The Academy Travel Support Team
Meet our leadership team.
Lisa Federico
Founder, President and Owner of Academy Travel Inc.
Lisa Federico is the founder of Academy Travel Inc., an accredited travel agency established in 1994. She possesses a wealth of experience, with over 25 years of involvement in direct sales and marketing across various organizations in the travel industry. Her expertise extends to public speaking engagements, educating new travel agents, and crafting websites and training materials for numerous travel agents and major corporations. In addition to her training and educational work, Lisa Federico has also served as a consultant for other travel companies, assisting in the development and growth of their businesses. Her extensive training in the travel industry, combined with decades of experience in direct sales and marketing, particularly for Disney Destinations, has positioned Academy Travel as one of the select few Diamond level Disney EarMarked Travel Companies in the United States. Furthermore, it is noteworthy that Academy Travel is among the original “EarMarked” agencies, signifying its long-standing and reputable association with Disney. Lisa and her team look forward to making magic for more families in the future!
EMAIL: AcademyTravel@comcast.net
Anthony Sickinger
Executive Director of Universal Sales and Support
Anthony started with Academy Travel back in 2016 after a career in Law Enforcement. Anthony originally geared his focus towards the runDisney program and SeaWorld products, but soon became well versed in his knowledge of the Universal Parks and Resorts. Anthony oversees the training program our elite team of agents partakes in to ensure our clients have access to the most up-to-date information on the Universal products to make their vacation great! Because of Anthony and his efforts, Academy Travel is proud to boast our Universal U-Preferred Diamond status.
EMAIL: Anthony@AcademyTravel.com
Briana Givas
Executive Director of Sales + Marketing and Agency Public Relations, Specializing in Disney’s Fairytale Weddings and Honeymoons
Briana started her career working for some of New York City’s principal brands in the wedding industry including top Event Planners, the luxury trade show company, Wedding Salon and the leading national wedding network, The Knot. Briana is accredited as a Certified Wedding Professional through the National Association of Bridal Consultants and has extensive background in event marketing. Her career in travel began when she was brought in to focus on destination weddings for Palace Resorts and, the AAA 5 Diamond Brand, Le Blanc Spa Resorts, as their Business Development Manager for the Northeast Region. Briana has extensive background and knowledge in a plethora of travel destinations as well as Disney Fairytale Weddings and Honeymoons. Briana has hired and trained hundreds of agents on the Academy Travel Team and we look forward to her growing future at Academy Travel!
EMAIL: Briana@AcademyTravel.com
Bailey Federico
Director of Disney Sales and Marketing
Bailey began her career working for Deloitte, an international professional services firm, in the Audit and Assurance field. She is a Certified Public Accountant licensed in the state of Arizona and holds both a Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree in Accounting. In 2021, she stepped back from public accounting and began working for Academy Travel specializing in Disney destinations. She has trained and currently manages hundreds of travel agents and we are excited to see her continuous growth!
EMAIL: Bailey@AcademyTravel.com
Samantha Givas
Director of Disney Sales and Marketing
Prior to joining Academy Travel, Samantha had a successful ten-year career in accounting. Working for a top-ten public accounting firm and later in corporate accounting as an Accounting Manager for a national mortgage company. After initially working as an accountant for Academy Travel, Samantha transitioned to her current role as a Director of Sales and Marketing to pursue her passion for travel. Samantha’s accounting experience has allowed her to take an analytical approach to directing her team and providing value to Academy Travel customers.
EMAIL: Samantha@academytravel.com
Winn Tanner
Director of Sales, Rest of the World Division
Winn embarked on her travel agent career in 2016, driven by her passion for planning unforgettable vacations both for her own family and friends. With a deep love for the open seas, Winn has personally sailed on over 45 ocean cruises, gaining a wealth of first-hand experience. In 2022, her dedication and expertise led her to the role of Director of ROTW (Rest of the World) Sales and Support, where she continues to share her enthusiasm for travel. In this role she manages and supports travel agents, empowering them to create unforgettable experiences for their clients. Winn is excited about the opportunity to build and lead the finest team of travel planners in the industry.
EMAIL: Winn@academytravel.com
Chris Federico
Executive Director, Rest of the World Program Support
Chris joined Academy Travel in 2015 to lead the Rest of the World program. His background includes an impressive 35 years of experience as a manager for various hair salons. Notably, he spent 15 of those years as the owner and manager of his own hair salon, making him the third generation in his family to carry on the tradition of hair salon ownership. Aside from his professional endeavors, Chris has a deep passion for travel and exploring various destinations around the world. However, his greatest passion is reserved for his family, indicating a strong commitment to his loved ones.
EMAIL: Support@AcademyTravelVacations.com
Jim G
IT Director + Web Designer
Jim has been the IT Manager for Academy Travel since 1996. He is responsible for coordinating, planning, and leading computer-related activities for all Academy Travel websites. Please contact Jim for Co-Branded Travel Agent Websites, BIO’s and @academytravel. com Email Accounts.
Email: jim@academytravel.com
Yvonne Martinez
ADP Support + Accounting Manager
Yvonne is a Certified Public Accountant, and ADP Support Manager for Academy Travel.
For ADP Assistance + Personal Information Updates (such as name changes, banking or address changes) please contact Yvonne.
Email: Yvonne@academytravel.com
Kara Kreft
Executive Brand Director, Kingdom Media™
Kara holds a Bachelor’s degree in Design & Production from Towson University, along with years of creative digital marketing experience. She is also a Disney College Program Alumni, having worked in entertainment at Animal Kingdom, Epcot & Hollywood Studios! Kara and her husband live in Baltimore, Maryland with their Goldendoodle, Oakley and she loves old black & white movies, and can quote every episode of I Love Lucy! Currently serving as the Executive Brand Director for Kingdom Media™, you can catch up with Kara on The Kingdom Insider’s website and social media pages!
EMAIL: Kara@thekingdominsider.com
