Megan Epler Wood
Founder & President
Megan Epler Wood is a conservationist, ecotourism pioneer, research leader and consultant on questions of managing sustainable tourism for destinations, business, and civil society.
She has led her firm EplerWood International since 2003 to design net positive regional tourism development projects working in over 35 countries with support from the World Bank, IFC, IDB, GIZ and USAID. Since 2010 her research and teaching with Harvard and Cornell universities vetted a wide range of solutions to help protect destinations using business management techniques dedicated to long-term conservation and local well-being, environmental and public health, social science, advanced technology and landscape design, and biodiversity research.
She is dedicated to helping global industry and governments to leverage the positives of tourism while genuinely addressing the tough questions of managing tourism as it scales upward without the local skills, metrics, or governmental oversight required.
Epler Wood wrote her 2017 book, Sustainable Tourism on a Finite Planet and the 2019 report Destinations at Risk: The Invisible Burden of Tourism to address these gaps and review solutions.
Epler Wood did her graduate and Fulbright work in Latin America performing wildlife ecology field work and producing prize-winning wildlife documentaries in Chilean Patagonia and Colombia, and ultimately a full length PBS documentary on ecotourism in 1990. She speaks Spanish, and continues to work on local issues in the field, as part of her larger set of commitments worldwide. She has consistently sought to benefit high biodiversity regions with indigenous presence and foster local control of indigenous enterprises. She has worked on successful models in Peru, Ecuador and Colombia.
Drew Wheadon
Data and AI Advisor
Drew Wheadon advises EplerWood International on the use of AI and data analytics for sustainable destination management and supports development and testing of novel digital decision-support platforms.
Drew brings more than 15 years of experience designing and managing international research and operations focused on sustainable economic growth, food security, and climate adaptation. He has managed multi-million-dollar grants and contracts for clients including USAID, the World Bank, and the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). He has also led digital product development from user-centered design through launch and handoff in complex, multi-stakeholder settings under tight resource constraints.
As Project Manager for the Gates Foundation’s Enabling Crop Analytics at Scale initiative, Drew coordinated a community of practice and managed competitive grants to drive an innovation agenda. The group advanced the use of AI and data analytics in geospatial decision-support tools for smallholder farmers in emerging markets, including through stronger data architecture and governance.
Drew holds a Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) in Management from Harvard University. He works as an independent consultant based in Burlington, Vermont.
Orieta Glozheni
Sustainable Tourism Specialist
Orieta Glozheni is a tourism, hospitality, human resources, and operations professional with more than 15 years of experience spanning destination management, international tourism, customer service, organizational development, and public-sector human resources.
She began her career in tourism and destination management, developing and leading local tourism action plans, travel programs, managing regional tourism initiatives in Albania, guiding international travelers, and delivering hospitality and tourism training across organizations and communities. Through her work with International organizations like SNV, GIZ, USAID, Travel agencies, regional Destination Management Organization, and EplerWood International, she gained extensive experience in sustainable tourism, travel trends, experience design, data analysis, stakeholder engagement, and the development of tourism models that support cultural and environmental stewardship.
Since 2018, she has brought this customer- and service-focused experience into public-sector human resources. Her professional experience bridges tourism, hospitality, data-informed program development, people management, and public-sector operations.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Literature and Language from the University of Tirana and has completed professional trainings in hospitality education, tourism branding, tourist guiding, and training-of- trainers’ programs. She speaks English, Albanian, Italian and a little Greek.
Ilir Hasa
Sustainable Tourism Specialist
Ilir is a development professional specializing in sustainable tourism and destination
development, with international experience in destination management, tourism planning,
international development, and innovation. He holds a Master’s degree in Tourism and an MBA in Sustainable Innovation from the University of Vermont. He has worked with organizations including UN Tourism, SNV, and Sida, collaborating with governments, tourism organizations, businesses, development partners, and local communities.
His work focuses on helping destinations develop tourism that creates lasting economic and social value while responding to the needs of local communities and the environment. He brings diverse perspectives together to develop practical strategies, strengthen partnerships, and turn ideas into action, with a particular focus on sustainable destination management and development.
Ilir is also interested in how innovation and technology can support better destination planning, decision-making, and new opportunities. His goal is to help destinations become more resilient and competitive while protecting the cultural, social, and natural resources that make each place unique.
Supriya A N
Communications Manager
Supriya manages EplerWood International’s communications efforts across public relations, social media, digital content, and events, supporting the firm’s work in sustainable tourism and destination management.
She has 15+ years of experience across climate tech, sustainability, tourism, market research, travel intelligence, and digital communications. Her work includes developing B2B content, managing digital campaigns, producing research-led communications, coordinating webinars and events, and translating complex sustainability topics into clear and accessible content for industry audiences.
At EplerWood International, she works closely with stakeholders and partners to plan campaigns, promote events and programmes, and maintain the organisation’s digital presence.
Previously, she worked as a Climate Tech Content Writer, producing data-driven content on climate technologies, investment trends, and commercial activity for investors, analysts, and other B2B audiences. Supriya holds a Master in International Tourism. She speaks English, Spanish, Kannada, and Hindi, and is currently learning Korean.