Monica Smith serves as the President and CEO of Southeast Tourism Society (STS) and has over 26 years of experience in the hospitality and tourism industry. Prior to joining the staff of STS, she served on its Board of Directors while she was the Vice President of Sales and Services for Visit Jacksonville (Florida), the city’s tourism sales and marketing organization, and while she was President & CEO of Macon-Bibb County Convention and Visitors Bureau in Macon, GA., for 6 years. Her other destination sales and marketing experience includes positions with the Pasadena CVB in Pasadena, CA, the Newport Beach CVB in Newport Beach, CA, and Destination Cleveland in Cleveland, OH. Monica is a graduate of Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration and has been actively involved in the university's CAAAN alumni admissions outreach. She has a passion for developing the next generation of tourism leaders and educating communities on the importance of tourism as an economic and community development strategy.