Julie L. Gilbert, CDME

Julie Gilbert is the President & CEO of Destination Door County in Wisconsin.  

Since arriving in November 2021, she has led the organization through a strategic transformation centered on community-shared values and destination stewardship.

Prior to joining Destination Door County, Julie served as Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Destination Niagara USA, where she oversaw marketing, communications, sales, and brand management to elevate the visibility and visitation of Niagara Falls USA as a premier leisure and meetings destination.

Her career includes leadership roles such as Director of Sales and Marketing for National Park Reservations, the largest provider of reservation and information services for national parks and gateway communities and Director of Marketing for the American Society of Travel Advisors. Julie also founded and operated a full-service tourism and hospitality marketing agency, providing strategic guidance to a broad portfolio of clients including Disneyland Resort, Whitefish Ski & Summer Resort and the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Julie holds a Bachelor of Science in Business and Management Studies from the University of Maryland and has earned both the Certified Destination Management Executive (CDME) designation from Destinations International and the Certified Tour Professional (CTP) designation from the National Tour Association.

An active leader in the travel and tourism industry, Julie has served on several boards and committees including the Travel and Tourism Research Association Board of Directors (TTRA), Chaired the TTRA Northeast Chapter; the U.S. Travel Association's IPW Advisory Committee; US Travel Association’s ESTO Planning Committee; and Chair of Wine, Water & Wonders of New York State.

Currently, Julie serves as Co-Chair of Destinations International’s Advocacy Committee, Treasurer of the Destinations Wisconsin Board of Directors, and was appointed by Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers to the Governor’s Council on Workforce Investment.