Governor’s Conference on Tourism

David Lorenz

Jarad Johnson

Jarad is the founder and CEO of Mostly Serious, a Springfield-based full-service digital agency that collaborates with leading regional organizations such as CoxHealth, Paul Mueller, and The Community Foundation of the Ozarks. In 2020, he co-founded Habitat Communication & Culture, a consultancy that assists clients in needs assessment, strategic planning, leadership & management training, and custom research initiatives.

As a dedicated community member, Jarad was the founding board president of Springfield Creatives, a professional organization supporting local creatives. He has also contributed to the Springfield Community Gardens advisory board and served on the Board of Directors for the Downtown Springfield Association and the Galloway Community Improvement District.

Kathy Nelson

As President and CEO of Visit KC and the KC Sports Commission & Foundation, Kathy Nelson is a strong believer in the economic, social and community-building benefits of sports. She works to promote Kansas City locally and nationally with the goal of attracting, retaining and facilitating sports events and organizations in the bi-state area. Prior to the KC Sports Commission, Nelson served in senior management roles in marketing, sales and promotions at Time Warner Cable and Metro Sports and held a number of roles at FOX 4/WDAF-TV in Kansas City including creative services manager, producer, reporter and editor. Along her career path, Nelson has received numerous Telly, Emmy and cable television awards for television production, specifically sports production. She was the first woman to win a regional Emmy for the production of an NFL game in the early 2000’s.

Jim Rowland

Jim Rowland joined the Division of Tourism as the National Account Manager – Sports Tourism. Jim previously worked as the Executive Director of the Jackson County Sports Complex Authority for 18 years. During that time, there were $700 million renovations completed within Kauffman Stadium and Arrowhead Stadium. In addition, during his time at Jackson County Sports Complex Authority, the 2012 MLB All-Star game, two World Series, multiple AFC Championships and three Super Bowl parades took place. In his Executive Director role, he provided overall management for the organization including: financial, human resources, administrative, government relations (City, State and County), contract oversight, communications, construction and implementation of strategic goals and objectives as defined by Board of Directors. Jim earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Industrial and Labor Relations from Rockhurst College.

Travis Napper

Travis Napper is Director of Destination Partnerships at Tourism Economics; an Oxford Economics company dedicated to understanding the relationship between travel and the economy. He uses his experience as both a state tourism director and a DMO President to connect DMO clients to data-centric solutions and has the understanding to provide answers to complex problems. Travis loves travel and when he is not on the road for work, he is planning trips far and wide with his family.

Renee Eichelberger

Renee M. Eichelberger is the Senior Director of Leisure Travel Sales at Explore St. Louis, the official destination marketing organization for both St. Louis City and St. Louis County. With a tenure dating back to 1998, Renee has played a pivotal role in the organization’s success, steering the ship in the realms of domestic and international leisure travel sales. Her responsibilities encompass targeted outreach to tour operators, third-party intermediaries, media, and general consumers.

Jenny Wilson

Jenny Wilson is the Vice President of Tourism Development at Visit KC with over 25 years of industry expertise. Her current role focuses on international & domestic leisure tourism and is complemented by a proven track record in sales, event planning and strategic leadership. Jenny has held roles at Visit KC as the Vice President of Partnerships & Events and Director of Sales & Services. In these capacities, Jenny directed a team focused on driving economic growth through sales, established strategic partnerships within the community while working to elevate Kansas City’s profile as a premier meeting and travel destination.

Megan Sheets

Megan Sheets is the Travel Trade Specialist for the Missouri Division of Tourism. Her efforts in both the Domestic and International markets are integral to contributing to Missouri’s economic impact. Megan previously worked for the City of Columbia as Event Services Specialist, where she excelled at coordinating, planning and executing meetings and events. Her time spent as Executive Assistant to various Commissioners and VPs further honed her skills in business communications, administration, client services, operations and records management. Megan earned her Master of Business Administration from Columbia College.

Margaret Faintich

Margaret Faintich leads cross-agency teams and clients to drive results. She has 20+ years of experience creatively solving business problems and bringing together strong teams. She oversees work for OBP’s Tourism Portfolio, including Missouri Division of Tourism, Morey’s Piers and Southeast Tourism Society.

Carmen Fenton

Carmen Fenton is a seasoned public relations professional with over 15 years of experience. She has successfully managed public relations and public policy priorities for numerous organizations and public figures. Carmen has become a trusted advisor to CEOs, politicians, and brand spokespeople, guiding them through media interviews across print, broadcast, and television channels.

She has contributed to hundreds of media campaigns, specializing in message development, crisis communication, and public relations strategies. Carmen has prepared spokespeople for high-profile outlets such as NPR, The New York Times, The Today Show, Fox, CNN, and Bloomberg. At OBP, she leads the public relations team, connecting media and the public with organizational work through various opportunities.

Stephen Foutes

As director of the Missouri Division of Tourism, Stephen leads a dedicated team of marketers, communicators, researchers, program managers, legislative and financial specialists, and welcome center ambassadors focused on promoting Missouri as one of the country’s top travel destinations. A lifelong Missourian, he holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from Central Methodist College and has worked at the Division of Tourism in varying roles for more than 10 years.