Leadership and staff

Prior to stepping into the role of president and CEO of Visit California, Julie Coker served as president and CEO of New York City Tourism + Conventions, where she headed efforts to promote the five boroughs as one of the world's leading destinations for leisure and business travel. She oversaw initiatives to inspire visitors to discover everything they need to know about what to do and see in NYC, along with a market development team focusing on group, meeting/convention, leisure and events-motivated travel, as well as a communications network and satellite offices across the US and around the globe. Under Coker’s leadership, New York City Tourism + Conventions also played a key role in preparing the destination for the 2026 World Cup, developing marketing, content and visitor-facing initiatives designed to turn the tournament into a citywide invitation to explore the five boroughs.

Prior to leading New York City Tourism + Conventions, she served the president and CEO of The San Diego Tourism Authority (SDTA), which, under Coker's leadership, has been recognized as one of the best in the business. With Coker at the helm, San Diego ranked as one of the top-performing U.S. destinations in 2023, ranking third in the nation in hotel occupancy at 73.5%, and SDTA’s groups and conventions business returned to full recovery, surpassing 2019 figures. For fiscal year 2023 (July – June), under her leadership, San Diego County’s Transient Occupancy Tax generated more than $420 million for regional services and SDTA’s sales and marketing programs delivered a $33 to $1 return on investment, the highest in the organization’s 69-year history; and the retention rate among SDTA members was 99%.

Coker’s commitment to serving on boards gives her unique insight and notable influence in the tourism industry. In January 2023, she was appointed to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board, joining 31 other leaders from the domestic travel and tourism industry in providing advice to the secretary of commerce on travel priorities. She also serves on the executive boards of the U.S. Travel Association and has served on the boards of Visit California, the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation and the San Diego Lodging Association, Sharp Health Care, and advisory councils for Tourism Diversity Matters and Biocom SD.

Matthew Sabbatini is the chief operating officer for Visit California. Since stepping into the COO role in 2015, he has successfully scaled the organization as its budget more than doubled to $131 million while keeping operational costs at less than half the national average for nonprofits. He oversees finance, human resources, information technology, assessment revenue and California Welcome Centers, as well as financial and accounting policies, technology systems, personnel and organizational controls. Matt has continued the organization’s 24-year string of unqualified financial audits.

Since 2004, Matt has worked at Visit California to create an efficient global operating infrastructure to support Visit California’s mission. He has led the charge on cost-effective and innovative operational tools to scale Visit California’s international program of work, including the Dream Big Dividend operations activation plan. He previously served as vice president of operations; senior director of finance, human resources and information technology; and operations manager and commission liaison, managing all aspects of the organization's operational systems while acting as a direct liaison with Visit California’s board members and numerous committees.

Matt has more than 24 years of operations and executive experience and is the recipient of the 2011 Business Journal's CFO of the Year. Matt holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a master’s degree in finance from Colorado State.

Lynn Carpenter is Senior Vice President of Marketing for Visit California. Lynn oversees all of Visit California’s marketing, including advertising, cooperative promotions, travel trade, web and interactive, and publications.

Lynn steers a marketing budget that has grown from $6 million in 2006 to $131 million today. Under her leadership, Visit California has marketed the state as a place of abundance and opportunity. Lynn has added international offices in China, Mexico, and South Korea – among others – to Visit California’s portfolio, spreading the state’s brand around the globe in an effort to grow California’s share of tourism revenues.

Lynn has more than 20 years of professional marketing experience and extensive knowledge of online technology promotions and brand development. She began her career in the technology industry, serving as Vice President of Marketing at Netscape Communications and AOL Time Warner. She crossed the threshold into the travel industry as Executive Director of Marketing and Sales for Mammoth Mountain Resort.

She is a resident of Loomis, where she lives with her husband and two children. They enjoy spending their time in the outdoors.

Leona Reed serves as the Vice President of Global Marketing for Visit California. She leads the international marketing team and oversees brand advertising, cooperative marketing, digital content, travel trade and public relations initiatives for Visit California’s 13 target international markets: China, United Kingdom, Canada, Mexico, Australia, Middle East, Japan, Germany, France, South Korea, Italy, Nordics and India.

California welcomes over 17 million international visitors annually who infuse more than $25 billion into the state’s economy through direct spending. In her 17 years working to promote California tourism and grow the international program, Leona has represented Visit California across the world as a spokesperson, strategist and collaborative marketer.

Prior to her current role, Leona served as the European marketing director for Visit California, managing all aspects of Visit California’s marketing programs in Europe, as well as international media relations manager, directing all communications and public relations efforts for Visit California’s international markets.

Angie Pappas serves as the Vice President of Communications for Visit California. She leads the Global Media Relations and External Affairs, Corporate Communications, Industry Relations and Research teams that support the organization’s mission to inspire demand for the California brand and promote how much travel matters to the Golden State’s well-being.

Before joining Visit California in 2014, Angie served as Director of Communications at the California Restaurant Association, where she developed the association’s overall messaging strategy and served as spokeswoman for the CRA and its Foundation. She has also worked as an editor at The Sacramento Bee and Albuquerque Journal.

She studied Communications at Whitworth University in Spokane, Wash.

Stephanie DeVries is the Chief of Staff at Visit California. In her role, she serves as a strategic adviser to the President and CEO and executive leadership team, overseeing enterprise initiatives, executive operations, board governance and special projects that advance Visit California's mission and industry priorities..

Stephanie has spent more than a decade at Visit California, holding several roles across the organization. She previously served on the international marketing team, where she led programs in key global markets, including Canada, Mexico, Australia, the Middle East and Brazil, before returning to the executive office. With extensive experience in executive leadership support, stakeholder engagement and organizational management, she has played a pivotal role in guiding major initiatives, including board relations, strategic planning efforts, executive transitions, and statewide industry collaborations. She is recognized for her ability to build strong relationships, navigate complex issues, and bring together diverse stakeholders to achieve organizational goals..

Prior to joining Visit California, Stephanie worked in the sports industry, where she held positions focused on event operations, stakeholder relations, and the delivery of sporting events and experiences. Her background in sports cultivated a strong foundation in strategic planning, relationship management and executing complex initiatives in fast-paced, high-visibility environments..