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Celebrating Tourism Careers
Organizations are continuing to fill their open positions, members are expanding their horizons by taking on new roles, and others are saying “bon voyage” as they announce their well-earned retirements. Join us in celebrating members’ successes and wishing them luck on their new adventures!
Read on to see who’s going where, plus check out the latest open positions in our industry.
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Melyssa Reeves, President & CEO, Destination Marketing Association of the West (DMA West)
Melyssa Reeves has been hired as President and CEO of DMA West. She is the organization’s first President and CEO after decades of strong management by Association Resource Center in Sacramento, California. Melyssa brings with her more than 20 years of experience in the tourism industry, including 16 years as President & CEO of Visit Vacaville. She has served on DMA West’s Association and Foundation Boards of Directors since 2017. She also served in volunteer leadership roles at Destinations International, Visit California, CalTravel, Solano (California) Economic Development Corporation, and the City of Vacaville. In her new role, Melyssa looks forward to building on an already very successful organization and bringing new programming and benefits to members.
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Terence Concannon, CEO & Executive Vice President, Visit Santa Cruz County
Visit Santa Cruz County has named Terence Concannon as its new CEO and Executive Vice President. Terence joins the Visit Santa Cruz County team with extensive experience leading a destination marketing organization, including six years as President and CEO at Go Lake Havasu. Terence also has a combined decade of hotel experience on the Central Coast, serving as director of sales and marketing, hotel operations, and commerce and communications at properties in Cambria and Pismo Beach. The Visit Santa Cruz County board believes Terence’s CEO experience, tourism and hospitality background, and familiarity with the region are unique traits which will ensure both a seamless transition into his new position and the continued success of Visit Santa Cruz County’s programs and initiatives.
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Sarah McCann, Financial Advisor, Northwest Mutual
After serving almost 9 years as Senior Regional Director for Go City, Sarah McCann has started a new position as a Financial Advisor for Northwest Mutual. In her new position, she will help people create financial security for themselves, their families, and their businesses. Her goal is to develop relationships by not only providing expert guidance, but also by understanding where clients are today, where they see themselves in the future, and helping them take the steps to make their dreams a reality. While she will miss the incredible conferences and industry events, she is excited to lead people to realize a life of freedom and confidence through financial empowerment.
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Travis Scott, CEO, Visit Big Bear
Travis Scott has been named CEO of Visit Big Bear, effective December 2023. An experienced destination marketer, Scott joins Visit Big Bear following five years as the Executive Director of Visit Mendocino County, where he oversaw marketing and communications. In his new role, Scott will lead Visit Big Bear in its mission of driving overnight tourism to Big Bear Lake by promoting year-round awareness and responsible visitation, as well as creating and supporting special events and activities to increase midweek and offseason overnight stays. He looks forward to working with the community, members, and partners to grow responsible visitation to one of California's true treasures.
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Brian Wright, Director of Trade & Group Business, Visit California
Brian Wright has rejoined the Visit California team as their new Director of Trade and Group Business. Brian has had the fortune of working for some amazing destinations and attractions during his career, but once he moved to California, he never looked back. Born in Florida and cutting his hospitality teeth working at places like Wet`N Wild, Disney, U.S. Space Camp, and the Kennedy Space Center, tourism is in his DNA. The allure of living and working in Yosemite National Park got him to leave the Sunshine State, and he went on to work for Visit California, Santa Monica Travel & Tourism, and most recently, Mammoth Lakes Tourism. In his new role, Brian will be responsible for overseeing all of Visit California’s meetings, groups, and travel trade programs as they relate to the promotion of California as the premier leisure travel and meeting destination.
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Emma York, Director of Marketing Visit Laguna Beach
Visit Laguna Beach has appointed Emma York as its new Director of Marketing. She joins Visit Laguna Beach after nearly five years as Director of Marketing and Communications for Burnham Ward Properties and Dana Point Harbor Partners, where she oversaw the overall marketing and communications strategy to support the revitalization of Dana Point Harbor along with promoting the harbor as a tourist destination. In her new role, Emma will lead the destination’s core marketing functions, including creative, visitor marketing strategy, digital marketing initiatives, and paid media strategy, among other responsibilities. She can’t wait to work with the community to market the destination and tell their stories.
