Foundation Board of Directors

Our board represents leaders in the Gay and Lesbian tourism industry and from all over the world. If you are interested in how our Board operates or want more information about becoming a Board member, please email

Click here to review the IGLTA Foundation ByLaws.

Click here to review the Board of Directors meeting agendas.

Theresa Belpulsi, Destination DC, Chair

Maria Cuba, Airbnb, Co-Vice Chair

Maria is a Massachusetts native who was raised in Puerto Rico with a multicultural background. She is one of Airbnb’s earliest employees and the founder of their Latino employee group “Juntos”.  Her multiple passions have taken her from law school to interior design school where she cultivated her love for words and the arts.

Maria works as a Senior Diversity and Belonging Business Partner for Airbnb’s Experiences platform, focused on creating a diverse marketplace and bringing equitable opportunities and representation to all communities.  Always a champion of inclusion, she is committed to nurturing new pipelines for minorities in tech and believes that tech is key to social equality.

Dougal Mckenzie, Google, Co-Vice Chair

Dougal Mckenzie is industry head of travel at Google, based out of the New York Office and working with east coast-based partners. He joined Google in 2010 in the Sydney, Australia office where he worked until moving to New York a year ago. Prior to his current role, Dougal managed businesses across Australia and New Zealand in the travel and telco industries. 

Before joining Google, he spent a decade at Procter and Gamble but left to find somewhere he could get an email address that rhymed with his name. Dougal has both law and commerce degrees from his native homeland of Auckland, New Zealand. Dougal serves on the board of the IGLTA Foundation and enjoys traveling, weightlifting, skiing and spending time with his husband and dog.

Don Richardson, Brand USA, Co-Treasurer

Donald Richardson is chief financial officer for Brand USA, the public-private partnership responsible for launching the United States' first-ever nationally coordinated tourism marketing effort. In this critical leadership role, don is responsible for developing and leading the financial strategy for the organization in a way that is responsive to Brand USA's key stakeholders, ensures compliance with policies and operating controls, and enables the organization to make strategic decisions and accurately measure performance and return on investment of its core initiatives.

with over 30 years of professional experience in accounting, financial management, automated systems and information technology trends, don has demonstrated technical, management, and programmatic capabilities in all facets of business process engineering, organizational design, strategic planning and systems implementations. 

Before joining Brand USA on May 1, 2012, Don was senior principal and managing director for an independent consulting firm and led the business systems practice for Bazilio Cobb Associates. He currently serves on the boards of the DC Public Library Foundation, The YMCA of Metropolitan Washington, The District of Columbia Urban Leagues Finance Committee, and The Shiloh Baptist Church. A Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Don earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Accounting from Appalachian State University .

Josh Good, Cruise Lines International Association, Co-Treasurer

In his role as senior vice president, global finance and operations, Josh Good is responsible for organizational strategy, financial planning, reporting, and daily operations for CLIA, as well as management of the organization's finance team across North America, Europe, Brazil and Australasia. Josh joined CLIA in 2017 as vice president of international finance, and was promoted to senior vice president, global finance in 2018 and his present position in 2019.

Prior to joining CLIA, Josh was senior director of finance and controller for Global Impact, a nonprofit organization that provides advisory, intermediary, fundraising, and business services for partners across the private, nonprofit, and public sectors. In this position, he oversaw all finance and reporting activities.

Previous to his leadership position at Global Impact, Josh spent five years with Marriott International, Inc., where he was part of the financial management team and provided financial expertise and insight for sales, marketing, brand management, innovation, human resources, and global operations.

Josh started his career in public accounting, and over the course of his career has supported various clients in a range of sectors, including government, for profit and non-profit.

A Certified Public Accountant, Josh earned his bachelor’s degree from Penn State and currently lives in Washington, DC.

Eddie Canaday, Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp, Co-Secretary

Eddie serves as Director, National Accounts at Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp in the Washington, DC area office. He is responsible for selling Nashville, as a meeting and convention destination, to DC area markets. He represents a 1.2 million square foot convention center, an additional 700,000 square foot convention center, and over 35,000 hotel rooms in the Nashville area. Prior to representing Nashville, Eddie served as Director of Convention Sales Washington DC Office/Diversity Market Development Director at Visit Salt Lake where he was awarded the Dianne Nelson Binger Sales Leadership Award for 2014 and again for 2020.

