Nicole Mahoney

Nicole founded Break the Ice Media, a PR and digital agency focused on the travel, tourism, and hospitality industry in 2009. As CEO, Nicole is responsible for working with clients to understand their business challenges, developing strategic marketing plans that deliver results, and leading a team of professionals to execute those plans.

In 2016, Nicole launched the weekly podcast Destination on the Left, interviewing tourism professionals from around the globe on creativity and collaboration in the industry. In 2020, she commissioned a first-of-its-kind research study to find out what makes collaborations successful and how important collaboration will be in helping the travel, tourism, and hospitality industry recover from the pandemic. The study results plus more than 250 interviews are the basis for Nicole’s book on Collaboration scheduled to be released in late 2022.

After serving as the association management company for Travel Alliance Partners, a collaborative organization serving the North American group travel market, Nicole became the 20-year-old organization’s owner and CEO in 2022. In her role, she works closely with tour operators, destinations, suppliers, and travel buyers to promote and sell travel products all over the world.

Outside of the office, Nicole loves spending time with her family (husband, four daughters, son-in-law and grandson); traveling on family vacations (especially to Maine); playing cards with her long-time girlfriends; and living in wine country, and drinking New York wine!