With more than two decades of experience in the tourism industry, Katherine O’Donnell currently serves as the President & CEO of Richmond Region Tourism. In this capacity, she provides strategic oversight across key departments including Marketing, Destination Sales & Sports, Visitor Experience, Community Relations, and Administration. Katherine is instrumental in driving the organization’s charge to enhance and expand the tourism sector in the Richmond Region to benefit the entire community. She is passionate about using tourism as a force for good to steward the Richmond Region and enhance quality of life for residents.

Under her leadership, Virginia’s first Tourism Improvement District was established in July 2023, significantly increasing the resources dedicated to tourism promotion. Katherine also champions the organization’s diversity and inclusion initiatives and oversees the governance of its nonprofit Foundation.

Katherine is a Certified Destination Management Executive. She was named to the 2024 class of Women Who Drive Richmond and the 2022 class of Richmond BizSense Power Women. Additionally, she was honored as a Richmond History Maker in 2020 for her impactful work on BLK RVA, and in 2015, she was named one of Style Weekly’s Top 40 Under 40 for her leadership in OutRVA.