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
Arvin Shah is the Chairman of Sky Bird Group, the largest travel wholesaler in the USA issuing more than 700 million USD in airline tickets from over 90 airline partners. Both Sky Bird Group and Arvin hold investments in a number of verticals, including real estate, and technology. He and his wife also support several charities, including the Jaya Rehabilitation Center in India.
Norm Knowles
Chief Executive Officer
Beginning in 2023, Norm Knowles was appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Sky Bird Travel & Tours. For the past 19 years, he worked for cxLoyalty / Chase Travel, where he was responsible for many aspects of the business. He holds a degree in business from the University of Minnesota, where his wife, two children, and himself are originally from.
Raj Patel
Chief Operating Officer
Raj Patel joined Sky Bird in 1981 and quickly rose through the ranks from part-time ticketing agent to Chief Operating Officer (COO) in 2017. Over the years, he has seen the company grow from 4 employees to 180 employees in North America. Raj holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Wayne State University in Michigan.
John Burbidge
Chief Financial Officer
As Chief Financial Officer (CFO), John Burbidge oversees Sky Bird’s entire financial operation. Having over 35 years with the company, John has seen and weathered drastic changes in both industry and travel technology. He has an MBA from Wayne State University in Michigan and enjoys baseball and spending time with his wife and daughter.
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 worked 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.
Neetu Singh
Marketing Director
Neetu Singh joined the Sky Bird team in 2017 as head of Sky Bird’s marketing department. She earned her undergraduate degree followed by an MBA from Walsh College in Michigan. Neetu enjoys using her knowledge of consumer behavior and marketing to answer client needs and enhance the user experience.
Michael Dunne
Business Development Director
Since 2015, Michael Dunne has led the Customer Service division and risen to Business Development Director. He often represents Sky Bird at industry events and webinars. Michael earned a BS at Northern Illinois University in Chicago, then decided science wasn’t for him and entered the travel industry, where he’s been for over 33 years.
Brad La Nasa
Director of Strategic Initiatives & Partnerships
Brad La Nasa joined the Sky Bird team as Regional Director in 2016. Combining his study of engineering and technology with his travel expertise, he oversees systems, fraud mitigation, automation, distribution platforms, and the emerging NDC (New Distribution Capability). Originally from Minneapolis-St. Paul, Brad is based in Valencia, Spain with his wife and two girls.