Meet the Sky Bird Team
Sky Bird wouldn’t be where we are today without the hard work and dedication of our staff.
Arvin Shah
Chairman & CEO
Arvin Shah is the Chairman of the Sky Bird Group, the largest travel wholesaler in the USA issuing more than 700 million USD in airline tickets from over 90 airline partners. The Sky Bird Group holds investments in a number of verticals, including real estate and technology. Arvin has also funded a number of charities and supports the Jaya Rehabilitation Center in India.
Raj Patel
Chief Operating Officer
Since first joining Sky Bird in 1981, Raj has risen through the ranks; from part-time ticketing agent to COO in 2017. Over the years, he has grown with the company from 4 employees to 180 employees in North America. He’s also witnessed vast changes within the travel industry itself. Raj holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Wayne State.
John Burbidge
Chief Financial Officer
As CFO, John oversees Sky Bird’s entire financial operation. Now, with over 35 years with the company, he has seen and weathered drastic changes in both the industry and travel technology. John has an MBA from Wayne State University. He enjoys baseball and spending time with his wife and daughter, who is a graduate of the University of Alabama.
Natasha Gureva
General Manager for Canada Branch
Natasha’s career with Sky Bird began with the opening of the Toronto office in 2009. Prior to that, she had been with two leading airlines in Europe for a total of 14 years. Two things have been ingrained in Natasha as she was growing up – to always work hard and be the best she can; they have remained her guiding principles in her career. Natasha has grown with the company in leadership skills, learned how to adapt to change, and is very proud of Sky Bird’s strong team.
Michael Dunne
Business Development Director
A lifelong resident of Chicago, Michael attended and earned a BS in Biological Sciences at Northern Illinois University. He quickly decided science wasn’t for him and entered the travel industry where he’s been for over 33 years. Since 2015, Michael has led the Customer Service division and risen to Business Development Director. He often represents Sky Bird at industry events and webinars.
Brad La Nasa
Director of Strategic Initiatives & Partnerships
Born and raised in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Brad has more than 20 years of experience in the travel industry. He joined the Sky Bird team as Regional Director in 2016. Combining his study of engineering and technology with his travel expertise, Brad oversees systems, fraud mitigation, automation, distribution platforms, and the emerging NDC (New Distribution Capability). Brad is based in Valencia, Spain with his wife and two girls.
Neetu Singh
Marketing Director
Neetu joined Sky Bird in 2017, combining her innate love of travel and 15+ years of marketing experience to serve as head of Sky Bird’s marketing department. Neetu earned her undergraduate degree in psychology followed by an MBA with a marketing concentration from Walsh College. She enjoys using her knowledge of consumer behavior and marketing to answer client needs and enhance Sky Bird’s user experience. Crediting travel as something that helps her grow as a person, Neetu feels very fortunate to work for a company that fosters accessible travel for all.