Meet Tawanna, Chapter Leader of Baltimore

This month in our Leader of the Pack series, we meet chapter leader Tawanna Browne Smith from Baltimore Travel Massive.

Tawanna is the Managing Director of MGTTravel Media where she oversees product and content development for travelers, specifically focused on moms. She designs group travel experiences for women as well as provides concierge services for family travelers. She is the Editor-In-Chief of Mom’s Guide To Travel, and the author of Mom’s Guide To Saving Money on Family Travel. Tawanna has contributed to various online publications including TravelChannel.com, 10Best USA Today, Trip Advisor, Family Vacation Critic, the Family Travel Association and the Huffington Post. In case you missed it, you can also listen to her on episode #9 of our Travel Massive podcast series.

How did you first get involved with Travel Massive?

My very first Travel Massive event was at TBEX Athens. I’d vaguely heard about Travel Massive but didn’t know much about it.  Less than three weeks later I was at my second Travel Massive event, this time in London during World Travel Market. I saw the potential and value of Travel Massive events in bringing together innovators, disruptors, entrepreneurs and a spectrum of travel industry folks.

What motivates you to be part of Travel Massive?

The community, forward-thinking, collaboration opportunities and a love of travel all motivate me to be part of Travel Massive.

Who attends your events?

We have small companies in the Baltimore chapter as well as a few larger ones. Since we are relatively new (less than a year old), we’re still working to dig our feet firmly in the sand. Local travel influencers, restaurant and hotel representatives, as well as local tour companies have attended our events.

Do you do anything unique at your meet-ups?

Our last event we had a member do a Periscope tutorial as we sailed on the Baltimore Harbor.

Have you found any professional opportunities from being part of the community?

So far I’ve made some wonderful acquaintances since being a part of the community. I’ve just begun talks with two Travel Massive community members to work together.

Do you have a past event that was your favourite?  

Our most recent event in Baltimore was my favorite event thus far. We had incredible attendance numbers at this event. We sailed in the Baltimore Harbor, drank wine from a local vineyard, and listened to a Periscope tutorial under a picturesque Fall sunset.

What is your best advice to a newcomer who wants to attend a Travel Massive event for the first time?

Some Travel Massive events can feel overwhelming with the number of attendees. I’d suggest people get in contact with the chapter leader to introduce themselves and tell them that they are coming, so that hopefully the leader can look out for the newcomer.

Look at the list to see who else will be there and try to connect with them online before the event so that you can know at least one person if you’re completely new.

Leader of the Pack is a monthly series that profiles the organizers and leaders of Travel Massive chapters around the world. You can get to know more about Tawanna on Facebook, Twitter or Travel Massive.