2021 TOURISM SUMMIT SCHEDULE

9:00 AM - Welcome

9:30 AM - Keynote - Cindy Novotny - It's Go Time!

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10:30 AM - Panel - Like tourism bureaus across the country, the Park Board of Trustees is actively engaging in a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion planning process to advance the mission of promoting Galveston Island. This all-star panel will discuss the local, regional and national importance of cultivating a tourism industry that represents a wide variety of individuals at all levels, celebrating the broad range of human differences among us, while embracing the commonalities we share.

Host:

Calista H. Smith, President, Scale Strategic Solutions, a division of C H Smith & Associates, LLC 

Panelists:

Samuel L. Collins III, Galvestonian

Melissa Cherry, Chief Operating Officer, Destinations International

Raymond Lewis, Galvestonian

Tonya Ladipo, LCSW, CEO, The Ladipo Group

Steven Peña, Galvestonian, Vice President of Sales - Kleen Supply Company

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12:00 PM - Lunch

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1:00 PM - Keynote - Steven J. Baines - Level Up Your Personal Brand and the People will Spend

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2:00 PM - Keynote - Kyle Scheele - The Grilled Cheese Secret: How to Order the Life You Want Even When It's Not on the Menu

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3:00 PM - Kelly de Schaun LIVE!

Special Guests:

Bethanie DeRose, Vice President Strategic Advisory & Asset Management, JLL 

Russell Benford, Vice President, Government Relations, Americas, Royal Caribbean Group

Joshua Carroll, Vice President, Destination Development and Deployment, Royal Caribbean Group

Dr. Craig Brown, Galveston Mayor

4:00 PM - Cinco de Mayo Margarita Mixer

VICi Ribbon Cutting, Galveston Regional Chamber of Commerce