Meet the Industry Experts Leading this Course
Jason Gewirtz,
Vice President, Northstar Meetings Group Sports Division
Executive Editor and Publisher, SportsTravel
Jason Gewirtz is the vice president of the Sports Division of Northstar Meetings Group and the executive editor and publisher of SportsTravel. Gewirtz joined SportsTravel in 2008 as managing editor and has served various roles since, overseeing editorial coverage of the magazine and content at the Sports Division’s events, including the TEAMS Conference & Expo, TEAMS Europe, and the EsportsTravel Summit. A veteran daily newspaper journalist and editor prior to joining SportsTravel, Gewirtz worked for the Press-Telegram in Long Beach, California, from 2000–2008 as a city hall reporter and city editor. He also worked as a reporter at the Daily Camera in Boulder, Colorado, and at the Broomfield Enterprise in Broomfield, Colorado. He is a member of the board of directors for the Sports Events & Tourism Association. Gewirtz graduated with a journalism degree from the University of Colorado and has won numerous awards as both a writer and editor.
Matt Traub,
Managing Editor, SportsTravel
Matt Traub is the managing editor for SportsTravel, focusing on the magazine’s content and digital and social media strategies. Before joining SportsTravel in 2019, he worked in sports departments at several newspapers across the United States, most recently as the assistant sports editor at the Salt Lake Tribune. Under his leadership, the organization grew a digital audience around the region’s most-loved topics: the Olympics, the Utah Jazz, and college football. He also was in charge of sports departments at newspapers in New York, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina that were repeatedly recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors as a Top 10 section nationally with coverage of everything from the Little League World Series to Southeastern Conference football.
Ally Dorrough, APR
Communications and Marketing Manager, Gulf Shores | Orange Beach Sports & Events
Born and raised in Montgomery, Alabama, Ally Mills Dorrough, APR, TMP, received her bachelor’s in public relations at Auburn University in 2011. Dorrough joined Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism in 2013 as its public relations coordinator and became the communications and marketing specialist in 2018. In 2023, she was promoted to communications and marketing manager for Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism and Gulf Shores | Orange Beach Sports & Events, where she oversees PR, communications and marketing efforts for the sports/events, meetings and international markets. Additionally, Dorrough is an elected member of the national PRSA Travel & Tourism Section Executive Committee (2024 national chair), Alabama PRSA Board of Directors (2024 vice president), Auburn University Public Relations Advisory Council (2023-2025 secretary) and serves on the South Baldwin Chamber Foundation Board of Directors. Dorrough and her husband, Dan, have been married since 2012 and have two young children. Outside of work, Dorrough enjoys serving with the youth at her church, cooking, baking, preserving, and all things Auburn (WAR EAGLE!).
Carli Feinstein,
Managing Director, Craft & Commerce
Carli Feinstein is an accomplished marketing leader specializing in integrated marketing, brand management, and partnership development. As managing director at Craft & Commerce, she partners with the executive team and the company’s cross-functional leads to create the overall growth strategy for the agency and contribute to overall growth initiatives. As vice president of brand and experience at national women’s health organization, Bright Pink, she oversaw brand management, marketing strategy, creative & content production, and brand partnerships. These efforts inspired hundreds of thousands of women throughout the United States to engage in Bright Pink’s digital products, initiatives, and campaigns annually. After receiving a bachelor’s degree in public relations and a minor in business from the University of Texas at Austin, Feinstein began her career in marketing account management focused on branding, sponsorship, experiential and cause marketing for Unilever and Philips clients. She is a founding member of Chicago’s Global Shapers, a globally recognized group of young leaders empowered by the World Economic Forum to improve the lives of Chicagoans. Additionally, Carli has served as an advisor for start-ups across health, child-development, and tech sectors. She lives in Chicago with her husband, Matt, and daughters, Levi and Sloane.
Shalise DeMott,
Vice President of Sales, Northstar Meetings Group
Shalise DeMott is an accomplished sales leader with a passion for connecting people to destinations, new experiences, and others. As Vice President of Sales, she leads sales efforts for the Northstar Meetings Group across all channels of digital, data, events and print, creating bespoke programs and strategic partnerships in meetings, incentives and sports. Prior to joining Northstar, DeMott led sales initiatives in local, regional and national business units for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel/Tribune Corporation and worked with Miles Partnership representing the Visit Florida and Brand USA programs. She has consulted on digital sales training programs for community newspapers, start-up sales efforts for a national digital outdoor media group and co-founded a small retail stationery and gift boutique in Boca Raton. DeMott holds a degree in International Business and Marketing. She is a member of the Junior League of Boca Raton, SITE Florida/Caribbean past board member, Destinations International, Incentive Merchandise Association, PCMA, MPI and Chief.
