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Expert advises senior executives on strategy, finance, accounting, business development, and marketing. Her clients benefit from her extensive global experience in the travel, hospitality, retail, manufacturing, and media industries. She has held numerous executive positions with Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCL), including serving as the senior financial officer reporting to the CEO for Royal Caribbean International with over $5 billion annual revenue. She led the integration of the $1.3 billion acquisition of Celebrity Cruises into RCL, enabling Celebrity to be a profitable brand. Expert also directed core operations for international business (Latin America, Europe, and Asia Pacific) including strategy, finance, information technology, marketing, sales, and human resources, driving international business to grow from 30% to 50% of total business. She managed the accounting and financial reporting for RCL’s initial public stock and debt offerings, and led the company’s transition from that of a private to a public company.

In her current consulting role, she advises a range of clients in the travel and hospitality, health and wellness, and retail sectors on strategy, business development, finance, accounting, and marketing. In addition, provides guidance to investment firms on the travel and hospitality sector and adjacent businesses for investment opportunities.

Previously, Expert was Controller for Summit Communications and Assistant Controller for Cox Enterprises. She began her career at PwC in Atlanta. Expert graduated from McIntire School of Commerce, University of Virginia with a B.S. Accounting, and is a CPA in the State of Georgia.

Leadership & Finance:
• Served as the senior financial officer reporting to the CEO for Royal Caribbean International with over $5 billion annual revenue.
• Led the integration of the $1.3 billion acquisition of Celebrity Cruises into RCL, enabling Celebrity to be a profitable brand.
• Directed core operations for international business (Latin America, Europe, and Asia Pacific) including finance, information technology, marketing, sales, human resources, and reservations, as international business grew from 30% to 50% of total corporate business.
• Managed the accounting and financial reporting for RCL’s initial public stock and debt offerings, and led the company’s transition from that of a private to a public company.
• Developed the first strategic plan through management participation, leading to approval of the new process and plan by the Board of Directors.
• Maintained profitability during severe economic downturns through balancing strategic marketing with short-term initiatives to create cruise bookings.

Brand Management & Innovation:
• Instituted CRM and created an integrated marketing database, providing analytics and customer value information to increase cruise reservations at lower marketing costs.
• Created comprehensive marketing programs across all channels, which increased brand awareness, bookings, and revenue yields.
• Launched a fully interactive consumer website with booking functionality, an important component to the increase in direct business and lower commission costs.
• Led product marketing in the construction of new ships with focus on product enhancements to improve the guest experience and increase profits.
• Designed a suite of technology solutions enabling each international market to select its preferred systems to operate more efficiently.