April 11, 2007 - The San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau (SFCVB) has combined its Marketing and Public Relations departments into one new department, Marketing & Communications, and announced several staff changes within the Public Relations team.

Laurie Armstrong has been named Vice President, Marketing & Communications.  She has been with the SFCVB since 1998 as Vice President, Public Relations.  Previous positions have included Vice President, Communications, with the Palm Springs Desert Resorts Convention & Visitors Bureau and Director of Public Affairs with the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority.  In her new position, she will oversee consumer marketing, marketing services, editorial services, and public relations operations.

Angela Jackson will join the SFCVB as Director of Public Relations, effective April 9.  Jackson has been with the Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco since 1996 as Director of Public Relations.  Her background includes positions with The Corsi Agency, Games Partnership, Ltd., Inc., and Marketing Resources Group.  In her position at the SFCVB, Jackson will oversee the local, domestic and international public relations efforts of the world's most popular visitor destination, generating publicity world-wide for San Francisco as a leisure, business and convention travel destination, and communicating to the local community about the programs of the Bureau and the impact of tourism on the local economy.

"Combining the marketing and public relations divisions helps facilitate a more integrated marketing approach with our convention and tourism divisions," said Leonard Hoops, Executive Vice President of Sales & Marketing.  "Laurie's background managing both public relations and consumer marketing in previous jobs make her an excellent fit to lead the new group.  We're also delighted to have Angela join us as she not only knows public relations but also has great knowledge of San Francisco as a convention and visitor destination."

Tanya Houseman, previously SFCVB Member Communications Manager, is now Public Relations Manager.  Her responsibilities include promoting San Francisco to journalists outside of the city, including national, international, travel trade, meeting and convention trade and gay/lesbian media.

Sara Vasquez has joined the SFCVB as Communications Manager.  Most recently, Vasquez was Publications Coordinator for the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. Her responsibilities include weekly and quarterly member newsletters as well as development of collateral for all Bureau member-based programs. Vasquez also assists with communications regarding the Bureau's 501 [c] 3 foundation, the San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau Education & Research Foundation. 
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Laurie Armstrong

Angela Jackson

Tanya Houseman

Sara Vasquez

With more than 1,800 members, the SFCVB is one of the largest membership-based tourism promotion agencies in the country. Tourism, San Francisco's largest industry, generates in excess of $7.3 billion annually for the local economy. The SFCVB business offices are located at 201 Third St., Suite 900, San Francisco, CA 94103.  The Bureau also operates the Visitor Information Center at Hallidie Plaza, 900 Market St. at the corner of Powell and Market streets.  For more information, call 415-974-6900 or visit www.onlyinsanfrancisco.com.