Penny Spencer – Chair and Director
Inspired by Richard Branson’s views on the benefits of mentoring, and having experienced its blessings first-hand, Penny Spencer founded TIME in 2009.
With an unwavering belief in the willingness of executives from the senior ranks of the travel industry to share their wisdom, Penny has shaped the TIME program and swelled its stable of mentors to over 100.
Having worked her way up from the lowest rungs on the corporate ladder, and launching her own business in 1998, Penny is now Managing Director of the Spencer Group of Companies and has been acknowledged on Travel Weekly’s ‘Women in Travel Power List’, and as one of SmartCompany’s Top 30 Australian female entrepreneurs more than once. Penny’s eponymous travel management company, Spencer Travel – has also been inducted into the National Travel Industry of Australia’s (NTIA) Hall of Fame.
As a leader and a mother, Penny has a distinct perspective on juggling both a career and a family, something she described in her 2014 book ‘Love What You Do…’ – a chronicle of her journey to success.
LinkedI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/penny-spencer-a616201/
Trish Shepherd – TIME Director
Trish has over 40 years experience in the travel and tourism industry. Joining American Express Travel in 1980, where she worked in a range of roles across foreign exchange, finance, marketing, supplier relations and strategy before becoming Regional Director for Travel & Alliances.
During that role, Trish worked closely with over 300 travel offices, across the region; and has since business coached 44 travel agencies in Australia and is currently mentoring her 8th mentee, as part of the TIME program.
Her collaborative and creative leadership in international business, combined with her sharp wit, honest, assertive and goal driven approach has seen her continually deliver results in challenging environments.
More recently, Trish has founded her own company, Black Sheep Tourism, where she endeavours to bring together her vast years of travel industry experience, to build successful brand partnerships. A company that aspires to create and develop, unique products and services, aimed to support strategic growth for Australian and international travel businesses.
Trish’s unique and enthusiastic management style has earned her the well deserved reputation, as an energetic, committed professional who is a passionate advocate for the travel and tourism industry.
Trish has studied management at Wollongong University in Australia and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trishshepherd/
Dan Russell – TIME Director
Multi-skilled & passionate about travel, Dan has a “hands on” approach.
His vision with Clean Cruising is customer focussed combining the best cruise website with the most talented and experienced cruise consultants in Australia.
In his spare time he enjoys a mix of ski, camping and cruise holidays with his family.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-russell-88bb841/
Timo Lorenzen – TIME Director
Experienced Hospitality Professional with a demonstrated history of working in the hospitality industry in Europe and Australia. Skilled in Team Development, F&B, Housekeeping, Revenue & Profit Growth & Operational Hotel Management.
Award winning Speaker, Guest Lecturer at Torrens University & TIME Program Graduate.
Distinguished Toastmasters (DTM)
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timo-lorenzen-sydney/
Angela Middleton – TIME Director
Angela heads up a team of five and is responsible for trade partnerships and revenue at Norwegian Cruise Line in Australia and New Zealand. With 19 years’ experience in the travel industry, including senior sales and product development roles at Insight Vacations, Virgin Australia and Best Western Australia, Angela is a passionate people manager who believes in coaching and supporting her team to succeed. Angela credits much of her growth within the travel industry to the mentoring experience gained through The Travel Industry Mentor Experience program 10 years ago. Angela has also since mentored twice on the TIME program furthering her passion in people development and giving back to the travel industry. In 2022 Angela was named Regional Sales Manager of the year at the NCL Global Sales Conference and the NCL Team was awarded Best Industry Support – Cruise at the NTIA awards in the same year. Outside of work Angela is a mother of 2 children – and in her spare time volunteers as the President of the local swimming club.
Career History
After commencing as a Management Cadet at Best Western Australia in 2004, Angela went on to hold various commercial roles at Best Western Australasia before moving to Virgin Australia 2008 followed by Insight Vacations in 2017 and Norwegian Cruise Line in 2019.
Angela enjoyed a 10-year career at Virgin Australia working across various retail and corporate sales functions before progressing to Product Development Manager for International Inbound Sales – responsible for the fares and product international agents sold. As NSW Regional Industry Sales Manager, Angela oversaw a team of highly skilled Account Managers to ensure the right business plans, business relationships and contracts were developed, negotiated and executed to deliver strong revenue results. Following this Angela held the role of National Sales Manager for Virgin Australia, managing the largest travel industry accounts.
In 2017 Angela progressed her career, taking on the role of Head of Sales at Insight Vacations. This role saw Angela in the Senior Leadership Team within the business, developing the national sales strategy, leading and coaching a team of Sales Managers across Australia to achieve aggressive sales targets and KPIs with commercial trade partners.
Angela joined Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) as Senior Manager Sales in 2019, managing a team office and taking responsibility for trade partnerships and revenue in Australia and New Zealand.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-middleton-9729bb16/
Kelley Wacher – TIME Director
Having spent more than 22 years in Travel and Hospitality, Kelley held many roles in leadership, sales, customer service, system & process development, training and consulting, she recognises the need for individuals and organisations alike to embrace and refocus in the area of development on their most valuable resource – their people.
In 2009 she embarked on her passion to create a more significant contribution to current and emerging leaders exposing individual and group potential through coaching, mentoring and team and leadership development. With a focused approach on key behavioural skills, communication, emotional intelligence, strategic thinking and courageous conversations, her business Corporate Magic has expanded across travel, hospitality and a range of other industries including, retail, aged care, manufacturing, corporate, finance, technology, telco and government based organisations. A dynamic presenter, facilitator, business mentor, corporate trainer and inspirational speaker she works expediently, establishing a foundation of trust and rapport with clients to deliver strong and effective results.
Kelley is devoted to her own development with Advanced Certifications in Executive Coaching, Results Coaching, Neuro Linguistic Programming, Extended DISC, TTI DISC, Emotional Intelligence and Driving Forces, Conversational Intelligence, Gallup Clifton Strengths, Hypnotherapy, Matrix therapies, Archetypal coaching and Leadership Development.
“As a coach and mentor my focus is on discovering your potential. The transformation people make when they commit to their own development is truly inspirational. Because of my brand name, Corporate Magic, I am often asked, do you pull a rabbit out of a hat? To which I reply, No. The magic is in you not in me!”
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelleywacher7/
Marie Allom – Program Manager
Marie is a well know Industry figure having spent over 30 Years in the Industry. Her extensive experience with The Australian Federation of Travel Agents Limited (AFTA), in which she held a number of positions after starting as a Part Time Accounts Administration and advancing to become General Manager of the Federation a position she held for over 14 Years. This was at a time when the Federation managed Travel colleges in each State of Australia and was instrumental in developing and introducing an Award for the Travel Industry, among a number of other ground breaking initiatives
Marie had the privilege of working with a number of Travel Industry Icons from various sectors of the Industry as well as those who served as Presidents of the AFTA Board. After retiring in 2004 she was recruited to return to run the National Travel Industry Awards which she did for a further four years.
Marie was made a Life Member of AFTA in 1996 for all her dedication and work in the development and growth of the Federation.
Now managing the TIME Program Marie believes this initiative is an important step in the development of the young Managers of today
There are many benefits to all involved Mentor, Mentee, Organisations and the Industry
To have a structure in place whereby this can happen is so important.
“My personal experiences of mentoring staff who have the potential to grow and have not had the confidence to do it on their own and take that first step, and being able to encourage and guide them in a direction where they flourish is so rewarding to both the Mentor and Mentee is the main reason I became involved in the Programme.”
