Laura Knapp Chadwick is President & CEO of the Travel Tech Association.
Chadwick brings nearly fifteen years of trade association leadership in government affairs and membership to her work at Travel Tech. Previously, Chadwick served as the XR Association’s (XRA) Vice President of Industry Relations. She launched the new organization’s membership, marketing, and development efforts as “Employee # 2.” Under Chadwick’s leadership, XRA grew from five members to more than 40. She was also a director of corporate member engagement at the National Restaurant Association and its federal lobbyist focused on technology and innovation within its Government Affairs department. Before the National Restaurant Association, Chadwick worked at the Consumer Technology Association where she advocated for pro-innovation public policy.

Chadwick also spent over six years working on Capitol Hill for U.S. Congressmen Mike Thompson (CA-05) and Adam Schiff (CA-28), and on U.S. Congressman Brad Carson’s U.S. Senate race in Oklahoma.

Chadwick graduated from Washington & Lee University with a Bachelor’s in Politics and holds a Master of Public Administration degree from American University’s School of Public Affairs. She lives in Arlington, VA with her twin sons and dog.

Bethany Reitsma is the Senior Manager of Industry Relations and Senior Advisor to the CEO at the Travel Technology Association, where she leads industry engagement initiatives and oversees programs designed to support travel technology start-ups and small businesses.

In this role, Reitsma serves as a subject-matter expert on the travel tech start-up ecosystem, leading research initiatives, developing strategic partnerships, and designing new membership programs that drive engagement, retention, and non-dues revenue. She manages Start-Up membership growth efforts, including marketing and sales initiatives, and works closely with the President & CEO on strategy, budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting to the Board of Directors.

Reitsma also plays a central role in aligning industry relations programs with Travel Tech’s federal, state, and local advocacy efforts, collaborating with government affairs leadership to ensure start-ups and emerging companies have a strong voice in policymaking. In addition, she supports organizational operations, including financial management, vendor coordination, and the administration of core association tools and systems.

Prior to joining Travel Tech, Reitsma worked with the XR Association as Marketing & Membership Coordinator, where she led membership recruitment efforts, executed grassroots advocacy strategies, and managed member communications.

Reitsma holds a Bachelor’s degree in Politics with an additional major in Philosophy and a minor in Computer Science from Washington & Lee University.

Jack is the Industry Relations Coordinator for Travel Tech. He has experience within and outside of government, working with corporate partners large and small.

Jack previously worked with the U.S. Commercial Service in the Virginia and D.C. market to facilitate companies’ exports to markets across the globe. He helped resolve private trade disputes and met with clients to ensure their needs were met. While at the Business Council for International Understanding, Jack helped Fortune 500 executives meet with other businesspeople and government officials to expand their market share. He also worked in his community in supporting local start-ups with the Norfolk Innovation Corridor helping revitalize Norfolk, VA into a new innovative hot spot.

When he isn’t at Travel Tech, Jack likes to go ballroom dancing and spend time with his family. He graduated from Old Dominion University with a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major of International Studies and a minor in French.