Who We Are

THE WHO & THE WHY

The Sustainable Travel Events Series is produced by RAS International in conjunction with TAMS – the Travel & Meeting Society. The two organizations pooled their talents and expertise in travel and community development to create a new event series that puts sustainability at the top of the agenda. These live forums will spotlight the exciting world of business, leisure, and luxury travel from the vantage point of achieving new ways to enjoy freedom of movement while maintaining a duty of care for the planet and its people.

Meet the Team

  • SARA EASTWOOD

    PRESIDENT

  • RYAN MCLEAN

    CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

  • JULIE HENNESSEY

    VP GLOBAL SALES & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

  • SPENCER MCLEAN

    EVENT MANAGER

  • TYLER MARTINDALE

    DIGITAL MARKETING & EVENT PROMOTIONS

  • EDEN REDONA

    OPERATIONS & ADMINISTRATION COORDINATOR

ABOUT RAS INTERNATIONAL

Ryan McLean is the founder of RAS International. He graduated in 2019 with a Business Degree from the University of Washington. Teaming up with Sara Eastwood, he formed a company Dedicated to helping non-profits. As the Chief Financial Officer of RAS International, Ryan focuses on internal operations.

Sara Eastwood brings more than 25 years of experience in trade show and trade association management. She founded the live events division of Bobit Business Media, one of the largest business-to-business media companies in the world. Throughout her career, Sara has launched hundreds of large-scale trade shows, including the International Luxury Charter & Tour Show, the Mobile Electronics Show, the Nails Show, the International Car Rental Show, and BusCon. She has also created dozens of leadership summits, symposiums, conferences, and incentive travel events for vertical markets in electronics, transportation, and beauty. Sara persuaded the Bobit Organization to expand from print media and live events into association management, beginning with a 20-year contract with the National Limousine Association. In 2019, she left corporate america to serve as president of RAS International.

Julie Hennessey has more than 25 years of sales and marketing expertise for live events. She excels in creating unique, immersive programs for companies looking to monetize their live event experiences through sponsorships, market studies, networking, and product launches. For brands wishing to align with event themes such as Sustainable Travel, Julie is the best at dreaming up unforgettable promotional campaigns to drive sales. She serves as Vice President of Global Sales & Business Development at RAS International.

TAMS PARTNERSHIP TEAM:

  • SUSAN LICHTENSTEIN

    TAMS FOUNDER


  • PHYLLIS TESS

    TAMS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

ABOUT TEAM TAMS (501c6)

TAMS is a grassroots initiative focused on delivering education and disrupting the travel and meetings industry. Their mission is to build a community of industry professionals who collaborate regardless of role, experience, or position in a diverse and inclusive environment where every voice counts.

Susan Lichtenstein is the mastermind behind TAMS. Currently, the VP of Sales at HQ, she previously worked as a Senior Consultant at Partnership Travel Consulting, LLC, a Managing Partner at Digi Travel Consulting, and a Director of Global Procurement Services at CISCO SYSTEMS INC. Susan holds a leadership certification from Wharton Business School.

Phyllis Tess is head of Programs & Education for TAMS. With over 21 years of experience in executive-level roles within the travel and hotel markets, she has served on many travel association boards and committees, including ACTE, WINiT, and GBTA. Phyllis is a graduate of the Darden School of Business, University of Virginia, and holds a GLP from the Harvard School of Business.