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Jessica Bohon, Director of Tourism & Marketing, Healdsburg Chamber & Stay Healdsburg
Jessica Bohon has moved into the role of Director of Tourism & Marketing for Healdsburg Chamber and Stay Healdsburg. Jessica has navigated a distinguished career in marketing, event management, and destination management. Beginning at Big Red Marketing, she excelled as an Account Manager, refining her brand management and marketing skills within the travel and tourism industry with destinations such as Paso Robles and San Luis Obispo Wine Lodging. In her current role, Jessica continues to enhance her expertise in digital marketing, public relations, agency management, and partner engagement for Stay Healdsburg.
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Mina Robertson, Vice President, Miles Partnership
Miles Partnership has promoted Mina Robertson to Vice President at Miles Partnership. Mina first joined Miles in 2014 as a remote employee from her California home office and brings more than 23 years of experience to her new role. She is focused on building collaborative relationships with her clients and producing innovative marketing solutions with her team. Mina is a self-proclaimed industry “lifer” and has managed travel brands both in and outside of California. She currently serves on CalTravel’s Board of Directors and Ambassador Committee, San Francisco Travel’s Marketing Council, and Destinations International’s Partner Advisory Council. She is also working towards her Certified Destination Management Executive credential in 2024. Both Mina and Miles have been members of CalTravel for more than 10 years.
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Ron Daniels, Owner & Manager, Treasure Hunt: The Ride
Ron Daniels is Owner and Manager of Treasure Hunt: The Ride—a theme park ride built exclusively for Cannery Row in Monterey. The interactive pirate-themed ride-through experience is part ride and part game and is inspired by the area’s unique history. Globally recognized theme fabrication experts Daniels Wood Land, Inc./DWL Studios and internationally-acclaimed family ride creators Sally Dark Rides joined together to bring the ride to life for the millions of people who visit Monterey each year.
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Sandy Olsen, Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Carnival Corporation
Sandy Olsen is Vice President of Corporate Affairs for Carnival Corporation, a global cruise company and one of the largest vacation companies in the world. Their portfolio of leading cruise brands includes Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises and Seabourn in North America; P&O Cruises (UK), and Cunard in the United Kingdom; AIDA Cruises in Germany; Costa Cruises in Southern Europe; Iberocruceros in Spain; and P&O Cruises (Australia) in Australia.
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Carla Tenenbaum, Regional Director of Sales, Southwest, OTO Development
Carla Tenenbaum is Regional Director of Sales, Southwest, for OTO Development, an award-winning hotel development and hospitality management company. Founded in 2004, OTO owns and/or operates a portfolio of approximately 70 select-service hotels in dynamic markets across the country. Partnering with the Hilton, Hyatt and Marriott brands, OTO Development's industry leadership position is anchored by a portfolio of excellent hotels staffed by exceptional people. The company develops its own hotels while also adding to its list of managed properties.
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Where Can Travel Take You?
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To encourage those entering the workforce to consider careers in travel and tourism, CalTravel has launched an awareness campaign highlighting real life stories of opportunity and success from its diverse membership of destination management organizations, resorts, attractions, airports, and other businesses and nonprofits in the industry.
“Where Can Travel Take You?” is designed for Instagram Reels and TikTok, and will showcase self-made videos by professionals in the industry in an effort to reach the next generation of hospitality workers. In each video, a CalTravel member will highlight where the travel industry has taken them in life, showcasing unique opportunities and benefits afforded by their careers.
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Know someone looking for a fresh start? Check out our Tourism Career Opportunities page! This job board serves to connect employers with talented, qualified travel and tourism professionals looking for new opportunities to succeed.
Is your organization hiring? If so, please send us your open positions! We will help you get the word out to our ever-growing network of travel and tourism leaders across the state (at no cost!). To submit an open position, please reach out to gabriella@caltravel.org.
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If you know about about any retirements, promotions, new hires, or other career moves, or if you have any news of your own, please let us know for an upcoming newsletter. Please send news to me at tricia@caltravel.org.
Thank you,
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Tricia Yanez
Director of Operations
tricia@caltravel.org
408-904-8474
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