WEDNESDAY JANUARY 18

SCHEDULE

Wednesday, January 18	Time	Location
SYTA Central	7:30 AM – 12:00 PM	Trillium
Breakfast Buffet	7:30 AM – 9:00 AM	Sequoia
Education Session	8:00 AM – 9:00 AM	Sequoia
Welcome SYTA Youth Foundation	9:00 AM – 9:15 AM	Sequoia
General Session	9:15 AM – 10:30 AM	Sequoia
Morning Break	10:30 AM – 10:45 AM	Sequoia
Education Session	10:45 AM – 12:00 PM	Sequoia
Depart to Lunch – Knott’s Berry Farm	12:30 PM	Hotel Porte Cache Bus Lane (main lobby)
Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant – Knott’s Berry Farm	1:00 PM – 2:00 PM	Knott’s Berry Farm
Knott’s Berry Farm Activities	2:00 – 4:00 PM	Knott’s Berry Farm
Meet for Optional Medieval Times	3:15 PM	Starbucks, Knott’s Berry Farm
Medieval Times Meet and Greet (Optional)	3:15 PM – 4:00 PM	Medieval Times
Depart for Evening Cruise	4:00 PM	Knott’s Berry Farm/Medieval Times
Sunset Dinner Cruise – Newport Beach	5:00 PM – 8:00 PM	Newport Beach
Depart to Hotel	8:30 PM	Newport Beach
SYTA Central	9:30 PM – 10:30 PM	Trillium

EVENTS

SYTA Central, Trillium
7:30am – 12:00pm
Staff will be available to answer questions, make hotel changes or provide additional assistance. It’s also a great place to meet up with other attendees and speakers or just take a break. Hours are posted on the schedule.

Breakfast Buffet, Sequoia Ballroom
7:30am – 9:00am
Enjoy a delicious breakfast buffet to start the day. Everyone is invited to breakfast prior to sessions. Feel free to wear your workout attire if you are up early. If you miss breakfast, coffee will be provided mid-morning.

CEO Talk, Sequoia Ballroom
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
All attendees are encouraged to attend.
Heather Davis, Workplace Consultant
Join Music Travel Consultants’ ownership team, Mark Harting & Ryan Morris, along with their Workplace Culture Consultant Heather Davis in a conversation about their journey into employing a global approach to prioritizing workplace culture and well-being. This chat is intentionally informal to allow participants to engage with the speakers and better understand what implementation could look like for attendees. Our speakers will share their observations of the positive impact on employee engagement, performance, and embodiment of company values. Additionally, insight into the action plan and techniques utilized will be shared, including elements added along the way in response to employee feedback and preferences.

SYTA Youth Foundation, Sequoia Ballroom
9:00 AM – 9:15 AM
Teresa Crews, SYF Chair will welcome everyone on behalf of the Foundation.

General Session
Dr. Cimone Wright – Hamor
9:15 AM – 10:30 AM
Dr. Cimone Wright – Hamor
Cimone has been working with students for over a decade. She has delivered hundreds of presentations to over 250,000 students. She is passionate about helping students navigate the financial decisions of college. Today, she travels the country speaking to thousands of students at conferences, conventions, school assemblies, and other youth events. Cimone will share her personal story of how a student trip changed her life – and career. She also provides insight to being a black woman in cyber security.

Morning Break, Sequoia Ballroom
10:30 AM – 10:45 AM

Doing Good is Good for Business
10:45 AM – 12:00 PM
William J. Caldwell, CEOl, Caldwell & Associates
Jon Kevin Gossett, ACFRE — Senior Consultant, Visionary Philanthropic Services
Philanthropy is an important component of student life and communities across America, but how much do we really know about it. Many of us support charitable causes both personally and professionally, but have we really looked at why and how we give? Jon Kevin will share his expertise in individual and corporate philanthropy and how we might amplify and maximize our impact. Bill will share his insights, and he will explore how we can leverage our financial support in meaningful ways that benefit you as an individual as well as your company.

Lunch – Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant, Knott’s Berry Farm
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant first opened in 1934 with Mrs. Knott and her children serving the first customers in their tearoom. We will enjoy the classic fried chicken for lunch (other options available), still made the same way today using Mrs. Knott’s recipes. This year marks the 100^th Anniversary of Knott’s Berry Farm. Experience Adventures in Education, learn some “family traditions” and ride the roller coasters for our thrill seekers.

Summit Fun on the Farm, Knott’s Berry Farm, Buena Park
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
This year marks the 100^th Anniversary of Knott’s Berry Farm. Experience Adventures in Education, learn some “family traditions” and ride the roller coasters for our thrill seekers.

Medieval Times Meet and Greet (Optional)
3:15 PM – 4:00 PM
Join us for a visit to the Castle and experience a “Knight’s” welcome. We will then travel to the Sunset Dinner Cruise.

Sunset Dinner Cruise on Endless Dreams, Newport Beach
5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Join us for a visit to the Castle and experience a “Knight’s” welcome.
We will then travel to the Sunset Dinner Cruise.

SYTA Central, Trillium
9:30pm – 10:30pm
Stop by with any questions on the “Road Trip to LA” on Thursday.
Connect with colleagues after the evening’s events.

HOST CITIES

Steve Maehl, Global Travel Alliance

It was over ten years ago that I attended my very first SYTA event at the 2009 Summit. I learned a lot, and made new friendships, but what impressed me the most was discovering an organization that desired to come together to collectively improve our industry and continually works together to change young lives for good through travel.

Tara Hippensteel, National Director of Tourism, City Cruises

SYTA Summit provides an unique opportunity to get up close with my SYTA partners and many of our buyers. The environment lends itself to a causal, natural environment – no pressure just building my network!

Dr. Michael A. Mazzarisi, President, Performing Arts Consultants

The best part of a SYTA SUMMIT is that it provides the opportunity for travel professionals to meet in a conversable setting without the pressure of a 7 minute meeting or have to deal with the barrage of conference masses. Every tour operator has unique abilities, and since I am a big proponent of partnerships, SUMMIT becomes an ideal network to forge plans for new and exciting joint ventures.

Kara Mihalevich, President, Adventure Student Travel, LLC

To me, SYTA Summit is the most valuable conference that I attend. I always find the educational seminars very useful and because it is a smaller, more intimate conference, you get to build a much deeper relationship with the sponsors. This is also the only conference that I have ever really had the opportunity to get to know other attendees. I absolutely LOVE SYTA Summit!