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# Untitled
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/111005-story-20051110-4/
- Published: 2005-11-10T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T08:08:17.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Entertainment, Santa Monica, #archive-import

*By Daily Press staff*

The Santa Monica Convention and Visitors Bureau has announced several new appointments and additions to their staff.

Santa Monica resident Tim Kittleson has been appointed chairman of the board of directors for fiscal year 2005-06, replacing outgoing chairman Bill Crookston. Kittleson has been a volunteer member of SMCVB’s board of directors since 1998.

Currently director of the UCLA Film & Television Archive, Kittleson has worked in the film industry for 25 years, including serving as executive vice president of the American Film Marketing Association and executive director of the American Film Market, an international marketplace where more than $500 million in film distribution deals are closed annually. AFM has been held yearly, throughout Santa Monica, since 1991.

Wendy O’Dea has been hired as director of communications; Debbie Lee- Nguyen promoted to vice president of business development and Mindy Lansing promoted to operations manager.

O’Dea, a long-time resident of Santa Monica, will take over many of Lee- Nguyen’s previous day-to-day operations of the marketing department and will develop a comprehensive press and public relations outreach program. All PR and media programs were previously contracted to an outside consultant.

Prior to joining SMCVB, O’Dea worked as a full-time travel writer for a variety of newspapers and magazines.

“Wendy’s job of handling PR is a new in-house position at the bureau,” Kerns said. “Her experience as a journalist will be invaluable since she sees things with a different eye.”

Lee-Nguyen, previously director of marketing, has been with SMCVB for six years during which time she helped develop media and marketing plans, including the production of the Santa Monica Visitors Guide and Corporate Planning Guide.

In her new role, she will oversee all visitor services including Santa Monica’s new walk-in Visitor Information Center on Main Street and its expanded retail program, and will directly manage the marketing, visitor services and sales departments of the organization. Lee-Nguyen also will be responsible for all business development, including seeking sponsorship opportunities and creating synergy with similar brands to further Santa Monica’s destination brand promise.

Recently promoted to operations manager is Lansing, an employee of SMCVB for more than two years. She previously served as office manager and assistant to Kerns. In her new position, Lansing will supervise administrative staff and oversee internal operations including facilities management, human resources and financials. Prior to joining SMCVB, Lansing worked as a project manager in a music marketing firm promoting bands, tours, clothing and films, and before that worked as an event coordinator at a recording studio.

In addition to the new appointments, the SMCVB has also re-launched its Web site, www.santamonica.com, with a new design and a searchable database that allows web surfers to locate information about Santa Monica restaurants, hotels, attractions and other businesses in the city.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on November 10, 2005.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/111005.pdf?ref=smdp.com)