Destinations International Unveils 2026–2027 Board of Directors and Leadership Team at Annual Convention in Portland
Destinations International appoints Kyle Edmiston as Association Chair and Steven Paganelli as Foundation Chair during its Annual Convention in Portland, Oregon.
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Destinations International Unveils 2026–2027 Board of Directors and Leadership Team at Annual Convention in Portland
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- Factual/News: Destinations International Unveils 2026–2027 Board of Directors and Leadership Team at Annual Convention in Portland
- Curiosity-Gap (Discover): How Destinations International's New 2026–2027 Leadership Team Is Shaping the Future of Global Tourism Management
- Problem-Solving (Search): How Destination Leaders Can Navigate Global Tourism Trends with Destinations International's 2026–2027 Strategy
SEO Title: Destinations International 2026-2027 Leadership Team Unveiled
Meta Description: Destinations International confirms its 2026–2027 Board of Directors and Foundation Trustees in Portland, naming Kyle Edmiston and Steven Paganelli as Chairs.
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Standfirst: Destinations International has announced its 2026–2027 Board of Directors and Foundation Trustees at its Annual Convention in Portland, Oregon, appointing Kyle Edmiston as Association Chair and Steven Paganelli as Foundation Chair.
The Core Transit & Governance Update
Destinations International, one of the world's primary trade associations representing destination management organizations (DMOs) and official tourism boards, has confirmed its executive leadership, Board of Directors, and Foundation Board of Trustees for the 2026–2027 term.
The new leadership structure was formally elected during the association’s Annual Convention in Portland, Oregon. Kyle Edmiston, President and CEO of Visit Lake Charles, assumes the role of Association Chair, succeeding outgoing Chair Leslie Bruce, President and CEO of the Banff & Lake Louise Tourism Bureau.
Simultaneously, Steven Paganelli, Senior Director of Americas Sales at Tripadvisor, was elected Chair of the Destinations International Foundation, taking over from Martha J. Sheridan. The dual appointments position veteran executives from destination marketing, digital travel tech, and tourism consulting at the helm of international destination governance.
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| DESTINATIONS INTERNATIONAL EXECUTIVE OFFICERS (2026–2027 TERM) |
+--------------------------+-------------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Leadership Role | Officer Name | Current Professional Entity |
+--------------------------+-------------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Association Chair | Kyle Edmiston | President & CEO, Visit Lake |
| | | Charles |
+--------------------------+-------------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Association Chair-Elect | Rickey Thigpen | Executive Leadership Team |
+--------------------------+-------------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Immediate Past Chair | Leslie Bruce | President & CEO, Banff & Lake |
| | | Louise Tourism Bureau |
+--------------------------+-------------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Association Secretary | Domenic Bravo | Executive Leadership Board |
+--------------------------+-------------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Association Treasurer | Beth Erickson | Executive Leadership Board |
+--------------------------+-------------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Association President&CEO| Don Welsh | Destinations International |
+--------------------------+-------------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
Executive Board and Foundation Leadership Structure
The Destinations International Association Board welcomes executive leaders representing tourism organizations across North America. Participating entities include Visit Loudoun, Visit Quad Cities, Visit Phoenix, Visit Baltimore, Visit Milwaukee, Visit Pasadena, Destinations Texas, the Wyoming Office of Tourism, Hunden Partners, Visit Bentonville, and Longwoods International.
Under the direction of Association Chair Kyle Edmiston and President & CEO Don Welsh, the association will expand its focus on advocacy, workforce development, destination research, and sustainable community growth.
The Destinations International Foundation board will be led by Foundation Chair Steven Paganelli, Chair-Elect Adam Burke, Immediate Past Chair Martha J. Sheridan, Secretary & Treasurer Katherine O’Donnell, and At-Large Officer Todd O’Leary.
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| FOUNDATION BOARD OF TRUSTEES & NEW APPOINTMENTS (2026–2027) |
+--------------------------+-------------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Foundation Role | Officer / Trustee Name | Organization Represented |
+--------------------------+-------------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Foundation Chair | Steven Paganelli | Senior Director, Tripadvisor |
+--------------------------+-------------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Foundation Chair-Elect | Adam Burke | Foundation Executive Officer |
+--------------------------+-------------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Immediate Past Chair | Martha J. Sheridan | Foundation Executive Officer |
+--------------------------+-------------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Secretary & Treasurer | Katherine O’Donnell | Foundation Executive Officer |
+--------------------------+-------------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| At-Large Officer | Todd O’Leary | Foundation Executive Officer |
+--------------------------+-------------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| Newly Appointed Trustees | Jessica Ireland, John Urdi, Mohamed | Global Destination Management |
| | Amine Gabbouj, Sarah Leonard, Todd | & Consulting Agencies |
| | O’Leary, Victoria Clarke | |
+--------------------------+-------------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
Traveler & Industry Logistics Guide (Information Gain & Experience)
From a ground-level perspective, the best way to navigate transit and attendance for major destination industry conventions in Portland is to utilize the city's integrated rail transit network and pre-plan hotel transfers from Portland International Airport (PDX).
Navigating Portland Transit for Event Attendees
- PDX Airport Transit: Delegates arriving at Portland International Airport (PDX) can access the MAX Light Rail Red Line directly from the main baggage claim terminal. Trains depart every 15 minutes, connecting travelers directly to downtown Portland and the Oregon Convention Center.
- Convention Center Access: The Oregon Convention Center station provides step-free, barrier-free access directly to the exhibition halls. Event attendees staying in downtown hotels can utilize the Portland Streetcar or MAX Light Rail lines with complimentary event transit passes.
- Optimal Transit Times: Plan airport transfers outside morning peak hours (07:30–09:00). MAX Light Rail travel time between PDX Airport and the Oregon Convention Center takes approximately 30 minutes.
Event Registration & Badge Digital Policies
- Digital Badge Verification: Destinations International convention delegates utilize digital event badges integrated with mobile NFC apps for session check-ins, networking exchanges, and workshop access.
- Hotel Room Blocks: Major convention hotels surrounding the Oregon Convention Center maintain designated shuttle transfer corridors for registered attendees during evening networking receptions.
Infrastructure & Tourism Impact Assessment
The appointment of the 2026–2027 leadership team comes at a critical time for destination marketing organizations globally. Digital transformation, sustainable visitor management, and changing traveler demographics require DMOs to operate as community managers rather than solely promotional agencies.
Bringing together private sector technology leaders like Tripadvisor with municipal tourism CEOs ensures that research, policy advocacy, and workforce education align with real-world travel market dynamics. By strengthening public-private partnerships, Destinations International reinforces long-term destination resilience across international markets.
Internal Connection
Explore related travel association and destination leadership features:
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Disclaimer
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Kunal K Choudhary
Co-Founder & Contributor
A passionate traveller and tech enthusiast. Kunal contributes to the vision and growth of Nomad Lawyer, bringing fresh perspectives and driving the community forward.
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