Grace McBride, Founder and CEO of Lucia, and Samella Watson, Founder and CEO of Theblck.io.
The scholarships include a ticket to The Phocuswright Conference, held in Phoenix, Arizona this November 14-17, 2022, a four-night stay in the host hotel, inclusion in the acceptance-only mentorship programs – the Startup Program and Young Leaders Summit – and membership into the Travel Tech Executive Fellowship.
NEW YORK – Phocuswright chose Grace McBride, Founder and CEO of Lucia, and Samella Watson, Founder and CEO of Theblck.io, to receive two prestigious scholarships – named The Philip C. Wolf Memorial Scholarship as an homage to the Phocuswright founder, Philip Wolf.
The scholarships include a ticket to The Phocuswright Conference, held in Phoenix, Arizona this November 14-17, 2022, a four-night stay in the host hotel, inclusion in the acceptance-only mentorship programs – the Startup Program and Young Leaders Summit – and membership into the Travel Tech Executive Fellowship. The TTE Fellowship is an eight-week immersion and year-long membership community combining hand-picked founders, practitioners, leaders, investors, and operators, who can connect, build, and share ideas that push the boundaries of travel tech.
“Philip was an entrepreneur, travel advisor and consultant, as well as a mentor to many,” said Catherine Plummer, vice president, events, Phocuswright. “His impact on the travel industry and the people in it was far-reaching, and his advice will be passed down for many years. We chose Grace because of her passion and focus on growing other startups or small businesses so that they can contribute to improving the travel industry. What stood out was Grace’s desire to take her learnings from the conference and share them with her clients and partners.
“We chose Samella because of her background as a tech entrepreneur and founder of BLCK, a turnkey investment marketplace that helps the average person create passive income in the short-term rental sector. Her goals and passion to further her network and relationships stood out among the many applicants.”
Grace McBride added: “I'm drawn to Phocuswright because of its dedication to bringing innovation to the travel industry. This is where my passion lies and it's what I hope to bring to the industry through my company, Lucia. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to help continue Philip’s legacy whilst attending the conference this year.”
Samella Watson also commented: “It’s such an honor to be selected as a recipient of the Philip C. Wolf Memorial Scholarship. I'm thankful to have a seat at the table at one of the most forward-thinking travel tech communities. During this conference and Fellowship, I look forward to gaining new industry insight while expanding my network among other movers and shakers in the travel industry.”
Tatiana is the news coordinator for TravelDailyNews Media Network (traveldailynews.gr, traveldailynews.com and traveldailynews.asia). Her role includes monitoring the hundreds of news sources of TravelDailyNews Media Network and skimming the most important according to our strategy.
She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication & Mass Media from Panteion University of Political & Social Studies of Athens and she has been editor and editor-in-chief in various economic magazines and newspapers.
