Release Date: September 10, 2025

Contact:

Ashley Woitena President-CEO,

VisitColumbusGA

706.317.2110

Awoitena@visitcolumbusga.com

VisitColumbusGA Names Danielle Ackerman as

Director of Marketing & Communications

Columbus, GA – VisitColumbusGA is pleased to announce the appointment of Danielle Ackerman as its new Director of Marketing & Communications. With over 17 years of experience in the tourism industry, Ackerman brings a wealth of knowledge and strategic insight to Columbus's destination marketing organization.

"We are excited to welcome Danielle to our leadership team," said Ashley Woitena, President-CEO of VisitColumbusGA. “Danielle's passion for destination marketing shines through in everything she does. With a powerhouse background spanning sales, marketing, agency work, and Marketing Technology, plus hands-on experience at both small and large DMOs, she brings a unique blend of creativity, strategy, and heart. Her deep industry relationships and unwavering commitment to community impact will supercharge our efforts to position Columbus as a must-visit destination for leisure travel, meetings, and events. We’re especially excited about how her vision will help us shine a brighter light on the people, places, and stories that make our community so special.”

Ackerman most recently served as Director, Product Marketing and Client Strategy at Zartico, a MarTech company in the DMO space. There, she collaborated with destinations across the country to address strategic challenges, develop innovative tools, and uncover opportunities that improve outcomes. Her career journey begins with Discover Crystal River and moves into leadership roles at Experience Kissimmee, Paradise Advertising & Marketing, and Zartico—each contributing to her deep understanding of destination marketing and stakeholder engagement.

Ackerman brings specialized expertise in strategic marketing, data-driven planning, and destination management. Her career spans leadership roles in DMOs, advertising agencies, and MarTech, where she has consistently delivered measurable results. From launching innovative marketing products and expanding international market share to building digital divisions and mentoring teams, Ackerman has demonstrated exceptional skill in leveraging data insights, fostering stakeholder collaboration, and driving tourism growth.

"I’m honored to join the team at VisitColumbusGA and bring my passion for destination marketing to such an incredible community,” said Ackerman. “As a lifelong advocate for how the work we do as DMO marketers impacts the people we serve, I’m eager to apply data-driven strategies and collaborative leadership to elevate Columbus as a premier travel destination. I look forward to contributing to the city’s continued success alongside this amazing team.”

Ackerman will lead VisitColumbusGA’s Marketing & Communications department, overseeing all branding, content creation, media relations, and digital strategy to elevate Columbus as a premier destination. Her role includes developing integrated marketing campaigns, managing agency partnerships, and shaping the organization’s storytelling efforts across platforms. She will collaborate closely with the Director of Sales, and drive initiatives that support meetings, conventions, leisure tourism, and community engagement. Ackerman began her new role on September 8, 2025.

VisitColumbusGA serves as the official destination marketing organization for Columbus, Georgia. Tourism continues to be big business in Columbus. In FY 2024, VisitColumbusGA tracked over 2.07 million visitors to Columbus, resulting in more than $377 million in economic impact, supporting 4,491 jobs with an estimated payroll of over $151 million; as well as generating $26 million in lodging and sales tax for the city. Visitors to Columbus generated over $20 million in tax revenue for the county and state, providing $639 in tax relief for Columbus households.