprise Holdings Inc.
Jesse Maddox, CEO, TripLingo
Sam Chon, Business Development, Cisco Systems, Inc.

Disruptive Technology:  Come on in; the water's fine!
Tuesday, 29 April, 11:30 AM-12:30 PM

While some innovations incrementally improve or enhance our world, others fundamentally change how we do business. This session will highlight mini-case studies from companies that have embraced game-changing innovations, and demonstrate how they have incorporated these ‘disruptors’ into their travel program.
Contributors include:
Cindy Heston, Director, Travel & Events, Wellpoint
Tim Hines, Founder & President, BT Social
Lori O’Connell, Sr. Director, US Finance, PricewaterhouseCoopers

Leveraging Technology to Communicate with Global Employees, Customers, Prospects, and Partners
Sponsored Learning Lab Series
Monday, 28 April, 4:15 - 4:45PM
The explosion of social and networking technology adoption has exceeded all expectations and become just a part of life for millions. It is no surprise then that the world has also been transformed by these technologies – with more and more companies relying on technology to connect with their audience.
In this lab you will learn how 5 companies have cracked the code in streamlining their communications to a global audience.
Speakers:
Dan Lotzof, Executive Vice President, Sales - INXPO
Drew VanVooren, President – INXPO

 Presented by:


Make Your Meetings Catch Fire: How To Use Gamification To Maximize Attendee Engagement
Sponsored Learning Lab Series
Monday, 28 April, 4:15 - 4:45PM

The average meeting attendee looks at a mobile device every 6 minutes; and gamification leverages that behavior to get people fired up. Maximize engagement and motivate the actions and participation you want by creating gamification activities that successfully influence behaviors. Learn about the right rewards to put in place, how to set up gamification activities, and the latest best practices to ensure broad participation and enthusiastic engagement
Speakers:
Aaron Price, Co-founder,livecube
Justin Schier, Co-founder, livecube
 Presented by:
 
Mapping Your Message: Creating Powerful Corporate Communications
Sponsored Learning Lab Series
Monday, 28 April, 4:15 - 4:45PM
Learn how to ‘map’ the process of creating the right message for your event, meeting, pitch to the C-suite for a new project, or your program. Taking the time to consider each key moment before, during, and after an event or presentation sets the stage for flawless execution Whether your objective is to raise awareness, drive loyalty, increase purchases, or influence a key decision, properly crafted communications will maximize the impact of your message.
Speaker:
James Hutton, President, Relay Strategies, Inc.
 Presented by:
 
What's the Buzz:  Tech Trends & Technology Everyone Will be Talking About
Tuesday, 29 April, 2:00-3:00 PM

Your travelers are experimenting with new technologies and new patterns of social networking that are changing their travel experience. Keynote speaker and tech expert, Clive Thompson, will introduce what’s new and what’s next.
Featuring:
Clive Thompson, Author, Smarter Than You Think: How Technology Is Changing Our Minds For the Better, Contributing writer, New York Times Magazine & columnist for Wired


Talent Development for Travel Professionals

World Café for Corporate Buyers and Travel Managers
 
Monday, 28 April, 10:15- 11:15am and continues Tuesday, 29 April, 8:45 - 9:45am
Back by popular demand, The World Café provides an engaging environment exclusively for corporate buyers and travel managers. You will join your peers from around the globe to engage in purposeful dialogue around the topics of interest to you and your contemporaries. Past attendees have described this invaluable time together as their primary motivation for attending the conference.
Facilitated by:
Michelle Grant, Travel Administration Manager | CTE, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers
Corinne Gaborieau, French Association of Travel Managers (AFTM) and Lead Buyer for a top 40 company in France
 Compliments of:
 
Developing High-performance Virtual Teams
Monday, 28 April 1:30-2:30 PM

Virtual teams are a common reality in travel where colleagues and managers are often separated across multiple time zones. Learn what it takes to create high-performing virtual teams, how to build trust when team members rarely see each other face to face, and develop competencies to tackle common challenges such as cultural and linguistic differences, and geographical distances.
Speaker:
Marissa L. Shuffler, PhD, Assistant Professor, Psychology Department, Clemson University


How Did They Do That? Enhancing Your Professional Value 
Monday, 28 April, 3:00-4:00 PM
Hear from the industry veterans who have evolved to leadership roles. Is your goal is to become a department head, spearhead corporate initiatives, or move into the C-suite? Learn which skill sets put these professionals on the road to success.
Contributors include:
Leigh Bochicchio, Global Talent Development, MasterCard Worldwide
Tamara Jones, Senior Director, Controllers Group Shared Services
Annemarie Reininger, Managing Director, A.R Consulting
Moderated by: Dana Ardi, Ph.D, Founder of Corporate Anthropology Advisors and author of The Fall of the Alphas: The New Beta Way to Connect, Collaborate, Influence--And Lead
 In Partnership with:
 

Six Attributes of Successful Program Management
Tuesday, 29 April, 11:30 AM-12:30 PM

Accomplished program managers build collaborative relationships across multiple disciplines, embrace change, and excel in critical thinking. They are expert negotiators, master communicators, and visible leaders who assume ownership of their program. Assess your program management competencies and identify specific development opportunities that will have the greatest impact on your program.
Presented by:
Lisa J. Keller, Global Travel Program Manager, Global Travel and Events, Accenture
Patricia Thomas, Director, Academia de Viagens Corporativas

Winning Support for Complex & Costly Projects
Tuesday, 29 April, 2:00-3:00 PM

Bolster your business case toolbox by honing the skills needed to gain approval for complex, global projects with multiple stakeholders and six-figure price tags. Learn from the experts who will share how they have successfully convinced decision-makers to support major initiatives.
Presented by:
Margaret Brady, Consultant
Sharon Tolliver, Senior Director Shared Services, Graham Holdings Company
Moderated by:
Cindy Heston, Director – Travel & Events, Wellpoint

