Zeek Coleman is President of Ad+genuity, a programmatic media platform built exclusively for destination marketing. Prior to leading ADG, Zeek spent nearly four years as a primary keynote speaker for Tourism Economics, a division of Oxford Economics, traveling the country and across the Americas presenting to state tourism offices, DMOs, and industry conferences on how economic conditions shape travel demand. He brings over a decade of hands-on destination marketing experience to his current role, where he is focused on building a platform that gives destinations full transparency into operating costs, keeps those costs as low as possible, and reinvests the savings into premium digital inventory.

A well-known industry figure with over twenty years of experience in destination marketing, Jay leads Miles Partnerships’ media teams as they plan and execute campaigns for destinations of all sizes, including the West Virginia Department of Tourism. He develops and maintains strong relationships throughout the industry, collaborating with partners to expand knowledge, performance and client opportunities. Jay employs data-driven strategies to identify trends and enhance performance, implementing best practices to optimize return on investments.

Jay has overseen the development and execution of dozens of destination strategies, ranging from rebranding initiatives to campaign and media strategies for a number of national, regional, state and city DMOs. What’s more, Jay is a tourism industry leader in many digital media platforms and a frequent speaker on digital media topics at tourism industry events.

Brian brings a decade of experience in supporting clients and managing customer service teams in both the tourism and research environments. After being promoted at Brand USA, Brian was recruited into research leadership positions with two market research firms. With industry experience in the arts, travel & tourism, technology and community development, Brian brings a well-rounded approach to tailoring solutions for clients.

Brian received a BA in Art History from Lourdes University, holds an Executive MBA from the University of Toledo, and is currently the president of the board for a local nonprofit in his hometown of Toledo, Ohio.

Chuck Davison is Vice President of Commercial Strategy & Partnerships at Tourism Economics, where he helps drive the organization’s global growth strategy, industry partnerships, and commercial direction across its portfolio of data, business intelligence, forecasting, economic impact, and attribution solutions serving destinations and tourism partners worldwide. With more than 30 years of leadership experience, Chuck has built a reputation for helping organizations transform data into actionable strategy. A former destination CEO and founder of Visit SLO CAL, he works closely with destination organizations, industry associations, strategic partners, and Tourism Economics’ leadership team to advance innovative solutions that help destinations measure performance, demonstrate value, and make more informed business decisions. He combines his experience as an entrepreneur, destination executive, technology leader, and commercial strategist to help organizations navigate an increasingly complex landscape where trust, transparency, and measurable outcomes matter more than ever. Known for challenging conventional thinking around accountability and destination measurement, Chuck is a frequent speaker on tourism and destination economics, marketing accountability, attribution, destination leadership, and the future of destination leadership. Chuck and his family reside in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Kent Landers, APR, is Vice President – Corporate Communications for Hilton. He is based at the company’s global headquarters in McLean, VA and leads efforts to strengthen and protect Hilton’s global reputation, including overseeing financial, development and enterprise communications, issues and crisis management, and global media relations.

Before joining Hilton in 2022, Kent worked for more than a decade in roles of increasing responsibility for The Coca-Cola Company, including Vice President – Public Policy and Government Relations; Vice President – U.S. West Region Public Affairs and Communications; and Vice President – External Communications for Coca-Cola North America, based in Atlanta; Vice President – Public Affairs and Communications for Coca-Cola Japan, based in Tokyo; and Group Director – Corporate Media Relations, based in Atlanta.

During his Coke career, Kent led key public affairs and communications campaigns for the company including standing up the first-ever combined public policy and federal government relations team for Coca-Cola North America; overseeing all external communications for brand and strategic initiatives within the company’s $10+ billion North America retail business; leading teams to communicate major global strategic developments including the creation of the world’s two largest Coca-Cola bottlers by revenue, the appointment and media introduction of a new CEO, more than 20 quarterly earnings, and a number of global and domestic M&A transactions. 

Before Coke, Kent served for nearly 13 years in key communications roles at Delta Air Lines in Atlanta, and prior to that as an account executive at Thompson & Baker Public Relations in Memphis, TN.

During his Delta career, Kent led planning for the announcement of the merger between Delta and Northwest Airlines in April 2008; served as one of the lead communicators responsible for the campaign to stop a hostile takeover by US Airways – “Keep Delta My Delta” – which was named PR Week’s 2008 Public Affairs Campaign of the Year; oversaw Delta’s external communications strategy for its emergence from Chapter 11 protection and re-listing on the New York Stock Exchange; and planned and executed Delta’s successful campaign to secure government rights to allow the launch of nonstop flights between Atlanta and Shanghai, China.

An accredited member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), Kent has held many leadership roles in his professional society locally and nationally. He is a graduate of The University of Tennessee at Martin, a member of the UT Martin Department of Communications’ Hall of Fame, and a recipient of the university’s Outstanding Young Alumni Award (2015). He is also a past national president of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) and a member of the PRSSA Hall of Fame and Page Up.  

Sarah Jantz is the Managing Director of Operations Communications for American Airlines. In this position, she leads the airline’s internal communications and media response to high-profile operational and safety issues, as well as day-to-day issues and crisis to protect American’s reputation internally and externally.

She also leads global field communications and workgroup communications for more than 90,000 of American’s team members. In her more than 11 years with American, Sarah has led labor relations communications, as well as communications as American was the first U.S. carrier to return the highly scrutinized Boeing 737 MAX to service and for post-merger integration policy and system changes.

