Neal McCoy / Stephanie Coomer / Elizabeth Russell, Wednesday 11:00am, Breakout: Visitor Center: From Brochure Rack to an Immersive Experience

Neal McCoy

Neal McCoy has served as the Executive Director of the Tupelo Convention & Visitors Bureau since 2010 where he manages a team of 13 employees and a $4.7 million budget. Neal also chairs a task force committee for the City of Tupelo charged with managing the destination’s product growth.
Neal began his career in Parks and Recreation before moving to Tupelo in 2004 as the Director of Sports Development for the Tupelo CVB where he combined his passion for sports and promoting his hometown. Neal was then promoted to Deputy Director of the Tupelo CVB in 2009 and managed the bureau’s community relations and budget. A graduate of the University of Mississippi in 1998, he holds certifications as Certified Sports Event Executive and Certified Park and Recreation Professional.
Neal has served his industry on the boards of the Mississippi Tourism Association, the Southeast Tourism Society and the Natchez Trace Compact. In 2009, he was awarded the Rising Star Award from the Southeast Tourism Society and is one of four Rising Star award winners on the Tupelo CVB staff.

Stephanie Coomer

Stephanie Coomer is the Deputy Director of the Tupelo Convention and Visitors Bureau.  She has been with the bureau for 10 years and before that worked in advertising for 14 years, where the majority of her clients were DMOs.  Her responsibilities at the bureau include the day-to-day operations of the CVB, and oversight of staff development, budgeting, sales and marketing efforts, and special projects.  Stephanie has been active in the industry by serving on the boards of the the Mississippi Hills National Heritage Area, the Mississippi Tourism Association and Southeast Tourism Society and is current president of the Natchez Trace Compact.  She graduated with a business degree and a law degree from the University of Mississippi.

Elizabeth Russell

Elizabeth Russell currently serves as the In-Market Strategist for the Tupelo Convention & Visitors Bureau (TCVB). In this role, she works with industry partners to encourage deeper engagement with the Tupelo community for travelers visiting the city. Elizabeth joined the TCVB in 2016 after serving as the Marketing and Public Relations Director with the Downtown Tupelo Main Street Association. She previously worked for ten years in the Marketing Department at North Mississippi Health Services, a nonprofit, community owned health care system based in Tupelo. A cum laude graduate of the University of Mississippi, Elizabeth is the mother of two boys and resides in Tupelo.