2022 Tourism Summit

A Unique & Professional “Edu-tainer”

Rita is a Certified Customer Service Specialist and a Graduate of Disney’s School on Quality Service. She has served as a professor for the Southeast Tourism Society (STS) Marketing College for over 15 years, instructing tourism professionals from across the Southeast. Rita is also a graduate of the Baptist Healthcare Leadership Institute.

A highlight of her professional career was winning the Customer Service National Title at the Skills USA Championships in Kansas City, Missouri. She is passionate about service and is known as an “edu-tainer” for her unique and interactive presentation style.

Rita is a firm believer that service skills are transferable and essential to both your personal and professional life.

President of the Virginia Restaurant Lodging and Travel Association
A graduate of the Hospitality and Tourism Management School at Virginia Tech, Eric has a long and deep understanding of the hospitality and tourism industries. As President of VRLTA, Eric leads a membership of over 1,500 from across the Commonwealth in efforts before the General Assembly and with industry events. Eric joined VRLTA from Redstone Companies Hospitality and has over three decades of experience and business success within the entertainment, hotel, casino resort, and events industries. Prior to joining Redstone, Eric was Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Benchmark Hospitality and the President of Xelerate Group, a company he launched in 2002. He grew the Xelerate Group into an organization with a recognized specialty in national events marketing, sponsorship partnering, media buying, and celebrity appearances including partnerships with NASCAR, Chuck Norris, The Food Network, and Indy Racing League. Prior to that, he was Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Malibu Entertainment Worldwide, Inc. and also served as Corporate Marketing Director and Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Hollywood Casino Corporation/Pratt Hotel Corporation. Eric has held leadership positions with Bristol Hotels, Marriott Hotels and Resorts, and for Anheuser Busch’s Busch Gardens. He is Chairman of the International Society of Hotel Assocations, is on the Advisory Board of the Virginia Tech Hospitality and Tourism Management Department, is a Board Member of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, and is a former President and Vice President of the Crowne Plaza Marketing Association.

At the age of eight, Moonrise Jewelry Founder and Designer Meredith Lusk began her journey as an entrepreneur in her father’s drugstore, selling “sculptures” made from seashells she collected near her home beside the Chesapeake Bay. After receiving her B.A. in Spanish and Anthropology from Tulane University and studying in Chile, she returned to her seaside roots on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, her family’s homeland since the 1600s.

Inspired by a full moon rising over the coastal wilderness of Virginia’s Barrier Islands, Meredith envisioned a way to turn her jewelry-making hobby into a sustainable enterprise that would create new opportunities for women in her rural local community and beyond. A self-taught designer, Meredith has grown her company from the ground up– continually refining her products while aspiring to make a positive impact through her business, which is located in one of the poorest counties in Virginia. Since

Moonrise Jewelry’s inception in 2002, she has trained local women to assist with the company’s handmade jewelry production and has worked with suppliers worldwide to source innovative and eco-friendly components for her designs.

Moonrise Jewelry’s signature style has evolved into a colorful brand of wearable art inspired by Meredith’s love of the world’s most beautiful coasts, including the one she calls home. In 2005 Meryl Streep named Moonrise Jewelry a “Top Product Pick” in her Green Guide and her jewelry designs were then featured in Lucky magazine, NBC’s Today Show and other national media. Spanx ® Founder Sara Blakely awarded Meredith a Leg Up™ endorsement in 2012 as part of her mission to empower women entrepreneurs. With this boost to her business, she opened Moonrise Jewelry’s new retail store in her hometown of Cape Charles, expanding her studio to make room for new employees and wholesale growth. Meredith’s original designs are now sold in boutiques, galleries, resort gift shops, and jewelry stores around the U.S., the Caribbean, and Hawaii.

Staci Martin has been in public service for over 20 years. She is the Partnership Marketing Grants Manager at Virginia Tourism Corporation, and her previous position was as Senior Destination Development Specialist in the coastal region. Focusing on entrepreneurial development, marketing, and partnerships, she works with localities, businesses, DMOs, and non-governmental organizations on strategies to diversify revenue through tourism initiatives by managing three grant programs to further jumpstart and support the tourism economy in Virginia.

Steve Galyean is the Virginia Tourism Corporation’s (VTC) Planning & Partnerships Director. Steve works to forge new relationships among Virginia’s tourism industry partners, and to connect those partners to resources to help grow their businesses. Steve directs the dynamic VTC Destination Development Team, which assists Virginia communities to grow their tourism products, and enhance their community viability. Steve also leads the VTC Grant Team that administers the VTC marketing grant programs that have leveraged over $21 million in VTC funds with over $70 million in partner dollars to provide $91 million marketing dollars to promote Virginia as a travel destination.

Steve Galyean has served two terms as President of the Virginia Association of Destination Marketing Organizations, as well as Vice-President of Tourism Marketing and Treasurer of the organization. In addition, he served as the first marketing chair for the Crooked Road – Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail, and has served on the boards of the Northeast Tennessee Tourism Association, the Virginia Highlands Festival, and the Tri-Cities TN/VA Regional Partnership.

Vice President of Partnership Marketing 

Virginia is for Lovers 

His beliefs are simple:   

• Tea is served sweet.   
• Kickball should be in the Olympics.   
• And tourism is one of the most powerful economic development tools for a community. 

 Serving as Vice President of Virginia Tourism Corporation, the state agency responsible for the Virginia is for Lovers campaign, Chris focuses his efforts on helping communities build creative economies through the power of art, music, epicurean delights and outdoor adventures. 

Chris created the Partnership Marketing Division 14 years ago built on three tenants:  Strategic Planning, Competitive Development and Partnership Marketing.   These three core aspects remain the driving forces of the division today in its core mission of Maximizing the Tourism Potential of Virginia’s Communities. 

With close to 3 decades of tourism marketing and development, Chris brings a diverse amount of experience ranging from West Virginia State Tourism Director, Deputy Mayor of West Virginia’s Capitol City, Vice President of Advertising Agencies, as well as a master’s degree in Tourism Administration from George Washington University.   

Chris fell in LOVE with the Eastern Shore 18 years and can be found kayaking, fishing or eating his way from the Shanty in Cape Charles to tacos and ice cream on Chincoteague…. with of course a traditional stop at Exmore Diner for those amazing milkshakes.