Supporting the Tourism Industry from Lockdown to Reopening, with Rachel Laber Pulvino
Rachel Laber Pulvino is a Rochester native who has the privilege of promoting her hometown on a daily basis as the Director of Market Communications and Public Relations for Visit Rochester. In this role, Rachel is regularly reaching out to regional, national, and international media to share Rochester’s story, and help media and visitors alike…
Building the Botanical Brand in Ottawa, IL, with Curt Bedei
Curt Bedei is the Executive Director for the Ottawa Visitors Center in Ottawa, Illinois. He was hired in 2011 as a Graphics Design Manager to handle the botanical brand management. Since then, Curt has worked his way up, earning a certificate in not-for-profit management and stepping into his current role as Executive Director in 2015….
Hosting Virtual Events in the Travel and Tourism Industry, with Nicole Mahoney
For Destination on the Left’s solocast episode, host Nicole Mahoney talks to you about virtual events. Our team has been working with several clients to assist them with virtual event planning, and so much valuable information has come out of our experiences. On our podcast, we talk about why you should consider virtual events, what…
Sustainability Through Storytelling, with JoAnna Haugen
JoAnna Haugen is a seasoned writer, speaker, and founder of Rooted, a solutions-storytelling platform. Her work has been published in more than 60 print and online publications, including Fast Company, Popular Science, Mongabay, BBC, and CNN. Her time as a returned Peace Corps volunteer, commercial travel writer, intrepid world traveler, international election observer, and American…
Brand Identity in Historic and Cultural Destinations, with Courtney Kasper
There’s a southern accent, where Courtney Kasper comes from. She is a Sweet Home Alabama native, Florida State and Syracuse University graduate, and a Poodle person. She is also the current Visitor Experience Manager at the Equal Rights Heritage Center located in Auburn, NY. Courtney is a former associate publisher of Today’s Central New York…
Destination Marketing in a Global Pandemic, with Adam Stoker
Adam Stoker has been in marketing since 2007. In 2012, he got his first experience working with tourism destinations, and from that point forward, he knew he had found his passion. Since then, Adam has worked with destinations across the country to improve their marketing, branding, and use of technology. Stoker is the President and…
Building the Staten Island Brand, with Colleen Siuzdak and Jennifer Sammartino
Colleen Siuzdak is the Manager of VISIT Staten Island, a campaign run out of the Staten Island Borough President James Oddo’s Office of Tourism and Cultural Affairs. This office, created in June 2017, invites visitors to explore the borough’s many parks and cultural attractions, while encouraging residents to explore their own backyard – from the…
Adversity and Uncertainty vs. Creativity and Collaboration, with Robb Wells
Robb Wells, President and CEO of the Greater Beaufort-Port Royal CVB, has been a Destination Marketing Professional for more than 15 years. His industry career began as Executive Director for Duplin County Tourism in North Carolina, before moving to become Sr. Director of Marketing at the Knoxville Tourism & Sports Corporation. He then became Vice…
A World-Changing Collaboration, with Jillian Blackbeard
Jillian Blackbeard’s passion lies in Africa Tourism and Conservation. She has been leading the industry for over 10 years in various marketing roles, first for a Southern African hotel and resort chain, followed by five years as director for marketing and product development at Botswana Tourism Organisation, and Director for Africa for The World Travel…
Training the Travel Trade for Recovery, with Julia Feuell
Julia Feuell grew up in Auckland, New Zealand and settled in the UK in the 1980s. She set up New Frontiers in 1993, recruiting staff from all over the travel industry. In 2008, Julia had an idea to create a training academy for call center workers to learn about products and destinations online. This idea…