2024 Survival Strategies Summit: Speakers

Elaine D. Papas
President, Senior Partner and Founder, Law Offices of Elaine D. Papas

With her unique background as an attorney, international business developer, chief compliance officer, governmental advisor, psychologist and arbitrator, Elaine D. Papas has served as a calm steadying force, discreet, integrated management of complex global affairs and strategic knowledge with in-depth regulatory and international business expertise. She has been responsible for driving innovation compliance. Her approach is a collaborative and creative one with strategic planning and cross-disciplinary leadership, and she has a history of bringing fresh ideas to top management, inspiring their teams to achieve greater performance and profitability.

Asa proven agent of change and head of operations, her career encompasses multiple industry groups and includes legal, securities, marketing, finance, real estate, and fashion. From start-up through restructuring achieving profitable growth, she has a track record of building consensus and enthusiasm for a new vision with companies at critical turning points.

Her career includes measurable success in multiple industry groups, including Transportation, Hospitality, Luxury and Compliance, and her diverse career has provided her with a deep knowledge of trends and workflow in her respective practice areas.

Michael Dominguez
President & CEO, Associated Luxury Hotels International

Michael Dominguez serves as the President & CEO for Associated Luxury Hotels International (ALHI). ALHI is a Global Sales Organization with a team of nearly 80 professionals located among 26 offices across North America and Europe, ALHI’s serves a membership group of hotels that are Independent Hotels & Independent Brands that are an exclusive luxury collection. Prior to joining ALHI, Michael served in executive sales leadership roles with MGM Resorts, Loews Hotels, Hyatt Hotels, Starwood Hotels and many more.

Michael is actively involved in leadership roles in the Meetings and Events Industry and currently serves as a Past Chairman of the International Board of Directors for MPI.

Michael speaks in the industry often on topics of disruption, the state of the industry, the economy, behavioral lessons. Michael was recognized in M&C Magazines survey of top industry speakers and was an invited speaker at South by Southwest in 2018.

Michael’s other industry leadership involvement includes board positions with:

• US Travel Association (Executive Committee)
• US Travel Association (Executive Committee)
• Meetings Mean Business Coalition (Executive Committee)
• ASAE’s Board of Directors
• FICP’s Influence Committee
• APEX Standards Committee
• GBTA Foundation Board
• HSMAI Foundation Board
• Co-Chair APEX Room Piracy Taskforce

Michael was recently recognized in the industry for numerous honors including induction in the EIC’s Hall of Leaders in 2019; HispanicBusiness.com’s “50 Most Influential Hispanics in the US”; and HSMAI’s 2014 Top Minds in Sales and Marketing.

Anne Gorman
Vice President, Sales & Marketing, streamlinevents

Anne is a meetings industry master. She has spent her career in the industry tackling all facets of the agency side of the business, from on-site operations to strategic planning and sales management. It’s no surprise she ended up in a crucial leadership role, responsible for developing and driving revenue growth strategies. Her solid foundation allows her to speak with confidence as a trusted partner to clients and colleagues alike. Beginning with a thorough understanding of the larger business goals of our clients, Anne leads her team with determination and can be counted on to deliver the strategic leadership that results in extraordinary events every time.

John Cordier
CEO & Epistemix

John is a graduate of the Pitt School of Public Health and Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business where he received his MBA and MHA degrees. As a graduate student, he joined the team at PHDL to investigate opportunities for commercializing the FRED modeling platform. When customers began demanding the solutions the platform provides, he spun Epistemix out of the university and is now leading its transition from lab to market. A native of Erie, PA, he received BS and BA degrees from Pitt while on a collegiate athletic scholarship and pursued a career in professional soccer.

John also founded a nonprofit to improve community health through a platform that addresses local health disparities and is an adjunct professor in health policy and management.

Victoria Batten
Regional Director of Sales & Marketing, North America
Langham Hospitality Group

Victoria is no stranger to luxury hospitality having spent 20 years in the luxury hotel landscape in London before transferring from Langham Hospitality Group’s flagship hotel to NYC in a newly created regional role in March 2019.  Victoria’s first stint in the US was just three months back in 1999 as a sales coordinator with what was then The Savoy Group.  That three month secondment to the company’s NYC sales office ignited her love for the city so Victoria jumped at the chance of re-locating her family 20 years later to the Big Apple.

Overseeing the six Langham hotels in the North America region, as well as the global sales team located throughout the US, during and post-pandemic, Victoria encourages her teams to think creatively about clients’ needs across all market segments; not only existing clients but those who have yet to discover the brand and all that it offers.  The group market is an important part of each hotel’s business mix and flexibility, trust and empathy are all required to secure and execute successful programs and ensure repeat business.

Jaclyn Bernstein
President & Partner, Empire Force Events