About J. Sullivan Advisors

We are passionate about travel. It opens up our minds by exposing us to differences – differences of opinion, differences in perspectives and values, different ways to do things, different foods to eat, different styles of art, fashion, architecture and music. Being aware of all these differences makes us richer and more compassionate.

We are passionate about hospitality. Caring for others gives us energy. Getting to know someone well enough to anticipate their needs or to surprise them with something unexpected is fulfilling. Creating experiences for others that they will remember and cherish is a privilege. 

Building a business with other people who are passionate about the same things has been invigorating. That’s been the goal with J. Sullivan Advisors - to build a dynamic team of highly-respected event professionals and hospitality partners who are passionate about travel and helping others. Allow us to put our passions to work for you. 

Jennifer Sullivan

Jennifer Sullivan is a travel junkie and a visionary.  She has over 25 years of sales and marketing experience within the hospitality industry with hotels and resorts of all different sizes.  She specializes in the luxury travel segment, having worked for The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company for 20 years.    

Jennifer and her husband have welcomed friends and family into seven different homes in two different countries while raising their children to be confident and conscientious world travelers.  They currently reside in Richmond, Virginia and who knows where they will end up next.  

Favorite artist and why:  Ed Sheeran - I have a total respect crush!  His wordplay is crafty and his work ethic is unbelievable.  He is authentic and unswayed by others' opinions.

Favorite place:  Urraca Private Island Resort in Panama

Favorite quote:  "Walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7

Michele Babin

Michele Babin is a mover and shaker who is known for her sense of humor and ever-present smile. She spent 32 years in the hospitality industry in both operations and sales and marketing, including 23 years with The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company.  Michele also has over ten years of experience managing professional athletes, which includes brand and product development, marketing, travel management, accounting, and booking speaking engagements.  

Michele divides her time between the US and Australia and enjoys traveling, entertaining, watching sports of all kinds and taking care of family and friends. 

Favorite artist and why:  Bruce Springsteen. He creates Rock N Roll music that goes right to the soul.  His songwriting is pure genius and his live shows are absolutely incredible!

Favorite place: Too many to list!  Anywhere in Italy, Lake Louise/Banff Canada, Melbourne, Australia and NYC.

Favorite Quote:  “We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing.” George Bernard Shaw

Sharon Chapman, CMM

Sharon Chapman has been a leader and well-respected professional in the insurance planners' world for over 35 years.  She spent most of her time on the travel and conference planning team of Guardian and Berkshire Life Insurance Companies.  At the same time, she was an active member of Financial and Insurance Conference Professionals (FICP), sitting on its board for five years and being elected by her peers to serve as its Chairman in 2008.  Most recently, Sharon has been working as an independent planner and trip director, while maintaining her skills, relationships and membership in FICP.

Sharon also served on the Certified Meeting Professional Board from 1999 to 2004.  In that role, she co-chaired the CMP Conclave and served as a committee member on the CMP application review board.

When she's not busy working, Sharon can often be found on the golf course with her best friend and husband or out playing around the world with her huge network of colleagues and friends.  However, Sharon's true happy place is with her kids and grandkids, wherever they may be!

Favorite artist and why:  Nancy Chapman Meissner, my sister-in-law. Nancy is a very talented artist who creates all of her work, paintings, pottery, figurines, etc. with love and passion.  Whenever I get a gift of her work, it fills my heart with love and pride. 

Favorite place: Kauai, HI

Favorite Quote:  “Yesterday is gone, tomorrow has not come yet, we only have today. Let us begin.” Mother Teresa

Tonine McGarvie

Tonine is a flexible, well-rounded event specialist with more than a decade of corporate event and meeting planning experience. An engaging communicator, Tonine develops strong relationships and fosters a team approach to her programs. With style, creativity and a commitment to excellence, Tonine designs and executes high quality work every time. From meetings and museum socials to hospitality at International Raceways, she brings enthusiasm and unique ideas to each event.

