The VCB
Staff Directory
Tamara Pigott
Executive Director
Directs VCB staff to effectively market Lee County
Leverages tourist tax funds expenditures and resources
Evaluates and develops all market segments
Pamela Johnson
Deputy Director
Assists the Executive Director with VCB operations
Oversees domestic and international sales efforts
Manages the visitor services and guest first teams
Alison Giesen
Product Development Coordinator
Assists with Beach & Shoreline funding program
Events and Attractions Marketing funding programs
Island Hopper Songwriter Festival
Amanda Auer
Operations Manager
Leads the operations team
Provides tourist tax statistics and generates reports
Helps coordinate Island Hopper Songwriter Festival
Angela Mitchell
Content Marketing Manager
Website development, paid search and native content strategist
Visitor Guide production
Award submissions
April Green
Fiscal Manager
Budget preparation
Contracts and agreements
Expense reports
Ashley Smith
Brand Campaign Manager
Help shape branding and messaging strategy for campaign development
Oversee video, print, broadcast, and digital assets production
Analyze performance and recommend pivots where necessary
Audrey Graf
Fiscal Officer
Accounts payable
Visa transactions
Benecia Toyloy
Visitor Services Coordinator (RSW)
Tourism Ambassador destination training tours
Island Hopper Songwriter Fest coordinator
Tourism Ambassador Refresher Training
Betsy Bush
National Sales Manager
Meeting Sales Territory: Washington, D.C./Northeast USA
Meeting Planner FAMs
National trade shows
Brandon Leslie
Visitor Services Coordinator
Visitor information booth statistics
Visitor information booth inventory and resource materials
Spring Training baseball booth coordination
Brian Ososky
Chief Marketing Officer
Leads the marketing and communications teams
Oversees product development and research efforts
Builds strategic partnerships that raise awareness of the value of tourism and foster community engagement
Bryelle Benzing
Digital Marketing Manager
Social media and email strategist
Industry education sessions and events
Influencer programs
ADA and accessibility representative
Candice Cocco
Tourism Sales Manager
Group Sales Markets: Motorcoach, Social, Military, Education, Religious, and Fraternal (SMERF)
Motorcoach and SMERF site tours and FAMs
Motorcoach and SMERF trade shows
Charm Evans
Global Sales Manager
Sales Manager for international sales
International site tours
International FAMs
Crystal Wanke
Hospitality Customer Service Training Specialist
Customer Service Training Specialist
Hospitality Tourism Education
Guests First Training Coordinator
Erin Junkin
Customer Service Specialist
Updates Simpleview listings
Coordinates domestic trade shows
Erin Lester
Sales Manager
Meeting Sales Territory: Florida/Southeast USA
Meeting Planner site tours and FAMs
National trade shows
Fran Belasco
Operations Director
Oversees the fiscal and operations teams
Executive Director’s schedule and TDC meetings
Provides tourist tax statistics
Jackie Parker
Communications Manager
Content creator and editor
Producer and host of Shellcast podcast
Leads familiarization tours and point-person for media missions
Editor of monthly industry partner newsletter
Jami Smith
Sales Coordinator
Sales Coordinator for Domestic and Global Sales
Assists site tours and FAMS
Jennifer Walla
Leisure Sales Manager
Sales Markets: Travel Advisors, Weddings and Consumers
Travel Advisor Help Desk, FAMs, site tours and sales missions
Wedding specialist
Wedding and travel advisor trade shows
Jill Vance
Director of Sales
Directs domestic sales strategy for all markets
Manages Sales & Marketing Plan, sales budget, staff and training
Lauren Hyps
National Sales Manager
Meeting Sales Territory: Milwaukee/Midwest USA
Meeting Planner FAMs
National trade shows
Lesley-Ann Thompson
Director of Marketing
Leads the development and implementation of the brand's marketing strategy
Coordinates day-to-day activities of a multi-million dollar agency contract
Manages the marketing budget and assesses ROI of campaigns
Miriam Dotson
Communications Coordinator
What To Do weekly event listings
Film permits
FAM tours and media missions
Moira Larkin
Visitor Services Supervisor (RSW)
Elaine McLaughlin Outstanding Hospitality Service Awards
Visitor Information Booth Technology
Tourism Ambassador Recruitment
Nancy Macphee
Tourism Product Development Manager
Beach & Shoreline funding program
Events & Attractions marketing programs
Ecotourism and placemaking initiatives
Island Hopper Songwriter Fest
Natalie Duran
Sales Coordinator
Sales Coordinator for Domestic and Global Sales
Assists site tours and FAMS
Nicholas Gallant
Operations & Research Coordinator
Coordinates TDC Meetings
Conducts assigned tourism research
Staff Human Resources Liaison
Ray Sarracino
Director of Communications
Communications strategies and media outreach
Local, national and international public relations efforts
Shelley Crant
Sales & Public Relations Manager
Markets: Travel Advisors, Consumers and Media Journalists
Travel Advisor FAMs
Travel agencies sales calls
National travel trade and consumer trade shows
Simone Behr
Director of Visitor Services (RSW)
Team Tourism Lecture Series
Lee County Travel Rally
Visitor Assistance Program
Thomas Derathé
Operations Specialist
Assists communication team
Assists operations team
Coordinates TDC meetings
Simpleview Administration & Training
Tiffany Gobert
Fiscal Officer, Sr.
Accounts payable
Events and travel expenses
Transaction analysis
Vanessa Gomez
Marketing Specialist
Industry partner website assistance
Administrative and event support
