Destination Pulse

Visit Denver

visitdenver.com

Changes

9 changes

  • Addedvisitdenver.com

    Braxton Turner Added to Visit Denver's staff page

    Coordinator, Convention Sales

  • Title changevisitdenver.com

    Bridget Bartlett Title changed from Coordinator, Convention Sales to Association Executive Meetings Manager, West Region (10-150 Peak Rooms)

  • Addedvisitdenver.com

    Kaycee Powell Added to Visit Denver's staff page

    Corporate Sales Manager, East Region (151-950 Peak Rooms)

  • Title changevisitdenver.com

    Kelsey Santistevan Title changed from Association Executive Meeting Manager, West Region (10-150 Peak Rooms) to Association Sales Manager, West Region (151-950 Peak Rooms)

  • Title changevisitdenver.com

    Sammy Bianchi Title changed from Association Sales Manager, West Region (151-950 Peak Rooms) to Association Sales Manager, Washington DC Region (151-950 Peak Rooms)

  • Addedvisitdenver.com

    Hannah Jennings Added to Visit Denver's staff page

    Coordinator, Convention Sales

  • Title changevisitdenver.com

    John Craig, DES Title changed from Corporate Sales Manager, East Region (151-950 Peak Rooms) to Corporate Citywide Sales Manager, East Region (951+ Peak Rooms)

  • Title changevisitdenver.com

    Leah Gutstein, CMP Title changed from Citywide Sales Manager, East Region (150+ Peak Rooms), Washington DC Region to Citywide Sales Manager, East Region (150+ Peak Rooms) and Washington DC Region (951-1200 Peak Rooms)

  • No longer listedvisitdenver.com

    Viveca McDonald, MBA, DES No longer listed on Visit Denver's staff page

    Convention Sales Manager, Washington DC Region (151-950 Peak Rooms)

Detected automatically each week from the official staff page. Not verified: a page redesign or an extraction error can produce a change that never happened, so check the linked page before acting on a row.

Current leadership

7 leaders

Top leader

Richard Scharf

President | CEO

Executive

Flavia Light

Vice President | Chief Tourism Development Officer

Executive

Jeff Ruffe

Executive Vice President | Chief Finance & Administration Officer

Executive

Justin Bresler

Vice President | Chief Marketing Officer

Executive

Lee Ann Benavidez

Senior Vice President | Chief Sales & Services Officer

Executive

Matthew Payne

Executive Director, Denver Sports Commission

Vice president

Sean McNamara

Associate Vice President, Convention Sales

Team

61 people

Team by function

  • Sales & convention services27
  • Marketing & communications12
  • Other9
  • Partnerships & community6
  • Finance & administration5
  • Operations & technology2

Sales & convention services

27 people

  • Braxton Turner

    Coordinator, Convention Sales

  • Bridget Bartlett

    Association Executive Meetings Manager, West Region (10-150 Peak Rooms)

  • Christine Thompson

    Sales Director, Washington DC Region (1201+ Peak Rooms)

  • Corina Jones

    Regional Sales Manager

  • Daniel Gibbins

    Association Executive Meeting Manager, East Region (10-150 Peak Rooms)

  • Daniel Wakefield, MS, CMP

    Association Sales Manager, Midwest Region (151-950 Peak Rooms)

  • Emily Westphal

    Corporate Executive Meeting Manager, West Region (10-150 Peak Rooms)

  • Gysela Fillingham, CMP, DES

    Sales Director, West Region & International (951+ Peak Rooms)

  • Hannah Jennings

    Coordinator, Convention Sales

  • Harry Emerson

    Convention Information Analyst

  • Janette Armitage

    Regional Sales Manager

  • John Craig, DES

    Corporate Citywide Sales Manager, East Region (951+ Peak Rooms)

  • Kaycee Powell

    Corporate Sales Manager, East Region (151-950 Peak Rooms)

  • Kelsey Santistevan

    Association Sales Manager, West Region (151-950 Peak Rooms)

  • Kristen Satkowiak

    Corporate Executive Meeting Manager, East Region (10-150 Peak Rooms)

  • Leah Gutstein, CMP

    Citywide Sales Manager, East Region (150+ Peak Rooms) and Washington DC Region (951-1200 Peak Rooms)

  • Leah Lazzari, CMP

    Citywide Destination Services & Events Manager

  • Lisa Bruening

    Senior Sales Manager, Tourism

  • Madison Lambert

    Coordinator, Convention Sales

  • Matt Ojinaga

    Director, Convention Sales

  • Samantha Jacobs

    Corporate Sales Manager, West Region (151-950 Peak Rooms)

  • Sammy Bianchi

    Association Sales Manager, Washington DC Region (151-950 Peak Rooms)

  • Sheila Provenzano, MS, DES

    Sales Director, Midwest Region (951+ Peak Rooms)

  • Stephanie Murnan, CMP

    Executive Assistant, Convention Sales

  • Tiffany Eck, CMP

    Director of Destination Services & Events

  • Tim Litherland

    Citywide Sales Manager, Sports & Specialty Markets (SMERF 151+ Peak Rooms, Sports - All)

  • Tyler Adams

    Sales Director, Corporate West (951+ Peak Rooms)