After owning a luncheonette and catering business for 13 years, Tonine was contracted by BMW as an Events Specialist for the MINI brand. She is now settling into her new home in Georgia with her husband and their Weimaraner Chloe. She enjoys traveling, working out and cooking for family and friends.

Favorite artist and why: Anyone who can make me feel something through their work, whether it be in a photo, painting, song or writing.

Favorite place: Caneel Bay Resort, St. John, USVI. Unfortunately, the resort was destroyed after back to back hurricanes but the island continues to be paradise to me with its beautiful beaches.

Favorite Quote: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” Mark Twain

Joanne Peart

Joanne Peart is a beautiful blend - part explorer and part data enthusiast.  She and her family had the opportunity to temporarily relocate from the US to Costa Rica in 2014 and they jumped at the chance to experience a different culture and way of life.  Six years later, they now call Costa Rica home and have totally embraced its "Pura Vida" lifestyle.  Joanne's international move took place while she was working as Director of Revenue Management for The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, New Orleans and taking care of her two children, who were 11 and 9 years old at the time.  She is a very good juggler.

Joanne's background in sales and marketing contributed to her success as Director of Revenue Management for multiple Ritz-Carlton properties across several domestic markets.  In this role, Joanne was tasked with analyzing historical data and future trends to set the revenue generating  strategies for her hotels.  In 2014, she earned Ritz-Carlton's highest honor and was inducted into its Chairman's Circle.  She is looking forward to putting her computer savvy to use by helping meeting planner clients with their Cvent needs and her analytical prowess will certainly help hospitality owners develop their own revenue strategies.  

Favorite Artist: Everything 80's!  The music always brings me back to the most meaningful memories of my younger years.

Favorite Place: I have two...New Orleans and Charleston; both culinary destinations with amazing restaurants, such talented chefs and unbelievable local cuisine.

Favorite Quote:  "Dance like nobody's watching; Love like you've never been hurt; Sing like nobody's listening; Live like it's heaven on earth"  William W. Purkey

Kelly (Wood) Stallmer

Kelly (Wood) Stallmer is a highly-respected strategist and leader in the luxury hotel industry.  She spent almost 40 years in the hospitality business, over 25 of those years with The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, starting in on property sales and marketing and working her way to Vice President, Global Sales Organization, The
Americas.  Kelly's skills and accomplishments are many but her passions are direct sales, teaching and training, each of which were put to good use during her recent consulting assignment with Auberge Resorts.

Kelly and her husband split their time between their homes in North Carolina and Loon Lake, New York.  When she isn't volunteering, Kelly and her husband enjoy spending time outdoors playing golf, wine tasting and entertaining their friends and family.

Favorite artist and why: Barbara Streisand. I’ve loved her since my teen years and almost five decades later, she is still is an artist I adore, which has to say something!!  Her music is classic, timeless, brings forth so much emotion and her range is amazing. She is also a strong independent woman who is beautiful inside and out and doesn’t always abide by convention. 

Favorite place: Any lake, anywhere, but most especially Loon Lake in Upstate New York, our new summer home where we are looking forward to making generations of memories. 

Favorite quote:  “Seek first to understand.” Stephen Covey 

Jana Stern

Jana Stern is a highly skilled professional meeting planner.  She is a subject matter expert with a demonstrated ability in all things meeting including strategic meeting management, project development and implementation and cost containment.  With her extensive domestic and international travel and her positive relationships with industry professionals, Jana can take any meeting from idea to execution.

After a career as Assistant VP, Meetings & Events at Voya Financial, Jana started Stem to Stern Meetings, LLC.  She is an active member of the Financial and Insurance Conference Professionals (FICP) and served on the board as Education Chair and then Chairwoman.   For fun, Jana enjoys restaurants with friends, gardening for those few short Minnesota months, and family get-togethers.

Favorite Artist: Dale Chihuly; I love the way he blends blown glass and landscape.  Seeing nature’s colors recreated in glass draws me in and takes me to a different place.

Favorite Place: Anywhere the ocean is.  Calm blue water like Belmond La Samanna in St. Martin or crashing waves like The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay.

Favorite Quote: “Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”  ― Shel Silverstein