Executive Bios
Charles Ahlers, President
Charles Ahlers was named president of the Anaheim/Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau in 1992. As president, he oversees the Bureau’s convention and tourism marketing efforts and serves as the chief executive officer.
Ahlers’ history with Anaheim dates back to the 1970s when he held the position of convention sales manager at the Bureau for seven years.
Full biography
Nancy Decious, Staff Vice President
Ms. Decious joined the AOCVCB as Director of Administration in 1990 and was promoted to Staff Vice President in 1998.
She
assists the President in managing, implementing and initiating all
Bureau programs and services, and oversees the finance and operations
of the Bureau.
Ms. Decious holds degrees in Business and
Political Science (emphasis in Public Administration) with certificates
in UCI’s Personnel Management and Employee Relations, USC’s Marketing
and Sales program, and DMAI’s Professional in Destination Management
Program. She is a native Californian, and has 19 years of experience
in the visitor industry.
Mindy Abel, Senior Vice President of Convention Sales
Ms. Abel is the newest member of the AOCVCB's executive team. She was promoted to vice president of meeting sales in January 2006.
Mindy joined the Bureau’s sales team in 1994 and has since served as convention sales director and Northeast regional director in Philadelphia for five years, before returning to Anaheim in 2000.
Ms. Abel is a 23-year veteran of the visitor industry. She began her career with Marriott holding positions from front desk to convention services and sales.
Elaine Cali, Vice President of Communications
Ms. Cali has more than 25 years of experience in Orange County’s visitor industry. She oversees all media relations, creative services, communications programs and community relations.
She is an active member of the Society of American Travel Writers and the Public Relations Society of America, as well as a variety of tourism related organizations. Elaine is a seventh generation Californian, with family heritage extending to Orange County’s Rancho period.
Christina Dawson, Vice President of Partnership Development
Ms. Dawson transitioned from the Bureau’s tourism team to its membership department as director of strategic partnerships in July 2005. She received a promotion to vice president of partnership development in February 2007.
Ms. Dawson leads a team of four, and under her direction, the membership department has been instrumental in several new or enhanced Bureau initiatives.
A native of Queens, New York, Christina has twenty years of experience in the tourism and hotel industries, including a number of sales and marketing positions during her career.
Ann Gallaugher, Vice President of Tourism Development
Ann joined the AOCVCB in 1983 and was promoted to vice president of tourism development in 2004. Ann and her full time staff of four are responsible for marketing the destination of Anaheim/Orange County to international and domestic travel professionals.
Ms. Gallaugher is co-founder of the Southern California Tourism Safety & Security Association. She serves on the California Travel Industry Association (CALTIA) Board of Directors, Cal State Fullerton’s Center for Entertainment & Tourism Advisory Board and Honors Networking Program, the Cypress College Hospitality/Travel Careers Advisory Council, and the planning committees for the Southern California Tourism Safety & Security Conference and the Southern California Visitor Industry Outlook Conference.
She also serves as the U.S. Commercial Service’s Orange County District Export Council’s tourism specialist. She served as a board member of the Southern California Travel and Tourism Marketing Association (TTMA) from l993-l997. Ann was nominated for a “Women in Business” award by the Orange County Business Journal in May 2001.
Jim Kissinger, Vice President of Convention Sales
Mr. Kissinger joined the AOCVCB as Convention Sales Director in 1984 and was promoted to Vice President, Convention Sales in 1995.
Jim has been a board member of HSMA since 1984 and served as president of the chapter in 1994/5. He has also been a board member of Western Assn. of Convention and Visitor Bureaus (WACVB) since 1997 and served as president of WACVB in 2005.
He has nearly 30 years of experience in the hotel and convention industries. Jim has been married to wife, Dawn, for 35 years, and they reside in Fullerton with their two sons, Andrew and Matthew.
© 2007 ANAHEIM/ORANGE COUNTY VISITOR & CONVENTION BUREAU | 714.765.8888 | 800 WEST KATELLA AVE. ANAHEIM, CA 92802