Featured Speakers

Keynote address: July 20, opening dinner, Hotel Herradura, San Jose:

ERIKA HARMS: Executive Director, Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC)

Erika Harms is the Executive Director of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) and Senior Advisor on Tourism at the United Nations Foundation. In this role, Ms. Harms manages and oversees the implementation of activities under the framework of the GSTC, a cutting edge initiative that provides a clear set of standards, protocols, processes and measurements for how businesses can better the planet and practice sustainable tourism.

As Advisor on Tourism, Ms. Harms supports the UN Foundation’s tourism and conservation efforts. An experienced executive who has a background in business, government, and philanthropy, Ms. Harms has focused on creating platforms to bring together the private and public sector in support of the United Nations’ conservation priorities, and has spearheaded initiatives such as the World Heritage Alliance for Sustainable Tourism and the Partnership for Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria. Each of these initiatives works with travel industry leaders including Fairmont, Mandarin Oriental, Grupo Plan, NatureAir, and Sabre/Travelocity. She joined the UN Foundation in 2001, previously serving as the Executive Director for the Sustainable Development Program.

Before joining the UN Foundation, Ms. Harms came to the United States as Deputy Chief of Mission and Consul General of the Embassy of Costa Rica in Washington, D.C. Prior to her diplomatic career, she worked for Monsanto Corporation as marketing manager for Central America and the Caribbean.

From 1989 to 1995, she developed her passion for and knowledge of environmental issues while serving as a consultant in environmental law and policies for the government of Costa Rica, the World Bank, and local and international NGOs.

Ms. Harms is a member of the WHA Governing Body, the Board of UNWTO, the Board of the International Coral Reef Action Network (ICRAN), the Board for UNDP’s Equator Initiative, and the Board of Friends of Osa. She has served as a judge for the WTTC Tourism for Tomorrow Awards, the National Geographic Geotourism Challenge, the Travel and Leisure Global Vision Awards, and Smithsonian Travel. In 2008, Conde Nast Traveler recognized Ms. Harms as a “Trail Blazer” in Sustainable Tourism.

A 1991 graduate of the University of Costa Rica’s Law School, Ms. Harms holds a degree of Attorney at Law and Notary Public. In 1995, she obtained her master’s degree in Business Administration and Natural Resource Management from INCAE, Central American Institute of Business Administration, in Alajuela, Costa Rica. Born in Costa Rica, Ms. Harms’ native languages are Spanish and German.

• About the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC)

The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) is a global initiative dedicated to promoting sustainable tourism efforts around the world.  The GSTC Works to expand understanding of and Access to sustainable tourism practices; helps identify and generate markets for sustainable tourism; educates about and advocates for a set of universal principles, as defined by the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria.  The Criteria, a set of voluntary principles that provide a framework for the sustainability of tourism businesses across the globe, is the cornerstone of our initiative.

