Teaming Up for Success

As an associate media planner, Katie geeks out on creating the perfect plan to bring a campaign to life. In her off time, you'll find Katie outdoors exploring new places, hunting down her new favorite antique piece, or spending time with her family and three dogs, Jax, Finn and Marlow.

Sebrina specializes in creating customized packages and sharing the many benefits of advertising with the DMO of the Windy City, Choose Chicago. You can usually find her enjoying time with her husband, daughter, son and two Icelandic sheepdogs, or exploring new restaurants and traveling to any place with warmer winters than Chicago.

Favorite Travel Memory

Taking my daughter to Cancun for a girls trip before she headed off to college.

Ant is part of the digital products team as a digital product designer. Ant is not just about pixels and interfaces — he's all about crafting seamless and delightful experiences for our clients. When not perfecting user journeys, he can be found all over Florida skateboarding, taking and developing photos, as well as tinkering on cars and motorcycles.

Favorite Travel Memory

Taking the train from the airport into Tokyo, I thought I could manage without using my phone for navigation. When the train headed north instead of toward Tokyo, I eventually gave into temptation. I discovered the train would eventually turn back toward Tokyo, which taught me that I can navigate without technology if a country is as organized as Japan.

Leading all things content for Brand USA programs, Liz loves to explore too. You might find her in the Willamette Valley, Brooklyn or Puerto Rico. The Florida State grad’s passions include reading novels and poetry, listening to music, cooking, sipping craft beer and spending time with her partner, baby daughter and French bulldog.

Favorite Travel Memory

Ziplining in the rain in a rainforest in Costa Rica, then stopping afterward at the local watering hole for extra-refreshing beers.

A native Kentuckian serving as the senior media planner for our Kentucky client, Melissa uses research, promotional skills, strong negotiation tactics and industry connections to deliver successful media campaigns. When looking to travel, you will likely find Melissa putting her planning skills to work creating itineraries for her husband, daughter and French bulldog, Bea.

Favorite Travel Memory

I could pick a favorite memory from every single trip I have ever taken. To me, travel fills my soul with memories and personal connections created from new surroundings, unique adventures and incredible experiences.

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.

Having grown up all over the world as the child of a resort general manager, Ursula has been in hospitality her entire life, including 30 years in resort marketing before starting the hospitality division at Miles. She was recently named to the HSMAI Top 25 Most Extraordinary Minds in Sales and Marketing.

Favorite Travel Memory

Seeing the world by living in and traveling to more than 60 countries while learning and experiencing a variety of cultures through the people I met and lived near.

Working directly for both president and CEO David Burgess and chairman Roger Miles, we all know it’s Lisa Hill who really runs things around here. When she's not keeping upper management in line, Lisa enjoys spending time with her family, shopping and, now that she (finally!) has her passport, traveling the world.

Favorite Travel Memory

Seeing the Eiffel Tower all lit up at night!

With a decade of marketing and project management experience, Jesi is a key member of the digital product team. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, exploring the latest foodie spots and going on adventures with her wife and son.

Favorite Travel Memory

When I was 14, my family traveled to Italy and we met my brother's "Italian family" from his exchange year. One evening, despite the language barrier, his Italian sister and I danced ballet together on the roof of our villa under the stars, sharing the universal language of dance.

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.

Delaney designs eye-catching creative for social media, display ads and websites. Her specialization is print, and she has lead creative efforts to producing several guides during her time with Miles. She values creativity, communication and integrity when executing projects.

Favorite Travel Memory

In 2017, my mom and I traveled to northern Spain to walk a portion of the Camino de Santiago. We started our trek in León and ended in Santiago de Compostela, walking a total of 315 km over 14 days. Along the way, we met people from all over the world and indulged in the freshest of meals.

With 25-plus years of experience, Carrieann oversees design execution and process and ensures adherence to client brands. From concepting and designing digital and print implementations, she's adept at identifying the perfect font treatment to tell an article’s story, searches out unexpected angles in photography and keeps us on track with publication schedules.

Favorite Travel Memory

Waking up in the Battlefield Bed & Breakfast in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and realizing how much American History was around me.

Jonathan is part of the strategy and insights team and specializes in website analytics. When he's not setting up data pipelines, you will likely find him enjoying the outdoors by a hiking trail or paddleboarding.

Favorite Travel Memory

My favorite travel memory is visiting Barcelona with my wife. Our highlights were visiting La Sagrada Familia and watching the show at the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc.

Based in Tallahassee, Florida, Keely is a content manager on the Brand USA team. Besides writing and editing web content to showcase U.S. destinations, Keely loves collecting vinyl, singing opera and hanging out with her hairless cat, Cowboy.

