Megan Conway will serve as the new president and CEO of Visit Portland, succeeding Jeff Miller, who served as CEO for 19 years.
Conway joins a growing number of women taking senior roles in destination management organizations (DMOs). Notably, Kathy Haley was named the first female president and CEO of the Toronto Metropolitan Convention Center in late November.
Julie Coker is now the new president and CEO of the New York City Tourism and Convention Center. She served as president and CEO before joining the San Diego Tourism Authority.
Anna Marie Presutti most recently served as president and CEO of the San Francisco Tourism Association.
These women lead DMOs alongside other CEOs. Among them is Martha Sheridan, president and CEO of Meet Boston. In addition, Casandra Matej is president and CEO of Visit Orlando; Julie Calvert, president and CEO of Visit Cincy; and Tammy Canavan, president and CEO of Visit Seattle.
“The first people in the industry to reach out to me and congratulate me are these women. They are the champions of our industry in their own right, both male and female,” Conway said. “They do a lot of work to ensure that women feel welcome at the C-suite and encouraged to succeed.”
Conway welcomed the arrival of a WNBA team in Portland in 2026. “The family that owns this organization also owns our women’s soccer team. They are committed to defining Portland as a center for women’s leadership in athletics and sports,” she noted.
Conway has a long history with Portland tourism
Since 2020, Conway has served as chief strategy officer. “Megan has been a key member of Visit Portland’s executive team since 2020, helping guide our region’s vital hospitality industry during one of the most challenging times in its history,” Miller said.
Tourism is vital to Portland’s economy. Last year, tourists spent $5.4 billion. This generated $260 million in state and local tax revenue.
Conway joined Visit Portland for a second time in 2010 as vice president of communications and public relations. She rose through the executive leadership team and became senior vice president of communications and regional strategy in 2017.
She first joined Visit Portland in 2003 as communications and public relations manager. She left to work at Adidas. There she was responsible for public relations for the Olympics and World Cup in the United States.
Conference business is on the rise
“It is an honor to be trusted to lead Visit Portland into its next chapter. I look forward to continuing the great work of Jeff Miller, our amazing staff and all of our partners as we build momentum to make Portland a must-visit place in the United States regain its rightful place among destinations.
Travel Portland’s meeting sales team has booked approximately 300,000 future room nights for upcoming meetings. This is second only to 2018’s estimated future room night bookings of 317,000.
Conferences in the education and life sciences fields are popular in Portland. The National Education Association (NEA) is hosting Portland’s largest event ever. The week-long conference will be held in July 2025 at the Oregon Convention Center.
Additionally, the Society for the Advancement of Chicano/Hispanic and Native American Sciences (SACHNAS) has made a multi-year commitment to return to Portland. The organization convened a national STEM diversity conference in Portland in 2023 and will convene again in 2028 and 2034.
