Guest Speakers
Keith Backsen
Executive Director, Visit Omaha
Keith Backsen has 30 years of experience in the hospitality and convention industry, having worked in Portland, Dallas, Chicago and Spokane before accepting the Executive...

Keith Backsen
Executive Director, Visit Omaha
Keith Backsen has 30 years of experience in the hospitality and convention industry, having worked in Portland, Dallas, Chicago and Spokane before accepting the Executive Director position with Visit Omaha in July of 2015. As a member of the Omaha Mayor’s cabinet, Keith works with key city leaders to develop, enhance and promote Omaha as a tourism destination. In 2013 he received his Certified Destination Management Executive (CDME) accreditation from Purdue University. Keith is a member of the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) and past President of PCMA’s Pacific Northwest Chapter. He is a member of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and on the Foundations Board of Trustees for Destinations International (DI). In 2019, Keith became a member of the Board of Directors for the Omaha Sister Cities Association. He is also a member of various national and local boards and committees related to tourism and destination development.
Coryn Briggs
Digital Marketing Manager, Traverse City Tourism
Coryn Briggs is the Digital Marketing Manager at Traverse City Tourism. A Detroit area native, she earned a Bachelor’s degree in English and a Master's in Recreation...

Coryn Briggs
Digital Marketing Manager, Traverse City Tourism
Coryn Briggs is the Digital Marketing Manager at Traverse City Tourism. A Detroit area native, she earned a Bachelor’s degree in English and a Master's in Recreation and Tourism Management at Michigan State University. She has lived and worked in Traverse City since 2004 and enjoys running, riding her bike along the area’s urban bike trail, hiking at the Sleeping Bear Dunes and spending time with her family.
Marissa Brown
Director of Information Technology, Catch Des Moines
Marissa Brown is the Director of Information Technology at Catch Des Moines in Des Moines, Iowa. She has been with Catch Des Moines for 11 years. She started as a Sales...

Marissa Brown
Director of Information Technology, Catch Des Moines
Marissa Brown is the Director of Information Technology at Catch Des Moines in Des Moines, Iowa. She has been with Catch Des Moines for 11 years. She started as a Sales Administrative Assistant and worked her way through each department, landing in administration.
Her day to day responsibilities include advocating and educating staff on the need for up to date technology, maintaining relationships with vendors and partners, training staff on technology systems, analyzing data, CRM Administration and overseeing and directing housing. Outside of work, Marissa likes spending time outdoors, rescuing animals and spending time with her husband and two daughters.
Jared Bundy
Director of Digital Marketing, Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau
Jared Bundy entered the travel industry in spring of 2017 as the director of digital marketing at the Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau, a three-county outdoor destination near...

Jared Bundy
Director of Digital Marketing, Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau
Jared Bundy entered the travel industry in spring of 2017 as the director of digital marketing at the Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau, a three-county outdoor destination near Pittsburgh, PA. In that time, Jared oversaw a complete website redesign including implementation of a booking engine, launched a monthly podcast and partnered his destination with TripAdvisor. He elevated their digital marketing by refining audience segmentation and campaign strategies and introduced remarketing, native, YouTube and influencer marketing to the creative mix. He also manages the website, writes blogs, shoots photos and edits video for the organization. Outside of the office, Jared is a proud father to 3-year-old Ryker and husband to his wife, Anne. The two will celebrate their 5 th anniversary in June. He teaches communication classes at Saint Vincent College and loves sharing his passion for journalism, videography and public relations with students. In his spare time, Jared enjoys cheering on the Pirates at PNC Park, skiing, collecting retro video games and ring announcing for local professional wrestling.
Outside of the office, Jared is a proud father to 2-year-old Ryker and husband to his wife, Anne. The two will celebrate their 4th anniversary in June. He teaches communication classes at Saint Vincent College and loves sharing his passion for journalism, videography and public relations with students. In his spare time, Jared enjoys cheering on the Pirates at PNC Park, collecting retro video games and ring announcing for local professional wrestling.
Renée Chow
Director of Marketing, Experience Columbia SC
Renée Chow began working at Experience Columbia SC in 2012 after beginning her career at a digital firm focused on political campaigns and fundraising. With 10 years of...

Renée Chow
Director of Marketing, Experience Columbia SC
Renée Chow began working at Experience Columbia SC in 2012 after beginning her career at a digital firm focused on political campaigns and fundraising. With 10 years of experience in digital marketing, Chow oversees ECSC’s online marketing efforts and programs. She holds a Master’s of Mass Communications from the University of South Carolina (Go Cocks!) where she studied integrated marketing. An avid reader, she could be at any given time, or at the same time, reading parenting books, architectural history, Crazy Rich Asians or Dostoevsky.
Katie Cook
Director of Digital Marketing, Austin Convention & Visitors Bureau
Katie Cook is the Director of Digital Marketing of Visit Austin. In this role, she oversees all digital marketing strategy, the organization’s website, social media...

