Todd Burke Hired at Visit Greater Palm Springs

Visit Greater Palm Springs Announces Todd Burke as First-Ever Vice President of Communications

RANCHO MIRAGE —Visit Greater Palm Springs has hired Todd Burke as Vice President of Communications. In this new role for the organization, Burke will support public relations and communications efforts that continue to position the destination as one of the top destinations to live, work, and visit.

He will also lead communications for the organization’s corporate initiatives that include workforce development, education, sustainability, and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.

Burke most recently served as the California Communications Director for 11111111 where he led the media relations and communications efforts across Tenet’s 13 California hospitals.

“It’s an honor to have Todd as a part of the team, embarking on an entirely new position for Visit Greater Palm Springs,” Scott White, President & CEO, said in a prepared statement. “With the implementation of this new position, we look forward to utilizing Todd’s experience in aviation and healthcare to elevate our presence within the local community, sharing our organizational priorities, marketing, and PR efforts on topics that impact residents as well as travelers.”

“With our continued visitor growth and further focus on our destination’s development, including promoting great job opportunities and building a talent pipeline, increasing transportation access, focusing on sustainability, and more, we are excited to have Todd’s expertise as we elevate our communications on these important initiatives to raise our visibility locally, nationally, and globally,” Colleen Pace, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer, said in a prepared statement.

Burke is an accomplished corporate communications executive with more than 25 years of experience directing public relations for some of the largest companies and brands in the world. Burke spent the majority of his career in leadership positions for well-known airlines such as TWA and American, as well as serving as Vice President of Corporate Communications for JetBlue. He took a detour from his airline career when he was recruited to be the Vice President of Corporate Communications for Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen in Atlanta. He still “loves that chicken” from Popeyes.

Prior to moving to the Coachella Valley, Burke lived in Washington, D.C., and served as Senior Vice President of Communications for Airlines for America, the trade association that represents passenger and cargo airlines in the United States. According to Burke, “Once an aviation enthusiast, always an aviation enthusiast,” and this enthusiasm led him to the Palm Springs International Airport, where he currently serves as a commissioner.

Burke and his partner, along with their corgi, Oliver, call Greater Palm Springs their forever home.

About Visit Greater Palm Springs

Visit Greater Palm Springs (VGPS) is the official destination marketing organization for the nine-city Southern California oasis of Palm Springs, Desert Hot Springs, Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, La Quinta, Indio, and Coachella. Founded in 1989 with a mission to positively affect the destination’s $7.5 billion tourism economy and quality of life for its residents, Visit GPS provides sales, marketing and PR, and destination development activities to grow visitation from potential leisure travelers and event, meeting, and convention group markets.