About Us
Kate Cardoso
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Founder
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Kate was in charge of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives at HMI Performance Incentives from 2020 - 2023. Kate and HMI started including CSR initiatives in group travel programs as a way to give back and do well by doing good. A post-pandemic world needed more giving and more doing good, and Kate has spent a lot of time and effort creating CSR initiatives that fit perfectly into group travel programs and are relatively easy to implement and then replicate in different destinations. These CSR initiatives increased ROI for HMI’s clients and, more importantly, raised over $100,000 for non-profit organizations all over the world.
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Kate is all about sharing – connections, experience, knowledge, good coffee shops, why she loves running and Pure Barre so much (mental and physical self-care), funny things, stupid things, you name it. To have learned how to do CSR as part of group travel so successfully was something Kate felt like she had to share as loudly and as widely as possible to make more of a positive impact. She decided to create the Travel with Purpose Pact to help more companies do good and help more people all over the world.
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Kate, who received her Global MBA from Suffolk University in 2010, has more than 20 years of experience in the corporate group travel industry in both agency and in-house roles. She has overseen all aspects of design, planning, and execution for corporate incentive travel programs, meetings and conferences. Kate is a master at balancing the realities of a given budget with the lofty goals of creating a unique and personal experience for each attendee. Her extensive experience means that she can plan and execute a successful event while making it look effortless, displaying humor, integrity and compassion throughout the process.
Kate lives in Western Massachusetts with her husband, two daughters and their dog Lucky.
Nora Finnerty
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CSR Program Lead
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Nora Finnerty began working at HMI as a Trip Director in the spring of 2021, right as group travel programs resumed after the pandemic. Incidentally, that trip to Aruba was the first HMI program that included a corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative through a partnership with a local food bank. The success and overwhelming support from the client and trip participants inspired Nora to take on a larger role at HMI, helping to manage and coordinate CSR initiatives for all of HMI’s group travel programs.
Nora is an absolute natural at corporate group travel! Her kindness and curiosity make everyone feel welcome and seen. She is very attentive to details and proactive in both anticipating and solving problems. Colleagues, client contacts and attendees are delighted to work with her because she does a great job, is passionate about her work and is probably one of the friendliest people you’ll ever meet.
With a Masters in Public Health from UMass Amherst and extensive experience with non-profits (as an employee, volunteer and board member), Nora is the perfect person to be involved with integrating impactful CSR initiatives into corporate group travel that benefit communities all over the world.
Nora lives in Western Massachusetts with her partner Zakk and their two dogs Charlie and Junie.
Shannon Timothy
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Content & Social Media Manager
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Shannon is a passionate and skilled professional with an extensive background in the hospitality and service industry. From 2004-2020, as the manager of the beloved Woodstar Café in Northampton, MA, she thrived in the fast-paced and high energy environment, embracing the daily challenge of multitasking while being able to see the bigger picture. Her exceptional attention to detail as well as her infectious, congenial nature ensured that both the operational aspects and customer service were top-notch.
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More recently, Shannon was the Sales and Marketing Director for Western Mass-based, outdoor experience company Adventure East. This role gave her the opportunity to combine her love for writing (publishing blog posts, writing newsletters, and creating social media content) with her genuine passion for helping and connecting with her community. In the 3 years that she worked for Adventure East, Shannon learned about sustainability, land conservation, and, more importantly, the myriad ways that individuals could honor the indigenous communities whose land we so often explore.
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Having studied Psychology at Smith College, Shannon is always looking for ways to incorporate her desire to help people and make positive changes into her professional life. Currently, Shannon channels that passion and her creative spirit into her role at the Travel with Purpose Pact. Here, she leverages her managerial skills and meticulous nature to create impactful travel experiences that promote community engagement and sustainable practices.
Shannon lives in Boston (go Celtics!) with her partner Terry and makes it a point to say hi to every dog that she passes on the street.
Maggie Thompson
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Marketing & Business Development Specialist
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Maggie is currently a senior at Boston University studying Hospitality Administration, with concentrations in both marketing and event management. She currently works as an Events Intern with Questrom Events and Conferences and as a Resident Assistant in her dorm. These roles allow her to pursue her event planning passions while utilizing her organizational and leadership skills. She also has experience as a chocolate tour guide, room attendant, and administrative assistant. Maggie excels in fast paced working environments that involve new tasks every day.
She is passionate about hospitality and combining her studies with her passions for social justice. Specifically, Maggie is passionate about food justice and enjoys volunteering at local pantries in her spare time. Maggie loves traveling around both the country and the world and going on small or large adventures with her friends to places she has never been before.
Maggie is very extroverted and enjoys spending time with other people in both her work and personal life. She enjoys spending time outdoors, particularly hiking, swimming, camping, and exploring the national parks. In her down time, she enjoys baking, scrapbooking, reading, and playing games. After graduation, Maggie is looking to pursue her master's degree in hospitality and tourism management in order to further her knowledge of hospitality and how it impacts cities.