2023 Professional Development
Check back soon for 2024 professional development - tailor-made for Ohio Tourism professionals.
Sponsored by: Cincy Region
In any given day, media outlets receive hundreds of emails that claim to be the perfect story for their audience. Often, that pitch is never seen or winds up in the deleted folder. Getting your travel and tourism ideas in front of the right person involves several key elements that include timing, content and relationship building. Celina Lowrie, VP of National Media Relations at Paul Werth Associates, and a former television news producer/reporter, will offer insight, gathered from personal experience as well as current journalists, on the best ways to make your pitch stand out from all the rest!
The pitch has landed – are you prepared to effectively share your story with the media? Becoming a skilled interviewee takes time and practice. Katie Lundy, a director at Inspire PR Group, is a former TV journalist and seasoned media trainer. She will walk Perfect Pitch participants through valuable tips and techniques to help ensure successful engagement with reporters. The interactive training will include understanding the importance of using values-based messages, and the do’s and don’ts of interviews, and also will include mock interviews with select participants. Participants will walk away prepared to be confident spokespersons to promote Ohio travel destinations.
This media training workshop will develop your skills to promote your story to broadcast, print, and online storytellers. With two professional development sessions and a list of panelist, attending the Perfect Pitch will help you get the earned media your tourism destination or attraction deserves.
**Please note, the Perfect Pitch media training workshop is a separate, optional workshop and is not included in your registration.
2023 Perfect Pitch Panelist
Celina knows first-hand that impactful media relations requires a mix of ideas, respect, creativity, and credibility. Before moving into public relations, Celina spent a decade in television news, first in Columbus and then in Kentucky as a reporter and on-air news anchor. That experience has provided valuable insight on how best to pitch and tell a story that is good for the media and her clients.
As a former TV journalist, Katie is passionate about storytelling and is skilled at identifying creative story angles reporters will want to share. She also pulls upon her broadcast experience to develop impactful, quality videos that have proven to increase social media engagement for a variety of Inspire clients.
General Session
Statewide Tourism Association Panel | Several Industry Leaders
Thursday, 4 p.m.
In this general discussion, learn the latest on what is important for Ohio’s growing tourism industry, key policy issues for all sectors of the industry and an outlook on travel in Ohio.
This general discussion will include industry leaders from Ohio Restaurant Association, Ohio Wine Producers, Ohio Museums Association, Ohio Chamber of Commerce, Ohio Hotel & Lodging Association, Ohio Travel Association and others.
Keynote Speakers
Lydia Mihalik is the Director of the Ohio Department of Development. For more than four years, she and her dedicated team have worked hard to make Ohio the best place to live, learn, work, and visit by investing billions of dollars in our people, communities, and businesses.
TourismOhio and Ohio Department of Development Update | Lydia Mihalik, Ohio Department of Development
Thursday, 9 a.m.
Hear from Director of the Ohio Department of Development, Lydia Mihalik, with updates from TourismOhio.
Adam Sacks is the president of Tourism Economics; an Oxford Economics company dedicated to unlocking the power of economics for the travel sector. For more than 25 years, Adam has worked with destinations, industry associations, and companies around the world in the areas of policy analysis, market assessments, and economic impact. Adam’s work has provided the foundation for billions of dollars in capital investment decisions by hotel companies, developers, and investors. Adam also manages the ongoing production of travel forecasts that have consistently guided the travel industry through uncertain times.
Can the Travel Industry Defy Economic Gravity? | Adam Sacks, Tourism Economics
Friday, 10:20 a.m.
Sponsored by: Explore Hocking Hills
Both leisure and business travel have rebounded with impressive strength over the past year. However, recession tremors and persistent inflation loom large and threaten the continued recovery of travel. Adam Sacks will share Tourism Economics’ latest views on the economy, the mindset of travelers, and expectations for the evolution of travel.
Timm is an accomplished executive leader with production and creative experience at all levels plus a track record of solving complex business problems. Timm has been at the forefront of leading large departmental transitions and building award-winning integrated marketing initiatives. He has the proven ability to build strong, cohesive and talented teams. His combination of production, marketing and executive expertise, collaborative creative style along with process-oriented solutions delivers best-in-class ideas to clients to help strengthen relationships and grow revenue.
Professional Development Breakouts
Creating Content That Engages | Timm Chiusano, Spectrum Reach
Thursday, 10 a.m. Breakout Session
Sponsored by: ADARA
Developing content that engages people is all about storytelling. During this session, learn how to create a story that connects with your target consumer and drives action. As an expert in content development, Timm will cover the following:
The four questions to drive your content and creative plan
Developing a content calendar
Putting your story together
Tips for different platforms
Brenda joined the Sojern US Destinations team earlier this year bringing 15 years of experience in destination marketing. Previously, Brenda was the senior director of marketing at VisitPITTSBURGH,. At Sojern, Brenda focuses on working with destinations to help develop co-op programs that will best serve the DMO and their community partners to drive success for the overall destination.
