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Agenda - ASTA Global Convention 2019

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Edie Rodriguez - Corporate Advisor, PONANT
Edie Rodriguez is Americas Brand Chairman and Special Corporate Advisor for PONANT, the world’s leading luxury yacht expedition cruise line. Rodriguez has over 30 years of experience in executive roles in the cruise and travel industry and previously served as the CEO and President of Crystal Cruises, where she led the brand’s transformation during her tenure. She has also held leadership positions with brands from Carnival Corporation and RCCL Corporation.
Rodriguez is actively involved in the travel industry. She serves on Robb Report’s Private Aviation Board and Atout-France’s Advisory Board for French Tourism, and was previously on the Board of Directors for Cruise Line International Association (CLIA) and is a past member of Promotion Marketing Association. She and PONANT are also strong supporters of Tourism Cares. Rodriguez is a strong voice and advocate in the luxury travel space, and has harnessed the power of social media and digital platforms to reach a global audience.
In recognition of her business leadership, she was named Ernst & Young’s “Entrepreneur of The Year” in May 2017, and was selected as Luxury Daily’s “25 Luxury Women to Watch for 2017.” Rodriguez was also named a “Wave Maker” by Afar, as one of ten visionaries making travel better in 2016, and was selected as one of the ten most influential people in travel by the editors of Travelpulse.com. She was also named a “Woman of Note” by The Wall Street Journal in 2014.


The native New Yorker is a 36-year veteran in the international cruise, travel and technology industries, with a successful track record in the luxury segment that has propelled her to become the only female CEO in the luxury cruise industry. Prior to Crystal, Rodriguez previously held senior marketing, sales and business development positions with other notable luxury lines, establishing profitable partnerships between the cruise lines and other esteemed luxury brands such as Canyon Ranch, Hermès, Clicquot and Todd English.
In 2015, Rodriguez unveiled the blueprint for a major brand and fleet expansion for Crystal, which has been dubbed by the travel and hospitality industry as the largest expansion in history for any luxury brand. The unprecedented growth began with the launch of Crystal Yacht Expedition Cruises’ Crystal Esprit in December 2015, followed by Crystal Luxury Air, a private charter Bombardier Global Express Jet outfitted for just 12 guests in April 2016, and Crystal Mozart, the first of a series of luxury river yachts in July 2016.
Under her helm, Crystal is scheduled to debut two new luxury river yachts in the summer and fall of 2017, with two more vessels in 2018; the launch of Crystal AirCruises on the company’s new Boeing 777 in August 2017 to serve the lucrative charter market; the launch of three polar class expedition mega-yachts starting with the first vessel in 2019; and the introduction of Crystal Exclusive Class ocean ships with Crystal Residences in 2022. Rodriguez is also overseeing Crystal’s plans to make the historic Shrine Building in downtown Miami its central display showcase location for its luxury portfolio, scheduled to open in late 2017.
Rodriguez was recognized as a “Wave Maker” by Afar Magazine as one of ten visionaries making travel better and selected as one of the most influential people in travel in 2016 by the editors of TravelPulse.com. Luxury Daily selected Rodriguez as one of its Luxury Women to Watch in 2017 for distinguishing herself as a difference maker in luxury travel, marketing, and digital sector.
On June 23, 2017, Rodriguez was named Entrepreneur of the Year in Florida by Ernst & Young in the Retail and Consumer Products category for excellence in innovation and personal commitment to her business and her community. Rodriguez is now in consideration for Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year National program to be announced in November 2017.
Rodriguez sits on the Board of Directors for the Cruise Line Industry Association, Robb Report’s Private Aviation Board, and Air France’s Advisory Board for French Tourism.
As a young child, Rodriguez’s wanderlust was inspired by the gift of a beautiful porcelain Geisha doll from her aunt following a trip to Japan. She became intrigued by world customs and cultures and, since the tender age of six, has dreamed of visiting every country in the world. Through her work and personal adventures, she has visited more than 100 countries on all seven continents, citing Tuscany as her absolute favorite destination.
As a “mobile global” CEO, Rodriguez operates the exponentially growing company from destinations all over the world. Rodriguez resides near Miami, Florida, where she opened Crystal’s East Coast office in 2015, with the corporate headquarters remaining in Los Angeles. Also during her helm, Rodriguez has expanded the company’s executive team considerably, and opened a regional office in Australia, a Crystal River Cruises operations office in Amsterdam and a manning office in Oslo, Norway, broadening Crystal’s reach to wider audiences.
Rodriguez holds a bachelor of science from Nova Southeastern University and certificates from the Executive Management Programs at Harvard and Stanford universities.
She is often joined in her global travels by her husband, Tom, and has one son, Max.

