Board of Directors

President

Mindy Owen

ConnectWise

Mindy Owen is a Nebraska native and University of Nebraska alumna who brought her passion for procurement and travel management to St. Petersburg, Florida in 2015. As Travel & Expense Manager at ConnectWise, she has spent nearly a decade building smarter, more compliant T&E programs — overseeing everything from vendor relationships and system administration to cost-saving strategy and policy compliance.

Mindy has been an active member of the GBTA Tampa Bay chapter since 2022, serving first on the Marketing & Communications committee before stepping into her current role as Chapter President. In that capacity, she leads the board's long-term strategy, fosters member engagement, and advocates for the business travel industry across the region.

When she steps away from her day job and President role, Mindy loves to travel, obviously — with Venice, Italy holding a special place in her heart — and can often be found exploring downtown St. Petersburg by bike with her husband and their three cats waiting at home

Vice-President

Brittany Michelle Duhon

Makeready Hotels

Brittany, a native of the Mississippi Gulf Coast, made her way to Tampa Bay in May of 2023. With over ten years of hospitality experience, she currently works remote as the Area Director of Business Travel Sales for Makeready Hotels. Her properties include, Dallas's first luxury hotel and a landmark property, The Adolphus The Alida, Savannah, A Tribute Portfolio Hotel and The Greenleigh, Autograph Collection by Marriott, opening 2026.

She jumpstarted her hospitality career in New Orleans, post-graduate degree. In addition to sales, Brittany is a change agent and an advocate for inclusion. 

She loves being involved and prior to relocating to Tampa, she was a member of the GBTA DFW's Board as the Special Events Chair

Brittany received her Masters of Arts in Integrated Marketing Communications and her Bachelor's in Broadcast Journalism and Public Relations from The University of Mississippi, affectionately known as Ole Miss. In her spare time, you can catch Brittany venturing out into the Tampa Bay Area enjoying new restaurants, lounging at Upham Beach or watching the Ole Miss Rebs or New Orleans Saints with fellow alum and Who Dats.

Director of Events and Programming

Juan Paloma

Power Design, Inc.

Born in Colombia and residing in Florida for over 20 years, Juan Paloma brings a global perspective and deep industry knowledge to his role with the Global Business Travel Association. He currently serves as a Corporate Travel Coordinator with Power Design, Inc., where he oversees day-to-day corporate travel operations, expense report logistics, implementation initiatives, and serves as a subject matter expert for corporate travel accommodations.

Juan’s professional background includes experience in both cargo and commercial aviation, with a focus on pilot logistics scheduling and passenger services. This well-rounded aviation experience allows him to support efficient travel programs while prioritizing traveler experience and operational excellence.

 Beyond his professional work, Juan is actively involved in his community and volunteers at a local high school in the Tampa Bay area, supporting music arts programs. He enjoys spending time with family and friends and is passionate about fostering collaboration and connection within the business travel industry.

Director of Government Affairs

Mindy Nettnin

AAA Corporate Travel

Mindy J. Nettnin’s (MJ) career spans many industries including hospitality/events, retail, education, grocery, entertainment and now corporate travel.  Although born in upstate New York, she moved down to Palm Harbor FL at a very early age and considers this area to be her home town.  She was a graduate of the University of Central Florida, and from there went on to live in many cities all over the nation, including New York City, Chicago, Sacramento, Washington D.C. and St. Louis.  Her 25+ year career has dominated working for various national restaurant chains such as Hard Rock Café, Landry’s Specialty Restaurants Division, The Capital Grille and Outback Steakhouse, while always being in a corporate regional/national director role overseeing sales, marketing and business development.  She is now challenging herself in a new role and industry as the regional business development manager for AAA Corporate Travel.

Director of Marketing/Communications

Celi Thomas

Hertz

As Manager, Distribution Partnerships at Hertz, she brings more than 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry, with a strong focus on account management and partnership growth. Born in Puerto Rico and based in Florida for more than 40 years, she brings a deep appreciation for culture, connection, and people into everything she does. She develops and manages a portfolio of TMCs, tour operators, and consortia agencies, helping partners maximize program performance and drive targeted revenue.

She is passionate about building strong relationships, and creative thinking to improve the customer journey and deliver real value. Her core strengths include strategic marketing, relationship building, campaign management, and hospitality leadership. She has led and collaborated with cross functional teams, partners, and vendors to launch and optimize multi channel campaigns that increase brand awareness, engagement, and conversion. Bilingual and culturally aware, she connects easily with diverse stakeholders across regions and markets. Outside of work, she loves traveling and chasing her next roller coaster ride.

Director of Marketing/Social Media

James Manson

ROOST Tampa

James is a Tampa native who studied and worked in San Diego, Japan, Hong Kong, and Taiwan before returning home to the Tampa Bay area. He is Sales Manager at ROOST Tampa, a boutique hotel with apartment perks located in the heart of downtown Tampa's dynamic Water Street district providing nightly, weekly, and extended stay experiences.

 He received BA in Japanese and Media Studies, with a focus on Advertising from San Diego State University, and worked in digital marketing before discovering his passion for hospitality in hotel Sales. James strives to foster meaningful relationships through business travel, and is a firm believer in providing personal, individualized services. Outside of work, James can be found exploring Tampa Bay's nature and dining spots with friends and family.

Director of Membership

David Roper

Enterprise Mobility

David is a Tampa Bay native. He has been working for Enterprise Holdings for the last 17 + years. David currently is a Senior Account Manager over the Greater Tampa Bay/Sarasota markets, which he is responsible for managing his client’s mobility needs. David also enjoys volunteering his time with Metropolitan Ministries and Habitat for Humanity. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of West Florida.

Director of Scholarships, Secretary

Lois A Raffel, GLP, GTP

TDSynnex

Lois is a Corporate Travel and Procurement Professional with expertise in managing business travel programs for various industries, including government contractors, Fortune 500 Companies, Performance Improvement, Entertainment and Technology Industries. A member of both GBTA and ISM, Lois graduated from Florida State University and holds travel certifications including a GLP from Wharton, CCTE from Cornell and a GTP from the GBTA. A Past President and Chairman of GBTA Tampa Bay Chapter, she currently serves as Secretary and Director of Scholarship.

Director of Sponsorship

Logan Zoiti

AVE Tampa Riverwalk

Logan hails from Canton, Illinois, and has called Tampa, Florida home for the past nine years. Currently, Logan serves as the Business Development Manager at AVE Tampa Riverwalk, specializing in providing temporary housing solutions for corporate relocations, interns, and extended stay business travelers.

Before joining the corporate housing industry, Logan gained extensive experience in the hospitality sector, serving as Group and Business Transient Sales Manager for various Marriott and Hilton franchises. His expertise spans client relationship management, sales strategy, and business development within both the corporate housing and hospitality industries.

Treasurer

Tricia DeCesare

Jabil

A St. Petersburg native, Tricia, is a third generation travel professional.  

Following her Grandfather and Mother, she began her career with the airlines at St Petersburg / Clearwater Airport.  Wanting a normal schedule after years of weekends and overnights, she transitioned to corporate travel where she worked for various Travel Management Companies contracted with corporations like Raymond James, Danka, and Jabil for the past 30 years.

After a brief respite, where she dabbled in medical education meetings, she returned to Jabil to assume her dream position as the Global Travel Operations Manager.  

Passionate about giving back, Tricia can often be found at Jabil Cares events throughout the community.

Past President

Fabiano Laux

Delta Air Lines