Emily Gonzalez

Raised in Coastal Alabama, Emily has always thought strategic tourism marketing should feel less like a boardroom pitch and more like a conversation over sweet tea. She's the kind of leader who never stops learning, teaching, or uplifting the teams around her. A Destinations International CDME (Certified Destination Management Executive) and Southeast Tourism Society TMP (Travel Marketing Professional), she’s the human behind the idea that storytelling and analytics can – and do – play nice together.
With 25+ years in the travel & tourism industry, Emily’s strength lies not just in crafting comprehensive analytics reports or clever media strategies, but in mentoring high-performance teams across both grassroots and large-scale destinations to do the same, while cracking a joke when the algorithms throw a curveball. Known as a DMO cheerleader and true tourism trailblazer, her acumen spans everything from digital marketing and SEO optimized content strategies to smart media buying, deep-dives into analytics, public relations, and engaging multimedia storytelling.

At Madden Media, she’s known as the go-to collaborator who helps destinations find their unique stories bringing them to life with data-backed creativity and authenticity. Her strength lies in meeting DMOs where they are: guiding them with optimism, mentorship, and tailored solutions that work – whether they're trying to boost brand visibility or build sustainable, community-centered campaigns. She excels at helping destinations actually be seen – rather than simply indexed – turning complexity into connections that can’t be ignored.
Whether demystifying AI for DMOs or crafting inclusive campaigns that elevate cultural placemaking, Emily’s approach is as tactical as it is relatable, connecting the dots between strategy and storytelling – grounded, witty, and always rooted in destination-first narrative.