Katie Cook
Director of Digital Marketing, Austin Convention & Visitors Bureau
Katie Cook is the Director of Digital Marketing of Visit Austin. In this role, she oversees all digital marketing strategy, the organization’s website, social media campaigns and search engine marketing.
Katie is active in the Austin digital marketing community and speaks regularly both locally and nationally. Katie serves on U.S. Travel Association’s Destinations Council, the advisory board for ETourism Summit and is a member of Women in Digital. Katie holds a degree in Mass Communications-Public Relations from Texas State University.
Ty D'Amore
Director of Strategic Partnerships, AudioEye
Ty is a leader in the accessibility space and vocal advocate for digital inclusivity. Instrumental in developing and managing the partnership with CU Solutions Group, Ty...

Ty D'Amore
Director of Strategic Partnerships, AudioEye
Ty is a leader in the accessibility space and vocal advocate for digital inclusivity. Instrumental in developing and managing the partnership with CU Solutions Group, Ty specializes in managing the seamless integration of AudioEye into third-party platforms and possesses an in-depth understanding of the legal and technical demands of ADA-related digital accessibility requirements. Ty participates on the Member Committee of the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP), and is also involved with the mentoring program for the Rising Leaders of the U.S. Business Leaders Network (USBLN). Ty, along with the entirety of the AudioEye team, is focused on the importance of making digital content more accessible and more usable for more people.
Kayleigh Dumas
Marketing Assistant, Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau
Kayleigh has worked at the Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau, a tri-county region just outside of Pittsburgh, PA, since March 2018. Her role as the marketing assistant includes...

Kayleigh Dumas
Marketing Assistant, Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau
Kayleigh has worked at the Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau, a tri-county region just outside of Pittsburgh, PA, since March 2018. Her role as the marketing assistant includes overseeing the day-to-day functions of the CRM and events calendar, assisting with shooting video content, planning the annual marketing summit and maintaining social media accounts.
Before working with the Laurel Highlands, Kayleigh was the special events assistant at the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, where she was instrumental in the execution of the annual Gala and Soiree. Kayleigh also participates in local volunteer activities and is a stand-up comedian.
Jeff Duncan
President and CEO, Meetingmax
Jeff Duncan has been in the tourism & travel business for twenty years. He is the President and CEO of Meetingmax, one of the largest providers of event accommodation...

Jeff Duncan
President and CEO, Meetingmax
Jeff Duncan has been in the tourism & travel business for twenty years. He is the President and CEO of Meetingmax, one of the largest providers of event accommodation management technology, annually processing millions in hotel transactions through its software. Jeff is always looking for ways to push the event-tech space forward. He is a graduate of the Entrepreneur Master’s Program at MIT, is an Executive Board Member of the Vancouver Police Foundation and sits on the Board of Directors for the Plastic Bank. Jeff is a 40 under 40 winner, an active public speaker and travels the globe looking for the next disruption in the travel and hotel booking space.
Amir Eylon
President & Partner, Longwoods International
Amir Eylon joins Longwoods from his previous role as Vice President, Partner Engagement with Brand USA, the public-private partnership serving as the destination marketing...

Amir Eylon
President & Partner, Longwoods International
Amir Eylon joins Longwoods from his previous role as Vice President, Partner Engagement with Brand USA, the public-private partnership serving as the destination marketing organization dedicated to increasing international visitation to the US. Prior to joining Brand USA, Eylon served as Director of the Ohio Office of Tourism. He has also served as Executive Vice President of the Ohio Hotel & Lodging Association, Assistant Director of the Ohio Tourism Division, and Sales & Marketing Manager with the Steuben County Conference and Visitors Bureau. Eylon has been recognized with a number of Industry honors including: Top 25 Extraordinary Minds in Sales & Marketing award (2014) by the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI); The Ohio Tourism Industry's Highest Honor, The Paul Sherlock Award; and The State of Ohio Distinguished Service Medal.
Christine Felton
Marketing Manager, Visit Austin
Christine Felton is a Marketing Manager at Visit Austin and has been with the organization for three years. She manages the VisitAustin.org website content, partner...

