Peggy Williams-Smith
Peggy Williams-Smith, named the 2022 Executive of the Year by the Milwaukee Business Journal, is a Milwaukee native and veteran of the hospitality industry who joined VISIT Milwaukee as the company’s first female president and CEO in 2019. Under her direction, the company has launched exciting, dynamic marketing campaigns to increase economic impact to the community and elevate the city’s reputation. Peggy’s focus on strategic partnerships has deepened the company’s local connections while developing a nimble team that is more responsive than ever to changes within the travel and hospitality industries. This was none more apparent than during the pandemic when VISIT Milwaukee became the go-to source for information for the hospitality industry and the industry’s No. 1 advocate on state and local levels. From gaining recognition in National Geographic magazine as one of the best places in the world for travel in 2023 to securing the 2024 Republican National Convention, Williams-Smith’s strategic leadership has brought economic gains to Milwaukee for years to come. Prior to her work at VISIT Milwaukee, she worked for Marcus Hotels & Resorts for over 22 years and held leadership positions at varying levels throughout the division. Williams-Smith is a proud mentor of other women in business and uses her free time to support numerous charitable causes. She resides in Milwaukee with her husband, Tim Smith, their niece, Jocelyn and their Boston Terrier, Tito Fenway.
Dr. William “Bill” Norman
Dr. William “Bill” Norman is an Emeritus Professor of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management (PRTM) at Clemson University. Dr. Norman retired in May 2023 after 28 years of conducting theoretically-based and applied tourism and recreation research with graduate students on sustainable community tourism development in rural and coastal communities. Dr. Norman’s teaching, research and public service examined leisure travel decision making, recreation behavior, tourism marketing, niche travel markets (i.e., agritourism, heritage tourism, sport tourism, fisheries tourism, culinary tourism, and nature-based tourism), resident-tourist interactions and the economic, social and environmental impact of tourism.
Prior to joining Clemson University in 1995, Dr. Norman was a Marketing Specialist with the University of Wisconsin-Extension’s Tourism Research and Resource Center in Madison, Wisconsin. Dr. Norman has a Ph.D. in Recreation, Park and Leisure Studies from the University of Minnesota and a M.S. in Park and Recreation Resources from Michigan State University.
Toby Bloom
Toby Bloom is the Forest Service (FS) National Program Manager for Tourism and Interpretation. Her portfolio includes strengthening recreation economies in forest gateway communities; working with Tribes to promote authentic interpretation and responsible visitation to Native heritage sites; innovative public lands and health partnerships; and working with Interpretive Associations to improve visitor experience on the National Forests. Toby believes in nature as a key aspect of a healthy life, and was the first FS employee to become a certified Nature and Forest Therapy Guide in January 2019. As a Program Specialist for FS International Programs, and before joining FS, she worked with local communities to develop ecotourism projects in Latin America and the Caribbean. Toby started her career in tourism and interpretation as a tour guide through the US, Canada, and Mexico. Her master’s degree is in Sustainable International Development with a focus on ecotourism from Brandeis University.
Dr. Sarah Rocker
Dr. Sarah Rocker is a National Program Leader at the National Institute for Food and Agriculture (USDA NIFA) in the Division of Family and Consumer Sciences within the Institute of Youth, Family, and Community. She provides leadership for programs in rural community and economic development which include the Regional Rural Development Centers (RRDC); Institutes for Rural Partnerships (IRP Sec 770 and 780); and New Technologies for Agriculture Extension (NTAE).
Dr. Susan L. Slocum
Dr. Susan L. Slocum is an Associate Professor in the Tourism and Event Management program at George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia. Sue has worked on regional planning and development for 15 years and worked with rural communities in Tanzania, the United Kingdom, Belarus, and the United States. Her primary focus is on rural sustainable development, policy implementation, and food tourism, specifically working with small businesses and communities in less advantaged areas. Sue received her doctoral education from Clemson University and was a Fulbright Scholar in 2020. She has published 10 books and numerous academic articles.
Damian Buchman
Damian Buchman is truly a one-in-a-billion survivor who has turned obstacles into opportunity, and the seemingly impossible, possible. Damian has endured dozens of surgeries. But, that never stopped him. Working tirelessly to provide others who face seemingly insurmountable barriers with motivation, tools and a voice, Damian is an unstoppABLE force who doesn’t know how to quit.
A self proclaimed bionic unicorn, He is the founder of The Ability Center and the Wisconsin Adaptive Sports Association. He is also the vision behind the RampUp movement which turned Milwaukees’ Bradford Beach into the nation’s most accessible and is presently working to create America’s most universal park. He has a passion for helping people realize their best self, delivering his message of hope. In his words, “The work I do is simply my way to honor my survivorship and those who lost their battle. Everybody deserves an equal opportunity to play – together!”
James Edward Mills
James Edward Mills has worked in the outdoor industry since 1989, when he worked as a guide, outfitter, independent sales representative, writer, and photographer. He is the author of The Adventure Gap: Changing the Face of the Outdoors, which was named by Outside Magazine as one of the 10 “Outdoor Books that Shaped the Last Decade.” James is also the co-writer/co-producer of the documentary film “An American Ascent.”
As a freelance journalist and an independent media producer in a career that spans more than 20 years, James specializes in sharing stories about outdoor recreation, environmental conservation, acts of charitable giving and practices of sustainable living. James also teaches a summer course for undergraduate students on diversity, equity and inclusion in outdoor recreation and public land management called Outdoors For All, as a faculty assistant at the University of Wisconsin Nelson Institute For Environmental Studies.
Tony Snell Rodriguez
Tony Snell Rodriguez is an accomplished human rights advocate who currently serves as the Chair on the City of Milwaukee Equal Rights Commission and as the Visitor Experience Manager for VISIT Milwaukee. Within VISIT Milwaukee, Tony actively participates in the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility Committee, as well as the Destinations International Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee. These roles involve strategic planning and the implementation of initiatives aimed at fostering a more inclusive and diverse environment, promoting equal opportunities, and ensuring accessibility for all visitors and stakeholders.
Recognized for his dedication, Milwaukee Magazine has described Tony as passionate about human rights, and his Twitter account, @TonyEquality, has been recognized as one of the top ten accounts to follow. He hails from South Carolina and is a featured contributor in the book “Southern Perspectives on the Queer Movement,” which details his personal coming out story and advocacy work. The New York Times also interviewed him for a groundbreaking front-page story on LGBT political organizing in the South. Tony played a crucial role in the crafting and passage of the City of Columbia Human Rights Ordinance, one of the first of its kind in the region. Furthermore, he was a founding member of the Equality Federation, a national coalition of state LGBT organizations.