Teaming Up for Success

Kim manages the destination optimization program team, which helps DMOs provide value to their industry through education and activation. Previously she has been the company’s director of SEO and the director of digital marketing for the hospitality division. She launched some of the industry’s first destination websites in the late 90s.

Favorite Travel Memory

My 100 percent not-athletic family and I conquered the Cathedral Rock trail in Sedona, Arizona. With a 700-foot elevation gain in less than a mile, it was more precarious rock climb than a trail, but the payoff was a stunning panorama of the red-rock landscape. It is a cherished "we survived" family touchpoint now.

Amy is the senior account director that leads our Brand USA team. When she is not exploring new ways to reach international travelers, investigating opportunities to better organize our data or meeting with clients, she can be found walking mountain trails, listening to a new podcast or running through life with her young (and energetic) son.

Favorite Travel Memory

My husband and I visited Switzerland for the holidays a few years ago. We were having dinner at a lodge in a small ski village on Christmas night and starting talking to the couple sitting next to us. We discovered they lived only 45 minutes away from us in Florida (small world!) and ended up enjoying delicious glögg with them at a secret bar they introduced us to.

Nicole is well known for her detail-oriented approach and metric-driven mindset, which she leverages to create strategized, impactful media plans for her clients. Outside of her professional efforts, she enjoys indulging in her creative side through LEGO-building, crafting and cooking—hobbies that reflect her dual passion for creativity and precision.

 

Favorite Travel Memory

Though it started with an unexpected 26-hour airport layover, and almost missing the ship, it would have to be Greece island-hopping.

Tiffany thrives on developing big-picture content strategies and working with clients to increase the performance of their digital content, but she also loves straight copy editing. When she isn’t absentmindedly proofreading everything she sees, Tiffany is probably reading, watching college football or daydreaming about Disney World.

Favorite Travel Memory

Descending an unsteady ladder into dark, cool cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde National Park.

A Georgia native who called Maryland, South Dakota, Utah and Colorado home before settling in Kentucky, Kelly conducts a symphony of technology and creativity, fusing innovation with stewardship and sustainability. Alongside her partner Greg, two pups and grown kids, her passions include voyages to new destinations, culinary creation, gardening and live concerts.

Favorite Travel Memory

Bali's vivid hues and beaming faces welcomed us, emanating happiness and forging instant connections. My children, away from electronics, reveled in local culture, embracing community and togetherness. Beneath banana trees, our guide plucked some for us. This spontaneous act epitomized the trip — authentic, unscripted and full of simple joys.

As part of the hospitality division, Haylea's days consist of optimizing and managing online profiles such as Google, TripAdvisor, Yelp, Bing, Yext and local CVBs. When not updating profiles, you can find her outdoors hiking, biking, reading, playing pickleball or scoping out new things to do.

Favorite Travel Memory

Traveling with my best friend is a favorite memory. Keeping in touch as adults is tough, and getting together one-on-one for a girls trip is a rarity I will always cherish.

Juliana Contreras is a multilingual senior art director, guitar strummer, culinary maestro and garden enthusiast. Her art bridges cultures, while her heart embraces family and pets. She's a sailing aficionada with an aquatic irony: can't swim, yet conquers the sea.

Favorite Travel Memory

Costa Rica: Being awakened by waves and a serenade of birds was such an amazing experience. I can't wait to go back.

Lindsay's work can be found at the intersection of creativity and data. When she isn't crafting content, she can be found photographing something or working her way through a new cookbook. She has a clear passion for food and beverage photography and is close to documenting her 100th wedding ceremony.

Favorite Travel Memory

Apart from time with my dog, Scout, a cup of black coffee is my favorite little mercy. When solo-traveling through Copenhagen, I made sure to stop and sit in as many coffee shops as I could, totaling 10 over the course of three days. It was lovely!

Debbie works with our client services team supporting DMOs and their teams across the country. She's the mom to three adult children and loves hiking, music, watching football and, of course, traveling.

Favorite Travel Memory

My favorite, outside of those with my family, would be in Brussels one December during their holiday markets. I spent every night in the square for hours just listening to music and watching the lights and people — it was magical!

