Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1436811
B M & T •••November/December 2021 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com industry and all five boroughs to begin planning a path back. By July 2020, NYC & Company and the Coalition published "All In NYC: The Roadmap for Tourism's Reimagining and Recovery" which is being implemented with the support of a $30 Million investment from the City of New York for recovery messaging and promotion. Fred is a respected leader with positions on travel industry asso- ciation boards and committees including the New York Convention Center Operating Corporation Board and U.S. Travel Association where he serves as Vice Chair of the Board, Co-Chair of the Meetings Mean Business Coalition and mem- ber of the IPW Planning Committee. He has previously held board positions with the U.S. Department of Commerce's Travel and Tourism Advisory Board, Tourism Cares, the National Tour Association (NTA) and Student & Youth Travel Association (SYTA). Prior to joining NYC & Company, Fred served in key positions at the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau, Planet Hollywood International, The Biltmore Estate, the Gatlinburg Convention & Visitors Bureau, Delta Airlines and Group Sales Box Office. Fred is a graduate of the University of Tennessee and resides in Midtown Manhattan. LESLIE W. GRAVES Leslie W. Graves is the President & CEO of Experience Prince George's, the official Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) for Prince George's County, Maryland. As the new lead for this organization, Graves has been steadfast and impactful in steering the direction and vision of the county as a premier destina- tion, in conjunction with building a new team and Board of Directors. Graves previously served as the Government Affairs Liaison and Special Assistant to the President of Destination DC, the Capitol's Conference and Visitor's Bureau (CVB) where she worked with the Mayor's economic develop- ment leadership team to secure funding to rebrand Washington, DC. In this role, she had a long and successful career meeting with City Council members on legislative and budgetary matters, and testifying on critical issues that ranged from transportation costs involving taxicab fee structures to WMATA's operations. Graves began her career in the Maryland Governor's Office as a program officer overseeing millions of dollars in state grants for education, public safety, and health care, which was disbursed to non-profit organizations. Originally from northern California, she relocated to Washington, DC, in the late 1990's to serve in the Mayor's Office of Community Affairs for the District of Columbia. Leslie W. Graves is a graduate of the University of California Davis. She resides in Clinton, MD with her two sons. LEORNE EDWARDS As Senior Vice President, Sales & Services at Visit Phoenix, Lorne Edwards sets and guides the overarching sales and services strategic initiatives and operational competencies of the DMO. Edwards is responsible for positioning Phoenix as the premier destination for meetings and events through alignment with the cities knowledge and innovation ecosystem of industries in a way that elevates the prominence as the destination of choice for meeting planners nationally. Edwards serves on several key industry commit- tee's such as Destination's International Convention Sales & Services Committee, Equity Diversity & Inclusion Committee, ASAE's Industry Partner Relations Committee and is an active member of Association Forum of Chicago and PCMA. Prior to his current role, Edwards, served as the organizations Vice President of Sales, and Director of Sales. Additionally, Edwards spent over 16 years with Hyatt Hotels Corporation in Boston, Denver, Atlanta and Orlando. A native of Antigua, West Indies, he received a Bachelor's of Science degree in Business Administration and Hospitality Management from the University of Central Florida. Edwards enjoys spending time with his children, travelling, reading, music, and sporting activities PATRICIA WASHINGTON Patricia Washington is President & CEO of Visit Alexandria, the destina- tion marketing organiza- tion for the City of Alexandria, Virginia, named a Top 5 Best Small City's in the U.S. for three consecutive years by the Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards. Since arriving in 2012, Patricia led a rebranding effort posi- tioning Alexandria as a destination for leisure and meetings with a rich and diverse history, independent boutiques and restaurants, vibrant arts and culture, and an evolving waterfront as brand pil- lars. Under her leadership, Visit Alexandria launched three brand campaigns; developed a robust national media relations effort; expanded video, photo, itinerary and blog content; and increased digital and social media marketing. As a result of these efforts, vis- itor spending, hotel occupancy, media stories and web visits have risen to record levels under her leadership. Patricia is responsible for Visit Alexandria's vision, culture, and data-driven content-first marketing strategy, which shine a light on Alexandria's diverse and inclusive community. In collaboration