GBTA Announces Former First Lady Laura Bush as Keynote Speaker At GBTA Convention 2013 In San Diego

ALEXANDRIA, Va., April  25, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA)—the voice of the global business travel industry—today announced Mrs. Laura W. Bush, former first lady and bestselling author, will be a keynote speaker at the GBTA Convention 2013 being held August 4-7, 2013 in San Diego, CA.  Mrs. Bush will be speaking during the Tuesday, August 8^th General Session luncheon.

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"Mrs. Laura W. Bush has traveled to 50 states and to more than 76 countries advocating for improvements in education, healthcare and human rights," said Michael W. McCormick, GBTA executive director and COO. "Mrs. Bush has been a steadfast champion for people in need everywhere.  She knows the importance of in-person meetings as she has traveled throughout the world, from small towns throughout the United States to distant locales in Africa and Afghanistan, helping and advocating for causes she believes in." 

Mrs. Bush has been a tireless supporter for education and literacy for the greater part of her life.   She holds a degree in education and a master's degree in library science.  She taught in public schools throughout Texas and worked as a public librarian.   During her husband's first term, she launched "Ready to Read, Ready to Learn," an education initiative that promoted best practices in early childhood education and raised awareness of teacher training programs. 

In 2001, Mrs. Bush founded the National Book Festival in Washington, D.C.  The event is sponsored by the Library of Congress and is a two-day event for book lovers of all ages. The festival provides an opportunity to learn about the reading programs and resources in libraries across the country and to meet some of the country's most beloved writers.  She is also the author of the bestselling memoir, Spoken from the Heart.

Mrs. Bush has been a champion of women's health issues for the past several decades.  She has worked with numerous initiatives to raise awareness of malaria while supporting grassroots efforts to eradicate the disease.  She has also helped thousands of women by raising awareness of breast cancer and heart disease.  She served as the Ambassador for the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's Heart Truth Campaign, where she traveled the country educating women about the symptoms of heart disease. 

In addition, Mrs. Bush helped launch the U.S.-Middle East Partnership for Breast Cancer Awareness and Research and the Partnership for Breast Cancer Awareness and Research of the Americas, which unite the resources of researchers and advocated in the United States and around the world. 

Today she continues her lifelong work as a passionate advocate on global healthcare innovations, empowering women in emerging democracies, education reform, and supporting the men and women who have served in America's military while serving as the Chair of the Woman's Initiative at the George W. Bush Institute.

The GBTA Convention, with nearly 7,000 attendees, is the largest, most comprehensive annual gathering of business travel and meetings managers, meeting planners, procurement professionals and suppliers anywhere in the world. The Business Travel Event of the Year ®  features: more than 70 industry-leading education sessions organized into 20+ specialized tracks geared to specific levels of experience and a variety of disciplines; a 400+ company Exposition showcasing market choices not available at other industry gatherings; sessions featuring world-renowned speakers and industry leaders; a wide selection of professional development opportunities; and, much more. For more information on the GBTA Convention, visit gbta.org/convention.

About the Global Business Travel Association
The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) is the world's premier business travel and meetings organization. Collectively, GBTA's 5,700-plus members manage over $340 billion of global business travel and meetings expenditures annually. GBTA provides its network of 21,000 business and government travel and meetings managers, as well as travel service providers, with networking events, news, education & professional development, research, and advocacy. For more information, visit gbta.org

SOURCE Global Business Travel Association