Workshop Panelists

Special Guests
	Chris Blackwell, Owner of Island Outpost, a collection of boutique resorts in Jamaica. He is also founder of Island Records that introduced the world to Bob Marley and reggae music and has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
	Carlos Hernandez, CEO, Pellas Development Group
	Manuel Obregon, Costa Rica’s Minister of Culture, is also an internationally acclaimed pianist and member of Costa Rica’s famed Malpaís band. Minister Obregón will host the closing dinner and concert performance in Monteverde.
	Margarita Penon is the former First Lady of Costa Rica (1986-1990) and a former member of Parliament with the Citizen Action Party (PAC). She has also served as an advisor to CREST.
	Kevin Salwen, was a reporter, columnist, and editor at the Wall Street Journal from  and author of The Power of Half: One Family’s Decision to Stop Take and Start Giving Back.
Gustavo J. Segura
Workshop Panelists
	Trysh Ashby-Rolls, Journalist/Author, Canada
	Manuel E. Ardon, Senior Operations Director, Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica
	Rob Bailes, Monteverde Institute
	Maria Barquero, Punta Islita
	Bruce Beckham, Executive Director, Tourism Cares
	Seema Bhatt, Ecotourism Consultant, India
	Andy Bill, CEO Siera Marketing/CREST Board of Directors
	Carlos Bolanos, Punta islita
	Maximilliano Brandt, Member Society Development Manager, WSPALA Latin American/ Caribbean Regional Office
	Andy Bystrom, Founder/Executive Director, ARCAE (Costa Rican Environmental and Educational Network)
	Dominique Callimanopulos, Elevate Destinations
	Jane Crouch, Responsible Travel Manager, Intrepid Travel
	Kyra Cruz, Executive Director, ACTUAR
	Keith Dokho, Tourism Development Specialist, DAI, USA
	John Dupuis, Chamber of Tourism La Ceiba, Honduras/Fundacion del Rio, San Carlos, Nicaragua
	William Durham, Co-Director, CREST Stanford University, USA
	Richard Edwards, Marketing Manager, G.A.P
	Dorinda Elliott, Deputy Editor, Conde Nast Traveler.
	Chelo Fiorello, Horizontes
	Javier Espeleta, Director, Centro Cientifico Tropical, Costa Rica
	Robert Fletcher, Assistant Professor, The University for Peace, Costa Rica
	Carlos Hernandez, Chief Executive Officer, Pellas Development Group
	Andrea Holbrook, Holbrook Travel and Sarapiqui Conservation Learning Center
	Martha Honey, Co-Director, CREST Washington, DC
	Mary-Elizabeth Gifford,  Senior adviser to the GoldenEye FieldSpa project in Jamaica, Co-Chair of the Washington Spa Alliance, CREST Board of Directors; Demeter-USA Board of Directors; Stellar Organic Board of Directors.
	Marcy Kelley, Foundation Representative, Inter-American Foundation
	Judy Kepher-Gona, CEO, Basecamp Foundation, Kenya
	Magda King, Founder/Executive Director, Namlo International, USA
	Julie Klein, Director of Environmental Affairs RockResorts International LLC/Vail Resorts Hospitality, USA
	Lars Lindkvist, Basecamp Foundation
	Priscilla Macy, a founder of Global Sojourns Giving Circle
	Dan Martin
	Alejandra Monge, Executive Director, Corcovado Foundation, Costa Rica
	Toni Neubauer, President, Myths & Mountains
	Marina Novelli, Principal Lecturer, Tourism Development & Management, Center for Tourism Policy Studies, University of Brighton
	Mark Ohrstrom, EARTH University Foundation
	Merlyn Oviedo, Danta Lodge
	Margarita Penon, former 1st lady of Costa Rica
	Jimmy Pham
	Rodrigo Pingaro, Executive Director of the Organizacion para la Conservacion de Cetaceos, Uruguay
	Manuel Ramirez, Executive Director, Conservation Osa
	Mike Robbins, TIDES
	Rebecca Rothney, Founder of Pack for A Purpose®
	Ronald Sanabria, Sustainable Tourism Director, Rainforest Alliance
	Mark Spalding, President, Ocean Foundation
	Andres Soley, Sustainability Manager, Lapa Rios, Costa Rica
	Joe Staiano, Meaningful Tourism Consultant, USA
	James Stewart, Managing Director, Eco-touring Consortium, USA
	Raquel Sumulong, Owner, Rocky’s Roads
	Rosemarie Thomas, Caribbean Regional Program Coordinator, the Travel Foundation
	Christina Tunnah,  Vice President of Business Development, The Americas, World Nomads
	Justine Welsh, Programs Director, Monteverde Institute, Costa Rica
	Jannelle Wilkins, Executive Director, Monteverde Institute
	Keith Whittingham, Associate Professor of Sustainable Enterprise and Management Science, Crummer Graduate School of Management Rollins College
	Eduardo Villafranca, CEO & President of Responsible Business Alliance
	Paula Vlamings, Associate Director, Planeterra