Christine Felton
Marketing Manager, Visit Austin
Christine Felton is a Marketing Manager at Visit Austin and has been with the organization for three years. She manages the VisitAustin.org website content, partner listings, publications, email programs and social media efforts. She also serves as manager and editor of the Austin Insider Blog.
Christine holds a degree in Political Communication from the University of Texas and is passionate about travel, grammar, SEO, public lands, queso fries and live music. On the weekends, you may find her in a nearby yoga studio, exploring a local nature preserve with her two pups or visiting a local craft brewery with friends.
Michael Fruchtl
Sr. Regional Sales Manager, Act-On
Michael Fruchtl is a Sr. Sales Consultant with Act-On Software. He has been in the marketing automation space for five years with the last three years at Act-On. He has...

Michael Fruchtl
Sr. Regional Sales Manager, Act-On
Michael Fruchtl is a Sr. Sales Consultant with Act-On Software. He has been in the marketing automation space for five years with the last three years at Act-On. He has experience helping a wide range of companies from your local small businesses to enterprise level companies evaluate and implement marketing automation strategies that streamline processes, connect sales and marketing teams, and drive revenue. Michael has been the liaison between Act-On and Simpleview since the inception of the partnership and lives locally here in the Phoenix metro area. He is an avid basketball fan and tries to golf as much as possible.
Jasmyn Goodwin
Director of Marketing and Content, Visit Omaha
Jasmyn Goodwin has been described as possessing “stunning, energetic style.” Well…she actually read that in a movie review but feels it also works for her....

Jasmyn Goodwin
Director of Marketing and Content, Visit Omaha
Jasmyn Goodwin has been described as possessing “stunning, energetic style.” Well…she actually read that in a movie review but feels it also works for her. After growing up in the military and living mostly on the east coast and in Europe, Jasmyn decided to grow roots and settle down in Omaha. For the past 10 years, Jasmyn has worked for Visit Omaha, helping to shape and build the city’s tourism brand in the digital world. She continues these efforts as the Director of Marketing and Content. Jasmyn happily lives with her husband and bonus-son. They enjoy traveling, exploring their city, binge watching Netflix, and eating in restaurants with 3+ stars on Yelp.
Madison Graves
CRM Coordinator, Visit Frisco
As the CRM Coordinator for Visit Frisco, Madison is passionate about giving her team the tools they need to be successful. Working primarily in the CRM, Madison thrives on...

Madison Graves
CRM Coordinator, Visit Frisco
As the CRM Coordinator for Visit Frisco, Madison is passionate about giving her team the tools they need to be successful. Working primarily in the CRM, Madison thrives on learning new ways to utilize Simpleview to better the workflow for their destination. With 3 years under her belt since joining the Visit Frisco team, Madison has grown her love for the City of Frisco and loves being part of such an exciting destination. When Madison isn’t at work, you can find her and her husband working on DIY projects in their home or spending their weekends at the lake with their Labrador Retriever, Cooper.
Michael Hansberry
Strategic Insights Manager
Michael has 6 years of analytics and research experience, previously working in the digital and public relations sectors. Michael specializes in pulling insights that help...
Ed Harris
Chief Marketing Officer, Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board
Edward Harris is the Chief Marketing Officer at the Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board, representing Montgomery County, PA. Prior to joining the non-profit tourism...

Ed Harris
Chief Marketing Officer, Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board
Edward Harris is the Chief Marketing Officer at the Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board, representing Montgomery County, PA. Prior to joining the non-profit tourism board, Harris served in brand development leadership roles at a select group of iconic brands including Converse, Timberland, Under Armour, Destination Maternity Corporation, and eBay.
Mr. Harris also serves as Chairman of the Marketing Advisory Board at the Haub School of Business at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, where he teaches Marketing Strategy as an adjunct professor. Born and raised in Philadelphia, PA, Harris attended Germantown Academy and holds an MBA from Boston College and a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Saint Joseph’s.
Chad Hays
Sr. Online Marketing Manager, Visit Phoenix
Chad is the Sr. Online Marketing Manager at Visit Phoenix. He’s been with the organization for six years and his key responsibilities include managing VisitPhoenix.com...

Chad Hays
Sr. Online Marketing Manager, Visit Phoenix
Chad is the Sr. Online Marketing Manager at Visit Phoenix. He’s been with the organization for six years and his key responsibilities include managing VisitPhoenix.com and the organization’s social media channels. He prefers iced tea to coffee, is patiently waiting for the Suns' playoff drought to end, and has failed at getting his cats to hike on a leash.
Audrey Johnson
Director of Marketing, Visit Albuquerque
Audrey Johnson is the Director of Marketing at Visit Albuquerque. She has been with the organization for 8 years, and has seen 3 website transitions over that time. She loves...

