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Visit Philadelphia President and CEO Angela Val inspires people to visit Philadelphia because Philadelphia inspires her. She leads a diverse team of creative thinkers in building Greater Philadelphia’s image, driving visitation and boosting the economy through day and overnight leisure stays. With more than two decades of experience in tourism marketing, Val assumed the top leadership role at Visit Philadelphia in 2022 — a homecoming after her initial tenure at the organization from 1998 to 2015.
Since rejoining, Val has spearheaded the city’s post-COVID-19 tourism recovery, rebuilt the organization’s staff and strengthened its partnerships with industry stakeholders. Under her leadership, the organization launched its first joint tourism marketing campaign with the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau, Come For Philadelphia. Stay For Philly; TED Democracy, a series of high-profile public events in the run-up to the country’s semiquincentennial celebrations, In Pursuit of a More Perfect Union, an integrated social awareness campaign showcasing Philadelphia as a welcoming, inclusive and respectful U.S. destination and the Philadelphia Hospitality Symposium.
Prior to returning to Visit Philadelphia, Val served in chief roles in two organizations. As chief operations officer at Philadelphia-based Tempest, a national integrated marketing agency that helps North American destination marketing organizations and convention and visitors bureaus strengthen their local communities, she implemented business strategies and established policies that fostered company culture and vision.
Before Tempest, she was chief administration officer for the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau (PHLCVB), overseeing government and external affairs and managing day-to-day operations. During her time at both the PHLCVB and Tempest, Val served as executive director of Ready. Set. Philly!, a collaborative initiative between the City of Philadelphia and the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce to reopen and revitalize the local economy following the pandemic.
Val initially joined Visit Philadelphia as an executive assistant in 1998, amid a much-lauded renaissance of Center City, Philadelphia. Rising to chief external affairs officer over the following two decades, she helped lead some of Visit Philadelphia’s most successful campaigns and initiatives, including With Art Philadelphia, Philly 360, Philadelphia Neighborhoods and the Visit Philly Overnight Hotel Package. In 2016, Val became deputy executive director of the Philadelphia Host Committee for the Democratic National Convention (DNC).
Val began her career in hospitality, working in roles ranging from front desk agent to director of catering at Philadelphia hotels. She holds a degree in hospitality management with a minor in business administration from Drexel University.
Today, she serves on numerous boards, including Center City District, the PHLCVB, Philadelphia Visitors Center Corporation, Airport Advisory, Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia (Executive Committee), Horizons Greater Philadelphia, 2026 Coalition (Co-Chair), Philadelphia Soccer 2026, The Philadelphia Citizen, Philadelphia250, and the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation. She is also a member of the PA Society, Forum For Executive Women, International Women’s Forum, The Union League of Philadelphia, and The WHAT. A committee member of the Mayor’s Business Roundtable, Mayor’s Clean and Green Cabinet, she remains deeply engaged in initiatives that enhance the city’s future.
A warm and effective leader, Val is known for her accessibility and sincerity. She firmly believes in Philadelphia, including its unique ability to preserve the past while embracing progress. Val and her husband Joe reside in Philadelphia’s Point Breeze neighborhood.
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