Michael Costa

Regional Vice President

Michael is proud to now be a member of the market-leading PRA team.

Michael brings more than twenty years of experience in executive management to his role as General Manager. He’s responsible for managing the company’s day-to-day operations as well as establishing and implementing strategies to support corporate initiatives. Outside of work, Michael has a passion for exploring New York’s extensive selection of dining venues. Dining alone wasn’t enough to satisfy his appetite so, he recently graduated from New York’s Institute of Culinary Education and received a degree in Culinary Management. Ask him for his salmon with honey glaze recipe.

Contact: Michael.Costa@PRA.com

Gary Newman

Vice President

Gary is proud to now be a member of the market-leading PRA team.

Gary has been a leader in the destination management industry for over 15 years. As one of the owners and Chief Financial Officer of Briggs, Inc., he has helped the company focus on outstanding service, creativity and fun which has garnered Briggs many awards, including being named one of the top 25 DMCs by Special Events magazine. Gary served on the board of The DMC Network for more than 10 years, two of them as President. Gary enjoys spending time with his Jack Russell terrier, George, and escaping to his house in the New York countryside where he loves to sit in his backyard contemplating the universe. He also enjoys hiking, running, quantum physics and fixing things.

Contact: Gary.Newman@PRA.com

Luigi Dato

General Manager

Luigi is proud to now be a member of the market-leading PRA team.

Luigi, ardent New York Giant fan and native New Yorker, brings nearly 12 years of experience to the hospitality field. Prior to joining Briggs, Luigi was the Senior Sales Manager at a NYC dinner cruise line, where he was responsible for managing both domestic and international sales. Over the years at Briggs, Luigi has been a key component to the success on numerous programs, from planning events at some of NYC’s most iconic venues to coordinating transportation for a group of 2,500 guests. He is married to Lauren Dato and is the very proud father of their daughters, Olivia and Alessandra.

Contact: Luigi.Dato@PRA.com

Sarah Gippin

Director of Sales

Sarah is proud to now be a member of the market-leading PRA team.

Sarah left her home town of Akron, Ohio to attend American University in Washington DC. Between classes, she worked with Senator Jay Rockefeller’s press office and upon graduating from American University in 1995, Sarah ventured into Seoul, Korea to teach English as a second language. During this time, she hosted a popular English conversation television show and traveled extensively throughout the region. Sarah’s 11 years of event and hospitality experience brings a wide array of skills to the Briggs, and now PRA, team. Some of her past experiences include sales manager with Tavern on the Green to sales manager for Restaurant Associates at The Metropolitan Opera, The United Nations, and The PGA Championship.

Contact: Sarah.Gippin@PRA.com

Anthony Napoli

Market Leader

Anthony is proud to now be a member of the market-leading PRA team.

Anthony is a proud native New Yorker and has been a leader in the destination management and incentive travel industry for more than 25 years. Tony attained his BA from Cathedral College & St. Joseph’s Seminary and holds a MFA in theatre directing from CUNY. He was mentored by Jim McNabb of McNabb & Associates before joining Briggs in 1990 as Director of Operations. Mr. Napoli is often invited to speak at industry panels and is quoted as an incentive travel expert in Crain’s, The Wall Street Journal, Mann on the Street, XM Satellite Radio, and numerous leading travel industry publications. He sits on the boards of NYC & Co., New York Theatre Workshop and The Cathedral of St. John the Divine. He is also on his co-op board, which can put our US Congress to shame!

Contact: Anthony.Napoli@PRA.com

Greg Byrnes

Regional Sales Manager

Greg is proud to now be a member of the market-leading PRA team.

Greg has worked extensively in the meetings industry for six years, most recently with Northstar Travel Group. Greg oversaw sales across a global territory uniting buyers and sellers of meetings and incentive travel through an array of media products, digital avenues and live events. Greg is an active member with SITE (Society for Incentive Excellence) and has been a board member for the Northeast chapter for three years and is current president of the 130+ member chapter. Outside of the industry, Greg is involved with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and sits on the committee of Tomorrow's Leaders. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Byrnes was educated at Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey and continued his studies in Switzerland earning a master's degree in International Tourism. Greg currently resides in Manhattan with his wife Erica and loves to wear fun socks.

Contact: Greg.Byrnes@PRA.com

Isabel Flores

Regional Sales Manager

Isabel comes to PRA New York with 10 years of client-facing sales experience in corporate group travel. She has worked with CMI top 25 + clients and Fortune 500 companies throughout North America providing tailor-made program solutions across Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America, the South Pacific, and the Middle East. Throughout her career in the meetings and incentives industry Isabel has been active in FICP, IRF, SITE and has exhibited at leading industry trade shows around the world. Isabel left her home state of Arizona for New York City almost a decade ago. Having grown up in a small town bordering Mexico, she’s had the spirit of fusing cultures, languages, and nationalities embedded in her since day one. That international upbringing inspired her to study Tourism Management and Development at Arizona State University, live in Italy, and naturally move to the Big Apple thereafter to pursue a career in global sales. After taking corporate group travel clients all over the world it is only fitting that she now brings them to her adopted home and most dynamic city in the world.

Contact: Isabel.Flores@PRA.com

Alanna Conte

Event Coordinator

Alanna is proud to now be a member of the market-leading PRA team.

Alanna Conte was born and raised in a big family just across the river in the suburbs of Union County New Jersey. Alanna earned her BA in Business Administration at Neumann University in Pennsylvania. She found her way back to the tri-state area after college and fulfilled her lifelong dream of living and working in New York City. Born into a family of restauranteurs and events professionals, and coming from a background in restaurant and event management Alanna joined the Briggs team in April of 2017. She is famous for her homemade tagliatelle.

Contact: Alanna.Conte@PRA.com