Our Mission
To lead the world to inspired destinations
To inspire within others a passion for travel at the highest levels of quality and meaningfulness
To promote tourism as a means towards a more connected and peaceful world
To harness the strength of the global travel industry to preserve the planet’s natural and cultural treasures
Executive Team
JENA GARDNER
President and CEO
Entrepreneur and travel industry veteran, Jena Gardner turned a lifelong passion for travel into a thriving enterprise. Her company, JG Worldwide, is a world-leader within the travel and tourism industry. Its portfolio of distinctive brands maintain an unparalleled reputation within the world of hospitality.
Her innovative approach to business has made Jena a sought-after industry consultant and speaker. Named one of the Top 25 Most Extraordinary Minds in Sales and Marketing by HSMAI, she is an international keynote speaker, having been invited to present at the Global Women’s Forum, the Global Eco Conference, the Fortune Luxury Summit, the Luxury Marketing Council, the BVI Business Outlook Conference and the Luxury Portfolio SUMMIT.
Jena co-founded The Bodhi Tree Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting environmental and humanitarian efforts related to travel and tourism sustainability, in 2008. She has also served on the Judging Committee for the World Travel and Tourism Council’s Tourism for Tomorrow Awards, which recognizes and promotes best practices in sustainable tourism, and Tourism Cares’ Lifetime Achievement in Travel Philanthropy Award.
A licensed CPA with an extensive background in hotel management, Ms. Gardner spearheaded sales and marketing efforts for Ritz-Carlton and Montana’s Triple Creek Ranch before founding her company in 2002.
TOM JOLLY
Chief Operating Officer
Tom is a lawyer who has spent the majority of his career focused on travel, hospitality, acquisitions, finance and real estate development. He brings a unique blend of expertise in strategic management, operations and corporate legal affairs from efforts across a diverse set of business properties to his role as COO with JG Worldwide.
Tom previously served as COO and General Counsel at Sundance Group and led efforts to streamline corporate and brand structure for a full range of non-profit and for-profit entities. Most recently, he served as COO of Summit Mountain Holding Group, a large-scale, mixed-use development in Northern Utah where responsibilities included structuring major financing, acquisitions, entitlements and operations. Tom practiced law at the national law firm of Ballard Spahr LLP and was a member of the firm’s Real Estate Development Group and Resort and Hotel Group.
JAMES SALEH
Chief Financial Officer
James is a salesman and entrepreneur who has built successful manufacturing, distribution and retail businesses around the world, including China, India and Egypt. A global perspective and experience at fast-growth, small to mid-sized businesses informs his strategic and pragmatic approach.
James’ commitment to socially responsible entrepreneurship led him to found Habiquad, an innovative commercial and residential building company that provides safe, affordable housing domestically and in developing countries. James has served as the CFO of JG Black Book since 2005, and assisted in the growth of the firm over the past decade, from overseeing its global expansion into Latin America, the UK and Australia, to the establishment of W!T, in partnership with The Brandman Agency. James is a co-founder of The Bodhi Tree Foundation, which is committed to travel sustainability.
CATHERINE COURTNEY
Executive VP, Marketing & Communications
Cathy is a communications and branding executive who has focused on marketing and promotions for the past two decades. During that time, she has specialized in branding and trade promotions for luxury and experiential travel products and destinations.
Cathy previously led marketing efforts for a number of high-profile consumer and business magazines. At Travel + Leisure magazine, she was responsible for industry branding and partnered with the sales team to develop initiatives to maintain the magazine’s position as the #1 U.S. travel publication. She joined JG Black Book in 2007 and has worked to establish the brand as a market leader. She is also responsible for leading her team in establishing and building the Global Group by JG, W!T, and The Bodhi Tree Foundation brands, and she helped establish the organization’s Branding & Marketing services division.
JOANNA FAULKNER
Director of Operations
A native Californian from Newport Beach, Joanna spent 10 years living in Chile and found her love for hospitality and luxury travel by working for explora. She started as a guide in explora Atacama where she was trained and became an expert in the culture of explora. Later she spent some time with the guides in explora Patagonia and ended up leading the guide team in explora Rapa Nui. Joanna went on to open and become the General Manager for Hare Noi in Rapa Nui before returning to California to pursue an Executive MBA in Global Business.