Shelly Archer, Managing Partner, 360 Destination Group

An Orange County, California native, she began her hospitality career with a five-star cruise ship line, circumnavigating the globe several times. Adding additional experience at a local incentive company and a destination management company.

Today, Shelly has more than 30 years in the service-oriented travel industry and owns one of the most successful nationwide DMCs, 360 Destination Group, which encompasses 18 destinations across the US with more than 140 full time employees.

Dana M. Peterson, Chief Economist, The Conference Board

Moderator and Speaker Represented by: Leading Authorities, Inc.

With more questions than answers in today’s economic landscape, Dana M. Peterson, chief economist for the Conference Board, has established herself as a visionary, and the go to expert providing insightful analysis and predictions to corporations, associations, and government organizations looking for clarity and foresight into how economic drivers might impact their businesses in the short- and long-term. With over two decades of experience in the field, she serves as the globally recognized think tank’s public face and primary spokesperson on all things related to the economy.

Exclusively represented by Leading Authorities speakers bureau, Peterson’s research and insights expand across topic areas that directly impact financial market implications, including monetary policy; fiscal and trade policy; debt, taxation; environmental, social, and governance principles; consumption; and demographics. When speaking, she provides a clear-cut, up-to-the-minute overview, helping groups make sense of the economic environment and the risks, challenges, and opportunities it presents to organizations and society. As part of an immersive deep dive supported by her own sought-after quantitative research and findings, Peterson discusses the labor markets, gross domestic product, and inflation, relating the subject matter back to audience members’ organizations and industries and offering practical steps for adapting to economic disruption.

In addition to serving as chief economist of The Conference Board and a member of its Executive Committee, Peterson also leads the organization’s U.S. Economy, Strategy & Finance (ESF) Center — directing and managing its research programs and spearheading the quality and integrity of creation and dissemination of its full knowledge portfolio. Peterson joined The Conference Board from Citi, where she spent close to two decades — first as North America economist and later as global economist. At Citi, she led the production of macroeconomic forecasts and analysis for the United States and Canadian economies focused on political, monetary, fiscal, and financial market trends. Before Citi, Peterson served as a research assistant for the Federal Reserve Board, where she analyzed macroeconomic trends and investigated the impact of unemployment rates on federal and state government transfer programs.  

Peterson’s expertise has been featured in national and international news outlets, including CNBC, Fox Business, Bloomberg, Thomson-Reuters, CNN Finance, TD Ameritrade, Barron’s, and The Wall Street Journal — to name a few. Alongside her work and research, Peterson is a member of the Board of Directors for NBER, NABE, and the Global Interdependence Center, First Vice Chair of the New York Association for Business Economics, and a member of the NBEIC, the Forecasters Club, and the Council on Foreign Relations.

Mike Schugt, President, Teneo Hospitality Group

Mike is the President of the Teneo Hospitality Group, a group representation firm that specializes in connecting meeting professionals with over 350 independent and small branded four diamond hotels and resorts around the world.

Prior to Teneo, Mike launched Leading North; a full service sales, marketing, revenue management, and digital marketing firm aimed at creating greater value for hotels by improving their financial results. 

As a hospitality industry leader within the sales and marketing arena for over 30 years, Mike has been invited to conduct a number of speaking engagements on the state of the hotel industry to global travel buyers at Coca-Cola, McDonalds, Bank of America, Amgen, Hewlett Packard, Chevron and Home Depot.

As the former Vice President of Sales & Marketing with Hilton Worldwide, where he served for over 10 years, Mike had direct oversight of the Hilton Owned and Managed hotel sales operations for the hotels in the Southeast US, Latin America, and Caribbean. Mike was instrumental in the integration of the Promus acquisition merger in 1999, the Hilton International merger in 2005, and again with the LXR luxury brand merge following the Blackstone purchase of Hilton Hotels. 

Prior to his leadership roles with Hilton Hotels, Mike held various sales and marketing positions for over 6 years with Marriott Hotels and Resorts, and more recently with Hyatt Hotels and Resorts.

As a graduate of The Pennsylvania State University, Mike delivered the commencement speech to the December 2015 graduating class at the Penn State School of Hospitality Management. Additionally, Mike is fluent in Spanish and German.

Caryn Taylor Lucia, CMP, Vice President of Events & Experience, SEI

Caryn Taylor Lucia, CMP, is a highly accomplished Vice President of Events & Experiences at SEI, boasting extensive expertise within the financial services sector. With a demonstrated track record, Caryn is dedicated to curating exceptional client, prospect, and employee experiences. Her proficiencies encompass budgeting, hospitality industry insights, effective management practices, and fostering cohesive teams. With a robust background in operations and a BA focused in Communications-Radio-TV-Film from Temple University, Caryn Taylor Lucia exemplifies a dynamic and skilled professional in her role at SEI.