Emilie was a founding member of Miles' first video team, producing content for VISIT FLORIDA. Hundreds of videos and thousands of miles later, she's since dreamed up videos for many more destinations, including San Francisco, Louisiana and Maryland. She's never bored and can be found enjoying life at home with her husband and daughter in Maine.

Favorite Travel Memory

I was a 16-year-old on spring break in Giverny, France — and like most, completely directionless. College was in my future, but then what? While filling up at least two rolls of film capturing their famous garden in its spring splendor, it dawned on me: Wouldn't this be a glorious life? Eight years later the opportunity came calling and the rest is history.

Sarah, a member of the Business Analyst team, resides and works amidst the Colorado mountains with her husband. An adoring mother to her two adult children in Denver, she finds joy in river rafting, skiing and exploring international destinations.

Favorite Travel Memory

This past fall, my husband and I traveled to Munich, Germany for Oktoberfest. We dressed the part in lederhosen and dirndl and had the time of our lives!

George is part of Odyssey Studios and works both on location as a videographer/photographer or back in the office in post production. He spends his free time traveling, teaching group-fitness classes and partaking in all kinds of geeky activities.

Favorite Travel Memory

Getting married in front of Mount Kirkjufell in Iceland — a mountain featured prominently in "Game of Thrones."

Pat’s job is to travel the beautiful state of Colorado and sell awesome media packages that perform off the charts — something he doesn’t think is actually work. When he’s not “working,” he’s hanging out with family, looking for tickets to his next Red Rocks show or bopping down the river somewhere in a pink or green kayak, depending on the water level.

Favorite Travel Memory

Elephants, big waves, that one time The Grateful Dead encored Brokedown in Atlanta — there's too many to pick just one.

Lauren is a passionate, collaborative and creative marketing leader with 20-plus years of experience developing and executing strategic, integrated marketing communications programs. When she's not strategizing with clients and her amazing team, you will find her traveling, biking and enjoying time with her family.

Favorite Travel Memory

I have favorite travel memories from each and every trip so it's really difficult to choose just one. My first vacation memory in Bermuda as a five-year-old is very special to me, and it launched my passion for travel.

Alex is Odyssey Studios’ platform manager, handling linear channel scheduling and maintenance for Brand USA’s GoUSATV — file transfers, app updates and other technical sorcery. When not chained to his desk, you can usually find in him roaming the various Disney theme parks, traveling the world and taking pictures, or chained to his other desk making illustrations.

Favorite Travel Memory

In Hawaiʻi, while trying to navigate rocks at a lagoon entrance so I could swim in the Pacific for the first time, a sea turtle appeared, swam over near me and vanished underwater. His wake showed a path through the rocks to a safe, secluded place to swim as if the entire island was mine.

As CFO, Dianne is all things financial and focused on growth and scaling the organization. When she is not working, she can be found training for a marathon or on a sailboat with her husband.

Favorite Travel Memory

Going to Vancouver, Canada, (my favorite place) with my siblings, our kids and my parents to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary. My parents were both up there in years, so we rented them motorized scooters. My father, a former fighter pilot, was doing donuts on his scooter in the parking lot.

As a content manager in the hospitality division, Courtney's mind is always whirring with catch phrases, social captions and SEO keywords. If you can't find her, she's likely adding to her vocabulary with her nose in a book, chasing a ball around a soccer field or embarking on a high-altitude adventure in the Montana mountains.

Scott is a web developer who brings the web to life through a wide range of front-end technologies and accessibility in mind. When he is not at the computer, he is out hiking and exploring. He lives in Southern California with his wife and two kids.

Maya is part of the paid media team in the hospitality division. She brings experience working with hospitality clients and is passionate about creating memorable experiences for both clients and their customers. Based in San Diego, California, Maya enjoys spending her free time at the beach, staying active outdoors and being with friends and family.

Favorite Travel Memory

My favorite travel memory is my experience studying abroad with a program called Semester at Sea. I was able to visit 10 countries in one semester, all while taking my college classes on a cruise ship alongside 500 other students from around the world.