Marketing & communications

12 people

  • Brooke Bartlett

    Executive Assistant, Marketing

  • Carly Baldwin

    Manager, Graphic Design & Production

  • Caroline Campbell

    Manager, PR & Communications

  • Chloe Smith

    Content Manager

  • Emily Hall

    Manager, Marketing

  • Emma Webb

    Manager, Social Media

  • Kendall Akin

    Manager, Digital Marketing

  • Natalie St. Hilaire

    Coordinator, PR & Communications

  • Nate Ferguson

    Content Manager - Contract

  • Salim Bourget

    Director, Web & Content

  • Taylor E. Shields

    Director, PR & Communications

  • Valarie Lopez

    Coordinator, Partnership Advertising

Other

9 people

  • Casey Hrdlicka

    Destination Services Coordinator

  • Denny-Jean Bayford, aPHR

    Office Administrator

  • Gina Gaytan, CMP

    Citywide Destination Services Manager

  • Janielle Holloway

    Destination Services Assistant

  • Jeremy Schwartz

    Citywide Destination Services Manager

  • Liz Perrott

    Destination Services Manager

  • Sophie Duyos

    Destination Services Coordinator

  • Theresa Blankenau, CMP

    Citywide Destination Services Manager

  • Vicki Aycrigg

    Executive Assistant to the President & CEO

Partnerships & community

6 people

  • Bridget Johnson

    Coordinator, Partnership & Workforce Development

  • Katy Hoch

    Partnership Sales Manager - Contract

  • Lauren Alexander

    Manager, Partnership Services & Events

  • Melissa Ramirez

    Manager, Partnership Data & Systems

  • Melissa Schenter, MS

    Manager, Cultural Tourism Programs

  • Patrick Walton

    Director, Government and Community Affairs

Finance & administration

5 people

  • Brenda Garcia, MHRM

    Director, Human Resources

  • Chase Lancaster

    Manager, Accounting

  • Emily Narwold, MA, PHR

    Manager, Human Resources

  • Kelly Beren, CPA

    Director, Accounting

  • Leigh Meek

    Manager, Accounting

Operations & technology

2 people

  • John Ianni

    Information Technology Manager II

  • Mark Merritt

    Information Technology Manager II

7 in leadership and 61 grouped by function. Captured Nov 8, 2026 from the official team page.

From the IRS Form 990 (FY2025)

Revenue $46,293,630

Contractors (5)

NameServicesPaid
KARSHHAGANADVERTISING$15,751,083
CRIMSON RELP BLOCK 162 OFFICE LLCRENTAL SPACE$1,323,028
MMGY GLOBAL LLCADVERTISING$1,271,274
GOOGLE LLCADVERTISING$1,239,178
PG EXHIBITS LLCADVERTISING$481,173

Officers and directors (49)

NameTitleCompensation
RICHARD SCHARFPRESIDENT &$829,894
LEONA BENAVIDEZSENIOR V.P.-$398,169
JEFFREY RUFFEEXEC. V.P.-$382,237
JUSTIN BRESLERV.P.- MARKET$288,572
FLAVIA LIGHTV.P.- TOURIS$272,004
SEAN MCNAMARAA,V.P.- CONV$219,675
MARY CLAIRE GENOVAA.V.P.- PART$211,205
MATTHEW OJINAGADIR CONVENTI$198,720
VIKKI KELLYDIR. OF SERV$194,714
MATTHEW PAYNEEXECUTIVE DI$189,460
BARNES LEONCHAIR—
BELL MATTHEWLIAISON - SP—
BROOKS ALBUSCO-CHAIR - T—
FEASEL GREGSECRETARY—
FEDRIZZI BRENTPAST CHAIR—
FINLAW JACKLIAISON - WO—
GRUITCH BETHCO-CHAIR - C—
HIRAGA ERICCO-CHAIR - G—
ISENBERG WALTERTREASURER &—
JAMES BRUCECO-CHAIR - T—
LEMASTERS NICKCO-CHAIR - G—
RODRIGUEZ MANNYCO-CHAIR - C—
SINDEN JANICECHAIR - NOMI—
VELASQUEZ-HORVATH HOLLIECHAIR-ELECT—
ALLISON WESDIRECTOR—
AYE ANDYDIRECTOR—
CHANG JENNIFERDIRECTOR—
COHEN ROBDIRECTOR—
COORS DAVIDDIRECTOR—
CORRIGAN KIMDIRECTOR—
CORSUN DAVIDDIRECTOR—
DIMOND NAVINDIRECTOR—
FISCHER DORITDIRECTOR—
HINDS CHRISDIRECTOR—
LEECH DAMANIDIRECTOR—
LEONARD GREGDIRECTOR—
MITCHELL ALISONDIRECTOR—
NGUYEN MARYDIRECTOR—
PARSONS CINDYDIRECTOR—
RIDDER JENNDIRECTOR—
ROBINSON MURPHYDIRECTOR—
ROSS KATIEDIRECTOR—
ROTH BRIANDIRECTOR—
SANCHEZ JORGEDIRECTOR—
SANDOVAL AMANDADIRECTOR—
SCHERER DANDIRECTOR—
SCHULTZ FRANKDIRECTOR—
VENUS ROBDIRECTOR—
WILSON SIDDIRECTOR—

As reported on the organization's IRS Form 990 for tax period 202512. Compensation is shown only where the filing reports an amount above zero. View the filing on ProPublica.

Contact details

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