Seth has presented on data and how to use it for multiple conferences, panels, and webinars. In June of 2023, Seth was a presenter for OTAs Travel Marketing Powercasts on using data to target the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) market.
Leveraging Travel Data and Marketing Co-ops for Success | Brenda Armstrong and Seth Orozco, Sojern
Thursday, 10 a.m. Breakout Session
We’ll look at travel insights for travel to Ohio and review competitive destination insights to help you make informed marketing decisions. Partners will get access to campaigns that meet budget levels and goals, while at the same time creating more time and less work. During this presentation, you will learn more about the following:
How to use Ohio travel insights to leverage your marketing strategies.
How destinations are taking advantage of co-op marketing opportunities to stretch budgets, share messaging, and report economic impact.
How destination partners can leverage and activate the use of data to reach the right travelers at the right time, with the right message to get the most exposure.
Dan has a nearly 30-year career in the hospitality industry. He became the executive director of Explore Licking County in 2012. Dan’s love of history, public relations, marketing, and storytelling has allowed him to work collaboratively with many passionate Ohioans to bring the ancient earthworks of Ohio to the global stage as the next US site on UNESCO’s World Heritage list.
Melody has more than 35 years in the hospitality and travel industry. She is currently the executive director of the Ross-Chillicothe Visitors Bureau where she has worked for the past 11 years. She serves on several state and local boards such as the Ohio History Connection, Appalachian Ohio, The Scioto Society – “Tecumseh!” Outdoor Drama, the World Heritage Steering Committee and more.
Jerry leads a team across marketing, communications, media relations, social media, publications, audience research, and digital. Previous to his current role, he was with United Way Worldwide leading digital marketing, and previous to that with the Wexner Center for the Arts. He grew up in Findlay and currently lives in Columbus with his wife and a Chihuahua named Sweetie Pie.
As director of the Ohio Travel Association, Melinda brings years of tourism development experience focused on leveraging a region’s unique story. From working with the National Park Service to helping with the World Heritage initiative, she’s learned best practices for honing in on the visitor experience and revealing a region’s story.
Scott Hutchinson is the Director of Marketing & Communications for the Warren County Convention & Visitors Bureau, and has been with the WCCVB since June of 2014. Scott oversees the bureau’s leisure marketing efforts, managing its advertising and public relations campaigns to promote the fun-filled county known as “Ohio’s Largest Playground” to prospective visitors from near and far.
World Heritage Inscription: Preparing Ohio for Visitation | Dan Moder, Explore Licking County; Melinda Huntley, Ohio Travel Association; Melody Young, Ross-Chillicothe Visitors Bureau; Jerry Dannemiller, Ohio History Connection; and Scott Hutchinson, Warren County Convention & Visitors Bureau
Thursday, 10 a.m. Breakout Session
Sponsored by: Expedia Group Media Solutions
Join this panel discussion with four Ohio travel leaders as they talk through best practices in preparing local businesses, communities and stakeholders for Ohio's first and the nation’s 25th potential UNESCO World Heritage inscription - The Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks. A decision on inscription is anticipated in mid-September.
The panel will focus on the visitor-centric needs of not only the American traveler, but also European and Asian visitors to the region. Get the latest branding information, as well as how statewide cultural, heritage and natural resources related to the Ohio earthworks story can get onboard. The conversation will allow attendees the opportunity to see their own exhibits and communities as part of the larger World Heritage initiative, enabling them to better plan for increased visitation.
Todd Kleismit was appointed on March 1, 2022, as the executive director of the Ohio Commission for the U.S. Semiquincentennial, which is responsible for preparing Ohio for the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026. He previously served for 17 years as the director of community and government relations for the Ohio History Connection.
Lance joined Destination Toledo in 2018 and currently serves as president and CEO. He serves as a board member for OTA, the Ohio Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus, and the Ohio Society of Association Professionals. Lance has worked in the industry on both the supplier and DMO/CVB sides of the business, with experience serving in both a resort and leisure driven destination as well as an urban destination, providing him with a strong focus on developing group business for a convention center, and county-wide facilities.
Matt serves as the 54th Mayor of the great City of Ashland.. Prior to joining the city government, Matt served as a Deputy Director of Business & Human Resources at the Ohio Department of Transportation. Matt also served two terms as an Ashland County Commissioner (2000-2008) before being named the Business Administrator at the Salvation Army Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center.