She also managed the overall communications strategy for American’s response to COVID-19, communicating policy changes and critical business updates with team members and media. Prior to joining American, Sarah started her career at Weber Shandwick as an intern in the Dallas office.

During her six years there, Sarah supported American Airlines full-time while also serving other clients. Sarah supported American as it negotiated new contracts with seven represented workgroups, managed a two-year campaign focused on the benefits of non-unionization, provided ongoing communications support as American declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy and managed merger-related compensation communications — including leading communications as American distributed more than 33 million shares of stock as it emerged from restructuring. In addition to American, Sarah supported Weber

Shandwick’s crisis and labor communications practices. Sarah graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Science in Public Relations.

A born leader and an inveterate traveler, Gina Stouffer has spearheaded the growth of Lou Hammond Group since joining the firm in 1998. A 30-year public relations veteran, she has been instrumental in the development of the agency’s award-winning team and vast collection of destination, hotel/resort and cruise accounts.

Beginning in LHG’s New York office, Gina went on to establish an agency presence in Miami and Charleston and later laid the business development and team recruitment plans for the firm’s expansion into Denver, Atlanta, Tampa, Dallas and Salt Lake City.  An industry force and recipient of HSMAI’s W. Grice Award for Career Achievement, Gina is respected by clients, media and peers alike, transforming her professional contacts into long-lasting relationships.

A native of Little Rock, Arkansas, Gina graduated from Baylor University in Waco, Texas with a degree in history and political science.

She is past president of Les Dames d’Escoffier’s Charleston chapter and currently serves as an executive board member for the Charleston Library Society, the oldest cultural institution in the South.

Kim leads the Destination Optimization team at Miles Partnership, where she works with destinations to help local business partners shine online by improving their visibility across Google, major travel platforms, and now, emerging AI tools – so communities can thrive in the digital space.

Kim’s career in digital travel marketing spans from the early days of the web, when she helped launch some of the industry’s first destination websites, to leadership roles in SEO and hospitality marketing at Miles Partnership. She brings decades of hands-on experience to her work today, always focused on making complex technology approachable and useful for tourism professionals.

LaShonda Brown is an award-winning Tech Educator & Canva Verified Expert based in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of VA. Through her YouTube channel & tech education company, Bootstrap Biz Advice, LaShonda teaches service providers worldwide through tutorials, workshops & group coaching, how to do less manually and live more fulfilling lives by leveraging technology. LaShonda heavily advocates for sustainable, healthy rhythms in business and is most well known for her 20-Hour Work Week practice that’s built on the foundation of deep focus work and a mindful morning routine.

Deepa Lakshmin is the Head of Social Media & Video at Lonely Planet, where she leads social strategy, video production, and creator marketing — developing and programming content for a combined audience of 14 million travelers worldwide. She was previously the managing editor of Meta (formerly Facebook) and Instagram’s B2B content marketing blogs. As a journalist, she’s reported for National Geographic, MTV News, Vox, Inverse, and NYLON, plus managed both organic and paid social for Atlas Obscura, The Daily Beast, and Tribeca Film Festival, among others. Fun fact: before joining Lonely Planet full time, she wrote several chapters of the brand’s guide to New York City, where she’s based. Follow her own travels on Instagram at @deepa.

Abbey understands partner needs and has been leading and producing award-winning advertising campaigns for over 18 years. She started her career in retail advertising prior to moving to West Virginia, where she found her passion in agency work assisting partners, both large and small, in achieving their marketing goals. While formally trained in print advertising, she is also a skillful writer, director and strategist. Her unique skill set, paired with an understanding of the big picture, means advertising campaigns are executed seamlessly under her direction. She has a B.F.A. from New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University.

As Chief AI Officer and SVP of Innovation at Brand USA, Janette spearheads AI-driven strategies to enhance tourism marketing, streamline internal operations, and foster innovation for the benefit of both Brand USA and the broader U.S. travel industry. She joined Brand USA from New York City Tourism + Conventions, where she oversaw the organization’s paid media strategy, programs and media insights to drive visitation across the five boroughs. Prior to joining NYC Tourism, she spent more than two decades marketing Broadway at organizations such as Broadway.com and AKA NYC.

Pat has over 25 years of professional experience in marketing, sales and

advertising, working with companies to develop branding campaigns and media, organic search, paid search and social media strategies. He has a B.A. in sociology from West Virginia University. Pat has been invited to speak by numerous trade and marketing associations including PubCon Las Vegas, PubCon Austin, America Outdoors, La Fleur’s Lottery World Austin, the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, the Asheville Brewers Alliance, the West Virginia Fairs & Festivals Association and the National Apple Processors Association.

Jenna Green is the Director of Arts for the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture & History. She is responsible for administering the division’s arts programs, including overseeing all state and federal grants for West Virginia’s arts organizations, individual artists, and schools. Outside of work, she is a visual artist working mostly in printmaking.

Elizabeth Yeager is the Individual Artist Coordinator for the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History. She oversees several grant programs geared towards artists in professional development and folk arts. Elizabeth is also the editor of the department’s quarterly magazine-style newsletter, ArtWorks West Virginia, and serves as the coordinator for the First Lady’s special arts initiatives.e.

Justin is an experienced web and mobile developer, specializing in responsive web development. He got his start in mobile development over 15 years ago, shortly after the launch of the App Store. Justin has his A.A.S. in Information Technology from New River Community and Technical College and his B.S. in Information Technology from Western Governors University. He has

been invited to present about technology at the West Virginia Governor’s Conference on Tourism multiple times, as well as regional and virtual conferences on technology and web development.