CMEx adds seven honorees to 2026 leadership roster

Caribbean Media Exchange has completed its 2026 Leadership Laureates roster with seven new names spanning aviation, cruise, hospitality, sustainability, destination management and media. The honorees will be recognized Dec. 6 at the CMEx Leadership Awards and Fundraiser in the Miami area.

Why it matters: - CMEx is broadening the 2026 laureates class with leaders whose work touches tourism, sustainability, media and regional development. - The honorees reflect the sectors that help shape the Caribbean’s visibility, travel ties and long-term growth. - The awards also support CMEx educational, media and community initiatives.

What happened: - Caribbean Media Exchange completed its 2026 Leadership Laureates roster with seven newly named honorees. - The new laureates are José Freig of American Airlines, Kelly Meister of Dolphin Encounters Ltd., Natasha Chalwell of the British Virgin Islands tourism office, Ralph Taylor of Arcadia Hotels & Resorts, Robert Meister of Dolphin Encounters Ltd., Russell Benford of Royal Caribbean and Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon of JetSetSarah.com. - CMEx will recognize the group at the 2026 CMEx Leadership Awards and Fundraiser on Sunday, Dec. 6 at Loews Coral Gables Hotel in the Miami area. - The luncheon is scheduled from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. - CMEx will make a separate announcement naming the recipient of its 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award. - Information on honorees, sponsorship opportunities and tickets is available at CMEx media.

The details: - José Freig is vice president of international and inflight dining operations at American Airlines. - Kelly Meister is director of education and sustainability at Dolphin Encounters Ltd. - Natasha Chalwell is deputy director of tourism for the British Virgin Islands. - Ralph Taylor is chairman and chief executive officer of Arcadia Hotels & Resorts. - Robert Meister is managing director of Dolphin Encounters Ltd. - Russell Benford is vice president of government relations, Americas, at Royal Caribbean. - Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon is a journalist and founder of JetSetSarah.com. - The full roster also includes Anne Kalosh, Carmen Portela, Gercine Carter, Giora Israel, Jake Kheel, Jennifer Griffith and Josef Forstmayr, whose selections were announced last week. - The complete class spans aviation, cruise tourism, hospitality, sustainability, destination management and media. - CMEx President Bevan Springer said the 2026 laureates stand out for the diversity of their backgrounds and their influence in their fields. - Springer said the honorees have helped open doors, strengthen institutions, build bridges, champion responsible development and raise the Caribbean’s international profile.

Between the lines: - The roster shows CMEx continuing to tie recognition to both industry leadership and public-purpose work. - The mix of corporate executives, tourism officials, journalists and sustainability leaders suggests the organization is emphasizing cross-sector impact, not just commercial success. - The separate Lifetime Achievement Award announcement keeps one of the event’s biggest honors open for later release.

What's next: - CMEx will release the name of its 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient in a later announcement. - The organization will gather tourism, government, media, business and Caribbean community leaders at the Dec. 6 event. - CMEx will continue raising support for its nonprofit programs through the awards luncheon.

The bottom line: - CMEx is using its 2026 laureates list to spotlight the people helping shape Caribbean tourism, media and development across multiple sectors.