Trails, Tales and Two-Fifty | Todd Kleismit, American 250, Lance Woodworth, Destination Toledo and Mayor Matt Miller, Ashland, Ohio
Thursday, 2 p.m. Breakout Session
Sponsored by: Zartico
America 250-Ohio is getting Ohio's counties and communities ready to celebrate the nation's 250th anniversary in 2026. Among the plans is to create statewide exploration trails that help visitors better understand the impact Ohio has had over the past 250+ years. The big idea is to create statewide "trails and tales" that will explore themes highlighting Ohio's unique history through engaging stories that parallel the various stops. In this session, we will be encouraging participants to think about existing trails that could be enhanced, how to link trails and how to create new ones that will attract visitors and have a positive statewide and local economic impact.
Ann Oliver is Spectrum Reach’s senior director of client success. She has 20+ years of experience in working with clients to build campaigns. She also leads the Spectrum team that assists travel clients.
The Power of Targeting Across Screens | Ann Oliver, Spectrum Reach
Thursday, 2 p.m. Breakout Session
Sponsored by: Fahlgren Mortine
In this session, learn how to build a multiscreen campaign that drives engagement and brings people to your business and destination. Identify your top areas for visitors and who your best audience is. Target your audience within those areas and connect with them on the screens and platforms they use the most. Learn the steps to take, questions to ask media partners, and see examples of plans that have worked. We will discuss time spent on phone, computer, and TV and share top social media platforms for frequent travelers in Ohio. Learn how to find the right traveler for your business and how to reach them across screens with this professional development session.
Emily Lindsay is a Senior Strategist of Social Media & Influencer Marketing at thunder::tech, an integrated marketing agency based in Cleveland, OH. With almost a decade of social media experience in-house and with agencies, Emily loves finding creative solutions for a variety of clients through influencer marketing and social media. When she's not implementing creative and scroll-stopping strategies, she's obsessing over her dog Penny and staying up-to-date on pop culture and celebrity news.
How Micro-Influencers are Changing Travel & Tourism | Emily Lindsay, thunder::tech
Thursday, 3:05 p.m. Breakout Session
Micro-influencers are a powerful tool in digital marketing and are having their day in the travel and tourism industry. These individuals, typically with smaller but highly engaged social media followings, have emerged as powerful advocates for destinations, accommodations, and travel experiences while being a cost-effective way to connect with the market. Here are just a few ways micro-influencers are changing the marketing landscape in the travel and tourism industry:
The authenticity and trust micro-influencers have compared to tradition influencers or celebrities results in their recommendations and endorsements carrying more weight.
Micro-influencers tend to have a specific focus, catering to niche interests and audiences like sustainable tourism, budget friendly trips, etc. allowing travel brands to reach a targeted audience.
Micro-influencers have a high rate of engagement. The importance of this level of interaction fosters a sense of personal connection.
Micro-influencers tend to focus on building long term relationships with brands and destinations. This allows for continuous promotion and creates a sense of loyalty between the influencer, their audience, and the travel brand.
Meredith Tekin is the president of the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES). After years working in healthcare, marketing, professional development and nonprofit spaces, she joined IBCCES to help further its mission of improving the lives of individuals with autism and cognitive differences.
Katie Shelley serves as the Manager of Access Initiatives at the Toledo Museum of Art. Her interest in access is something that has shaped her life. As a person with a physical disability, Katie often found buildings, especially historic buildings, to be inaccessible to her. Her thesis project focused on common myths surrounding accessibility and historic buildings, and how historic buildings can become accessible and comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act without losing the historic significance of the building.
Jayme Mazur is a Relationship Manager at Destination Toledo Convention and Visitors Bureau. she has spent three plus years at Destination Toledo bringing visitors, conventions and large events to the region and has now partnered with IBCCES to help the the CVB’s initiative to help the region become a Certified Autism Destination.
Ensuring Epic Experiences for All: Autism Credentialing | Meredith Tekin, International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES), Katie Shelley, Toledo Museum of Art and Jayme Mazur, Destination Toledo
Thursday, 3:05 p.m. Breakout Session
Individuals with autism and their families want to travel and make memories; they also represent a large, growing segment of the travel market, spending more than $262 billion on autism-related services each year in the U.S. These travelers are searching for places and attractions that have their well-being in mind. Destination Toledo is helping pave the way for Toledo to one day become a Certified Autism Destination. We aim to provide a welcoming and inclusive experience as visitors on the autism spectrum and their families discover Toledo. Destination Toledo's efforts within travel and tourism work in tandem with a community-wide goal for Toledo to become the most disability-friendly city in the country. Learn how your organization and your community can earn this distinction too and ensure your organization ensures epic experiences for all!