Canaday holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Travel Industry Management with a concentration in Tourism Planning and Promotion. He also holds two certifications: Certified Hospitality Sales Professional through the American Hotel and Lodging Association, and Certified Hospitality Marketing Executive through Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International.

Canaday has been a member of IGLTA for over eleven years. He is also a member of Meeting Professionals International, Professional Convention Management Association, and CVBReps Washington, DC. In addition, he serves as Chair of the Fellowship Committee for the IGLTA Foundation.

Scott Seed, Tourism & Hospitality Brand Marketing Consultant, Co-Secretary

Scott Seed is currently a Brand Management Consultant focused on the travel and hospitality industries.  Previously, Scott was Director of Brand Management for Universal Orlando Resort in Orlando, FL. In this role, Scott was responsible for developing strategies that drive demand to Universal Orlando from the United States and Canada. Scott was also an active steering committee member of Out at Universal Employee Resource Group. Before Universal Orlando, Scott held various positions within marketing at Hyatt Hotels Corporation in Chicago, IL, where he helped launch Hyatt's first-ever LGBTQ+ campaign. He began his career in travel at Southwest Airlines in Dallas, TX.  

Reginald Charlot, NYC & Company, Immediate Past Chair

Reginald Charlot has served as managing director, tourism development, established markets at nyc & company, the official destination marketing organization (dmo) and convention and visitors bureau (cvb) for the five boroughs of New York City, a position he has held since 2017. Reginald is responsible for developing and managing travel trade activity throughout Canada, the US, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. in addition to his role at NYC & Company, Reginald is board chair for the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA) Foundation, the fundraising and research arm of IGLTA.

Prior to joining NYC & Company in 2008, he worked in sales and marketing positions for Air France, Shoot Magazine and Thai Airways. He holds a Master of Science in Tourism and Travel Management Degree from New York University.  

Gary Murakami,TENEO Hospitality Group, Board Member

Gary Murakami, GTP, GLP, CMP, CMM, DES is the Vice President of Sales and Industry Relations for Teneo Hospitality Group representing a distinct collection of luxury hotels and resorts and DMCs worldwide.  A seasoned hospitality sales executive and innovative strategic leader with expertise in the hotel and convention management industries, Gary is responsible for raising awareness for Teneo Hospitality Group, as well as developing and maintaining key client partnerships in his strategic territories with the corporate, association, and intermediary/third party segments.  Gary’s sales background includes previous sales and leadership positions with MGM Resorts International, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, and Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts in the group, leisure, and business travel segments.

Gary maintains several industry-recognized certifications and designations including his Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) certification from the Events Industry Council (EIC), in addition to the Global Travel Professional (GTP) certification and Global Leadership Professional (GLP) designation and certification from Global Business Travel Association (GBTA).  He also received his Certificate in Meeting Management (CMM) offered through Meeting Professionals International (MPI) and his Digital Event Strategist (DES) certification from PCMA.

Rika Jean-Francois, ITB Berlin, Board Member

Rika Jean-François holds a master degree in social anthropology and Iranian studies with an expertise on ethnic identities, sustainable development and diversity issues from the free university of berlin.
She started to work and become fond of tourism as a tour guide in Greece, while studying at the university of Crete and as an incoming agent in Athens. Coming back to Germany she became counselor at the university’s international academic exchange office and travelled as a researcher to Iran, Malawi and Haiti.
Ms. Jean-François obtained an additional qualification in quality management, working on the evaluation of development aid workers' education for the German development service. since 2004 she has been with Messe Berlin and vitally developed ITB’s corporate social responsibility. as ITB’s head of CSR she is a passionate speaker at sustainable tourism events internationally. it is her aim to help to bring sustainable tourism standards into mainstream tourism. She has also spearheaded ITB’s implementation of the LGBTQ+ travel segment and became board member of IGLTA (International LGBTQ+ Travel Association) as well as of the IGLTA Foundation. She is a jury member of international responsible tourism contests like the ITB national geographic world legacy awards, the to do! awards and the Toura d’or film contest for sustainable tourism and is member of the PATA (Pacific Asian Travel Association) sustainability committee. At ITB, she is also responsible for South Asia (with emphasis on India) and the pacific region, and is chief coordinator of ITB’s partner country program.

