SPEAKERS

Chesney Doyle

Senator Lydia Chassaniol

Senator Chassaniol has served since 2007 and is Chairwoman of the Senate Tourism Committee, where she has shown considerable leadership in helping to develop tourist markets within individual communities throughout the state. Chassaniol also serves as Vice Chairman of the Senate Corrections Committee.  In addition, Senator Chassaniol serves on the committees for Agriculture, Drug Policy, Elections, Ethics, Finance, Investigate State Offices and Municipalities.  She is a former art teacher who worked in public and private schools, in addition to serving as Director of the Communities in Schools program in Greenwood and Leflore County Schools for two years.  Still active in the community, Senator Chassaniol currently serves on the Mississippi Blues Commission and on the board of Cottonlandia Museum.  She is a long serving Rotarian and has participated in a literacy project with the local schools for many years.

Senator Chassaniol was integral in gathering support for Senate Bill 2336, which she co-authored, creating a “Country Music Trail” that highlights to tourists, each community’s role in the development of country music and its Mississippi-born mega-stars like Charley Pride, Marty Stuart, Elvis Presley and Tammy Wynette.  To her credit, Senator Chassaniol was the force behind Senate Bill 2333, the “2012 Cotesworth Culture and Heritage Center Fund," that secured a whopping $4 million in bond money for repair, renovation and refurbishing of the historic facility as well as purchasing five acres for the center.  Senator Chassaniol’s forward-thinking approach to tourism development was recognized by the Mississippi Tourism Association in 2008 when they presented her the MTA Legislative Friend of Tourism Award for outstanding leadership and support of the industry.  Senator Chassaniol is a graduate of University of Mississippi.  She is a lifelong resident of Winona, MS where she is a member of Moore Memorial United Methodist Church.  She is married to Emmett Chassaniol and has two daughters Mary Rae Cawood and Mimi Taylor.

Senator Chris Massey

Representative Becky Currie

Becky Currie has been in the Legislature for 3 terms and will be starting her fourth term in January 2020. She is a Registered Nurse of 40 years. Becky Currie serves as Chair of the House Tourism Committee and also Chair of PEER Committee. She is also the first President of the Ms House Conservative Coalition. Other committees that she serves on are Elections and Reapportionment, Medicaid, Education and Ways and Means.

Webster Franklin

Webster Franklin grew up in the Mississippi Delta and now calls Tunica, the northernmost county of the Delta, his home.   He attended the University of Mississippi and graduated in 1990 with a Bachelor of Arts degree.  Upon graduation he was employed in the White House for the George Bush administration where he served as an advance representative for Vice President Dan Quayle and executive assistant and personal aide to Mrs. Marilyn Tucker Quayle.  In 1994, Mr. Franklin became the first paid Executive Director of the Tunica County, Mississippi, Chamber of Commerce.  He was responsible for drafting and lobbying for passage of the special legislation creating and funding the Tunica County Convention & Visitors Bureau.

In January 1997, he became the first President and CEO of the new Convention & Visitors Bureau.  In 2004, he was inducted into the Mississippi Tourism Hall of Fame and the Tunica Tourism Hall of Fame.  Recently named by Memphis Magazine as a “Power Player in the Gaming Industry,” Franklin is President & CEO of the Tunica Convention & Visitors Bureau.  He is responsible for administering an annual budget of 3.5 million dollars for promoting tourism and leading Tunica County, Mississippi, to its goal of becoming a major tourist destination resort community. Under his leadership, the Tunica Convention & Visitors Bureau was named the CVB of the Year for the Southeastern US in 2009.  He lives in the Town of Tunica with his wife and two children.  

