Emily is Head of Brand Development and Operations at Brand Gold Coast and a proud Gold Coaster. Admitted as a lawyer in 2019, she want to use her background in law and governance  to move into more meaningful work, stepping into local government and place branding.

With experience working alongside global and national brands, Emily brings a strategic and critical perspective on how brands shape perception, connect with audiences and drive impact. She is committed to strengthening the Gold Coast’s reputation through evidence-led strategy and meaningful community outcomes.

My background is in political science and integrated communication.

I have more than 15 years experience in communication working within different areas - public and digital diplomacy, stratcom, government affairs, media relations, PR, country branding.

Together with my team in 2019 we have launched a new brand strategy and platform - Lithuania Co-Create. 

Megan Knott, CEO of Tourism Kingston, and proud mom of two daughters, has more than 25 years of experience in leadership and development, strategic marketing, media and public relations, and business and fiscal management. She holds an MBA in community economic development and is pursuing credentials as a Certified Destination Management Executive.

Megan led city partners in the creation and funding framework for its now established tourism organizations: a hotel association and the destination management organization. Kingston Accommodation Partners’ mission is to advocate for the industry. Tourism Kingston’s mission is to create economic return and visitor experience supports through sales, marketing, the creative industries, and visitor services. Under Megan’s stewardship, these organizations work collaboratively, along with other municipal and community partners, to deliver on the destination’s Integrated Destination Strategy.

Megan also led negotiations for instituting the Municipal Accommodation Tax in Kingston, in which all funds collected from overnight stays are reinvested into the city’s tourism efforts. Her proven capabilities in stakeholder engagement, ideation, and consensus-building have led to the development and implementation of many community investment partnerships and major infrastructure projects.

An active member of the Kingston community, Megan has participated on several boards of directors, including for Regional Tourism Organization 9, Kingston Economic Development Corporation, Downtown Kingston BIA, and the Greater Kingston Chamber of Commerce.

Under Megan's leadership, the Kingston brand has been recognized with more than 30 national and international awards since its inception in 2018.

Meira Pappi is Chief Senior Specialist at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, specialising in country brand, international reputation and strategic communications. She has spent close to a decade in the foreign service working on Finland’s international image, with a particular interest in how research and data can inform country brand work.

Her academic background is in sociology, with a Master’s in Cultural Politics and Policy. Before joining the MFA, she worked in music and events, specializing in international marketing, media relations and press programmes.

Her main professional interests include happiness, reputational security and the role of culture in international perception. Alongside her work, she writes the Substack On Brand: Suomi Finland, focusing on country branding, identity and how places are understood internationally.

Marie Scalia has been part of the marketing team for Destination Cleveland since 2012. In her current role, she is responsible for overseeing the organization’s integrated marketing efforts, including development and management of the Cleveland brand, digital marketing, web development, and major event campaigns. Marie holds a bachelor’s degree in interpersonal communications with a minor in marketing from Kent State University and an MBA from Cleveland State University. Shortly after joining the organization, she was part of the work to define and introduce the Cleveland visitor brand, resulting, most notably, in the creation of the now-viral hashtag #ThisIsCLE and Cleveland script signs. She was a key part of the work to bring ABC’s “The Bachelor” to Cleveland for an episode in 2019 and instrumental in the local marketing efforts for the 2021 NFL Draft and 2022 NBA All-Star Game. In 2021, Marie was named a Distinguished Sales and Marketing Award recipient by SME Cleveland. Her list of Cleveland favorites includes strolling the stalls at West Side Market, chowing down in Little Italy, experiencing the city’s culture at the Cleveland Museum of Art and connecting with nature along the lakefront.

Nicole Vilalte is a seasoned advertising professional with a strong skill set spanning account management, strategic planning, creative development, broadcast and digital media, brand content production, and brand experience activations.

She brings over two decades of experience working with some of the world’s most recognized brands, including Fortune 500 companies such as IBM, Unilever, E*Trade, and Target. Her career includes roles at top award-winning agencies such as Ogilvy & Mather in New York and Wieden + Kennedy in Portland.

Currently, Nicole serves as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) at Invest Puerto Rico, where she leads all marketing initiatives to position the island as a competitive and compelling business destination.

Known for her passion for brand building and a proven track record of delivering impactful work, Nicole is a respected leader within the advertising industry. She is a graduate of Universidad del Sagrado Corazón in Puerto Rico, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Communications and Advertising.

Sarah Volberg is the Executive Director, Growth Marketing and Brand Intelligence at Destination Canada, with over two decades of marketing and communications experience. She leads the strategic use of data and insights to guide domestic and global marketing. A passionate advocate for evidence-based decision-making, Sarah champions a test-and-learn culture, rigorous performance systems, and centralized market intelligence. She also spearheaded Destination Canada’s Brand and Marketing Measurement Framework—adopted by Team Canada partners—to position brand equity as a national driver of wealth and well-being.