Tom Kiely, Visit West Hollywood, Board Member

Tom Kiely brings years of experience to Visit West Hollywood promoting destinations travelers love, and West Hollywood is no exception.

a 1986 graduate of the university of Nevada, Las Vegas in hotel administration, tom has experience in hotel management in Las Vegas and Dubai, but his major experience is in the destination and theme park industries, with 11 years at Walt Disney parks & resorts, six years at Universal Studios Hollywood, an six years at the San Francisco travel association, the marketing organization for the city of San Francisco.

In October 2016, Tom inherited a talented team of marketing, sales and public relations staff at Visit West Hollywood, and along with brand consultants, they are in the midst of unveiling a new marketing direction for the city, complemented by digital advertising and promotional campaigns.

Visit WEHO's new website, booking engine, and rich storytelling helps travelers imagine themselves surrounded by the sunny, welcoming atmosphere of West Hollywood, with lots of options to enjoy the hedonistic and healthy activity options.

Tom's vision as the new CEO of Visit West Hollywood is to continue to grow West Hollywood as the vibrant, well-loved destination with the Los Angeles area, supporting hotel growth and sustained occupancy, and its many reasons to stay a few nights longer to take in the 1.9 square miles of pleasure the city has to offer.

Tom Nichols, Arcus Foundation, Board Member

Tom is the Vice President for Finance and Operations for the Arcus Foundation. The Arcus Foundation is the Leading global organization dedicated to the idea that people can live in harmony with one another and the natural world. They work with experts and advocates for change to ensure that LGBTQ+ people and our fellow apes thrive in a world where social and environmental justice are a reality.

Prior to joining Arcus, Tom was Chief Financial Officer and Vice President for Finance and Administration at the Heinz Center in Washington, DC, where he led a team comprised of financial management, grants management, human resources, information technology, and administration. Before that, served as Chief Financial Officer as the African Wildlife Foundation and, earlier, at the World Wildlife Fund. A Certified Public Accountant, Thomas earned a bachelor's degree in business administration at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia. He is also a composer, producer, musician, and recording artist. He is currently the Secretary on the IGLTA Foundation Board. In addition to the IGLTA Foundation, he serves on the Boards of Amazon Biodiversity Center, Advisory Board Sitar Arts Center, and a founding member of The Peter Fox Project.

Jim McMichael, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, Board Member

Jim McMichael is the Specialty Markets Manager for the Las Vegas Convention & Visitor Authority (LVCVA), handling the LGBTQ market, cultural tourism and the international meetings and incentive markets in Latin America.  His efforts in LGBTQ tourism marketing have helped maintain Las Vegas as one of the top five most popular LGBT travel destinations for US and Canadian visitors and encouraged several LGBT associations to host their conferences and meetings in Las Vegas. 

Prior to joining the LVCVA, Jim spent 18 years in the shopping center industry with The Rouse Company and General Growth Properties in various marketing positions in South Florida and Las Vegas and spent several years in the cruise line industry with positions at Windstar Cruises, Holland America Line and Costa Cruises.  Jim is a graduate of the University of Georgia, with a Bachelor’s degree in International Business along with a minor in Spanish and Portuguese. 

Sean Howell, LGBT Foundation and Hornet, Board Member

Sean Howell serves as the CEO of the LGBT Foundation, a not-for-profit organization with the mission to utilize blockchain technology to achieve equal rights and acceptance for all members of the LGBT+ community worldwide. He is currently Chairman and one of the founders of Hornet, a gay dating and social network, where Sean helped the company grow its user base to 25 million and its editorial division to become the largest global LGBT+ newsroom at Hornet, Howell also oversaw the company's corporate responsibility efforts under Hornet impact, organizing social justice and health related activations. Prior to Hornet, Sean Howell was a fellow of the World Affairs Council, as well as a Trustee and President of the Young Professional International Network. He has helped numerous organizations leverage technology to expand their impact through his work with the MSM Global Forum along with serving on various nonprofit boards and committees including UNAIDS, E-CDC, PFLAG and chair of the center for public health and human rights at Johns Hopkins university. He is a founding member of the UN Global Coalition for HIV prevention and technical advisor to UNDP’s LGBTI inclusion index. He has published scientific papers and is the principal investigator in the upcoming UNAIDS global study on LGBT wellness.

