Speakers

Stavros Anthony, a Las Vegas resident for 44 years, has made community service and public safety his focus as a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officer, a member of the…

Rafael Villanueva is an accomplished tourism executive with a proven record in destination marketing, international business development, and strategic leadership. As Chief Executive Officer of Travel Nevada, he oversees the…

Born to hearing impaired parents in Elko, Nevada, Delmo is active and committed to his family and community where he regularly shares his God given talents of singing.  He has…

As someone whose report card consistently said, “talks too much in class” growing up, Tracie knew at a young age she wanted to work in a communications field. After graduating…

Lydia Beck is the Marketing & PR Manager for Visit Carson City where she has lead destination storytelling and collaborative marketing efforts for Nevada’s capital. With nearly a decade in…

Denise is the Administrator for the Nevada Division of Outdoor Recreation. She has lived in Douglas County, NV for 34 years, prides herself on being an active volunteer for her…

Cortney is the Destination Development Manager for Travel Nevada. She grew up in rural West Virginia, but relocated to Dayton, Nevada after receiving her master’s degree from West Virginia University.…

Chris Brandon joined WNDD as Executive Director in May of 2022. She has unique and varied experience in the areas of: economic development, engineering, project and program management, and leadership…

As a longtime Nevada resident, Alida Ceballos brings extensive leadership and political experience to her role as State Director at USDA Rural Development, having successfully led President Trump’s Nevada campaign…

Raised in a rural community as the second oldest of six children, Melissa is the daughter of an immigrant and a first-generation college graduate who pursued higher education as a…

Hayley started her journey in tourism working for a Marriott and Hilton property in upstate New York where she trained in every department that operates a hotel.  After five years of…

Shari Davis is the Director of Rural Economic and Community Development for the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED).  She grew up in Tonopah, received her degree in Anthropology from…

Katie Demuth is a Tourism Sales Manager with the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority and has over 10 years of experience in destination marketing, group travel, and tourism promotion. She…

Kristy Durso is an internationally recognized speaker, accessibility advocate, and travel industry consultant dedicated to making tourism inclusive for all. As a veteran, military spouse, and adrenaline-seeker, she understands the…

Mandi Elliott is a Business Advisor with the Nevada SBDC and is the Executive Director of the Nevada Outdoor Business Coalition. She specializes in the outdoor industry, rural tourism, and…

A proud Las Vegas native, Aida is a Public Relations Specialist for Travel Nevada, where she helps share the state’s story through strategic communications, industry relations, and public affairs. In…

Nicole is a third-generation Nevadan and Director of Government Affairs at Tom Clark Solutions, specializing in policy at the intersection of outdoor recreation, economic development, and education. As Executive Director…

As Travel Nevada’s Domestic Market Manager, Robert brings over 20 years of experience in tourism sales, beginning in the attractions and transportation sectors. He serves as the Travel Nevada Industry…

Elizabeth Hill is an Economic Development Specialist with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), serving Nevada’s entrepreneurs since April 2019. In her role, Elizabeth advances the SBA’s mission by helping…

Jenny Kallo is a Senior Client Success Manager with over a decade of experience at Expedia Group. She specializes in driving impactful growth through strategic account management and innovative digital…

Kelli Kelly is an agriculture and food systems business advisor with the Nevada Small Business Development Center, where she supports entrepreneurs across Nevada in launching and growing resilient, locally-rooted food…

Matthew is a destination strategist, change leader, and idea generator. For the last 14 years, his work has been focused on helping destinations think strategically about their organization, their visitor…

Leslie Lotspeich spent 30 years as an educator and administrator in Elko County. Following her retirement, she explored the feasibility of marketing produce in Northern Nevada. When her son returned…

Thalia Marin, was born and raised in Elko, Nevada, and is an enrolled member of the Te-Moak Tribe of Western Shoshone Indians. She comes from a strong family lineage: Her…

