Avoya Travel Makes Key Leadership Additions and Restructures Leadership Team

Avoya Travel has hired Julie Howard as vice president of partnerships and Kameish Stanley as vice president of strategic growth. Concurrently, the Host agency has restructured its leadership team with Mickey McBride stepping into the role of vice president of sales, and the introduction of three senior directors with specialized network success roles.

“These leadership additions and organizational updates reflect Avoya’s continued investment in strategic growth, stronger supplier partnerships, and expanded opportunities for its network of independent travel advisors, particularly in the fast-growing luxury travel segment,” the company said in the announcement of the new hires.

Julie Howard joins Avoya as vice president of partnerships, bringing more than 20 years of experience with Signature Travel Network, where she most recently led cruise partnerships across the consortium. In her new role, she will oversee Avoya’s global partner strategy, focusing on strengthening supplier relationships, expanding co-op opportunities, and delivering more competitive and aligned programs for independent advisors.

Kameish Stanley joins the Host agency as vice president of strategic growth. Previously with Oasis Travel, Stanley brings extensive experience in building and scaling advisor networks across multiple travel segments. At Avoya, she will lead the development of a new luxury-focused initiative, designed to expand opportunities for advisors in the premium travel space. She will also oversee key growth initiatives, including promotions and strategic industry relationships.

At the same time, Mickey McBride has stepped into the role of vice president of sales, where he will lead efforts focused on advisor success, sales performance, and network-wide execution. His leadership will center on strengthening support systems and driving measurable results across the advisor network.

In addition, Avoya has introduced a more specialized network success structure under three senior directors, each focused on a critical area of the advisor journey.

Kerry Fredericks will lead support, overseeing Independent agency relations, independent agency support, and customer service. Gina Hoyt will lead learning, including Avoya Academy, etwork expansion, and early-stage advisor success and enrichment. Danny Dobrott will lead sales, overseeing rand sales, the contact center, and the Independent Agency Advocacy Board.

This alignment is designed to provide advisors with clearer access to resources, more specialized expertise, and a more seamless experience across every stage of their business.

Andy Craig will continue as vice president of marketing, focused on enhancing lead generation, advancing marketing tools, and driving stronger overall performance. Viola DeVelasco will continue as vice president of groups, leading the continued growth of Avoya’s groups business, a key opportunity area for advisors.

“These additions and leadership alignments reflect our ongoing commitment to investing in top talent and building a stronger, more dynamic future for the Avoya Network,” said Phil Cappelli, CEO of Avoya Travel. “By strengthening both our external partnerships and internal support structure, we are better positioned to help our advisors sell more, earn more, and grow their businesses.”