STAFF & BOARD
Leadership
The SWT Board of Directors represents industry stakeholders who have invested in past statewide tourism marketing and industry advocacy efforts and may also have direct investment in, or concern for, Washington State tourism programs.
Executive Committee
Cliff Myers – Chair
Rose Noble – Vice Chair
Julie Eisenhauer – Treasurer
Elizabeth McGree – Secretary
Brad Jones – Immediate Past Chair
Board of Directors
Bridget Baeth – JayRay, Regional Representative, Metro Puget Sound
Gary Ballew – Spokane Incorporated, Industry Representative, Economic Development Organizations
Krista Bentley – Expedia, Regional Representative, At-Large, Islands/Salish Sea
Heather Bradshaw – Washington State Wine Commission, Industry Representative – Wine/Beer/Spirits
Troy Campbell – Leavenworth Chamber of Commerce, Regional Representative, Trails & Lakes
Megan Ching – Seattle Monorail, Industry Representative, Attractions
Julie Eisenhauer – Clark Nuber, Industry Representative, At-Large
Tommy Farris – Olympic Hiking Co., Industry Representative, Adventure/Outdoor Recreation
Guy Glaeser – Visit Walla Walla, Regional Representative, Wine Country
Dipra Jha – WSU School of Hospitality Business Management, Regional Representative, Palouse
Brad Jones – Visit Bellevue, Industry Representative, Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs)
Elizabeth McGree – JEM Development Real Estate, Regional Representative, At-Large, Wine Country
Cliff Myers – Visit Vancouver, Regional Representative, The Gorge
Rose Noble – Visit Spokane, Regional Representative, Ponderosa
Teresa Taylor – Lummi Nation, Industry Representative, Tribes
Leslie Womack – Mayflower Park Hotel, Industry Representative, Lodging
Staff
David Blandford
CEO
David is Executive Director of State of Washington Tourism. Previously as Senior Vice President, Public Affairs of Visitor Seattle, he oversaw public policy, industry advocacy, government relations, crisis communications and strategic communications. His career in tourism began with statewide travel promotion, running press trips throughout Washington and working closely with the state tourism office on destination PR programs. David was previously President of the Puget Sound Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America and served on the board of directors of the Society of American Travel Writers.
Mike Moe
Director of Strategic Partnerships and Tourism Development
Mike is a Washingtonian through-and-through. Born in Spokane, he grew up on Tiger Mountain, just east of Seattle. After high school, Mike fell in love with the tourism industry, first working on steamboats on the Mississippi River. His tourism career has taken him around the world. Among his many jobs, he was a photographer, a maitre’ d, and an overland tour guide in South America. He joined SWT in 2012 and after 7 years of working to help pass tourism marketing legislation, Mike loves playing a part in showcasing Washington to the world. He now lives in Seattle with his wife, two kids, and their dog.
Michelle Thana
Director of Marketing
Michelle joined SWT in 2021. A relatively new Washingtonian, Michelle has lived in the Pacific Northwest her entire life and grew up in Portland, Oregon. Her career in tourism began at Travel Portland, where she spent nearly five years working on from consumer marketing. From there, she hopped the river to lead the marketing team at Visit Vancouver USA from 2019 – 2021. Michelle is excited to help tell Washington’s story on a larger stage and bring her experience in consumer marketing to the team at this exciting point for tourism in the state.
Marianne Graff
Senior Content Manager
Marianne joined SWT in 2022. A lifelong Washingtonian, Marianne oversees B2B and B2C content creation, website growth and optimization, organic social media, influencer partnerships, email marketing, and more. Before joining SWT, Marianne worked in digital marketing and communications for the Whatcom Museum in Bellingham. Prior to that, she spent seven years as an editor and social media specialist at the daily Skagit Valley Herald in Mount Vernon. Marianne holds a degree in journalism from Western Washington University.
Matthew Ozuna
Destination Development Manager
Matthew joined the team in 2022 and previously worked with Destinations International, Simpleview, and other consulting teams on tourism projects. He grew up in the Yakima Valley, attended college in Walla Walla, and holds a Master of Tourism Administration with a concentration in Sustainable Tourism Management from George Washington University. At SWT, Matthew manages programs associated with scenic byways, rural tourism, industry education, and destination development grants. He previously worked with cultural heritage organizations and educational institutions in the Walla Walla Valley.
LISA KRUSE
TOURISM DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
Lisa joined SWT in 2023. She grew up in Spokane, attended college in Bellingham, and has worked with cruise lines, Alaska Native corporations, and family-operated companies in the Alaska Tourism Industry. Her genuine enthusiasm for tourism growth and development led to her serving on the District Export Council and Visit Anchorage Board of Directors. Returning to Washington, Lisa is excited to connect with SWT partners and travel trade in both domestic and international markets to boost tourism across Washington.
Beth Salgado
MARKETING COORDINATOR
Beth joined SWT in 2023. She recently moved to Washington from Colorado and grew up in New Mexico where she attended college. In Colorado, she worked for a healthcare marketing firm as a digital marketing specialist. Before that, she spent five years as a freelancer in copywriting, social media, and web design. Beth is excited about her new role in the tourism industry where she will be assisting with communications, website content, social media, and email marketing.
Andi Jolly
MARKETING COORDINATOR
Andi joined the team in 2023 and has made Washington her home since arriving to serve with AmeriCorps VISTA in 2021. Originally from Georgia, Andi ventured into the tourism industry while working at a local advertising agency. In that position, she handled social media marketing for three destination marketing organizations within her home state. Andi is thrilled to play a role in SWT’s marketing initiatives, with a special emphasis on social media.
Lacey young
accountant
Lacey joined SWT in 2024. Originally from Oregon, she attended college in Bellingham and now lives in Birch Bay. She has worked in corporate accounting for the past 18 years, spending the first eight with a large engineering firm. She then went on to work for a local wild seafood e-commerce company followed by a local tech start-up. At SWT, Lacey oversees the day-to-day financial operations and ensures accurate reporting to the Board of Directors.