Taryn is a senior art director who is both analytical and creative, executing on ideas thoughtfully and strategically from concept through production. When she’s not solving creative problems, she’s planning her next adventure or hanging out with her husband, baby and cats.

Favorite Travel Memory

Going on a three-week adventure in Japan and Thailand with my now-husband. We went to Japan to ski, then shipped our ski stuff back to the United States before heading south to Thailand for warmer weather.

Introducing Dennis, director of destination partnership development and your go-to for all things destination collaboration. Proudly based in Brooklyn, he spearheads remarkable campaigns for Destination DC. Dennis' passion for food takes him on flavorful journeys, whether he's exploring Maine's coastline or savoring European cuisines with his husband and kid. Their next stop? The exciting land of Japan.

Favorite Travel Memory

At Acadia National Park in Maine, my 3-year-old daughter's energy and infectious spirit led us on a hike. Her enthusiasm was a force of nature itself, reminding my husband and me of the joy of the outdoors. At the summit, surrounded by stunning vistas, her curiosity intertwined with the beauty of nature etched a heartwarming memory of family and exploration.

As one of Miles's art directors, Amanda is passionate about bringing brands to life through effective and engaging creative. Outside of moving pixels around and meeting with clients, she also loves visiting new places, going out to eat at unique restaurants and hoop dancing down St. Charles in Mardi Gras parades.

Favorite Travel Memory

On the northern coast of Washington, the beach was unlike any other place I've been. A massive rocky formation slowly appeared before my eyes as I strolled the beach through the thickest fog I've ever experienced. It was like walking on an alien planet.

Mel creates high-performing web-content strategies and award-winning, brand-building creative work for interactive campaigns. She has a passion for inclusive content and sustainability. When she’s not crafting or optimizing content, she’s taking care of rescue rabbits, enjoying nature or exploring new places.

Favorite Travel Memory

Watching animals gather around a watering hole while on safari in Botswana.

A native New Mexican with a stereotypical love of green chile, Haley finally crossed the border for good into Colorado to make it her home. She has found a passion for business and billing, despite her background in biology. When she’s not sifting through vendor invoices, she can be found coaching dance for the local high school, hiking and mountain biking.

Favorite Travel Memory

My absolute favorite memory is going to Ireland for my birthday in 2019 right before the last season of "Game of Thrones" came out. We went to filming sites for Winterfell and met a couple of the dire wolves used for the show.

Laura's focus is on developing growth plans for clients and our teams. She is based in Denver and you can often find her cheering on the Denver Nuggets, reading another mystery novel or enjoying mac and cheese.

Favorite Travel Memory

I was chaperoning high-school musicians on a European music tour. Our first night in Switzerland, I stopped by one of the girls’ rooms. My knock on the door was met enthusiastically by a girl declaring their room had a “washing machine” in it and insisted I come see it. I discovered they were “washing” their clothes in the bidet! What could I say? I suggested they keep it a secret or else they would have to do everyone’s laundry on the trip.

Tenzin is part of our Colorado content team as a content coordinator. When she's not ferociously typing away on written content, you can find her making a mess in the kitchen trying out new recipes or reading a good romance book, with her YouTube fireplace playing in the background.

Favorite Travel Memory

Out of the few countries I’ve traveled to so far, Ireland has stolen my heart as my number one travel memory. Everything about it was amazing – the lively culture, hearty meals, friendly community and stunning views. It holds so much history, and I will never forget how it made me feel.

John is part of the Memphis Tourism Sales Team and also the SEE Magazine Publisher on Panama City Beach. When not working to create great outcomes for our clients, he enjoys tennis, boating and traveling with his wife, children, grandchildren and friends.

Favorite Travel Memory

So many to pick from, but Yosemite’s 2023 spring snow melt was an unforgettable trip.

Eddie is a Drupal developer for the client web support team. When he's not busy throwing together new websites or solving technical issues, he's a fan of animation, movies and TV. He's also got a passion for 3D printing and gaming. While he has resided in St. Louis for the past 10 years, he's originally from Robinson, Illinois, home of the Heath candy bar.

Favorite Travel Memory

Driving from St. Louis to Georgia just so he could have his "Clark Griswold" moment.