Associate Professor, School of Hospitality & Tourism Management, Purdue University

Jonathon has more than 20 years of experience in destination management. An award-winning marketer, he has worked with destination marketing organizations in Australia, New Zealand and the United States and is committed to ensuring tourism is a force for good in the world. His research interests focus on sustainable tourism, responsible travel and strategic destination governance within the tourism system. He is interested in the role of business in solving grand challenges through corporate social responsibility programs and social entrepreneurship.

Head of Research & Insights, Miles Partnership

Chris has global experience and expertise in tourism and travel. This spans 30-plus years working in New Zealand, the U.S. and around the world in a range of senior destination and tourism roles. Starting his career in New Zealand at Newmans Tours and as the founding CEO of Destination Coromandel, Chris led the first truly long-term sustainable tourism plan for any New Zealand destination with The Coromandel’s “Towards 2020,” published in 1994. Core elements of this strategy still guide destination management in the region 30 years later.

For the last 19 years, Chris has worked at Miles Partnership globally on major industry research and education programs across critical issues facing travel and tourism. He has helped lead major global studies defining best practices in community engagement, climate change action and tourism taxation and funding, working with partners that include the WTTC, Travel Foundation and Destinations International.

Chris also has a lifetime of experience in outdoor adventure, including as a mountain and a whitewater guide, and adventures from the Antarctic to Zanzibar.

Executive Director, Center for Responsible Travel

Wesley (Wes) Espinosa is Executive Director of the Center for Responsible Travel (CREST), where he leads global initiatives, technical projects, research, and events to advance a world where travel benefits both communities and the environment. From Chile’s Torres del Paine, where he led CREST’s outdoor recreation-focused Legacy Fund, to Lake Tahoe, where he oversaw destination stewardship planning, Wes’ work blends conservation, community empowerment, and industry engagement. His focus areas include climate-conscious tourism, community-led governance, and tourism justice. Wes has worked extensively across Latin America, Australia, and the U.S. in sustainable tourism and international development. A UC Berkeley graduate, he is passionate about regenerative tourism models that center local voices and protect the places we love.

Principal, Coragio Group

Andrew Leary, M.S. brings deep expertise in destination stewardship to the Travel with Care Advisory Board, shaped by his leadership as Principal of Coraggio Group’s Travel and Tourism Practice and his prior role as Director of Sustainable Tourism at Leave No Trace. A featured speaker at GSTC global conferences, Andrew is known for advancing sustainability, inclusion, and community resiliency in tourism strategy. His work spans local to international scales, including partnerships with Tribal Nations and global DMOs. With roots as an expedition guide and a national voice in tourism policy, Andrew brings grounded, visionary leadership to creating more responsible travel futures.