Pasadena Center Operating Company’s leadership elected to Board of Directors of global industry associations in tourism and venue management

Pasadena, CA (August 1, 2023) – The Pasadena Center Operating Company’s women in leadership have recently been elected to Board of Directors roles for the premiere global industry organizations in travel and tourism, as well as venues and events. Kristin McGrath, executive director of Visit Pasadena, has been elected to the 2023-2024 association Board of Directors for Destinations International (DI). Naz Sabripour, executive director of the Pasadena Convention Center, has been elected Convention Center Sector Director on the 2023-2024 Board of Directors for the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM).

“I am honored to be selected among such a distinguished group of leaders in the global travel industry,” said McGrath about her new role. “I look forward to supporting the important work of DI and their initiatives, which have contributed so much to our tourism, meetings and conventions industry over the years. It is also an incredible joy to celebrate my colleague, Naz, for her newly appointed role among the world's leading venue management professionals.”

With more than 25 years of tourism industry experience, Kristin McGrath oversees Visit Pasadena’s work to becoming one of the top destinations in the country for leisure tourism, meetings and conventions. For a full list of Destinations International’s Board of Directors, click here. For a full list of the Destinations International Foundation Board of Trustees, click here.

“It’s a great privilege to represent convention centers on the Board of Directors of IAVM,” said Sabripour. “I look forward to working with the esteemed leaders in this industry and support their ongoing mission to propel the public assembly venue industry forward. It’s especially wonderful to also congratulate my colleague Kristin for her new role representing Pasadena among the world’s travel leaders.”

Naz Sabripour joined the Pasadena Convention Center team in 2007 and currently oversees the 80,000 square feet state-of-the-art meeting and event spaces at the Pasadena Convention Center. For a full list of the IAVM Board of Directors, click here.

About Destinations International

Destinations International is the world’s largest resource for official destination organizations, convention and visitors bureaus (CVBs) and tourism boards. With more than 6,000 members and partners from over 600 destinations, the association represents a powerful forward-thinking and collaborative community around the world. For more information, visit www.destinationsinternational.org.

About International Association of Venue Managers

Representing public assembly venues from around the globe, IAVM's 7,000+ active members include managers and senior executives from auditoriums, arenas, convention centers, exhibit halls, stadiums, performing arts centers, university complexes, racetracks, and amphitheaters. IAVM's mission is to educate, advocate for, and inspire public assembly venue professionals worldwide. More information about IAVM is available at www.IAVM.org.

About Pasadena Center Operating Company

The Pasadena Center Operating Company is a non-profit 501(c)(4) dedicated to promoting Pasadena as a meeting and travel destination in an effort to maximize economic impact through the development of meetings, conventions, entertainment events and tourism by providing professionally managed facilities and first-class service. The Pasadena Center Operating Company operates the Pasadena Convention Center, Civic Auditorium, Convention & Visitors Bureau known as Visit Pasadena, and Ice Skating Center. For more information, visit www.pasadenacenter.com.