NYC & Company, the official destination marketing organization and convention and visitors bureau for New York City’s five boroughs, has announced four recent appointments to its Convention Development team.
Newly-appointed team members include Martha Palacios, Senior Director, International MICE for Canada, Latin America & Europe; Rostana Wardak, Regional Director for the US West Coast market, and Renee Wilson, Director, Tourism Market Development: Canada, Europe & US Watson Li, Regional Director, International MICE for Asia Pacific, Africa & Middle East, and Elizabeth Boylan, Sales Manager, have also recently re-joined the organization.
“We are proud to draw on the talents of these esteemed leaders at NYC & Company. As New York City continues in its tourism recovery, we are better positioned than ever to host live and in-person meetings, conventions and events in the five boroughs. Our team stands ready to assist meeting professionals from around the globe, and we look forward to showing planners and all their clients that It’s Time to Make it NYC,” said Jerry Cito, NYC & Company’s Executive Vice President, Convention Development.
Recent appointments include:
• Martha Palacios
Senior Director, International MICE, Canada, LATAM & Europe
Last November, Palacios joined NYC & Company as Senior Director, International MICE, overseeing the Canadian, Latin American and European markets. Palacios has been a hospitality industry sales leader in the New York City area for more than 20 years and looks forward to working with buyers from these key international markets to bring their next meeting or program to the City’s five boroughs.
• Renee Wilson
Director, Tourism Market Development: Canada, Europe & US
Wilson recently joined NYC & Company as Director, Tourism Market Development: Canada, Europe & US. Wilson manages day-to-day travel trade activities in Canada, leads the development of the US market and identifies new market segments, and supports in the European markets alongside Reginald Charlot, Managing Director, Tourism Market Development.
Wilson is a Bronx native and currently resides in the borough’s Soundview neighborhood. With 16 years’ experience in the travel and tourism industry, she most recently served as Director of Sales for Running Subway, the producers of Times Square’s new attraction RiseNY. Prior to Running Subway, Wilson held roles at THE RIDE and Harlem Spirituals. Among other volunteer positions, Wilson sits on the Student and Youth Travel Association (SYTA) Diversity Advisory Board and serves as Public Relations Director for her sorority Zeta Phi Beta, Incorporated – the Manhattan Alumni Chapter.
• Rostana Wardak
Regional Director, West
Wardak was named Regional Director, West in January. A first-generation Afghan-American hailing from San Diego, California, Wardak is responsible for driving business meetings and events to New York City from the US West Coast market. Prior to joining NYC & Company, she worked in the hotel industry for more than 10 years, most recently at the Sheraton New York Times Square.
• Watson Li
Regional Director, International MICE, APAC, Africa & Middle East
This month, Li was appointed Regional Director, International MICE, overseeing the Asia Pacific, Africa and Middle East regions. A hospitality and tourism industry leader with more than 15 years’ experience, Li has formerly held sales roles with Starwood Hotels & Resorts, in both the New York Metro area and in Guangzhou, China. He previously worked for NYC & Company from 2017-2020.
• Elizabeth Boylan
Sales Manager
Boylan recently re-joined NYC & Company as Sales Manager, handling small meetings in the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic and New York markets. A lifelong resident of New York State, Boylan started her career with NYC & Company in 2013 and has previously worked on the organization’s Membership and Convention Development teams. She returned in February after 2.5 years at the Long Island CVB.
Last September, NYC & Company unveiled It’s Time to Make It NYC, the organization’s largest marketing and sales effort for the meetings and conventions industry.