The Team
Jody Merl leads a close-knit team of senior specialists who thrive at the intersection of hospitality, travel, media strategy, and marketing. Individually accomplished and collaboratively inspired, they believe trusted relationships are earned through performance and sustained by results.
Jody Merl
President and Founder
Jody began her career in Hollywood, shaping stories and packaging productions. That instinct for placement and positioning led her into hospitality, first with L’Ermitage Hotel Group, where she discovered a world just as dynamic—tasked with filling rooms with entertainment executives and quickly realized that hotels, at their best, are their own form of storytelling. She moved on to lead global sales efforts for The Leading Hotels of the World, where she deepened her nuanced understanding of premium travel–its niche audiences, business segments and influential decision makers–and the challenge of competing with limited marketing funds.
This sparked her founding Innovative Travel Marketing in 1992. Her vision: to give hotels access to smarter media marketing—strategic, results-driven, fiscally brilliant and operationally nimble. That includes the ability to fund campaigns with minimal spend, and the ability to pay for initiatives in cash, trade or a savvy blend of both.
More than 30 years later, Jody and her veteran team (averaging 20 years with the firm) continue to fulfill that vision, writing client success stories spanning the industry landscape.
Debbie Durso
Vice President – Media Director
Responsible for managing ITM’s media department, Debbie brings extensive background in advertising agency and corporate trade experience to her leadership role. With unwavering dedication and organization, she consistently delivers flawless, impactful campaigns with the highest level of service to ITM’s hotel clients. Widely known by every medium, she nurtures and sustains longstanding partnerships with media companies to cultivate new trade relationships and bolster client promotions.
Michelle Walsh
Associate Media Director
A consummate media planner and buyer, Michelle customizes inspired campaigns across print, digital, broadcast and out-of-home advertising. A key force in ITM’s exclusive team of media strategists, her skillset spans all aspects of planning, negotiation, premium positioning and added value. Her great attention to detail, along with her expertise in optimizing every marketing budget — cash, trade, or both — earns ITM incredibly loyal relationships with clients and media companies alike.
Beth Searls
Director of Commercial Strategy
Beth focuses on expanding ITM’s client base and partnerships in the hospitality sector. A seasoned sales & marketing executive, she previously worked for brands including Omni Hotels (for more than a decade), Furnished Quarters, and Westin Hotels, experience that informs her understanding of hoteliers’ needs to strengthen market presence and drive sales. She remains active in the industry as a member of ILHA, FFiH and BLLA.
Jeanette Lu
Director of Finance
Jeanette oversees the company’s financial operations, accounting, office management, and standards for disciplined, fiscal efficiency. With 30 years of experience in finance and accounting, she plays a key role in budgeting; financial planning, reporting, compliance, and strategic decision-making to support the firm’s continued growth and stability. Her expertise ensures resources are efficiently allocated across business operations, delivering financial insight needed to navigate a dynamic industry landscape.
Innovative Travel Marketing | 199 Baldwin Road, Parsippany, NJ 07054
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