Classes for Edie Rodriguez

Time   select Session Title   select Speaker(s) Room Type
Saturday, August 24
7:45am - 2:00pm ASTA Chapter Presidents Council Meeting (CPC Members Only)   Select Bob Duglin
Sandra Taylor
Ann Chamberlin
Yolanda Carneiro
307 Conference Room Invite Only
10:00am - 2:00pm One-On-One Media Training with Wendy Gillette from CBS News   Select Wendy Gillette
209 Conference Room
6:00pm - 8:00pm Board of Directors Dinner (BOD only)   Select Sandra Taylor
Sunday, August 25
8:00am - 9:00am New Attendee and New Member Orientation   Select Bob Duglin
Amanda Klimak
Andrea Caulfield
Ann Chamberlin
Kelly Bergin
Jay Ellenby
Chris Seddelmeyer
Regency Ballroom 1 All Delegates
9:00am - 12:00pm ASTA Proud Partner Committee Meeting (PPC Members Only) Karen Scott
Vanessa McGovern
Bill Coyle
Stephanie Lee
Kelly Bergin
Regency Ballroom 3 Invite Only
12:00pm - 1:00pm - Lunch & Learn: Haikou Tourism   Select Isabella Hou
Regency Ballroom 2 Lunch & Learn
3:30pm - 5:00pm Chapter Connections   Select Mike Julius
Bob Duglin
Ann Chamberlin
Diplomat 1,2,3 All Delegates
Monday, August 26
9:00am - 10:45am All Delegate Opening General Session - Featuring: Chris Nassetta, President & CEO of Hilton   Select Wendy Gillette
Ed Carey
Scott Adamski
Candace Bertotti
Zane Kerby
Chris Nassetta
Tom Krieglstein
John Downey
Great Hall 5-6 All Delegates
11:00am - 11:45am - Marketing YOU: Promoting Your Value! (An ASTA VTA Course)   Select Cris De Souza
Jennifer Whitney
Diplomat Ballroom 1 Education Session
11:00am - 11:45am - The Fine Print: Understanding How to Use Terms & Conditions to Help Protect Your Business   Select Peter Lobasso
Diplomat Ballroom 2 Education Session
11:00am - 11:45am - Hosts/Consortia share how top producing members find success   Select Scott Koepf
Jackie Friedman
Betsy Geiser
Stephanie Lee
Brian Chapin
Diplomat Ballroom 4 Education Session
11:00am - 11:45am - Destination Perspectives: When Headlines Hit Popular Destinations   Select Michelle Bernier-Toth
Brian Israel
Richard Aquino
Ali Gerakaris
Kareem George
Diplomat Ballroom 5 Education Session
11:00am - 11:45am - Salesmanship - Overcoming Objections and Opening the Sale   Select Kelly Bigel
Lori Sheller
Evan McElligott
Joshua Bush
Kelly Bergin
Joseph Leon
Heather Kindred
Diplmat Ballroom 3 Education Session
12:00pm - 1:00pm - Lunch & Learn: Australia   Select Brianna McCarthy
Regency Ballroom 1 Lunch & Learn
12:00pm - 1:00pm - Lunch & Learn: Hilton   Select Veronique Deblois
Regency Ballroom 3 Lunch & Learn
12:00pm - 1:00pm - Lunch & Learn: Hurtigruten   Select Jacqueline Day
Jonathan Tramontana
Regency Ballroom 2 Lunch & Learn
12:00pm - 1:00pm - Lunch & Learn: Galicia, an Outstanding Tourist Product   Select Sandra Mayan
Atlantic Ballroom 1
12:00pm - 1:30pm ASTA Premium Business Meeting with Lunch (Premium Members Only)   Select Christine Walsh
Sandra Taylor
Mark Meader
Eben Peck
Michelle Bernier-Toth
