Madeline Brown, Louisiana Travel Association 

Visit Baton Rouge President & CEO Jill Kidder

returns as member of Louisiana Travel Association’s board

Baton Rouge, La. – Jill Kidder, President & CEO of Visit Baton Rouge, is returning to the Louisiana Travel Association (LTA) Board of Directors after the completion of its Annual Meeting at Harrah’s New Orleans. 

“I am honored to be serving LTA and the 750 members the association represents throughout the state,” said Kidder. “This organization has worked to lead and strengthen Louisiana’s tourism industry for over 60 years, and I look forward to working with my fellow board members to keep the momentum going.”

New officers installed on the executive board committee include the following: Ralph Ney, with Baton Rouge Marriott, as chairman; Donna O’Daniels, with Louisiana Northshore, as vice-chairman; Nelson Gumm, with AJR Media Group, as treasurer; Carla Tate, with Tangi Tourism, as secretary; and Alana Cooper, with Discover Monroe-West Monroe, as immediate past chair.

New members on the board of directors include Leslie Brewer, with Destrehan Plantation; Kristen Preau, with Jambalaya Girl; Jay Artigues, with Southeastern Louisiana University Athletics; and Georgia Craven, with Toledo Bend Lake Country.

Other returning members on the board of directors are Stephen Hightower, with City Group Hospitality; Vimal “Ricky” Patel, with Divi Hospitality; Adrienne Breaux, with Hyatt Centric French Quarter & The Eliza Jane; John Grubb, with Cook Hotel & Conference Center; Jay Ducote, with JDD Consulting LLC; Scott Ballard, with Ballard Brands; Jay Sharplin, with SharpCo Hotels; Stacy Brown, with Shreveport-Bossier CTB; Walt Leger, with New Orleans & Company; Sondra Corbitt, with Houma Area CVB; Ben Berthelot, with Lafayette CVC; Ralph Calhoun, with Biedenharn Museum & Gardens; Cody Gray, with Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou; Aaron Dirks, with Limousine Livery; Vito Zuppardo, with Miles Partnership; Kyle Edmiston, with Visit Lake Charles; Violet Peters, with Visit Jefferson Parish; Adrienne Hennis, with Advance Travel & Tourism; Mike Buckley, with Golden Nugget; Morgan Moss, with The Myrtles Plantation & Blue House Hospitality; Jady Regard, with Cane River Pecan Company; Justin Vincent, with Tiger Athletic Foundation; Rebecca Blankenbaker, with Cane River National Heritage Area; and Doug Bourgeois, with Louisiana Office of Tourism.

“Our executive committee and board of directors are responsible for helping us meet the needs of our members and making sure we accomplish our goals of providing educational and marketing opportunities while also advocating on the industry’s behalf,” said Chris Landry, LTA president and CEO. “We are excited to be starting off another year with a great group of industry leaders that represent the entire state.”

Each year, the chairman of the board selects a nominating committee that is comprised of members who are not up for re-election and who are not seeking office. This committee is responsible for presenting a slate to the members of the association that recognizes all regions of the state and all segments of the tourism industry.

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About the Louisiana Travel Association

LTA is a trade association leading and strengthening Louisiana’s vibrant tourism industry through advocacy, education and promotion on behalf of our members. Tourism generated $1.9 billion for Louisiana in 2022 and is the 4^th highest employer in the state. For more information, visit LouisianaTravelAssociation.org.

About Visit Baton Rouge

Visit Baton Rouge is the designated Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) for East Baton Rouge Parish, responsible for promoting and showcasing the region. Our primary mission is to increase visitation to and awareness of the Baton Rouge Area thereby enhancing economic impact. Stay up to date with the latest press releases and Baton Rouge tourism news at visitbatonrouge.com/media/press-releases. Join our social media community and follow us @visitbatonrouge for more updates.

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