Wheels Down, Bottoms Up: Washington AI Network and Booking Holdings Toast Fall’s Return with Rep. Jim Himes
Washington AI Network founder Tammy Haddad and Booking Holdings’ Head of Public Affairs for Americas Sarah Hudgins teamed up Tuesday evening at the House at 1229 to throw a “Wheels Down, Bottoms Up Party,” welcoming back policymakers, diplomats, and insiders returning to the capital after the summer recess. The celebration mixed politics and travel as guests toasted the start of the fall season and featured remarks from Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut.
Co-host Sarah Hudgins, Head of Public Affairs for the Americas at Booking Holdings introduced Congressman Himes as, “a thoughtful leader in the Ai space and a champion for responsible innovation.”
Rep. Jim Himes teased the audience by pitching Booking Holdings’ Connecticut headquarters as a must-see destination. He thanked attendees for helping connect the dots between technology, travel, and policy in Washington. Turning to artificial intelligence, Himes described the current landscape as “an exciting moment,” noting that lawmakers and staff are still grappling with the implications of a technology that powers companies like Booking Holdings. “One of my fears,” he added, “is that it won’t just drive travel—it’s going to drive everything else.””
Guests were also treated to a lighthearted quiz on the summer’s hottest travel destinations. “What would you give up for a free year of travel? Most picked alcohol, not coffee or Netflix and name the hottest U.S. travel destination from a Booking survey was Pigeon Forge, Tennessee?” The winners walked away with the coveted 2025 White House Historical Association Christmas ornament—an early holiday trophy and a reminder that Washington’s social calendar never slows down.
The crowd was a cross-section of Washington’s political and tech worlds with ambassadors, lawmakers, and policy pros mingling shoulder-to-shoulder. Notables included Rep. Gabe Amo, Irish Ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason, Luxembourg Ambassador Nicole Binter-Bakshian, along with Jon Cardinal, Tim Ryder, Caitlyn Stephenson, Jake Denton, Parker Magid, Caroline Farr, Kristen Eichamer, Asad Ramzanali, Juleanna Glover, Eriade Williams, Ethan Wolfe, T.W. Arrighi, James Bernhard, Cara Camacho, Roddy Flynn, Dan Meyers, Hannah Muldavin, Margaret Mulkerin, Caitriona Perry, Angeli Chawla, Miriam Vogel, and Aria Austin.