Grand Ballroom Invite Only
4:00pm - 4:45pm - Rules of the Road: Agency Relationships and the Law (An ASTA VTA Course)   Select Peter Lobasso
Diplomat Ballroom 2 Education Session
4:00pm - 4:45pm - It’s a Small World: Global Market Trends in 2020 and Beyond that May Affect You   Select Ari Marom
Wendy Paradis
Mark Meader
Alvin Adriano
Zsuzsanna Sarmon
Aye Min Oo
Diplomat Ballroom 1 Education Session
4:00pm - 4:45pm - Salesmanship - Overcoming Objections and Opening the Sale   Select Lori Sheller
Evan McElligott
Joseph Leon
Joshua Bush
Kelly Bigel
Kelly Bergin
Heather Kindred
Diplomat Ballroom 3 Education Session
4:00pm - 4:45pm - Inspiration: Secrets to Success from Top Female Agency Owners   Select Olga Ramudo
Tiffany Hines
Becky Powell
Jennifer Wilson-Buttigieg
Jennifer Cochrane
Diplomat Ballroom 4 Education Session
Tuesday, August 27
9:00am - 10:30am All Delegate General Session Featuring: A Cruise Line CEO Panel   Select Edie Rodriguez
Wendy Gillette
Ed Carey
Arnold Donald
Vicki Freed
David Hershberger
Jackie Friedman
Scott Adamski
Cindy Schlansky
Becky Powell
Michael Bayley
Andy Stuart
Tom Krieglstein
Gianni Onorato
Alex Pinelo
Great Hall 5-6 All Delegates
10:45am - 11:30am - Cybersecurity: Protecting Your Clients and Your Business   Select Carlos Kizzee
Diplomat Ballroom 1 Education Session
10:45am - 11:30am - Supplier Relations: Creating Profitable Partner Programs   Select Alex Pinelo
Ron Gulaskey
Anthony Meloro
Mary Ellen George
Jay Pope
Diplomat Ballroom 3 Education Session
10:45am - 11:30am - Global Stewardship and Responsible Travel (An ASTA VTA Continuing Education Course)   Select Robyn Basso
Genevieve Strand
Amy Brown
Guy Young
Perry Lungmus
Diplomat Ballroom 4 Education Session
10:45am - 11:30am - Social Media: Implementing Instagram to Boost Your Business   Select Marielle Kabin
Claire Howard
Diplomat Ballroom 5 Education Session
10:45am - 11:30am - Rules of the Road: Agency Relationships and the Law (An ASTA VTA Course)   Select Peter Lobasso
Diplomat Ballroom 2 Education Session
11:45am - 12:45pm - Lunch & Learn: The Golden Land Myanmar,Be Enchanted   Select Kyaw Naing
Regency Ballroom 3 Lunch & Learn
11:45am - 12:45pm - Lunch & Learn: The Hawaiian Islands - Six Unique Islands, Six Unique Experiences   Select Robyn Basso
Regency Ballroom 1 Lunch & Learn
11:45am - 12:45pm - Lunch & Learn: Puerto Rico – Back and Better Than Ever   Select Moreno Ciso
Atlantic Ballroom 1 Education Session
11:45am - 12:45pm - Lunch & Learn: Do not miss out Vietnam Timeless Charm   Select Amit Kapur
Grand Ballroom E
3:15pm - 4:45pm All Delegate General Session Closing - Featuring: Randi Zuckerberg and the 2019 ASTA Entrepreneur of the Year Award   Select Gloria Bohan
Cheryl Bunker
Marc Casto
Carolyn Cauceglia
Petra Roach
Randi Zuckerberg
Tom Krieglstein
Jay Pope
Great Hall 5-6 All Delegates


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Program is subject to change.