Carnival Cruise Line President Christine Duffy And Other Travel Leaders Named to Forbes '50 Over 50' List

by Sarah Kuta
Last updated: 11:40 AM ET, Thu August 22, 2024

Forbes has released its annual “50 Over 50” list honoring groundbreaking women—and several travel industry leaders made the cut.

Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line; Joanna Geraghty, chief executive officer of JetBlue; and Lisa Paulson, executive director of the Maui Hotel & Lodging Association were named to this year’s list.

Now in its fourth year, the list honors 200 women in their 50s, 60s, 70s and beyond in a wide array of industries.

Duffy became Carnival’s first female president in 2015 at age 53. Before that, she was the first woman president of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).

“I’m honored to be recognized for this prestigious recognition and be among the company of such incredible women,” she says. “Over the course of my career, I’ve been inspired by many great leaders I have had the privilege of working with, and now I try every day to offer that same level of mentorship and lead by example. That’s pretty easy to do with our tremendous shipboard and shoreside teams who motivate and inspire me.”

In February, Geraghty became the first woman to lead a major airline when she became JetBlue’s new CEO. Geraghty, who is 51, joined the company in 2015 as its director of litigation and regulatory affairs and has risen through the ranks since then. Most recently, she served as president and chief operating officer.

As executive director of the Maui Hotel & Lodging Association, Paulson played a critical role in keeping tourists safe last August when a deadly wildfire engulfed Lahaina. The 59-year-old helped evacuate nearly 12,000 people amid the blaze.