Speakers

Tony Lyle is the Executive Director of Visit Galveston. Formerly the Chief Marketing Officer for Visit Lake Tahoe, Tony has over 30 years of experience in the tourism industry. Beyond his professional achievements, Tony holds a Bachelor of Education with Honors in Outdoor and Science Education from Liverpool John Moores University in England.

Marty Miles is the Chief Executive Officer of Visit Galveston. With over 40 years of hospitality management experience, Marty Miles recently held the position of Complex General Manager for the Hotel Galvez and Spa, Tremont House Hotel and Harbor House Hotel and Marina. The three iconic hotels were each among the market leaders in their respective competitive sets and RevPAR. Miles founded CASINO FABS LLC, offering professional consulting services to casinos, resorts, hotels, restaurants and lounges.

Cindy comes to Tourism Economics with nearly three decades of hospitality industry experience—25 years of which were spent in hotels, primarily as a revenue management leader for Marriott.

Cindy’s deep, data-driven knowledge of tourism dynamics adds to the wealth of expertise on the Tourism Economics team. In her role as Senior Manager, Client Relations & Insights, she serves as a solution-oriented leader for destination clients, providing valuable business intelligence insights and strategic guidance for achieving organizational goals—especially as it relates to the Symphony Intelligence Platform.

David Reichbach, Vice President of Development, leads Future Partners’ efforts in developing and innovating new products and services. David’s vision and industry leadership have been critical in exploring new applications of technology to traditional research methodologies for all Future Partners destination clients and agency partners. As a highly respected Engineer and Information Privacy Attorney, David continues to be a key member of the Future Partners team spanning over thirteen years. He obtained his Juris Doctor (JD) degree from the University of San Francisco School of Law. Complementing his legal background, David holds a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Engineering, Mathematics, and Statistics from the University of California, Berkeley.

Craig S. Kovacevich, M.A., is the Associate Vice President for Strategic Initiatives within the Office of The President at The University of Texas Medical Branch. He also is the Executive Director and Corporate Secretary for UTMB HealthCare Systems, a Texas 501(c)3 corporation that manages both an insurance and real estate portfolio, as well as provides clinical and non-clinical staffing through its agency model to support the University's mission of patient care, education, and research.

Rodger E. Rees, Galveston Wharves port director and chief executive officer, oversees one of the nation’s major cruise and cargo ports. The Port of Galveston is the fourth most popular cruise port in the United States, hosting more than 1 million cruise passengers a year. The deep-water port also is a major cargo hub, moving more than 4.3 million tons a year, including bulk grains, liquids, vehicles and wind turbine components.

Will Wright is the Chief Creative Officer of Galveston Historical Foundation. Will oversees the branding, marketing, media, and public relations for GHF. Additionally, he gives creative input and oversight to foundation programs, business and retail areas, and community-facing projects. He holds an MFA in Communication Design from Texas State University and has worked at GHF since 2011

Bram has been researching hospitality economics for the past ten years, initially at CBRE as Senior Hotel Economist and now at AirDNA as Director of Economics and forecasting. He uses his Economics PhD to apply rigorous forecasting techniques to the short-term rental market, analyze the US market, and to relate broader macro trends to the contemporary traveler.

Tyler Patterson is the Social Media Strategist at Visit Galveston, where he oversees social media and digital strategy for the island's tourism marketing efforts. His work spans content, campaigns, and audience engagement, with an emphasis on authentic storytelling that reflects Galveston's local character. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Public Relations from The University of Texas at Arlington.

With over 20 years of experience in the tourism industry, Melody has worn many hats—from strategic planning to media buying to campaign development. I currently lead a talented, award-winning team that’s earned multiple honors, including several AMA awards and a PRSA Excalibur Award. What drives her most is finding meaningful, effective ways to connect people with memorable experiences. Melody still loves the art of marketing—and these days, there are more tools than ever to get it right.

Scott Caufield is a Senior Principal Client Partner at Tripadvisor, where he spearheads efforts to help destinations across a 17-state region boost their visibility to the platform’s hundreds of millions of monthly travelers. Over his 12-year tenure at Tripadvisor, Scott has engaged with thousands of destination and hospitality executives nationwide, guiding them through the rapidly changing landscape of modern travel marketing. Based in Celina, Texas, Scott brings a strategic perspective shaped by real-world experience and industry leadership. He lives with his wife, Laura, and their two children.

Justin is Director of Strategy & Insights, SEO at Miles Partnership. He develops SEO strategies for destination and hospitality clients, contribute to business development, manage programs, and provide account teams with both strategic recommendations and monthly reporting.

Galveston Tourism Summit - May 12th

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