Emily Havens

Malika Polk-Lee

Malika Polk-Lee first came to the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center in 2012 as its chief administrative officer. Her strong background in corporate management was beneficial in her role of overseeing daily operations of the museum, which included financial reporting, personnel, purchasing, strategic planning, the development of education and outreach programs, and fundraising and donor development.  After the departure of the museum’s executive director in 2015, Malika was the choice to step into that position.   As the current executive director, she ensures local programming excellence while maintaining the high quality of exhibits that welcome visitors from all over the world.  She understands that service to the residents of the area is vital, and that it helps build a stronger community as well as offering guests a richer experience in the museum and the Mississippi Delta as a whole. 

Malika holds a Bachelor of Science in Biological Science from Mississippi State University and a Master of Business Administration from Delta State University.  She is currently serving on the board of AAAM and is in her second year as chair of the Governance Committee. She is also on the board of Mississippi Delta Tourism Association.  Malika is active in the Indianola community through service organizations including Rotary Club, where she is program chair. She also gives back through her sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha, having chaired several committees including Fundraising and Environmental Ownership.  She is married to Gerald Lee and they have one daughter, London.

Tami Reist 

During her more than three decade long career in the tourism and travel industry, Tami has lived by the theme expressed by the famous American heroine Helen Keller, “Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.” This theme is carried forth in all of her speaking engagements across the country and has had proven results in her professional accomplishments.  Tami is the President/CEO of the Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association (AMLA). Her duties include planning, implementing, directing, and evaluating all promotional programs as well as overall development of the tourism and travel industry within the 16 northernmost counties of the State of Alabama. The region currently generates more than $2.5 billion in travel expenditures on an annual basis.  Tami’s responsibilities also include strengthening and expanding the membership base of AMLA, a not-for-profit organization that is supported by 500-plus members consisting of Chambers of Commerce, Convention & Visitors Bureaus, attractions, campgrounds, festivals, communities, counties, golf courses, restaurants, tour operators, accommodations, vendors, financial institutions, and individuals. 

Tami is a board member for a number of tourism and travel-related and civic organizations including: Governor Appointee to the Scenic Byways Committee, Alabama Tourism Chair for the Appalachian Regional Commission, Southeast Tourism Society Legislative Council, the Alabama Bicentennial Commission, Alabama Travel Council, Alabama Council of Association Executives, Alabama Association of Destination Marketing Organizations, and numerous other local and state travel related groups. Tami is also an instructor at the Southeast Tourism Society’s Marketing College in Dahlonega, GA. and has been a contributing presenter to the tourism and travel field of study at Mississippi State University. Among her many recognitions are the Alabama Travel Council Partnership Award, the Southeast Tourism Society Dorothy Hardman Spirit Award, and This is Alabama and Birmingham magazine’s Women Who Shape the State honoree.  Tami’s interest include interior design, flying with her husband, traveling, and spending time with her grandchildren.

Kamel King

Kamel L. King was born and raised in Jackson, MS.  Kamel attended American University (Washington, D.C.) and Tougaloo College (Jackson, MS) and graduated with honors from Tougaloo College earning a bachelor’s degree in Political Science/International Relations.  Kamel was accepted and graduated from Mississippi College School of Law with a law degree with emphasis on intellectual property and entertainment law. 

Kamel spent 10 years as the Attorney on the Road for GRAMMY nominated group, was a Director of Operations for both Blackberry Records, Inc. and Terminal Recording Studios, a GRAMMY award winning studio, and has had many years of experience in booking and event production.  Kamel has since been Assistant Producer in the Recording Academy© endorsed “Mississippi…Celebrates Its GRAMMY© Legacy ” events, “Mississippi Night” at the L.A. GRAMMY© Museum and other tourism conferences.  Kamel also is a contributing author in the American Bar Association released book "Entertainment Law: For The General Practitioner".  He is a practicing entertainment attorney.  Kamel is most proud to currently be the Bureau Manager for the State of Mississippi's Tourism Development agency which manages the Mississippi Blues Trail, Country Music Trail, Freedom Trail, Writers Trail and the state’s rich music and cultural branding at many trade shows and festivals. 

Willy Bearden