 Compliments of: 
 


Traveler Centricity

Using Gamification to Influence Traveler Behavior (for Industry Suppliers)
Monday, 28 April, 10:15- 11:15AM
Why all the hype about gamification? As the business sector is discovering, gamification has the power to increase and improve customer engagement, build loyalty, and incent certain behaviors. During this interactive session, industry suppliers will learn the fundamental concepts and mechanics of game dynamics, observe examples from organizations that are driving behavior with gamification strategies, and experience firsthand specific ways to use gamification to engage travelers.
Presented by:

Tom Ruesink, Founder, Ruesink Consulting Group
Aaron Price,  Founder, LiveCube
 Compliments of:
 
Case Study: Building a Traveler-centric Program Your Employees Will Embrace 
Monday, 28 April 1:30-2:30 PM

Is it possible to transform your program into one where travelers want to use preferred suppliers, like and use corporate booking tools, and follow travel policy? Learn about the next evolution of managed travel where travelers are fully engaged in the communication and decision-making process.
Speakers:
Dorian Stonie, Sr. Manager, Global Travel and Tech Solutions, Salesforce

 Compliments of: 

Achieving the Balance between Savings and Service
Monday, 28 April, 1:30-2:30 PM and  Tuesday, 29 April, 11:30 AM-12:30 PM (session repeats)

Travel managers regularly find themselves in the delicate balance between the company’s financial objectives and the preferences of travelers. Learn how companies have successfully reached a ‘meeting of the minds’ to align seemingly conflicting interests between savings and service.
Speakers:
Kerrie Henshaw-Cox, Global Commercial Leader, AstraZeneca Travel Service - AstraZeneca 
Daniele Gorla, Director Strategic Sourcing/Corporate Services & MRO, Canadian Pacific 
Benjamin Park, Director Procurement & Travel Global Procurement G&A, PAREXEL International 
Steven R. Schoen, Director, Mobility Services, SIEMENS Corporation
 Compliments of:
 
Case Study: Innovations in Client Experience
Tuesday, 29 April, 2:00-3:00 PM

Get the inside scoop on a traveler concierge initiative that quickly moved from a pilot project to a global rollout. This robust traveler’s initiative was developed through integrating customer feedback and instituting changes that increased traveler productivity and experience. This results-focused session includes actionable ideas that any travel manager can immediately implement with minimal cost and effort.
Speakers:
Michelle DeCosta, Director, Global Travel and Client Experience, Sapient
Susan Cropley, Manager, Client Experience, Sapient

 Compliments of:
 


Additional Education Sessions:

Globalization

Consolidating Your Global Travel Program - Monday Session
Monday, 28 April 1:30-2:30 PM

Consolidating your travel management spend globally is a long and challenging process, but the benefits can be substantial. Two high-profile global travel veterans will describe their long-term consolidation strategy, the paths they chose, and the lessons they continue to learn. Discussions will focus on executive sponsorship, data consolidation, preferred TMC models, and risk management / ROI drivers for roll-out.
Speakers:
Carlos Almendros
, Senior Travel Category Manager, Cisco
Susan Lichtenstein, Director, Global Travel, Cisco
 Compliments of:



Global Travel Management: Spotlight on Latin America 
Monday, 28 April 3:00-4:00 PM

Immerse yourself in Latin America as local market experts explain regional insights and cultural nuances for managing travel in this uniquely diverse market. Topics of discussion will address: the availability of inventory, risk management, service models and expectations, staffing realities, travel payment & settlement practices, visa complications, and more.
Speakers Include:
Aline Bueno, Gerente de Relacionamento, ArgoIT
Eduardo Murad, Business Development Director, Alatur JTB
Manoel Suhet , Sales VP USA, Canada and the Caribbean, LATAM Airlines Group 
Gerardo Tejado, VP & GM Business Travel LAC, American Express
 Compliments of:
 

Consolidating Your Global Travel Program - Tuesday Session
Tuesday, 29 April, 11:30 AM-12:30 PM
Consolidating your travel management spend globally is a long and challenging process, but the benefits can be substantial. Two high-profile global travel veterans will address consolidation strategies, key considerations, and the lessons they continue to learn. Discussions will focus on executive sponsorship, data consolidation, preferred TMC models, duty of care and security considerations.
Speakers:
Pam McTeer
, Director, Procurement G&A & Merchandise Materials, Coca-Cola
Pascal Struyve, Global Travel, Fleet & Meeting Services Director, Ingersoll Rand
Moderated by:
Dan Maschoff, Global Category Director, Travel & Entertainment, Accenture
 Compliments of:
 

Global Travel Management: Spotlight on Doing Business in China
Tuesday, 29 April, 2:00-3:00 PM

Learn the nuances of doing business in China as regional market experts explain insights and cultural nuances for managing travel to this uniquely diverse market. Topics of discussion will address: the distribution landscape, the emergence of self-booking tools, relationship strategies, staffing realities, visa challenges, and more.
Speakers:
Kurt Knackstedt
, ACTE President; and Global Category Lead, Travel & Expense Management, Rio Tinto

Todd Arthur, VP Sales & Account Management, Asia Pacific, BCD Travel

  Compliments of: 

New ACTE Members-Only Education Opportunity

*NEW* Peer Advisory Appointments
Schedule a 30-minute appointment to meet one-on-one with members of the ACTE Miami Steering Committee or designated industry leaders who are available to address a specific challenge and identify concrete solutions. Offered exclusively to current ACTE members as a FREE member benefit, re-registration is required and availability is limited. Email ACTE with questions or for more information.