Brad McMullen lives in Las Vegas, NV, where he serves as the State Folklorist for Nevada and as the Folklife Specialist at the Nevada Arts Council. Before joining the Nevada…

Blane Merkley is a proud Nevadan serving as Industry and Global Trade Coordinator for the Nevada Department of Agriculture, where he oversees the Nevada Craft Beverage Passport program, and Nevada’s…

Susan has worked in marketing and design for 25 years and loves to travel. A “Battle-Born-Again” Nevadan—she arrived with her parents when she was the mighty age of three—she grew…

Cheryl Miller began her career in forest management and has since built a dynamic path as a Park Ranger with the Bureau of Land Management at the California Trail Interpretive…

Jane Moon is the Director of Tourism & Special Events for the City of Fallon.  Having lived in Fallon, Reno, and Las Vegas, she is passionate about sharing her hometown,…

Mary Elizabeth Mosby is the Senior Regional Manager for Expedia Group Advertising, overseeing a team, who support DMOs, Activities and Airports across 34 states. Our team connects marketers with travelers…

B’Anka Neder is a seasoned marketing and sales strategist with over 15 years of experience driving growth across the tourism, hospitality, and nonprofit sectors. As the Founder of GO Marketing…

Nicole Orsua is the Chief Industry Development Officer for Travel Nevada. The team has three primary pillars: to support the development of tourism destinations in rural Nevada, to support existing…

Bart Peterson is the Director of Sales for Lake Tahoe Travel, the official DMO of the West, North and East Shores of Lake Tahoe. Bart has been with the organization…

Josh Rudelbach is the Destination Marketing & Data Strategist for Visit Carson Valley, where he brings together the science of data and the art of destination storytelling. His work focuses…

Melissa Saavedra serves as the Director of the Office of Entrepreneurship within the Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED), where she leads statewide efforts to strengthen Nevada’s entrepreneurial ecosystem…

Gabe Saglie is an internationally recognized travel producer and host, a sought-after expert on travel deals, tips and trends, and a founding member of Traveling Pants Media. He appears regularly…

Heather Sheppard is a senior vice president and leader within the tourism and economic development practice at Fahlgren Mortine, the PR and paid media agency of record for Travel Nevada.…

Kyle Shulz is the Research Director for the Nevada Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs. As Research Director, he oversees the various research studies, research reports and data collection efforts…

Erin Stiehler is a native Nevadan with over nine years of experience in the travel and tourism industry, working across digital marketing and advertising agencies. Prior to joining Datafy, Erin…

Dr. Frederick Steinmann is currently the Director of the University Center for Economic Development (UCED), part of The College of Business at the University of Nevada, Reno, and is the…

Veronica Terrell has been at Expedia Group for four years. She began her career on the Lodging Market Management team, where she supported hotel partners in optimizing booking performance across…

Liz Woolsey is originally from Connecticut and has a unique and diverse list of experiences that have taken her around the country and the globe. In 2018, Liz moved to…

Kaitie Worobec is a Sustainable Tourism Specialist at the Travel Foundation, a global non-profit dedicated to ensuring that tourism has a positive impact on destinations. She helps shape strategy and build capacity…

Susan Wright is the co-owner of J.M. Capriola Co. in Elko, Nevada, which she and her husband, John Wright, purchased in 2014. While the business carries a long Western legacy,…

Tami has explored Nevada and eastern Sierra Nevada ghost towns and mining camps for 25 years. Since 2020, she has actively shared her love of ghost towns through her website…

Ken Huynh is a Sierra Nevada–based wildlife photographer whose work centers on patience, respect, and trust in the natural world. His photography is rooted in long-term observation and ethical field…

Working in graphic design since 1995—and photography since 2001—Kippy is passionate about all things visually creative. With a secondary degree in communication, she is almost always ready to talk about…

Kim Steed started her photography journey in her 30s when documenting her son’s wrestling events. In 2018, she shifted focus to nature and wildlife photography when she and her husband…