Speakers

Governor Lombardo was elected as the 31st Governor of Nevada in November 2022 and sworn into office in January 2023. Governor Lombardo is focused on diversifying and revitalizing Nevada’s economy, restoring law and order in communities across the state, and bringing excellence, school choice, and accountability to Nevada’s education system.

37th Nevada Lieutenant Governor & Chair of Nevada Commission on Tourism, Stavros Anthony, a Las Vegas resident for 41 years, has made community service and public safety his focus.

Steve Yeager has represented Assembly District 9 (southwest Las Vegas) in the Nevada Legislature since 2016.

As an award-winning business leader, international keynote speaker, and author of Blind Ambition™, Chad explains the anatomy of resilience—providing tried and tested tools that empower people to emerge from setbacks stronger, sleeker, and resolute to succeed.

Steve Hill is the Chief Executive Officer and President of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA), the destination marketing organization that promotes and attracts tourism, conventions, meetings, sports, and special events to Las Vegas and Southern Nevada. The LVCVA also owns and operates the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), the premier destination for meetings and conventions in the United States.

Mike Larragueta is the President and CEO of the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority (RSCVA) and a commissioner of the Nevada Commission on Tourism.

Brenda Scolari is the Director of the Nevada Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs and a cabinet member for Governor Lombardo. She oversees Travel Nevada, the Division of Museums and History, the Nevada Arts Council, and the Nevada Indian Commission.

Rafael recently joined Travel Nevada as the first Chief Executive Officer (CEO) tasked with the promotion and marketing of Nevada as a tourism destination.

As Chief Operating Officer for the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority, Sue Barton oversees and guides LTVA’s workflow, strategy, and administration of essential business operations and special projects.

Ross Borden is the CEO and Founder of Matador Network, a travel publisher reaching over 270 million people monthly.

As president and chief executive officer of Travel North Tahoe Nevada (TNTNV), Andy Chapman is a leading voice in preserving Lake Tahoe for future generations.

Zeek Coleman is Vice President, Americas at Tourism Economics; one of the foremost leaders in travel research and analysis. He spearheads the delivery of research solutions to DMO, association, and corporate clients. Zeek loves to play basketball and once competed against (retired Charlotte Hornet) Alonzo Mourning, Robert Horry & Antoine Walker on a show called, “Pros vs. Joes.”

Michael Crome, in his fourth season as Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer for the Las Vegas Raiders, possesses over two decades of leadership experience in accounting, financial analysis and strategic planning, forecasting and business analytics.

Aaron Crowley, Vice President of Sales at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, is a seasoned sales executive with over 20 years of experience in the motorsports and entertainment industry.

With over 13 years of dedicated service at the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority (RSCVA), Christina Erny currently serves as the Vice President of Marketing, where she oversees the strategic direction of marketing initiatives for the Reno Tahoe destination.

Brice develops a community-wide approach to environmental education by aligning stakeholders with tailored Leave No Trace messaging through long-term mutually beneficial relationships.

Dan Flores, Head of Tourism at Satisfi Labs, leverages over 20 years of experience in the travel industry to drive innovation by championing AI-powered platforms that enhance customer engagement and deliver personalized, real-time solutions in tourism.

As Executive Director of Tourism Sales, Art Jimenez is responsible for developing tourism programs to attract visitors to Reno Tahoe from the domestic and international leisure segments.

B.C. LeDoux, CCO and Partner at Noble Studios, infuses his role with award-winning creativity, driving the company’s strategic vision with bold, forward-thinking ideas.

Jarrod Lopiccolo, CEO and Co-Founder of Noble Studios, melds technical prowess with strategic insight to craft innovative digital solutions for global clients.

Marty McDonald is the president of Fahlgren Mortine, and the leader of the agency’s tourism and economic development practice.

Lisa Motley, a veteran of casino, hotel, sports, and special events marketing, sales, and operations, currently holds the position of Vice President of Sports and Special Events for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA).

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 tourism businesses in rural Nevada, and to sell rural Nevada to both domestic and international audiences through travel and trade market development.

In his capacity as the Executive Director at Visit Carson City, David Peterson brings over 27 years of tourism industry experience to the job.

Nicole Porter joined the U.S. Travel Association in 2021. As Vice President of Political Affairs, she leads and develops all grassroots and political programs—leading and developing engagement activities to bolster U.S. Travel’s advocacy efforts.

Michael Preacher is the president of Unified Partnerships, iHeartMedia’s dedicated Government and Agency Resourcing practice.

Jon is the founder and CEO of The Nevada Independent. He has been covering politics in Nevada for more than 35 years.

Jeremy has dedicated nearly two decades to amplifying the collective visibility and influence of the nonprofit sector in travel and tourism, including the last five years as CEO of The Travel Foundation. His leadership has been pivotal in fostering collaboration and systemic change within the travel industry, while advocating for an evolved approach to measuring, reporting, and managing impact in tourism destinations.

Heather Sheppard is a vice president and leader within the tourism and economic development practice at Fahlgren Mortine, leading the agency’s PR and Paid Media work for Travel Nevada.

Brian Yost is the Chief Operating Officer for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA), the destination marketing organization for Las Vegas and Southern Nevada that also owns and operates the Las Vegas Convention Center, one of the largest convention centers in the United States.