SPOKANE, Wash., Feb. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- People to People Ambassador Programs, the leader in global educational travel experiences, today announced that Willy Sennott, senior director of business analytics and research, has been appointed to the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA) board of directors and will lead the association's new Health and Safety Committee.

Founded in 1972, the USTOA is a professional association representing the tour operator industry. Its members are made up of companies that conduct business in the United States and offer tours and packages that encompass the globe.

"We are very pleased that a key member of our management team has been named to the USTOA board of directors," said Peg Thomas, president of People to People Ambassador Programs. "As a leader in travel health and safety, this is a tremendous opportunity for us to share our best practices with top companies in the industry, learn from them, and also continue to improve and enhance our procedures."

Sennott has been a member of the USTOA's Membership Committee and was elected to the two-year board position at the 2010 Annual Conference and Marketplace held in New Orleans.

"I am proud to serve the board and, along with the other newly appointed members, help to represent the next generation of leaders within the travel industry," added Sennott. "We bring a wide range of experiences and ideas that will help shape the direction of our consumer protection and education programs."

USTOA member companies have met the travel industry's highest values, including participation in the USTOA $1 Million Travelers Assistance Program, The USTOA is the premier association of companies providing vacation packages, tours, and custom travel itineraries for more than 11 million people each year.

About People to People Ambassador Programs

People to People Ambassador Programs is the world's most recognized and respected educational travel provider. Since 1963 more than 500,000 people from around the world have traveled with People to People Ambassador Programs to help further global understanding through cross-cultural exchange. Offering unmatched safety measures and unparalleled access to foreign cultures and countries, People to People Ambassador Programs promotes personal success in a globalized world and fosters international friendships for both students and professional adults.

People to People Ambassador Programs is the exclusive educational travel provider of People to People International (PTPI), a nonprofit organization founded in 1956 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to promote peace through understanding worldwide. Together, PTPI and People to People Ambassador Programs are united in a mission to bridge cultural and political borders through education and exchange. For more information, please visit www.peopletopeople.com.

About Ambassadors Group

Ambassadors Group Inc. (Nasdaq: EPAX) is a socially conscious education company located in Spokane, Washington. Ambassadors Group is the parent company of People to People Ambassador Programs, World Adventures Unlimited, the Society for Global Citizens, and BookRags, an educational research website. The company also oversees the Washington School of World Studies, an accredited travel study and distance learning school. Additional information about Ambassadors Group and its subsidiaries is available at www.ambassadorsgroup.com.

SOURCE Ambassadors Group Inc.