VTLI Class of 2026
The VADMO Tourism Leadership Institute (VTLI) welcomed its first class at the Berry Hill Resort in Halifax/South Boston Virginia on September 24-25, 2024, and this inaugural class included 17 VADMO members representing a geographically diverse group of DMO professionals. It was a great opportunity for VADMO class participants to work with colleagues across the Commonwealth to understand their challenges and assets.
The focus for this first session was Leadership, and the class began instruction with a DISC Assessment program, which was lead by Christine Kennedy of the Lynchburg Business Alliance. The interaction in the group as they identified and verified their own personal leadership styles was very energetic and creative, and many interesting trends that can be applied to their local DMOs were identified.
Mark Molitor, a popular leadership consultant, guided the attendees through many leadership and strategic thinking models to include:
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Perspectives on Leadership
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Emotional Intelligence
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Leading for Innovation
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Collaborative Leadership
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Handling Conflict
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Decision Making
This is an important program for the VADMO membership, and the takeaways from this coursework can be easily implemented in our daily and long-term decision matrix and strategic planning. It was a very positive and enlightening experience, and I am looking forward to Session II in Richmond in January.
Judy Winslow
VTLI Class of 2026 participant
Smithfield/Isle of Wight Tourism
Perspectives of Session I
Learning Best Practices in Leadership
Meet the VTLI Class of 2026
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First Row - l to r: James McCann - Portsmouth; Tracey Gardner - Madison County; Brooke Love - Carroll County; Mary Fugere - Hampton
Second Row - l to r: Erika Tolbert - Pulaski County; Patty Williams - Lexington; Casey Armstrong - Richmond Region Tourism; LaTonya Hamilton - Halifax; Laura Messer - VTC; Kelly Rowland - Martinsville
Third Row - l to r: Paige Read - Town of Culpeper; Ben Owen - Halifax; Judy Winslow - Smithfield/Isle of Wight; Ellen Frazier - Marion; Samantha Johnson - Staunton
Back Row - l to r: Lisa Meriwether - Danville; Justin Kerns - Winchester
Scenes from VTLI Session I
Perspectives of VTLI Session III
Destination & Community Development
Session III of the VTLI program began with a presentation on Approaches to Destination Strategic Planning. Becky Nave, Director of Destination Development - VA Tourism Corporation led the very interactive discussion which included the development of a personalized Toolkit/Playbook so that each DMO can create their own strategic plan or use this valuable information to improve our existing strategic plan and updates.
The afternoon presentation was a very lively discussion on Tourism Ambassadors and Community Development Promotions. Danielle Fitz Hugh, Vice President Community Relations - Richmond Region Tourism presented ideas and Best Practices from the very successful ambassador program - I Am Tourism – Regional Community Promotion. This has been a long term program in the Richmond Region, and she provided many great ideas that can be incorporated into our own DMOs as we continue our efforts to engage our communities to promote the many interesting assets we have to offer visitors.
Our next presentation came from Don Schumacher, President - DSA Sports as he led a very interesting discussion on Community Engagement with Asset Development. Don is an expert in sports and recreation tourism and provided valuable information and experience on how to implement strategies to develop recreation and sports assets that will attract visitors and tournaments, but also warned and provided advice on the importance of “not giving away the farm” to attract the event. It has to be a win-win for both the community and the tournament or organization. He discussed the value of using a locally created Return on Investment (ROI) model to ensure that the community would be treated fairly while providing a location for recreational and sports activities.
The second day of Session III began with an Overview of Comp Planning Process, by Julia Hensley, Augusta County Planning Director. Julia discussed the importance of preparation for the local comprehensive planning process and how important it is for DMOs to have input on the process to protect and develop tourism assets.
John Accordino, Ph.D, FAICP – VA Commonwealth University led the discussion on Comprehensive Planning Management – Giving Tourism a Voice in Land Use and Product Development in Your Community. He noted best strategies to ensure that DMOs “have a seat at the table” during the planning process to ensure that destination development is part of the discussion and strategy as localities outline their land development and zoning processes.
Following his presentation, there was an interactive discussion of policy applications at the State level.
Session III of VTLI wrapped up with Asset Production: Strategies and Building Consensus in Your Community, with Jay Langston, Ph.D, Executive Director – Shenandoah Valley Partnership leading the discussion. How do we build consensus in our communities as we
develop our long term strategies for destination development and tourism assets?
