A match made sneaking out of a conference in Colorado…
A match made sneaking out of a conference in Colorado…
Dr’s. Alana Dillette and Stefanie Benjamin met in 2016 at a tourism conference in Colorado. They may or may not have stealthily snuck out of some sessions to venture off on a hike where their shared passions for social justice and creative methodologies blossomed. Over the years, Alana and Stef formed a strong working relationship and friendship which led them to secure various grants, research awards, and publications. Perhaps more importantly, they also solidified their ability to collaborate on creating brave spaces to facilitate difficult dialogue. Their classroom experience played a significant role in shaping their expertise in fostering inclusive pedagogy and cultivating environments centered around care, empathy, and humor. Working with industry partners like NOMADNESS Travel Tribe, Trip Advisor, Condé Nast Traveler, and AFAR Media – Alana and Stef disseminate their research beyond academia through popular press articles, workshops, keynotes, and webinars.
- Drs. Alana Dillette and Stefanie Benjamin met in 2016 at a conference in Colorado. They may or may not have stealthily snuck out of some sessions to venture off on a hike where their shared passions for social justice and creative methodologies blossomed. Over the years, Alana and Stef formed a strong working relationship and friendship which led them to secure various grants, research awards, and publications.
- At present, Alana and Stef hold tenured positions as Associate Professors, boasting a wealth of academic and industry experiences that have greatly enhanced their capacity to collaborate in establishing brave environments for encouraging challenging conversations. Their extensive time in the classroom has been pivotal in honing their skills in promoting inclusive teaching methods and fostering settings that prioritize qualities like care, empathy, and humor. Partnering with industry leaders such as NOMADNESS Travel Tribe, Trip Advisor, Condé Nast Traveler, and AFAR Media, Alana and Stef share their research with a broader audience through popular press articles, workshops, keynote presentations, and webinars.
A match made sneaking out of a conference in Colorado…
Dr’s. Alana Dillette and Stefanie Benjamin met in 2016 at a tourism conference in Colorado. They may or may not have stealthily snuck out of some sessions to venture off on a hike where their shared passions for social justice and creative methodologies blossomed. Over the years, Alana and Stef formed a strong working relationship and friendship which led them to secure various grants, research awards, and publications. Perhaps more importantly, they also solidified their ability to collaborate on creating brave spaces to facilitate difficult dialogue. Their classroom experience played a significant role in shaping their expertise in fostering inclusive pedagogy and cultivating environments centered around care, empathy, and humor. Working with industry partners like NOMADNESS Travel Tribe, Trip Advisor, Condé Nast Traveler, and AFAR Media – Alana and Stef disseminate their research beyond academia through popular press articles, workshops, keynotes, and webinars.
- Drs. Alana Dillette and Stefanie Benjamin met in 2016 at a conference in Colorado. They may or may not have stealthily snuck out of some sessions to venture off on a hike where their shared passions for social justice and creative methodologies blossomed. Over the years, Alana and Stef formed a strong working relationship and friendship which led them to secure various grants, research awards, and publications.
- At present, Alana and Stef hold tenured positions as Associate Professors, boasting a wealth of academic and industry experiences that have greatly enhanced their capacity to collaborate in establishing brave environments for encouraging challenging conversations. Their extensive time in the classroom has been pivotal in honing their skills in promoting inclusive teaching methods and fostering settings that prioritize qualities like care, empathy, and humor. Partnering with industry leaders such as NOMADNESS Travel Tribe, Trip Advisor, Condé Nast Traveler, and AFAR Media, Alana and Stef share their research with a broader audience through popular press articles, workshops, keynote presentations, and webinars.
By centering care and empathy, they help create spaces that foster difficult dialogue helping to increase awareness and authenticity toward actionable change.
Meet Alana
Dr. Alana Dillette (she/her) is the Co-Founder of CODE, Co-Director of Tourism RESET and an Associate Professor in the L. Robert Payne School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at San Diego State University. Alana is interested in utilizing her skills and career path to produce and promote social advocacy while amplifying traditionally marginalized underrepresented voices within the hospitality and tourism landscape through practice, research, and education. As a trained qualitative and quantitative researcher, her research dives into the intersections of diversity, equity and inclusion and the nexus of social equity and critical hospitality and tourism scholarship. She has published numerous journal articles in top-tier tourism and hospitality journals as well as industry publications like AFAR Travel Magazine, The Conversation, Essence, and Conde Nast Traveler. She is also one of the researchers behind the largest (to date) BIPOC Travel Consensus dataset co-produced by NOMADNESS and Tourism RESET. As an educator and leader, Dr. Dillette is equity-minded and dedicated to guiding others to critically think and connect with their strengths and passions to solving problems in society. Known to her students as “Dr. D”, she strives to create an inclusive learning environment for all students through awareness and empathic teaching.
