Tamara Kennedy-Hill, Green Meeting Industry Council, Executive Director: Tamara Kennedy-Hill has over ten years experience in the meetings and hospitality industry. Her most recent position was convention sales manager for Travel Portland with a focus on the green meetings market. At Travel Portland, Tamara co-founded a green team and was a spokesperson at several national and regional conferences on greening the hospitality and meetings industry. In 2005, Tamara was awarded the Convention Service Manager of the Year by Successful Meetings and the Association for Convention Operations Management (ACOM) for "exceptional service to meetings." Prior to commencing her role as Executive Director, she served as program chair for the 2007 and 2008 "Greening the Hospitality Industry" conferences hosted by the Green Meeting Industry Council. Ms. Kennedy-Hill received her Bachelor of Art in Communication with an emphasis in Training and Development and a professional certificate in Conflict Resolution and Mediation from Marylhurst University.

Amy Spatrisano, CMP, Meeting Strategies Worldwide, GMIC Director, Board Chair: Amy Spatrisano initiated and chaired the Convention Industry Council's Green Meetings Task Force which developed the CIC's Green Meetings Report, outlining minimum and recommended best practices for environmentally responsible meetings for planners and suppliers. Amy has developed and led numerous informational and training seminars on green meetings practices. MSWW was selected as the first winner of the IMEX Environmentally Responsible Meetings Award in 2003 for its work on the 2002 Forest Leadership Forum, contributed to the Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies' Green Hotel Initiative, and helped to develop both the Green Hotel Initiative Best Practices Survey and Guest Request Card.

Guy Bigwood, MCI Group, GMIC Director: Guy Bigwood is the Sustainability director of MCI. He runs a global team of consultants who implement sustainability consulting and green meeting management. He is a passionate entrepreneur with broad experience starting up and running large DMC, PCO, conference, events and live communications agencies. He is a committed environmentalist and is very proud to be on the board of the Green Meeting Industry Council and on the advisory board of Fundacion Natura.

Guy is involved in many CSR initiatives around the world, and is a frequent speaker and workshop facilitator at conferences.

Suzanne Burnes, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, GMIC Director: Suzanne Burnes manages the P2AD Partnership Program for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Pollution Prevention Assistance Division (P2AD). This program recognizes environmental business leaders in Georgia; connects them with other leaders; and provides assistance to organizations taking steps to address the environmental impacts of their operations. The tiered program is aligned with EPA's National Environmental Performance Track, and currently has 118 members.

Ms. Burnes has worked in the pollution prevention area for seven years, focusing largely on the hospitality sector prior to development of the state's environmental leadership program. Her career in the environmental field includes consulting to the federal government on environmental issues for seven years prior to her pollution prevention work. She holds a bachelor's degree in Environmental Studies from Warren Wilson College, with an emphasis on Environmental Policy. A north Georgia/Atlanta native, she lives with her husband and pre-schooler son in East Atlanta.

Kitty Ratcliffe, St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission, GMIC Director: Kitty Ratcliffe is the President of the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission. She presently sits on the Board of Trustees of the Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI) Foundation and has served on the Board of DMAI, as the International President for Meeting Professionals International (MPI) and as Treasurer of the Professional Convention Management Association. Kitty has served as a member of committees for Convention Industry Council (CIC), including the Green Meetings Task Force, and participated in the creation of the MPI White Paper on Green Meetings and Ocean Blue Foundation's BlueGreen Meetings Initiative. Prior to joining the St. Louis CVC she was Executive Vice President of the New Orleans Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau, President & CEO at Jacksonville and The Beaches CVB, the Vice President of Sales and Marketing at the Baltimore Area CVA, and the Director of Marketing at the Radisson Hotel Denver.

Lynne Forsman, Consultant, Past Owner Nautical Destinations, GMIC Director: From hotel sales, meeting and incentive planning to owning Nautical Destinations, a group yacht charter and events firm on the Chesapeake Bay, Lynne Forsman has accumulated a great degree of experience in the hospitality industry over the past 25 years!! With Nautical Destinations she launched "Go Green, Charter with Environmental Responsibility" to encourage groups to take sustainable action while cruising on the Chesapeake Bay.

In 2006 she was the Business for the Bay Environmental Excellence Award winner as Mentor of the Year. Her memberships and activities include Meeting Professionals International, Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association Int'l, Annapolis & Anne Arundel County Conference & Visitors Bureau Board of Directors along with numerous other community and local interests. With a BS in Hospitality Tourism Management from Purdue University, she is still active in alumni relations.

Janiece Sneegas, Ph.D., Unitarian Universalist Association, GMIC Director: Jan has worked in the meeting planning industry for eleven years. She was the Conference Coordinator for the American Therapeutic Recreation Association, a non-profit professional association, before assuming her current position as the Director, General Assembly and Conference Services for the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), a liberal religious denomination. During the past five years in this role, Jan has demonstrated a commitment to environmental sustainability through working to green the General Assembly of the UUA. She holds a doctorate in Leisure Studies from the University of Illinois where she also served on the faculty. She lives in Brookline, Massachusetts with her husband, Mark Klein and her daughter, Hannah.

Michelle White, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, GMIC Director: With a passion and dedication to protecting the unique ecosystems in which Fairmont Hotels & Resorts operate, Michelle White is an authority on sustainable operations within the tourism industry and a brandwide ambassador of Fairmont's award winning environmental program. In her role as Director, Environmental Affairs, White is responsible for the day-to-day operations of Fairmont's Green Partnership program, an environmental platform which has been recognized internationally by groups such as the World Travel & Tourism Council and National Geographic Traveler. Her extensive experience in the environmental sector, including positions with the Provincial Governments of Newfoundland and Nova Scotia and the Institute of Nature Conservation in Poland, has positioned her well to serve Fairmont as the company continues to green its business. An expert in her field, White, who holds a Masters of Environmental Science degree from Memorial University of Newfoundland, has also been recruited to sit on numerous boards and industry groups. Her affiliations range from a Member of the International Hotel & Restaurant Association Global Council on Corporate Social Responsibility to the judging panel for the World Travel & Tourism Council's Tourism for Tomorrow Awards.

Nancy Wilson, CMP, Meeting Strategies Worldwide, GMIC Director: Nancy Wilson was identified as one of the "25 Most Influential People in the Meetings Industry 2003" for her pioneering work and commitment to make meetings more sustainable. Nancy designed and facilitates the Green Meetings Course at George Washington University, in addition to leading workshops to help meeting industry professionals learn more about environmental responsible meetings. MSWW was selected as the first winner of the IMEX Environmentally Responsible Meetings Award in 2003 for its work on the 2002 Forest Leadership Forum, contributed to the Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies' Green Hotel Initiative, and helped to develop both the Green Hotel Initiative Best Practices Survey and Guest Request Card.