Audrey Johnson
Director of Marketing, Visit Albuquerque
Audrey Johnson is the Director of Marketing at Visit Albuquerque. She has been with the organization for 8 years, and has seen 3 website transitions over that time. She loves her job in the travel industry, is a native New Mexican (#TeamGreenChile), and has a 7-year-old fur baby named Rogue.
Cat Kessler
Director of Content, Explore Asheville
Cat Kessler is the Director of Content at Explore Asheville in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina. She oversees content strategy and development across the...

Cat Kessler
Director of Content, Explore Asheville
Cat Kessler is the Director of Content at Explore Asheville in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina. She oversees content strategy and development across the DMO’s website and social media channels, including editorial, video and photo, and community projects. During her eight years at the bureau, Cat has had the pleasure to work on a break-dancing Santa Claus video, a top-notch food bloggers conference, and an award-winning long-form multimedia piece about the science behind fall leaf colors. A North Carolina native, Cat holds a degree in journalism from the UNC-Chapel Hill. Outside of work, she can be found frequenting the area’s family-friendly parks, festivals and craft breweries with her husband and three-year-old son.
Laura Levi
Digital Marketing Coordinator, Visit Cheyenne
Laura Levi has worked and volunteered in hospitality and event planning industries most of her life. She started as Programming Director for KRQU in Laramie, and moved on to...

Laura Levi
Digital Marketing Coordinator, Visit Cheyenne
Laura Levi has worked and volunteered in hospitality and event planning industries most of her life. She started as Programming Director for KRQU in Laramie, and moved on to develop and implement events at the Wyoming Territorial Park, a National Historic Site. She’s managed both the Laramie and Cheyenne Ice & Event Centers, and now works at Visit Cheyenne, where she is the Digital Marketing Coordinator and in charge of Cheyenne Restaurant Week, and the New Year’s Eve Ball Drop.
Gabrielle Matthews
Database Marketing Manager, Experience Kissimmee
Gabby has been with Experience Kissimmee for four years as the Database Marketing Manager. In her role, she is the resident CRM guru and is responsible for training new and...

Gabrielle Matthews
Database Marketing Manager, Experience Kissimmee
Gabby has been with Experience Kissimmee for four years as the Database Marketing Manager. In her role, she is the resident CRM guru and is responsible for training new and current employees, running billions of reports, and extinguishing all of the company’s CRM-related fires. She also manages mass email communications to partners, creates the consumer newsletter, and dabbles in website edits.
When she’s not helping her teammates properly maneuver the CRM, she loves working out at bootcamp classes, whipping up tasty vegan meals and desserts, and watching Forensic Files with her fiancé and their three rescue dogs.
Meagan McGuire
Vice President-Sales & Services, Seattle Southside Regional Tourism Authority
Meagan is the vice president of sales and services for Seattle Southside Regional Tourism Authority, the official destination marketing organization for the cities of Des...

Meagan McGuire
Vice President-Sales & Services, Seattle Southside Regional Tourism Authority
Meagan is the vice president of sales and services for Seattle Southside Regional Tourism Authority, the official destination marketing organization for the cities of Des Moines, SeaTac and Tukwila, WA. She leads an exceptional team to ensure business growth and expand the organization’s long-term growth strategy through group sales and marketing activities. Meagan uses her 13 years of sales expertise and thorough understanding of the tourism industry to passionately develop effective strategies to promote Seattle Southside as a destination to group leaders and meeting planners. Her leadership has contributed to the overwhelmingly positive economic impact the RTA has on the region, resulting in strong year- over-year ROI growth. In 2017, the RTA realized a return on investment of $42.86 for every visitor dollar spent.
In prior roles, Meagan served as the business development manager for Seattle Southside Visitor Services and group sales and private events executive for The Museum of Flight. Meagan holds a Master of Arts in anthropology from Washington State University and a Bachelor of Science in archaeology from Central Washington University. When she’s not promoting Seattle Southside, she enjoys camping with her family, kayaking and exploring tide pools with her two boys.
Debbie McKeown
CRM Administrator, Québec City Torism
Debbie McKeown is the CRM Administrator for Québec City Tourism. On staff for the past 15 years, most of them as a coordinator with the Sales Team in Meeting &...

Debbie McKeown
CRM Administrator, Québec City Torism
Debbie McKeown is the CRM Administrator for Québec City Tourism. On staff for the past 15 years, most of them as a coordinator with the Sales Team in Meeting & Sales, Tour & Travel and Media/PR sections, she is now responsible for developing best practices using Simpleview software. She obtained her degree in Tourism from Le Collège Mérici in 1990 and has always worked in the travel industry. She speaks French fluently and is the first Canadian to earn the Simpleview Member/Partner Brainery Certification. She is also completing a two-year mandate on the DMS User group, in hopes of making Simpleview a more efficient system for all international DMOs.
Heather Moreno
Sales Operations Manager, Visit Seattle
With over 20 years of experience in hospitality and a passion for operations, Heather understands client service needs in the DMO world. She studied at the Cornell School of...

