2026 Inclusion Champion Finalists
The Inclusion Champion Award will be awarded to an individual who acknowledges and demonstrates exemplary leadership in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the tourism industry.
Finalists were determined by an internal panel of judges. The winner will be determined by public vote.
Meet the seven finalists below and learn more about their work.
Public voting is open through Friday, October 23, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET.
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The Finalists
Justin Barnette
Head: Marketing & Comms North America
South African Tourism
For more than a decade, Justin Barnette has integrated LGBTQ+ inclusion into SA Tourism North America’s marketing, media and trade strategy, helping move it from niche outreach into mainstream destination marketing. He launched the destination’s first LGBTQ+ microsite and media familiarization program, moderated Africa Travel Indaba’s first LGBTQ+ tourism workshop, expanded industry education on the value of LGBTQ+ travel, and strengthened SA Tourism’s global collaboration with IGLTA.
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Julia Cohen Ribeiro
Afrotourism Director
Lunfarda Travel
Co-founder
El Tambo Afro
Julia Cohen Ribeiro has helped bring Afro-Argentine history, culture and entrepreneurship into Argentina’s tourism story. She led the country’s first Afro-Argentine heritage tour, founded El Tambo Afro, the first Afro-centered store in Argentina, led the research for the country’s first federal Afrotourism map and directs María Presente, a documentary about María Remedios del Valle. Her work expands visibility, economic opportunity and space for Afro-descendant communities to tell their own stories through tourism.
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Dr. Damien L. Duchamp
Executive Director
Hospitalented
Assistant Dean for Online Education
St. John Fisher University
Dr. Damien L. Duchamp expands access to hospitality and tourism education through practical, cross-border initiatives. As Executive Director of Hospitalented.org, he developed HospiGo, which delivers educational content by MicroSD where internet access may be limited. His work includes 25 workshops in Ghana and Nigeria and more than 200 HospiGo resources distributed to children in Ghana, alongside broader efforts linking education, tourism and economic opportunity.
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Tami Fairweather
Program Director
WITS
Founder
The Fairweather Experience
Tami Fairweather advances inclusion through travel media, events and community-centered programming. As Program Director for the WITS 2026 Travel Creator Summit, she built a diverse program council and speaker lineup. During nearly a decade leading the Adventure Travel Trade Association’s media program, diverse representation increased 32% from 2018–2024. Her event work also intentionally directs spending to locally owned, women-owned and Black-owned businesses.
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Josh Heinz
Community Engagement Manager
Visit Greater Palm Springs
Josh Heinz has turned lived experience as a parent into sustained advocacy for neuroinclusive travel. He led Greater Palm Springs’ effort to become Southern California’s first Certified Autism Destination, growing it to more than 30 Certified Autism Centers and about 3,500 trained people by April 2026. His work has since expanded into broader accessibility projects, training and partnerships, and he also founded Concert for Autism, which has raised more than $120,000.
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Sherry L. Rupert
CEO
American Indigenous Tourism Association
Sherry L. Rupert (Paiute/Washoe) has spent more than two decades expanding Indigenous leadership and economic opportunity in tourism. As CEO of the American Indigenous Tourism Association, she has advanced national advocacy, Indigenous tourism research and work around the NATIVE Act. Her leadership has also supported global Indigenous tourism collaboration and secured $5.7 million in state appropriations to preserve the Stewart Indian School as a museum and cultural center.
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Dr. Antony King Fung Wong
Assistant Professor, School of Hotel and Tourism Management
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Dr. Antony King Fung Wong develops research that gives destinations and hospitality organizations practical tools to improve LGBTQ+ inclusion. His work includes a validated LGBTQ+-Friendly Destination Image Scale and studies of gender-affirming health tourism and organizational change. A study of 654 international tourists in Thailand found LGBTQ+ friendliness predicted satisfaction, positive word of mouth and plans to return, including among non-LGBTQ+ travelers.
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Vote for the 2026 Inclusion Champion
Choose one finalist. One vote per Google account. Voting closes Friday, October 23, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET.