Lauren Bennett McGinty

About Lauren Bennett McGinty

Appointed as the Executive Director of Explore Minnesota by Governor Tim Walz in 2021…

Experience

1. Executive Director

   Explore Minnesota

   Nov 2021 — Present · St Paul, MN, US

   Manage the state marketing office & oversee strategic initiatives> Develop annual strategy, in conjunction with staff, to support increased tourism and promote livability/economic opportunity to and in the state> Develop and maintain working relationships with industry stakeholders, other government agencies and legislators> Ensure organizational excellence through teamwork, agility, innovation, inclusivity and creativity> Work with staff to develop new programs and projects to support the promotion of Minnesota as a top-10 state> Implement new policies and procedures to ensure effective and efficient use of taxpayer dollars> Oversee office HR and operations, ensuring compliance, equity and inclusion> Oversee Marketing, Communications, PR, Digital Strategy, Destination Development, Industry Relations and Welcome Center units> Develop biannual budgets for review and passage at the legislature> Maintain ongoing communication with other state agencies to develop new interagency programming and ensure Explore Minnesota marketing markets the intangible benefits of Minnesota> Act as office spokesperson

Education

• Gustavus Adolphus College

  BA, Communication

• Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

  Master of Science (MS), Project Management

  2016 — 2018

Skills

• Strategic Planning
• Membership Development
• Non-Profits
• Copywriting
• Web Design
• Marketing Communications
• Facebook
• Microsoft Office
• Email Marketing
• Newsletters
• Social Media Marketing
• Wordpress
• Event Planning
• Membership Systems
• Event Management
• Marketing
• Marketing Strategy
• Public Speaking
• Leadership
• Research
• Public Relations
• Internal Communications
• Social Media
• Media Relations
• Membership Relations
• Blogging
• Graphic Design