Heather Moreno
Sales Operations Manager, Visit Seattle
With over 20 years of experience in hospitality and a passion for operations, Heather understands client service needs in the DMO world. She studied at the Cornell School of Hotel Administration and went on to earn her MBA at the University of Phoenix. Heather joined Visit Seattle in 2016 and has enjoyed every moment of digging into the data in the CRM, streamlining processes, and (trying) to make her team’s jobs just a little easier by implementing improved practices. In her current role of Sales Operations Manager, she supervises a team of coordinators who support the National Account Directors and is the CRM Admin for Convention Sales & Services.
Heather grew up in San Diego, then spent several years in Phoenix before settling down in Seattle about 10 years ago. She is fluent in Spanish and MS Excel.
Joell Morin
Director of Digital Marketing, Bloomington MN
Joell has been in the hospitality industry for 20-plus years, ten of which have been with the Bloomington Convention & Visitors Bureau. As the Director of Digital...

Joell Morin
Director of Digital Marketing, Bloomington MN
Joell has been in the hospitality industry for 20-plus years, ten of which have been with the Bloomington Convention & Visitors Bureau. As the Director of Digital Marketing at the Bloomington CVB, her responsibilities include content strategy, website development, digital analytics, eCRM planning, digital media and promotion management. She is involved in many of the marketing platforms at the CVB including, Salesforce Email Studio, Meetingmax, cVent, Simpleview, and more.
Elisabeth Oruba
Manager of Multilingual Content Services, Making Waves
Elisabeth is a multilingual Content Expert with over 10 years’ experience of service delivery for international organizations. She has always worked in cross-cultural...

Elisabeth Oruba
Manager of Multilingual Content Services, Making Waves
Elisabeth is a multilingual Content Expert with over 10 years’ experience of service delivery for international organizations. She has always worked in cross-cultural teams, dealing with content and communication through various digital platforms. For the seven last years, Elisabeth has been French editor for Visitnorway.fr, and multilingual campaign coordinator for other Visitnorway versions. She is the point of contact for Innovation Norway in Paris, and has been directly cooperating with other local offices, providing content support in a structured way for specific campaigns. As a Web Content consultant, Elisabeth has mastered the use of several Content Management Systems such as Episerver, EZ-Publish and SimpleView - actively contributing to how these tools have been customized further.
Jaymee Rayford
Destination Development Coordinator, Visit Oakland
Jaymee Rayford is the Destination Development Coordinator for Visit Oakland. An Oakland-native, she spends much of her time exploring new restaurant and capturing her...

Jaymee Rayford
Destination Development Coordinator, Visit Oakland
Jaymee Rayford is the Destination Development Coordinator for Visit Oakland. An Oakland-native, she spends much of her time exploring new restaurant and capturing her experiences as an active “Yelper”. Jaymee’s passion for the city is deeply rooted in everything she does and even today she lives just a few steps from Lake Merritt, the cultural epicenter of the city.
Jaymee holds Bachelor of Arts degree from Sacramento State University, and majored in public relations with a minor in marketing. Her passion for marketing started in high school when she was a street team member and continued throughout college where she worked as an intern at a music marketing company before earning her position with Visit Oakland. As a “Simpleview Brainery Certificate” holder her role within the organization focuses heavily on CRM management, including partner relations with the extranet’s partner portal. Another major role is to keep partner’s listing data up-to-date, and educate Oakland businesses on what resources Visit Oakland offers. Jaymee is grateful to be a part of Oakland’s ever-changing landscape and looks forward to shaping the message of her city for years to come.
Terri Roberts
Program Manager, 2Synergize - A Simpleview Consulting Company
Terri brings over 30 years of hospitality industry sales and professional development experience to her role. She partnered with Destinations International for ten years,...

Terri Roberts
Program Manager, 2Synergize - A Simpleview Consulting Company
Terri brings over 30 years of hospitality industry sales and professional development experience to her role. She partnered with Destinations International for ten years, creating webinars, interviews, blogs and designing and delivering education sessions to help planners and CVBs to get the most from their partnership. Since 2014, Terri has conducted the city-wide San Diego Meeting Certified Program in San Diego for the San Diego Tourism Authority, educating over 500 destination and hotel sales professionals. She previously held positions with Marriott Hotels and Resorts in both a director of sales and regional director of training capacity.
Andrea Robyns
Marketing Technology Director, Experience Grand Rapids
Andrea Robyns is the Marketing Technology Director at Experience Grand Rapids. For the past 16 years, she’s overseen the CVB’s website, social media strategy, and...

