The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) has announced that Vanessa Ledesma will assume the role of director of operations, a new position with responsibilities for overall day-to-day oversight of the Association.  She will retain her position as director of conferences and events, a job she has held for the past 12 years.

“As we commence our search for the next director general, our CHTA staff will continue to handle the daily business of the Association alongside our volunteer leaders,” said Richard J. Doumeng, president of CHTA.

“With Vanessa Ledesma, director of operations and events, Andrea Phillips, director of finance and administration, and George deMercado, director of membership, who will be assuming additional interim responsibilities, plus the rest of the experienced and knowledgeable staff, we know that the day-to-day business operations of CHTA are in very capable hands,” Doumeng added.

Ledesma will assume her new expanded responsibilities for overall day-to-day operations on Feb. 1, 2013.  She has been with the Association 14 years, joining CHTA following her work with Maritza Negroni & Associates as a meeting planner and then conference organizer from 1995 until being hired by CHTA in 1999.