Celebrity Event Designer and TV Personality Samantha Goldberg to serve on CTO Foundation Board

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – The highly sought after celebrity event designer and television personality, Samantha Goldberg, is to put some of her expertise towards assisting Caribbean nationals pursuing further studies in tourism related subjects.

The famous “party planner to the stars” has agreed to serve on the board of directors of the CTO Foundation, the scholarship programme established by the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) in 1997 to support persons interested in pursuing tourism/hospitality and language training, who demonstrate high levels of academic achievement and leadership, and who express a strong interest in making a contribution to Caribbean tourism.

Ms. Goldberg, who is currently in her 10th season with The Style Network’s hit series “Whose Wedding Is It Anyway?” airing in over 180 countries, and who features regularly as an expert analyst and trend setter on various television networks in the United States, plans to use her celebrity status to help raise funds for the Foundation. She also hosts a new lifestyle adventure talk show, “Getting Sassy with Samantha Goldberg,” featuring national stylists, top entrepreneurs, acclaimed chefs among others.

“I am very excited be to a part of such a wonderful programme and panel. I look forward to assisting with fundraising and other areas. I cannot wait to get started and I am grateful that you have allowed me to partake in this wonderful cause while also increasing the tourism standards and promotion of destination affairs and weddings,” said the award winning Goldberg, who has partnered with some of the largest chains and fortune 100 to 500 companies as their celebrity lifestyle expert and brand ambassador.

“I believe education is crucial. This is quite an honour and I truly look forward to making the Caribbean an amazing experience for people all over the world,” she added.
The other members of the CTO Foundation board of directors are the chairman, Jacqueline Johnson of MarryCaribbean.com; Sylma Brown Bramble and Bonita Morgan of the CTO; Barry Brown of Afar Magazine; Barbara Gillam of Barbara Gillam Public Relations; Neil Kolton of Interval International; Richard Kahn of Kahn Travel Communications; Elga A. Sharpe, Chief of Protocol, City of Los Angeles; Lisa Weier of Condé Nast Traveler; Jonathan Villani of Travel + Leisure Magazine; Professor Gordon Shirley of the University of the West Indies and Michele Paige of the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association.

More than 190 Caribbean nationals have benefitted from the CTO scholarship and grants programme to the tune of over US$760,000 since the CTO Foundation was founded in 1997. The Foundation has also secured over US$250,000 in scholarship funds from Monroe College to assist Caribbean students pursuing further education in tourism –related subjects.