Glenn Stress, Marriott International, Board Member

Glenn Stress is the senior director, global b2b marketing and events for Marriott international where he is responsible for leading global marketing and customer engagement efforts on behalf of Marriott's b2b customers across all client-facing channels. His responsibilities also include ensuring Marriott’s brand voice and messaging are pulled through across all customer-facing touch points including customer and industry events. Glenn was formerly a director of digital marketing at Starwood Hotels & Resorts and held positions at American Express’ international card and business travel divisions where he led global b2b marketing projects in the areas of digital marketing, social media and mobile. He is based in New York City.

Dan Melesurgo, ASAE, Board Member

Dan Melesurgo is the Vice President, Strategic Partnerships for ASAE: The Center for Association Leadership. As part of the leadership team, he is responsible for the management and strategic direction of the Alliance Partnership Program, which was created to provide the industry partner community with opportunities through customized ASAE marketing platforms.  These comprehensive bundled packages are designed to assist industry partners in building and maintaining year-round relationships with ASAE’s 45,000+ members in over 50 countries. He also works closely with the Global Development Team at ASAE as the organization seeks to be the leader in developing, tailoring and delivering products and services to different markets around the world. 

Prior to joining ASAE, Dan was the founder and principal of Plural Solutions, which provided marketing solutions to destination marketing organizations and the association community. He has also held executive leadership positions with the Canadian Tourism Commission and the Puerto Rico Convention Bureau.  Earlier in his career he was part of the opening team at the Hotel InterContinental Los Angeles and held senior positions with Sheraton and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. He served eight years on the board of directors of IGLTA, three of which were as the chair.  

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Amy Martin-Ziegenfuss, Hilton,  Board Member

Amy Martin Ziegenfuss and her team inspire travelers to stay with Hilton and our 18 trading brands globally, creating love and loyalty for these amazing brands. Amy is focused on building customer insight-driven brand positioning strategies and integrated campaigns that build brands and drive business results. Amy is a seasoned marketer, with 20+ years of experience building global brands and driving performance through high-impact, omni-channel marketing and advertising across the customer journey. She has experience leading teams and campaigns in the Americas, EMEA and APAC for public companies and franchise organizations. She is a dual citizen of the US and the UK, and a keen traveler, reader, diver, horse rider and cook.

Cheryl Richards, VisitDallas, Board Member

Cheryl Richards serves as the Senior Vice President and Chief Diversity and Inclusion officer (CDIO) at VisitDallas. In this position, Richards’ duties include creating and implementing a strategic plan to elevate VisitDallas as a leader in diversity, equity and inclusion at the local, national and international levels. Richards serves as the liaison to the Diversity & Inclusion Standing Committee, chaired by Maria Mendez, Account Executive, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas.
Richards, who has been with VisitDallas for 32 years spent 16 of those years in Public Relations and 9 years as vice president of strategic alliances where she was responsible for establishing the membership sales and service standard for VisitDallas, overseeing corporate partnerships, member-based publications and daily operations of the member sales and services department. She received the 2017 Dallas Business Journal Minority Business Leader Award, 2015 Black Meetings & Tourism APEX Award for Distinguished Service, 2014 Fraser Net Corporate Professional of the Year Award, 2013 High Tea with High Heels Crystal Stiletto Award from the Atlanta based Trumpet Awards Foundation, which spotlights women who have made a mark and break barriers as a way of life. 
Richards is a member of several business community/civic organizations including, Texas Diversity Council’s Greater Dallas Advisory Board, Downtown Dallas, Inc. Board of Governors, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Disability IN, University of North Texas Alumni Association, National Association of Latino and Elected Officials, University of North Texas Mayborn School of Journalism Board of Directors, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and the Greater Dallas Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. Richards is a graduate of the University of North Texas, Denton, Texas, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism/Public Relations and a minor in Business Marketing.

John Tanzella, IGLTA, President/CEO