Meet The Team

Dean is an inclusive leader deeply passionate about the Australian travel industry. As Chief Executive of ATIA, he represents all travel businesses in Canberra, across Australia, and around the globe. Globally, Dean serves as Director and Treasurer of the World Travel Agents Association Alliance, advocating for improvements to airline financial settlement.

Over the past twenty years, Dean has served as CEO and Executive Director of the Australian Accommodation Association and held positions across government, American Express, and the University of Western Sydney. Under his leadership, ATIA has seen significant growth and influence, championing policies that promote fair competition, growth, and innovation for travel agents, tour operators, and wholesalers.

Dean holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Environmental Management and Tourism from Western Sydney University and a Masters of Management from UTS. He is married to Melissa, and they have a 4-year-old son, Henry. His passions include technology, politics, test cricket, and his beloved NFL team, the Green Bay Packers.

Ingrid is a highly qualified public policy professional with strong expertise in travel and tourism. She brings extensive experience in policy development, advocacy, government relations, and stakeholder engagement, with a multi-disciplinary background spanning law, industry associations, and the public sector.

In her previous role as Associate Director of Workforce & Tourism Policy at the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ingrid's portfolio covered tourism, migration, employment, and workforce participation. She has represented associations on numerous federal advisory bodies, including the Ministerial Advisory Council on Skilled Migration and the Modern Slavery Expert Advisory Group.

Ingrid holds a Bachelor of Law, Bachelor of International Relations, and a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice.

Richard joined ATIA in January 2023 after spending nearly three years supporting the travel industry through more than 250 webinars and free events that kept the industry informed and connected during its most challenging period. This work led to the 2023 launch of 'Offloaded', an industry discussion podcast co-hosted by Ann-Catherine Jones.

Richard's travel career began in the IT department at Galileo (now Travelport) in the UK before moving to Australia in 2004, where he served over 10 years in account management and business development roles. At ATIA, his primary focus is ensuring the association stays connected with its members and that membership offerings reflect the evolving needs of the industry.

Nina brings 20 years of hands-on travel industry experience and genuine passion to her role as ATIA's Director of Compliance and Membership. Her career began at Trailfinders before spending over a decade at Flight Centre Travel Group in various roles including Customer Liaison/Risk Manager, Leadership Mentor, Team Leader, and Travel Consultant.

Nina is a champion of professionalism and consumer confidence, dedicating her expertise to administering Australia's leading accreditation scheme. She works with members to ensure they operate at an elevated level, providing the service excellence Australians expect when booking with an ATIA Accredited business. Her finely tuned communication skills and attention to detail make her a natural fit for this crucial position.

LJ has worked in and around travel for over two decades, helping high-profile brands, travel businesses, and agencies while representing travel's peak industry body. She brings an extensive network of media and government contacts and has played a key role in advocating for members and raising the profile of the travel industry.

As one of the region's leading reputational strategists and a registered lobbyist, LJ has a longstanding track record in advocacy. She runs her own reputation management business, Alpha Consult, which works across several sectors. LJ holds a Masters of Commerce/Law and a Bachelor of Business Communication (Journalism), and is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She serves as a Director of Marrickville Legal Centre and The Funding Network.

Media Enquiries: lj.loch@atia.travel

Jenny is an events and membership professional who is always seeking new ways to produce and manage events that drive member engagement. Her career has spanned roles at the Accommodation Association, Mortgage and Finance Association Australia, and back to the Accommodation Association as National Manager Events & Member Services just prior to the pandemic.

In March 2022, Jenny joined ATIA as National Manager Events, where she is responsible for planning and managing the National Travel Industry Awards (NTIA) program and gala dinner. With her background in industry associations, Jenny has seen firsthand the power of events in bringing together industry professionals, facilitating networking and educational opportunities, and enhancing the industry as a whole. She graduated with a Bachelor of Management in Events and Leisure from UTS in 2015.

Having had the opportunity to live and travel overseas from a young age, the travel industry was a natural fit when Amanda settled in Australia. She worked for 15 years as a retail consultant with well-respected agencies in three states, the majority as a specialist cruise consultant, as her time working onboard ships left her with a passion for all things that float.

When the opportunity arose to step back from consulting while still supporting the industry she loves, Amanda moved into membership management, first with the Cruise Industry Association and then with ATIA where she's been for the past 6 years. Having been on "the other side of the desk", Amanda has a deep understanding of the issues facing members daily and is proud to be part of the ATIA team advocating for and upholding the standards of the travel industry in Australia.

Gina's employment with ATIA has spanned over 30 years, during which she's worked with amazing people and been grateful for the opportunity to balance work and family commitments. Her roles have varied over the years but have always involved working closely with members, providing assistance with membership matters and maintaining strong relationships, especially during the pandemic.

A major part of Gina's role is working with consumers and travel businesses regarding customer disputes. Using the ATAS Code of Conduct and the 3-Step Dispute Resolution process, she works with parties toward amicable outcomes for both travel businesses and consumers. The induction of ATAS was the biggest change during her time at ATIA, and she's proud to have supported management in bringing this major project to fruition and seeing it become a success.

As Events & Communications Assistant, Elaine supports the coordination and delivery of ATIA's major events, ensuring everything runs smoothly from planning through to execution. With a calm and organised approach, she's skilled at bringing clarity to complex tasks and keeping projects on track under pressure. Her role combines a sharp eye for detail with genuine enthusiasm for creating memorable experiences for members.