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Karen Magee isn’t just steering Valerie Wilson Travel (VWT) through a transformative rebrand—she’s redefining what it means to lead with vision and balance. As president of VWT, she blends a deep respect for the company’s legacy with an eye firmly on the future. Last month at ILTM, Karen sat down with hertelier to share her unconventional entry into travel, the power of mentorship, her strategies for navigating challenges, and how she juggles the demands of leadership with being a mom to her preschool-aged daughter. Here’s herstory…
How did you get into travel?
I didn’t start out thinking I’d work in travel. My initial plan was to work in finance, which I pursued after earning my degree in finance from Manhattan College. But during college, my brother and I took a multi-month backpacking trip that changed my perspective. We landed in Dublin with no hotel reservations and just went wherever the wind took us. Staying in hostels and meeting people from diverse backgrounds opened my eyes to the transformative power of travel. It sparked a passion I hadn’t known before.
While working as an investment analyst, I realized I wanted something different. I transitioned into travel with in a supplier relations role at FROSCH about 16 years ago, and I quickly fell in love with the industry. Back then, it wasn’t common for young professionals to enter the travel space. But I fell in love and quickly started started building my network, learning what it took to support advisors understanding the business and industry as a whole.
What challenges did you face as you built your career in travel?
In my early days, a supplier once told me when I first joined the industry in the early 2000’s, “There’s no opportunity for young professionals in travel; you should go back to finance.” That only fueled my determination. I saw the unique value travel advisors bring, helping people maximize the time and money they spend on their journeys. It was also a time when the industry lacked a pipeline of young talent. To address this, some peers and I started Young Travel Professionals (YTP), a networking group that grew to into a global network. YTP was about showing others the career opportunities in travel and changing the perception that the industry lacked growth potential.
How did your role evolve before becoming president of VWT?
During my career I’ve been fortunate to build my experience in various roles and organizations, including a stint on the hotel side, which gave me valuable insights into partner management and property operations. Most of my career was spent in partner relations and advisor support as it relates to partner programs and products. I was very fortunate to grow the scale of those responsibilities and flex my leadership muscles during my time at Global Travel Collection which was the culmination of some iconic travel business like Tzell Travel & Protravel. After years of experience, role expansion and learning how to lead through a great deal of change I was given the opportunity to run another amazing brand when I became MD of In the Know Experiences.
The opportunity to run VWT is a responsibility that I take very seriously, but when I was approached with the opportunity to take on this incredible team with an unrivaled legacy and reputation, I couldn’t turn this down. This decades long focus on quality of customer service, coupled with the trust our clients and partners have with our brand, now backed with the power of Chase Travel Group. It was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. My unique experience leading brands through change, my deep passion for the work of our advisors, and my passion for where our industry will grow into the future made me uniquely suited to take this on.
What’s your vision for Valerie Wilson Travel within the Chase Travel Group?
By leveraging and protecting what makes VWT special to our clients and the industry with the shared resources and support from Chase Travel group, we will be able to offer trusted travel consulting to our clients and unrivaled benefits and programs for our independent advisors.
Our focus has been defining VWT’s unique identity under the Chase Travel Group umbrella. VWT retains its luxury travel DNA while benefiting from shared resources with Chase. This allows us to offer unparalleled quality of support and benefits to advisors and clients.
What trends are you seeing in luxury travel right now that hoteliers need to know about?
Multi-generational travel continues to grow, with families traveling together but also wanting private moments. Girlfriend getaways and solo female travel are also on the rise, reflecting a shift in how people view travel as a quality-of-life expense rather than discretionary spending. High-net-worth women, in particular, are taking more solo and group trips post-pandemic. But the newest trend as sort of an anti-trend, it’s destination diversity. Our clients aren’t flocking to one country or even continent. We may get a call to go skiing in Aspen the same day we get a call for a multi week itinerary for Thailand & Japan and then we’re getting a call for an expedition cruise a few hours later.
2025 has been a ton of fun so far!
How do you juggle being a working mom?
Some days I’m winning as a mom, and some days I’m winning as an executive. I focus on ensuring that, over time, the balance between those roles feels right. My daughter, who is in preschool and wakes up around 7:30 a.m., keeps me grounded. I involve her in my career, explaining why I’m away for work trips. It’s important to me that she sees me as a role model and understands that my work is an investment in her future. I’m also much more selective about the trips that I do take which makes me a more strategic professional. If I’m going to spend a week away from here, it better be worth it. So those two roles can compliment each other a great deal.
