Women's Network Speaker Series

Description

Join us for our Speakers Series Luncheon featuring Ms. Kathleen "Kitty" Ratcliffe as our guest speaker.

Kathleen is the president of Explore St. Louis, responsible for sales and marketing of St. Louis as a destination for visitors and the operations of both the Convention Center and The Dome at America's Center. She is the only woman in the country running the operations of all three entities and has been doing so for more than fifteen years. 

Kitty is a past international Chairwoman of Meeting Professionals International (MPI), the largest global association of meeting professionals, and is a recipient of their International Supplier of the Year Award. In 2022, she received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Professional Convention Management Association and had served on PCMA's Board and chaired their annual convention. She has received Destinations International's Leadership in Environmentally Responsible Tourism award and in 2019 was inducted into their Hall of Fame for significant contributions to tourism and shaping the future of destination marketing. She also serves on the U.S. Travel Association Board. 

In 2018 she received the Apex Award from Black Meetings &Tourism, and has been named one of the Most Influential Businesswomen in St. Louis by St. Louis Business Journal, as well as a Leader of Distinction by the YMCA of Metro St. Louis, a Regional Leadership Award from the St. Louis Community Empowerment Foundation and an Athena Award from eh Hellenic Spirit Foundation. She serves on various local boards including Grand Center, Inc., the St. Louis Mosaic Project, Downtown St. Louis CID, and the St. Louis Civic Pride Foundation. 

Dedicated to growing and strengthening the economy of the St. Louis region through tourism development, she believes that St. Louis is a community on the rise.