Andrea Robyns
Marketing Technology Director, Experience Grand Rapids
Andrea Robyns is the Marketing Technology Director at Experience Grand Rapids. For the past 16 years, she’s overseen the CVB’s website, social media strategy, and digital marketing, earning a bevy of awards and distinctions along the way. In addition to serving as EXGR’s Digital Daredevil, Andrea leads the firm’s digital advertising efforts, manages special projects and is an integral member of the Marketing Team. Andrea graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in Advertising. Andrea is a self-proclaimed Tourism Geek, a devoted Disney lover and an ever-optimistic Detroit Tigers fan.
Niklas Schlappkohl
Senior Director, Travel Solutions, translations.com
Niklas Schlappkohl is the Senior Director, Travel and the in-house expert for the Travel industry. He leads the Travel vertical and provides strategic language consulting for...

Niklas Schlappkohl
Senior Director, Travel Solutions, translations.com
Niklas Schlappkohl is the Senior Director, Travel and the in-house expert for the Travel industry. He leads the Travel vertical and provides strategic language consulting for clients. Niklas joined Translations.com after 20 years in the global digital travel industry, having managed ecommerce and localization efforts at some of the leading hospitality brands including Starwood, Accor, NH Hotels and most recently Carlson Rezidor, where he was Senior Director, eCommerce. Since 2015, he has also been Chairman of the HSMAI Digital Marketing Advisory Board. A native from Germany, Niklas has a BA in Languages, and MA in International Relations and speaks 8 languages.
Christine "Shimo" Shimasaki
Managing Director, 2Synergize - A Simpleview Consulting Company
Christine “Shimo” Shimasaki, CDME, CMP of 2Synergize, LLC, a Simpleview consulting company, is a passionate advocate of convention and visitors bureaus and the...

Christine "Shimo" Shimasaki
Managing Director, 2Synergize - A Simpleview Consulting Company
Christine “Shimo” Shimasaki, CDME, CMP of 2Synergize, LLC, a Simpleview consulting company, is a passionate advocate of convention and visitors bureaus and the meetings industry. Previously, Shimo served as a full-time consultant for Destinations International (DI), managing the MINT database and the Event Impact Calculator and provided leadership and guidance to the CVB industry with specific meetings market issues and opportunities. Under 2synergize, LLC, Shimo continues to help CVBs, convention centers, hotels and corporations serve the events industry by developing sales strategies, community collaboration, strong customer relationships and high performing sales and service teams.
Shimo has been named a #CMP30 Influencer by Events Industry Council, one of the “25 Most Influential People in the Meetings Industry” by Successful Meetings, and a “Meeting Trendsetter” by MeetingsFocus. She earned her Masters Degree in Business Administration at San Diego State University. She has served the tourism industry as a board member to PCMA, co-chair of the Performance Measures Initiative for DI, and chair to DI’s Accreditation Board. Shimo authored the Event Room Demand Study, in partnership with Tourism Economics, quantifying for the first-time the volume of rooms booked outside the contracted room block.
Marney St. John
Director, Digital & Insights, Travel Alberta
Marney joined Travel Alberta in 2005 to lead their marketing efforts in North America. Within a couple of years, she took on the challenge of developing and launching the...

Marney St. John
Director, Digital & Insights, Travel Alberta
Marney joined Travel Alberta in 2005 to lead their marketing efforts in North America. Within a couple of years, she took on the challenge of developing and launching the first-ever global brand for Travel Alberta – (remember to breathe) – a truly defining moment for the tourism organization. Marney then moved over to Digital Platforms and recently established the Insights team within the organization. In her current role Marney uses her strategic and analytic thinking to deliver engaging digital experiences and data strategies to drive growth. By building stronger data acumen within the organization, Marney has helped Travel Alberta and its industry partners strengthen their competitive edge.
Eric Thompson
Vice President of Marketing, Visit Salt Lake
Eric Thompson is a 20+ year veteran in the DMO industry and is the Vice President of Marketing for Visit Salt Lake. He oversees sees a tremendous marketing team that...

Eric Thompson
Vice President of Marketing, Visit Salt Lake
Eric Thompson is a 20+ year veteran in the DMO industry and is the Vice President of Marketing for Visit Salt Lake. He oversees sees a tremendous marketing team that encompasses a full range of Marketing services and has helped create innovative programs to fulfill the needs of their visitors and clients. Visit Salt Lake has been active in Housing Services for in-market groups since 1999 and now 20 years has transitioned to Orchid Events, a privately owned, full service Housing and Registration company that processes more than 150,000 reservations annually for meetings held across North America.
Andrea Timbes
CRM Analyst, Visit Fort Worth
Andrea Timbes is the CRM Administrator for Visit Fort Worth. Working under the Meeting Sales umbrella, she manages the CRM, functions as lead catcher, provides training...

