Megan L. Burden Email & Phone Number

Washington, District Of Columbia, United States

Washington D.C. Metro Area

I managed 40 travel programs a year from initial inception of concept to finished product, while also conducting research and development on twenty additional travel themes and programs to assess their viability. I spearheaded the implementation and expansion of Salesforce, Centaur, Igloo, and Sharepoint within the education travel department and served as the point person for follow-up work and questions. In addition, I developed and managed numerous accounts and clients, including Thrillist, The New York Times, and the Smithsonian, and cultivated relationships with travel vendors around the world to provide goods and services for our journeys, from hotels to restaurants to destination management companies. I created print and web copy to promote trips and service, ranging in length from short blurbs to full-length travel and destination descriptions, and actively participated in industry meetings and conferences throughout the United States. I oversaw invoices, advances, and wire transfers, both domestic and international, and ensured their timely payment, and hired and trained on site tour staff for numerous ATA clients according to the parameters and guidelines of the client's organization.

Washington D.C. Metro Area

I managed a team of four to ensure excellent customer service and on-time delivery of trip materials though bi-weekly meetings, trip evaluation examinations, and yearly reviews. I liaised with ground operators, tour staff, and partners to deliver quality, educational programming to travelers and oversaw the operation of our newest client, Martin Randall Travel, through the creation of an enhanced guest services model, on-site training, and data analysis. During my time as manager, I pioneered the implementation of a new reservation and client services system from the initial demo of 20+ systems to the selection and ongoing customization of the final product and supported VIP clients with personalized and enriched content, weekly reporting, and continuous communication. My role also involved the dissemination of pre-trip materials to all relevant parties to ensure trip excellence.

Washington D.C. Metro Area

Washington D.C. Metro Area

The Guest Services Advisor at Academic Travel Abroad provides customer service to booked travelers bound for a variety of destinations around the world, including Cuba, Morocco, China and South Africa. The main responsibilities of this position include: 1) providing superior customer service to partners and travelers 2) monitoring and evaluating quality of tours through post-trip evaluations, 3) ensure accurate passenger and financial data in the in-house reservations system, Tour Tools, and produce accurate tour reports for our partners; 4) writing pre-departure materials, maintaining accurate templates, and proofing documents before they are sent to travelers; 5) send tour mailings 6) perform other projects as needed to fulfill ATA’s commitment to superior customer service to our travelers and client partners. This position requires an energetic and friendly disposition that can be conveyed through all forms of communication, the ability to multi-task, stay organized and keep to deadlines and the malleability to work with multiple partners to accomplish a set job. In the last year I have also taken over event planning within Academic Travel Abroad. I have coordinated multiple retreats, staff gatherings and our annual Holiday party, which in 2015 was in our new office and 50% larger than the previous year.

Washington D.C. Metro Area

As a Reservations Specialist, I provided customer service to all travelers according to the companies Gold Standards of Service. The position required handling both domestic and international tours for a variety of client organizations. The responsibilities included: 1) answering incoming telephone and email inquiries for over 120 unique tours and destinations while providing excellent customer service; 2) booking travelers using two different reservation systems, Tour Tools and Peak15; 3) communicating internally with staff about updated reservations and sending confirmation letter to all travelers after a reservation is made; 4) assist in drafting tour mailings, maintain accurate mailing templates, and proof documents before they are sent to travelers; 4) send tour mailings 5) perform other projects as needed to fulfill the companies commitment to superior customer service to our traveler and client partners. The position required a friendly and engaging personality to create positive verbal and written communication with clients, the ability to manage several on-going queries at once, attention to detail, a working knowledge of geography, and the ability to think quickly on your feet while being resourceful and flexible.

Washington D.C. Metro Area

As a Visitor Services Representative, I handled daily guest interactions, including greeting patrons, issuing directions and aiding in crowd management. In addition, I operated customer ticket and payment systems and assisted with special events, both during and after museum hours.

Faratshio, Madagascar

For two year, I was an English as a Foreign Language Teacher in a small town in Madagascar. I taught 6th and 10th graders English twice a week the basics of the language. In the summer, I taught an Introduction to Business Writing class to university students in a large city in the north of the country. In addition, I also worked with the local health clinic, where I assisted with vaccinations and weekly maternity check-ups.