Engaging community support is so important in what we do to present our communities to visitors and events as well as local elected officials and our citizens.
VTLI Session III was a great experience for all the attendees, and the lessons learned will be so important in our local strategies.
Respectfully,
Justin Kerns, President Elect
Winchester Frederick CVB
VTLI Class of 2026
Perspectives of VTLI Session IV
Finance & Team Culture
Session IV of the Virginia Tourism Leadership Institute (VTLI) was a power packed two-days. Smithfield’s serene backdrop provided an ideal setting for the content-rich agenda focused on enhancing our understanding of financial mechanisms, tourism economics, and organizational development—tools we can apply both professionally and within our local DMOs.
Day one began with an in-depth Overview of Public Finance, led by Ned Smither of the Berkley Group. Ned’s presentation was rooted in foundational funding mechanisms for community-driven projects, but quickly evolved into a lively interactive discussion.
Using real-world case studies—such as Buc-ee’s, the Henrico County Sports & Entertainment Complex, the Hanover County CDA with Bass Pro, and Short Pump Town Center—Ned demonstrated how public/private destination developments can drive significant local revenue. These examples sparked engaged dialogue among participants and illuminated the mechanics behind complex financial instruments like Community Development Authorities (CDAs), Tax Increment Financing (TIFs), and Revenue Bonds.
Next, Tiffany Gallagher of Civitas delivered an insightful session on Tourism Improvement Districts (TIDs). Civitas leads the nation in TID adoptions, and Tiffany’s expertise shed light on the structure, governance, and practical benefits of TIDs, further broadening our financial literacy toolkit.
After lunch, the focus shifted to the Economics of Tourism. Dan Roberts, Vice President of Research at VTC, shared ways to transform complex tourism data into impactful storytelling. Dan reviewed the ways in which data sources are fragmented, which is why we need to conduct data storytelling to educate our stakeholders on how we make decisions. Before he wrapped up, Dan left us with insightful economic forecasting that we can anticipate impacting our local economies in the days and months ahead.
Following Dan, Wirt Confroy of VTC provided a detailed overview of Tourism Zones, explaining their structure, purpose, and strategic advantages. Tourism Zones continue to serve as a differentiator for the Commonwealth and bring financial support to tourism product growth in a fool-proof way.
We wrapped day one with John Zinn from the University of Lynchburg, who facilitated a review of the Capstone Project requirements—a milestone in our VTLI journey. We each had the opportunity to share our project ideas, receiving feedback and encouragement from the class. This collaborative exchange laid a strong foundation for future cross-support as we begin crafting our final projects.
Day two focused on Financing Strategy and Leadership Culture. Ned Smither returned to guide us through Strategies for Advocating and Passing Tourism-related Bond Referendums, as well as the broader challenges of bond financing in destination development. Through a hands-on role-playing exercise, we explored how localities can build citizen engagement and stakeholder trust to bring public/private financing initiatives to life.
We concluded session IV with an inspiring and deeply relevant discussion on Team Culture: Talent Acquisition, Retention & Succession Planning. Moderated by an esteemed panel—including Jessica Macalino (President, Riverside Hospital), Jack Berry (Retired CEO, Richmond Regional Tourism), and Dave Hare (President, Towne Bank Chesapeake)—this conversation highlighted the essential role of human capital in the long-term health and sustainability of our DMOs. The discussion was a refreshing reminder that as leaders it’s often most important to be true to one’s self and individual style of communication and leadership, which felt reminiscent of session I when we all completed the DISC assessment in an effort to understand our style and how we approach connecting with others.
Session IV was a powerful blend of financial acumen, tourism strategy, and leadership insight—all set in a welcoming and reflective environment. With new tools in hand and collaborative energy sparked, we are eager to embark
on our Capstone Projects, which we hope will serve as models of Best Practices for the broader Virginia Association of Destination Marketing Organizations (VADMO) community.
It truly feels like a privilege to be part of the inaugural VTLI cohort. The depth of learning, the quality of speakers, and the camaraderie among participants have made this program a standout professional highlight. Being a part of this first class is not only an honor, but a formative experience that will resonate throughout our careers in tourism leadership.
Best,
Paige Read
VADMO President
VTLI Steering Co-Chair
