Speakers

Suzie is Chair of the Lexington Semiquincentennial  Commission-Lex250 and has nearly 30 years of experience planning, coordinating, and carrying out public celebration events for the Town of Lexington having served as member, Vice Chair, and Chair of the Town Celebrations Committee for the 225th Anniversary of the Battle of Lexington as well as the 300th Anniversary of the Incorporation of the Town of Lexington. Suzie also serves on the State Commission for the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution and is a 10-year member of the Lexington Select Board. Suzie recalls President Ford’s visit to Lexington for the Bicentennial in 1975 and missing shaking his hand by less than 2 inches!

Michael J. Bobbitt is a theater director, choreographer, and playwright who dedicated his professional career to arts leadership. He joined the Mass Cultural Council as Executive Director in February 2021 and is the highest-ranking cultural official in the Massachusetts state government. Upon joining the Agency, he was invited to serve on the Board of Directors for the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA). As Executive Director, Michael has led the Mass Cultural Council through the development of its first-ever Racial Equity Plan; worked with staff, Council Members, and cultural sector advocates to secure and distribute a historic $60.1M in state pandemic relief funding; and overseen the drafting and adoption of the Agency’s FY24-FY25 strategic plan.

Kate Fox is a seasoned tourism professional with 25 years of experience. Kate was previously the Executive Director of Destination Salem, where she oversaw year-round destination marketing efforts. Fox was a member of the City of Salem’s Economic Development Recovery & Revitalization Task Force, established in March 2020 to focus on business and community support during the pandemic. She also served on the Board of Directors for the Salem Chamber of Commerce, the Salem Main Street Steering Committee, and was a Commissioner for the Essex National Heritage Commission. She was previously president of the North of Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau Board of Directors and is a North Shore LEADS Fellow.

Sheila Green is the Coordinator of the American Revolution 250^th Anniversary for the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism. She comes to the position with a wealth of experience in the tourism and hospitality industry. Her recent experience includes Sail Boston, Boston Harbor City Cruises, and Doors Open Minneapolis, among others. Sheila has served as a Board Member for the USS Constitution Museum, Jane Doe Inc., American Cancer Society, NE and as and visor to the Joe Andruzzi Foundation, The Wonderfund and Project Step.

Dr. Robert Munro is the Vice-Chair of Concord250 as well as a delegate to the Battle Road Town Partnership–a 250th collaboration with the towns of Arlington, Concord, Lexington, and Lincoln. Rob is also a past and current member of many town committees and non-profit boards. For his work advancing civic engagement and racial equity in Massachusetts, in 2023 Rob was awarded a Black Excellence on the Hill Award by the Massachusetts House of Representatives and the House Black and Latino Caucus. Rob lives in Concord and is an Assistant Head of School at Concord Academy.

Christina Pappas is President of Open the Door. With over 30 years of experience, Pappas’ background covers a long career in the hospitality industry, holding the position of Director of Marketing for both the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority and the Massachusetts Port Authority before founding Open the Door in November 2001 to provide clients with innovative solutions and a fresh approach to marketing, sales, and public relations. A solid leader with a number of key relationships on local, regional, and international levels, Pappas is responsible for designing marketing, sales, and public relations programs that are highly proactive and work towards meeting very specific objectives with measurable results.  Among other clients, Open the Door manages the Massachusetts Lodging Association and as such, Pappas serves as President & CEO of the MLA.

Mike is the CEO and Owner of Sperling Interactive with over 15 years of website design, photography, marketing, and e-commerce experience. He built Sperling Interactive with his wife from the ground up, starting as a small office in his home with only a few employees and clients to one that has 20+ employees and more than 600 clients served all from our headquarters in Salem’s Historic District.

Kerrie Tripp, with over 20 years in hospitality and tourism, Kerrie remains committed to daily learning and growth within the industry. In her latest role, she has continued to collaborate with New England’s industry as well as international travel trade and media. Previously at Sutherland Weston Marketing Communications, Kerrie worked to establish a tourism-focused division. The majority of her career was spent as the Executive Director of the Greater Bangor Convention & Visitors Bureau. There, she adeptly managed partnerships across Maine and Atlantic Canada, showcasing Greater Bangor, The Maine Highlands, and New England at key trade and industry events.