Working Moms, Battling Burnout and What We’d Tell Our Younger Selves

As more women break through barriers into leadership roles, the challenges don’t disappear—they evolve.

This special episode, recorded in front of a live audience during the 2025 Annual Conference for the Association of Destination Management Executives International, brings together a panel of bold, leading women from the DMC industry to share their candid perspectives on navigating burnout, battling imposter syndrome, being a working parent, and more.

Featured Guests:

• Lisa Deleon, DMCP, Vice President of Global Sales, Terramar, a DMC Network Company

• Jackie Marko, CMP, DMCP, Regional Vice President, Mid-South Region, PRA Events

• Daniella Bikoulis, DMCP, CIS, Director, Metropolitan DMC & Event Management

Listen to the latest episode of Dare to Interrupt now!

Read on for information about the stars of this episode—Lisa, Jackie, and Daniella!

Lisa Deleon is the vice president of global sales for Terramar DMC. She leads a dynamic team of sales professionals across 15 locations in three countries.

Lisa has over 25 years of experience in the destination management industry. For a decade, she was the proud owner of a single destination management company (DMC) before joining the Terramar organization. Beginning her career in operations, Lisa was driven by a passion for flawless execution and creating unforgettable events before discovering her talent for sales and building lasting relationships.

Lisa has also dedicated 15 years to serving on the Association for Destination Management Executives International Certification & Accreditation Board, helping shape global standards for DMCs.

When she’s not setting industry benchmarks, Lisa’s greatest joys are skiing, hiking, and spending time with her three kids.

Jackie Marko began her career in her native New Jersey, working in catering and hotels for almost a decade. She moved to Nashville in 2011 to join the amazing Destination Nashville team, first as its senior sales manager and later promoted to associate director of sales.

Shortly after her move to Music City, Jackie continued her involvement in the International Live Event Association (ILEA), where she served as the New Jersey North chapter president from 2010-2011 and helped to co-found the ILEA Nashville chapter, serving as its first president from 2012-2014.

In 2016, Jackie earned both her Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) and Destination Management Certified Professional (DMCP) designations, and in 2017 Jackie was named the Association of Destination Management Executives International’s “Rising Star” at its annual conference and awards.

In 2018, PRA acquired Destination Nashville and Jackie moved into her regional vice president role for PRA, now overseeing the offices in Nashville, Louisville and Atlanta.

Daniella Bikoulis is a creative, driven and committed conference and incentive expert, as well as an entrepreneur dedicated to designing and delivering memorable event experiences.

With a background in the hospitality industry spanning 32 years across the U.K., Middle East and Greece, she has worked in diverse settings, including a historic venue and a luxury five-star hotel in London, as well as some of the top destination management companies in the industry.

Daniella has a knack for planning and executing complex event logistics, successfully managing high-profile events, association congresses, incentive trips and everything in between.

As a passionate ambassador of Greece, she is always eager to help clients find the perfect location and venue to support their business objectives.

She currently serves as the director of Metropolitan DMC & Event Management in Greece and is the president-elect of the Association of Destination Management Executives International.

Listen now to experience the full episode and share what your favorite part was with me on Facebook, X and Instagram!

Never miss an episode by subscribing to the podcast on your favorite platform (Google Podcasts, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and more). If you like what you hear, leave a review and share with a friend!

Contact me to lead, inspire, or facilitate a game-changing conversation for your next conference or event.