Andrea Timbes
CRM Analyst, Visit Fort Worth
Andrea Timbes is the CRM Administrator for Visit Fort Worth. Working under the Meeting Sales umbrella, she manages the CRM, functions as lead catcher, provides training to our internal staff as well to our partners, and wear many other hats.
Timbes joined Visit Fort Worth in March 2014. Before that, she had been working for Dolce International/AATCC in a similar position (Certified Newmarket System Administrator) for 12 years.
Originally from Germany, Timbes has over 17 years’ experience in Hotel & Restaurant industry (from F&B to Front Desk & Night Audit to Sales), a BA in Hotel Organization/Accounting & Data processing, and an A.A.S in Business Administration and Economics.
Joe Veneto
Founder and Principal, Veneto Collaboratory
Joe Veneto, is founder and principal of Veneto Collaboratory, formerly Opportunities Unlimited, a management consulting and training company. He collaborates with Destination...

Joe Veneto
Founder and Principal, Veneto Collaboratory
Joe Veneto, is founder and principal of Veneto Collaboratory, formerly Opportunities Unlimited, a management consulting and training company. He collaborates with Destination Marketing Organizations, Travel Suppliers and service related companies to create results that create economic development and drive customer loyalty. He is an expert in the design, development and distribution of compelling consumer packages and unforgettable visitor experiences. Joe has assisted destination marketing organizations and travel attractions throughout the North America create product development strategies that generate results. Sample destinations include: Philadelphia, PA; Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN; Columbus, OH; Hilton Head, SC; Paducah, KY, Shreveport, LA; The Mall of America and others. He is a nationally recognized professional speaker, presenting programs annually throughout North America to National Associations, Governor’s Conferences, Regional Tourism Groups, Corporate Meetings and at Industry events. His content-rich programs make him one of the Industry’s most requested experts on Tourism Product Development and Experiential Tourism
Kimberly Vince-Cruz
Vice-President, Destination Analysts
Having spent the last decade conducting market research for destinations, the travel trade and meetings industry, Kim directs and implements the vision of all Destination...

Kimberly Vince-Cruz
Vice-President, Destination Analysts
Having spent the last decade conducting market research for destinations, the travel trade and meetings industry, Kim directs and implements the vision of all Destination Analysts’ research studies. Kim brings a wealth of experience to our clients—overseeing project launch, data collection and analysis for all research projects, from visitor profile and in-depth brand research to ROI and conversion studies. Kim is a sought resource in the industry for her expertise in DMO website usability, audience profile, analytics and conversion, and was recognized as one of California Travel Association’s “30 And Under” Tourism Emerging Leaders. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in American Studies and Ethnicity with a minor in Spanish from the University of Southern California.
Vimal Vyas
Director of Information, Security and Digital Innovation, visitRaleigh
Vimal Vyas is the Director of Information, Security and Digital Innovation for the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau. As marketing technology director, he is...

Vimal Vyas
Director of Information, Security and Digital Innovation, visitRaleigh
Vimal Vyas is the Director of Information, Security and Digital Innovation for the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau. As marketing technology director, he is responsible for the Bureau's integrated digital efforts, including digital product development, data integration, cloud-based software solutions, infrastructure, content/internet marketing technologies and business intelligence. Vyas is currently serving on the Destinations International MINT Super User Group and a member of the Simpleview Content Management System User Group. He has also served on the Destinations International Performance Reporting Task Force and has been a member of the Customer Relationship Management User Group for Simpleview since 2012.
Mike Wagner
Information Systems Specialist, Traverse City Tourism
Mike Wagner is the Information Systems Specialist at Traverse City Tourism in Traverse City, Michigan. His role is centered around managing data, accounts, and listings in the...

Mike Wagner
Information Systems Specialist, Traverse City Tourism
Mike Wagner is the Information Systems Specialist at Traverse City Tourism in Traverse City, Michigan. His role is centered around managing data, accounts, and listings in the CRM. His interest in the CRM began shortly after joining the Traverse City Tourism team in 2014. Mike’s initial work in the CRM included importing inquiry files in the Consumer user group and creating orders in the Inventory user group. He now manages these two user groups along with the Member/Partner user group. In addition to working with the CRM, Mike processes outgoing mail and shipments for the office, assists members and partners with inquiries, helps walk-in visitors, and is a vital part of the Marketing team.
Mike is proud to have earned the title of “Certified Master in Membership/Partnership, Consumer/Inventory, and Meeting Sales” through The Brainery offered by Simpleview. With his recent certification, knowledge, and confidence, Mike has been leading monthly member/partner Extranet training sessions this year.
Mike and his high school sweetheart (now wife) Kelly, are fortunate to live in their hometown near family. They enjoy cooking together and going on outdoor adventures, especially with their Bluetick Coonhound, Cabella, leading the way.
Andreas Weissenborn
Director, Research & Advocacy, Destinations International Foundation
Introduced to the world of destination organizations by a random internship application to Visit Baltimore (then known as Baltimore Area Convention & Visitors...

