Join us on April 30^th for an insightful discussion on sustainable travel practices as we discuss more about how travel and environmental responsibility intersect. Our panel of experts will explore innovative strategies, share success stories, and discuss challenges in creating a more sustainable future for the travel industry. We look forward to sharing valuable insights and contribute to the conversation of greener travel.

Panelists

Lauren Yanoff-Shapiro

1 Hotel Central Park

Director of Sales & Marketing

Lauren Yanoff-Shapiro joined SH Hotels & Resorts in 2015 as Director of Corporate and Group Sales. She is currently the Director of Sales & Marketing at 1 Hotel Central Park as well as their Sustainability Champion.  Lauren has spent over 25 years in hospitality in both operations and sales.  Her prior experience includes Hyatt Regency Jersey City, W Hoboken, Westin Jersey City, Baccarat Hotel New York. 1 Hotels brand, established by Starwood Capital’s Chairman and CEO Barry Sternlicht in 2015, operates luxury properties which are known for their focus on sustainability.

Ryan Backman-Flamerich

United Airlines, Senior Manager

Decarbonization Team

Ryan Backman-Flamerich is a Senior Manager on United Airlines' decarbonization team. He co-leads the airline's Eco-Skies Alliance, its near-term SAF program. Before United, Ryan spent eight years at Deloitte Consulting, helping Fortune 500s develop and execute their decarbonization strategies. He holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Alabama.

Nechama Lowy

Amtrak, Program Specialist

Sustainability, Strategy, Planning & Accessibility 

Nechama is the Program Specialist for Sustainability at Amtrak. With a passion for transparency and accurate reporting, Nechama manages internal and external communications and disclosures including the annual Sustainability Report, EcoVadis, and the UIC Rail Sustainability Index. She is also a member of the Climate Committee and Net-Zero Program at Amtrak, and leads Amtrak public engagement in Earth Month and Climate Week NYC.  In her free time, Nechama can be found running Central Park, exploring different vegan restaurants in New York City, or taking an Amtrak for a weekend getaway.

Sarah Chou

Southwest Airlines. Senior Sustainability Consultant

Environmental Sustainability

Sarah is a Senior Consultant on the Environmental Sustainability Team at Southwest. She drives the Company’s portfolio of commercial sustainability programs and owns the strategy and procurement of carbon offsets. She collaborates internally and externally to support the Company’s journey toward achieving its goals under Nonstop to Net Zero: Southwest’s path toward net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and a more sustainable future. Through the three focus areas of Carbon, Circularity, and Collaboration, Sarah engages with our Customers as we strive to do right by our Planet and our Company in the communities we serve and beyond.
In 2019, Sarah started her career at Southwest in Corporate Strategy, where she worked on many strategy projects for the Company. Prior to Southwest, Sarah worked in management consulting in the utilities and healthcare industries. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Managerial Studies and a minor in Business from Rice University.
Sarah is conversationally fluent in Mandarin. Outside of her professional endeavors, she enjoys traveling, trying new restaurants, and working on DIY home projects.