Meet Stef
Dr. Stef Benjamin (she/her) is the Co-Founder of CODE, Co-Director of Tourism RESET, Co-Facilitator of the Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Institute, and Associate Professor in the Retail, Hospitality, and Tourism Management Department at the University of Tennessee Knoxville. Her research seeks to challenge existing paradigms and traditional perspectives, offering fresh insights and transformative perspectives to the tourism field. With an extensive publication record, Dr. B has published numerous academic journal articles amplifying counter-narratives and disseminating this research within popular press pieces inclusive of AFAR Travel Magazine, the Conversation, and Conde Nast Traveler. Beyond her academic pursuits, Dr. B actively engages in community outreach and collaboration with industry leaders and organizations striving to bridge the gap between academia and the tourism industry. Driven by a deep-rooted commitment to disrupting dominant ideologies, Dr. B continues to make ‘good trouble’ through her research, teaching, and service. Her critical scholarship serves as a pedagogical framework, shedding light on how oppressive systems must be dismantled in order to reimagine a more inclusive and sustainable academic and touristic world. She is also a trained improvisation theater facilitator and infuses humor to help de-escalate difficult dialogue.
Meet Industry Partner –
Evita “Evie” Turquoise Robinson
Evita Turquoise Robinson, a distinguished storyteller in the realm of Multicultural Media, boasts an impressive career spanning over a decade dedicated to community building and development. As the visionary founder of the NOMADNESS Travel Tribe, an influential online social community tailored for Black and Brown millennials, she has cultivated a vibrant global membership exceeding 34,000, complete with dedicated regional ambassadors.
Adding to her accolades, Evita spearheaded NOMADNESS Fest,, an immersive festival specifically crafted for BIPOC travelers. Functioning as her in-house research team, the team at CODE has undertaken numerous research initiatives, including their impactful BIPOC Travel Consensus : Trends + Insights 2020.
Evita’s impact extends beyond the digital realm as she has collaborated with over 50 brands and destinations, both domestically and internationally. Her commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is palpable through transformative social media partnerships, series-based media campaigns, and event-based collaborations across the nation.
Meet Alana
Dr. Alana Dillette (she/her) is the Co-Founder of CODE, Co-Director of Tourism RESET and an Associate Professor in the L. Robert Payne School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at San Diego State University. Alana is interested in utilizing her skills and career path to produce and promote social advocacy while amplifying traditionally marginalized underrepresented voices within the hospitality and tourism landscape through practice, research, and education. As a trained qualitative and quantitative researcher, her research dives into the intersections of diversity, equity and inclusion and the nexus of social equity and critical hospitality and tourism scholarship. She has published numerous journal articles in top-tier tourism and hospitality journals as well as industry publications like AFAR Travel Magazine, The Conversation, Essence, and Conde Nast Traveler. She is also one of the researchers behind the largest (to date) BIPOC Travel Consensus dataset co-produced by NOMADNESS and Tourism RESET. As an educator and leader, Dr. Dillette is equity-minded and dedicated to guiding others to critically think and connect with their strengths and passions to solving problems in society. Known to her students as “Dr. D”, she strives to create an inclusive learning environment for all students through awareness and empathic teaching.
Meet Stef
Dr. Stef Benjamin (she/her) is the Co-Founder of CODE, Co-Director of Tourism RESET, Co-Facilitator of the Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Institute, and Associate Professor in the Retail, Hospitality, and Tourism Management Department at the University of Tennessee Knoxville. Her research seeks to challenge existing paradigms and traditional perspectives, offering fresh insights and transformative perspectives to the tourism field. With an extensive publication record, Dr. B has published numerous academic journal articles amplifying counter-narratives and disseminating this research within popular press pieces inclusive of AFAR Travel Magazine, the Conversation, and Conde Nast Traveler. Beyond her academic pursuits, Dr. B actively engages in community outreach and collaboration with industry leaders and organizations striving to bridge the gap between academia and the tourism industry. Driven by a deep-rooted commitment to disrupting dominant ideologies, Dr. B continues to make ‘good trouble’ through her research, teaching, and service. Her critical scholarship serves as a pedagogical framework, shedding light on how oppressive systems must be dismantled in order to reimagine a more inclusive and sustainable academic and touristic world. She is also a trained improvisation theater facilitator and infuses humor to help de-escalate difficult dialogue.
Meet Industry Partner –
Evita “Evie” Turquoise Robinson
Evita Turquoise Robinson, a distinguished storyteller in the realm of Multicultural Media, boasts an impressive career spanning over a decade dedicated to community building and development. As the visionary founder of the NOMADNESS Travel Tribe, an influential online social community tailored for Black and Brown millennials, she has cultivated a vibrant global membership exceeding 34,000, complete with dedicated regional ambassadors.
Adding to her accolades, Evita spearheaded NOMADNESS Fest,, an immersive festival specifically crafted for BIPOC travelers. Functioning as her in-house research team, the team at CODE has undertaken numerous research initiatives, including their impactful BIPOC Travel Consensus : Trends + Insights 2020.
Evita’s impact extends beyond the digital realm as she has collaborated with over 50 brands and destinations, both domestically and internationally. Her commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is palpable through transformative social media partnerships, series-based media campaigns, and event-based collaborations across the nation.