I also couldn’t manage this life without my husband, who has been an incredible partner throughout my career. He’s a videographer and photographer, and while he also travels for work, we share responsibilities equally. We coordinate our schedules meticulously to ensure our daughter’s needs are always met. When our schedules overlap, our extended family steps in to help. Having a strong support system and a partner who encourages me to pursue my career without guilt makes all the difference. It truly, truly takes a village.
Mentorship has played a big role in your career. Can you share your thoughts on it?
Absolutely. Mentorship is a recurring theme in my journey, both as a mentor and mentee. I’ve been fortunate to have mentors who believed in me, advocated for me, and opened doors that helped shape my career. They weren’t just advisors; they were cheerleaders who spoke up for me when I wasn’t in the room. These experiences inspired me to pay it forward by mentoring others.
Mentorship often starts with recognizing potential. Many of my mentors saw something in me before I fully recognized it in myself. They provided guidance and opportunities, but they also taught me the importance of being proactive as a mentee. A good mentee comes to the table with clear goals and an understanding of what they want to learn. It’s not a passive relationship—you need to engage actively and be intentional with your mentor’s time.
Similarly, mentors can learn from their mentees which is why I love the opportunity to mentor—different perspectives or fresh approaches can provide valuable insights. While I’ve been fortunate, I’ve generally recognized a lack of cheerleaders. It’s not just about offering advice but also about advocating for others and connecting them with opportunities. Mentorship has a ripple effect—when you invest in someone’s growth, it strengthens the entire industry. It’s our responsibility to open our arms to those who want to join this industry we love. Our future depends on it.
Any tips for advocating for yourself as a woman in the workplace?
Advocating for yourself requires confidence, which takes intentional effort to build and maintain. It’s important to reflect on your accomplishments and remind yourself of your worth. Journaling and visualization help me stay grounded and focused on my goals. Remember to celebrate your contributions and own your successes.
It’s also about preparation. When I know I’m walking into a meeting or conversation where I need to advocate for myself, I take time to outline key points and examples that demonstrate my impact. Whether it’s asking for a raise or presenting an idea, coming prepared with evidence of your achievements builds credibility and confidence.
Another aspect is finding allies. Having advocates in the workplace who support your efforts and amplify your voice can make a big difference. Networking within and outside your organization helps build these connections. Additionally, seeking constructive feedback and applying it shows that you’re not only confident but also open to growth.
Finally, I remind myself that advocacy is a skill. It’s not about being perfect every time but about practicing and improving. I’ve had moments where I didn’t speak up as strongly as I could have, but those experiences taught me to prepare better and trust my voice more in the future.
Be very in tune with what you want and go for it. Don’t be afraid to ask for the intro, meeting, opportunity, don’t wait for someone to open that door for you and don’t assume everyone wants to know what door you actually want to go through.
Quickfire with Karen
Morning routine? I start my day slowly. Journaling helps me set two or three priorities, and I take a walk with my dog in Sleepy Hollow for quiet thinking time. Meditation and visualization also help ground me and approach the day with clarity.
Current book or podcast? I’m revisiting The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People for time management and enjoying Jenna Kutcher’s How Are You, Really? for its visualization exercises and self-reflection insights. Also just finished Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life, a autobiography by Bill Finnegan about his lifelong surfing hobby and takes you around the world with his prolific writing. It’s the ultimate armchair travel book, though it was never meant to be that. One of my advisors recommended it to me!
Travel hack? One piece of advice I always give is to arrive to the airport early and find a good lounge to elevate your travel experience – even if you have Global Entry or TSA, you never know what kind of traffic you’ll run into on the way and crowds you’ll meet at the airport. I especially love flying out of LaGuardia airport for domestic travel to visit the Chase Sapphire Lounge by the Club and booking a Reserve Suite so I can enjoy having a room to myself and take conference calls or bring my daughter and not worry about disrupting other travelers. Plus, I always bring a refillable water bottle to fill with ginger water from the lounge—it's a great way to stay refreshed. And if I'm traveling with my daughter, I pack some lollipops to help with her ears during landing.