Meetings thumbnail
Play Video
placeholder

Sales Team

A successful Sales Team works together to achieve common goals. Collaboration involves effective communication, sharing knowledge and resources, and supporting each other to maximize sales opportunities. Come and meet our Team!

For assistance with planning your next event in Houston feel free to contact us directly:

Meetings, Conventions, Facilities, Space and Date Availability: 713-853-8949
To submit your RFP click here

Go to Meetings Page

 

Meet the Sales Team

 

Sales Leadership Team


John Solis
Senior Vice President of Sales & Client Services
Phone: 713-853-8926
Email: jsolis@visithouston.com

Nathan Tollett
Vice President, Citywide Sales
Phone: 713-853-8977
Email: ntollett@visithouston.com

Directors


Jason Purifoy
Director, Citywide Sales
Market: 1,000+ Peak
Phone: 713-853-8338
Email: jpurifoy@visithouston.com

Melinda Mintz
Director, Hotel Sales
Market: 10-999
Phone: 713-853-8314
Email: mmintz@visithouston.com

Quicklinks:

In-Hotel Sales

Our Hotel sales team manager groups inquiring about singles property accommodation for hotel rooms and meeting space. This team handles accounts requiring 10-999 rooms on peak.


Dakotah Appelhans
National Account Executive
Market: 10-99 Peak
Phone: 713-853-8129
Email: dappelhans@visithouston.com

Kris Vargas
National Account Executive
Market: 100-300 Peak, West
Phone: 713-853-8210
Email: kvargas@visithouston.com

Cory Campbell
National Account Executive
Market: 100-300 Peak, East
Phone: 713-853-8935
Email: ccampbell@visithouston.com

Juan Bradford
National Account Executive
Market: 100-999 Peak, Weekends/Holidays
Phone: 713-853-8367
Email: jbradford@visithouston.com

Len Valka
National Account Executive
Market: 301-999 Peak, Midwest/West
Phone: 713-853-8295
Email: lvalka@visithouston.com

Joel Rugerio
National Account Executive
Market: 301-999 Peak, East
Phone: 713-853-8934
Email: jrugerio@visithouston.com

Austin Market Sales & Services

Our Austin based sales and services team assists customers with the sales and client services phases of their events.


Karen Villagomez

National Account Executive
Market: 301+ Peak, Association, Corporate, SMERF, and Sports located in Austin
Phone: 512-263-2380
Email: kvillagomez@visithouston.com

Citywide Sales Team

Our citywide team manager groups requiring multiple hotel properties and space within two major convention centers in Houston. The team handles accounts requiring at least 1,000 rooms on peak. Please meet our associates:


Alyssa Abdulla
National Account Executive
Market: 1,000+ Peak, AL, CT, DE, FL, GA, KY, LA, MA, ME, MS, MC, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX (Excluding Corporate & Austin), VT, WV
Phone: 713-853-8051
Email: aabdulla@visithouston.com

Mercedes Williams
Associate Director, Corporate Sales
Market: 1,000+ Peak AR, Northern CA, MN, OR, WA
Phone: 713-853-8927
Email: mwilliams@visithouston.com

Niki Nanavati
National Account Executive
Market: 1,000+ Peak, AZ, Southern, CA, CO, IA, ID, KS, MO, MT, ND, NE, NM, NV, OK, SD, TX, UT, WY (Excluding Association, SMERF, Sports in TX and Austin)
Phone: 713-853-8154
Email: nnanavati@visithouston.com

Amra Elmore
National Account Executive
Market: 1,000+ Peak, DC, VA, MD
Phone: 410-864-8227
Email: aelmore@visithouston.com

Lindsay Rhoden
National Account Executive
Market: 1,000+ Peak, IL, IN, MI, OH, WI
Phone: 713-853-8939
Email: lrhoden@visithouston.com

George R. Brown Convention Center - Consumer Sales

Our George R. Brown Convention Center – Consumer Sales team helps customers find space at our convention center for consumer trade shows, conferences or events.


Anita Robles
National Account Executive
Phone: 713-853-8033
Email: arobles@visithouston.com

International - Group Sales

Our International Group Sales Team focuses on programs with meetings, conventions, and events produced by organizations with headquarters outside of the USA, as well as those events that rotate internationally.


Daniel Palomo
Director, International Sales and Leisure
Phone: 713-853-8326
Email: dpalomo@visithouston.com

Sales Support Team

 


Kristen Gutierrez

Executive Assistant
Phone: 713-853-8924
Email: kgutierrez@visithouston.com

Kim Duffaut

Administrative Assistant
Phone: 713-853-8807
Email: kduffaut@visithouston.com

Jessi Primiterre

Administrative Assistant
Phone: 713-853-8205
Email: jprimiterre@visithouston.com

Marbella Carrero

Administrative Assistant
Phone: 713-853-8204
Email: mcarrero@visithouston.com

Top
Meet the services Team
Meeting Venues
Submit Rfp



VISITHOUSTON AR

A brand new FREE VisitHouston AR app takes the view you normally see through your cell phone camera and adds a layer of "augmented reality."

GET THE APP

PARTNERSHIP TOWER

701 Avenida de las Americas

Houston, TX 77010

(713) 853-8100

Best Cities DMAP USA Greatest Place To Work
© 2023 Houston First Corporation.
All Rights Reserved.