Jonathon Day
Dr Jonathon Day, an Associate Professor in Purdue’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, is committed to ensuring tourism is a force for good in the world. In addition to over 50 academic articles and chapters, he is the author of several books and co-author of “The Tourism System 8th Edition”. Dr Day’s research interests focus on sustainable tourism, responsible travel, and strategic destination governance within the tourism system. He is the lead researcher and director of the Sustainable Tourism and Responsible Travel Lab and the chair of the Travel With Care Initiative.
Katherine Pivaral
Katherine Pivaral is a researcher at Purdue University specializing in participatory regeneration and community-based natural resource management. Her interdisciplinary background spans environmental engineering, agricultural social sciences, and ecological systems thinking. She works at the intersection of regenerative tourism, land restoration, and community development, focusing on how place-based development can support ecological recovery and local livelihoods. Her research emphasizes participatory GIS, qualitative methods, and ancestral and adaptive practices to advance resilient social-ecological systems in the Global North and South.
Beatriz Roldan Martinez
Dr. Beatriz Roldan Martinez is an academic at Purdue University collaborating on the Nexus project for regenerative tourism development in Peru’s Colca Valley. Her expertise spans innovation, community development, rural tourism, and sustainable and regenerative tourism. She earned her Ph.D. in Tourism Creation from Hokkaido University, Japan. Her applied research bridges theory and practice to empower communities, preserve cultural heritage, and promote inclusive, resilient tourism systems that create sustainable economic opportunities.
Sarah Renkert
Dr. Sarah Renkert is an Assistant Professor of Practice in the Department of Anthropology at Purdue University. An applied sociocultural anthropologist, she specializes in critical food studies, community development, and tourism. She works with undergraduate researchers on food security projects in Greater Lafayette, Indiana, and directs student internships with regional nonprofits. Her research has focused on communal kitchens in Peru, community tourism in Peru and Ecuador, and diaper need, food security, and land protection in the U.S. Southwest.
Carmen Vanessa Franco Franco
Carmen Vanessa Franco Franco has a PhD in Tourism, a Master’s Degree in Tourism and Hotel Marketing and a Bachelor’s Degree in Tourism. She works as a university professor at the National University of San Agustín de Arequipa (UNSA), actively participating in the academic training of undergraduate and graduate students, as well as in projects related to tourism development. She is president of the Association of Travel and Tourism Agencies of Arequipa (AVIT) and manager of Caframi Tours S.R.L., since 2001. He has a solid track record in tourism management, public-private articulation and strengthening of the regional and national tourism sector.
Lady Shirley Concha Diaz
Lady Shirley Concha Díaz, a graduate in Tourism and Hospitality from the National University of San Agustín, is a PhD candidate in Social Sciences and holds a Master’s degree in Sustainable Tourism Management. She complements her education with a Master’s degree in Tourism Management and Consulting from the University of León, Spain, and diplomas in business, innovation, and social entrepreneurship. With over 22 years of experience in the tourism sector, she works as a research professor at UNSA, a mentor at JAKU Emprende, and a consultant on innovation and academic development projects.
Juan Domingo Banda Cárdenas
Juan Domingo Banda Cárdenas holds a Bachelor’s degree in Tourism and Hospitality, a Master’s degree in Higher Education, and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Social Sciences. He is a professor at the School of Tourism and Hospitality at the National University of San Agustín in Arequipa and a research lecturer on the Regenerative Tourism project in the Colca Valley, in collaboration with Purdue University. He currently serves as Dean of the Professional Association of Tourism Graduates of Arequipa and has more than 20 years of experience in the tourism sector.
María Alejandra Maceda Mogrovejo
María Alejandra Maceda Mogrovejo holds a Bachelor in Tourism and Hospitality, with a Master’s in Business Administration and graduate studies in a Doctorate in Administration. Lecturer at the National University of San Agustín and the Catholic University of Santa María, specializing in active methodologies, sustainability, and holistic education. She is experienced in cultural management, museology, tourism project development, guiding, customer service, and event organization. Speaker at conferences on tourism, marketing, and social responsibility. Promotes initiatives that integrate innovation, cultural heritage, and meaningful learning through digital tools.
Erin Olga Trujillo Medina
Erin Olga Trujillo Medina holds a Bachelor’s degree in Tourism and Hospitality with 11 years of professional experience. She has a Master’s degree in Social Sciences with a specialization in Sustainable Tourism Management, doctoral studies in Educational Sciences, and a second specialization in Administrative Sciences. Erin has conducted customer service training in the AUTOCOLCA districts, worked in travel agencies, carried out research on meeting tourism, and is currently working as a lecturer in administration, marketing, and tourism.