Andreas Weissenborn
Director, Research & Advocacy, Destinations International Foundation
Introduced to the world of destination organizations by a random internship application to Visit Baltimore (then known as Baltimore Area Convention & Visitors Association), Andreas Weissenborn began an unexpected career into hospitality that left him with a continued passion towards the tourism industry.
Weissenborn spent just short of 11 years with Visit Baltimore helping with its Research, Technology, and Information Systems across the organization. In 2017, he joined the Association on behalf of a Destinations International Foundation initiative to be a dedicated research source for Destinations International.
Monty White
Director of Marketing, Visit Irving
Monty is the director of marketing for the Irving, Texas Convention and Visitors Bureau, where he oversees marketing and digital marketing for both the CVB and the Irving...

Monty White
Director of Marketing, Visit Irving
Monty is the director of marketing for the Irving, Texas Convention and Visitors Bureau, where he oversees marketing and digital marketing for both the CVB and the Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas. Monty has also worked for Hilton Worldwide as manager of content operations and prior to joining the hospitality world, he worked for several years in marketing at Bluegreen Advertising.
Monty has served on the HSMAI DFW board of directors since 2009 and is a past- president and current managing director. He also serves on the Richland College Advisory Board and previously served on the HSMAI Digital Marketing Council and the Dallas/Fort Worth Area Tourism Council Marketing Committee.
Monty received his bachelor’s degree from the University of North Texas, is a New Mexico Military Institute Alumnus, and an MBA Candidate at the University of Dallas.
Marissa Willman
Director of Digital Marketing, Greater Palm Springs CVB
Marissa Willman is the Director of Digital Marketing for the Greater Palm Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau. She oversees the CVB’s digital marketing strategy,...

Marissa Willman
Director of Digital Marketing, Greater Palm Springs CVB
Marissa Willman is the Director of Digital Marketing for the Greater Palm Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau. She oversees the CVB’s digital marketing strategy, including digital media, social media, website development, content marketing, email marketing and SEO. Prior to joining the Greater Palm Springs CVB in 2016, Marissa was a freelance travel writer for outlets including USA Today, Forbes, Travel Channel and The Telegraph. Marissa holds a BA in Communications/Print Journalism from California State University, Fullerton and was named one of Cal Travel’s 30 and Under Emerging Leaders in 2018.
Jackie Workman
Sales Information Manager, Louisville Tourism
Jackie has been working for Louisville Tourism for over 10 years. She started her career with LT in the Convention Services Department, working with clients and partners...

Jackie Workman
Sales Information Manager, Louisville Tourism
Jackie has been working for Louisville Tourism for over 10 years. She started her career with LT in the Convention Services Department, working with clients and partners alike. When Louisville Tourism converted to Simpleview, Jackie served as a super user on the internal committee. Two years ago, Jackie transitioned positions and is now the CRM Administrator for Meeting Sales. As Sales Information Manager, she not only manages CRM, but also serves as leads catcher, and provides training and daily assistance for both internal users and extranet partners. Jackie is particularly passionate about creating useful data reports in CRM and is a self-admitted Excel geek.
While not a Louisville native, Jackie has lived and worked in bourbon and horse country since childhood. When not working, you most likely will find her being a taxi driver for her three very busy children.
Ray Presley
CRM Administrator
Ray Presley is a native Floridian and began his career serving in the United States Army for ten active years and five inactive years. After being given the opportunity to...

Ray Presley
CRM Administrator
Ray Presley is a native Floridian and began his career serving in the United States Army for ten active years and five inactive years. After being given the opportunity to retire early, he found himself working for the Valley Forge Convention & Visitors Bureau as their CRM manager using the (D3000) system. After seven Great years, it was time to come home to Florida.
In the summer of 2016 he landed a position with the Visit St. Pete Clearwater Convention & Visitors Bureau serving as their CRM Administrator Ray has been in this position for nearly three years. Ray is a graduate of Pasco-Hernando State College, where he holds a degree in Network Administration. Ray has been married to his beautiful wife for 32 years. He has two great adult sons and four fantastic large dogs.
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