Favorite Travel Memory

Spending a month studying opera (and eating plenty of pasta) in the tiny Italian town of Mercatello Sul Metauro.

Mary is an account supervisor who works with destinations all across the country, from northern California to the Midwest. Off the clock, you can find her at the gym or in a yoga class, reading the next book on her TBR list or listening to live local music at her favorite watering hole.

Favorite Travel Memory

During a trip with my boyfriend to Laguna Beach, we went on a whale-watching tour. While we didn't come across any whales, we did find ourselves amid a mega-pod of dolphins. We were literally surrounded by thousands of dolphins for over an hour. Something I'll never forget!

With nearly 20 years of experience building teams in the travel industry at both Tripadvisor and Sojern, Richard uses his skills and expertise to lead sales efforts for the DMO and Brand USA sales teams. When he's not selling, Richard enjoys traveling, wine, sports and music. Richard’s family lives in Boston, MA. 

Favorite Travel Memory

Our family trip to Aruba. We spent seven incredible days connecting as a family, and it was one of those trips you never want to end. Every aspect of Aruba completely blew me away. 

Enriqueta is a dedicated project manager who works on a variety of projects from visitor guides to websites. In her free time, you can find her crafting, watching movies or playing with her dalmatian Ollie.

Favorite Travel Memory

Having my first white Christmas in Knoxville in 2020: I made snow angels, threw snowballs, ate white snow and sledded down a hill!

Demetria is part of our Brand USA team and works with our partners in California, Nevada and Hawai'i. Her passion outside of work is music theater, where you'll often find her singing in a local play. Visiting family and spending time with the little people in her life are at the top of her list.

Favorite Travel Memory

I follow my heart … and it usually leads me to the airport.

Chelsea is part of our media team, supporting media planners through execution, trafficking, reporting and vendor coordination, keeping things organized behind the scenes. When not working, she’s with her husband, daughter, and dog, Honey, enjoying Florida beach days and theme parks and getting competitive over Jeopardy! 

Favorite Travel Memory

A favorite travel memory is a family trip to Boston, where my husband grew up, with our almost one-year-old daughter. The trip included meaningful moments: her first flight, first Red Sox game and first steps, while also experiencing the city through my husband’s childhood memories.

Jason heads our partner-participation sales team and is known to develop strategic-monetization programs that deliver results. During his 24 years at Miles, he honed his problem-solving skills with roles in production, sales and product development. You’ll also find him leading Scouts, exploring our national parks or venturing off to exotic locales.

Favorite Travel Memory

A companion said we must "enjoy the journey" several hours before we were notified to evacuate back to the U.S. as the pandemic began. Three years later, in South Korea, I was telling Scouts to "enjoy the journey" two days before our being evacuated due to an impending typhoon. My greatest travel memories have come from learning to enjoy the journey.

Gray masterfully combines inventive thought and technical adeptness for top-notch global travel-marketing strategies. Exceptional at interpreting technology and data, distilling complex ideas and managing reporting platforms, he elevates clients' competitiveness by enabling keen customer-behavior insights.

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.

As the director of marketing and operations for the hospitality division, Nancy utilizes data, research and collaboration to develop and implement owned and paid strategies and plans that drive results. When she is not diving into analytics and spreadsheets, she can be found enjoying the best of Colorado — live music, great outdoors, craft beer and making memories with friends and family.

Favorite Travel Memory

Traveling to Italy with 40 of my closest friends!

As digital project coordinator for the Brand USA team, Cory supports Optimized Audience Campaigns and ensures all projects are delivered on time and on budget. Originally from Colorado but now based in Houston, he enjoys traveling, enhancing his guitar chops, staying active, watching/winning on game shows and exploring new food and beverage establishments with his wife, Rachel and dog, Roma.

Favorite Travel Memory

My favorite travel memory is taking a train from Seattle to LA for a taping of The Price is Right, winning an all-inclusive trip to Puerto Vallarta, and then proposing to my wife on said trip.

Born with the gift of gab, Makayla loves writing content that inspires the vacation state of mind. Leaning on her experiences as a traveler, she works with brands like Margaritaville, Hilton and Hawks Cay Resort to attract potential customers. If she's not working from her home in Denver, you'll likely find her trekking up a mountain or shredding the slopes.

Favorite Travel Memory

Traveling through Europe for five months.

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.

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.

I am part of the Kentucky account team and I assist with project management, ensuring the client’s needs are met and communicated effectively. When I'm not working and immersing myself in all things Kentucky, I'm probably crocheting and preparing for an upcoming market day. Besides that, I love being outside with my pets, tending to my plants and baking delicious treats for friends/family.

Favorite Travel Memory

Traveling to St. John (USVI) and living like a local for a whole month on the island.