Meet Jessi Gordy, Program + Marketing Coordinator

Please join us in welcoming JESSI GORDY to the Destination South team as our Program + Marketing Coordinator!

Jessi will be working alongside the sales, creative, and operations teams ensuring events are carefully planned and successfully executed as well as assisting growing our brand through marketing initiatives. Her background in tourism, marketing, and history museums allows her to join the DSME team with a fresh perspective and outlook. We love Jessi’s humor and quirky personality—find out more about her in our ‘Quick Ten’ below:

 

DSOUTH: Where were you born? Where do you call home today?

JESSI: I grew up in Between, Georgia—it’s a real place, trust me—but today I happily call Atlanta home.

DSOUTH: Did you have a different type of career before joining the DSouth team? (career path details, etc.)

JESSI: I did! I went to the University of West Georgia to pursue my passion for history. I graduated with a BA in History (and Marketing) and was fortunate enough to land my first dream job at Atlanta History Center while still in school in 2012. It was a great launching pad for me to really discover what I wanted to do with my career—I was able to wear many different (sometime historical) hats that put me in roles I never thought about while still in school. From historic interpretation of the 1860s to assisting in a massive rebranding overhaul, from creating content for unique group tour experiences to developing successful social media and marketing campaigns, and from assisting in the reinterpretation of the Battle of Atlanta cyclorama painting to teaching kids how cool history really is, it’s safe to say I’ve done a little bit of everything before joining the Destination South team!

DSOUTH: When and how did you know that working in the event and meetings industry was what you wanted to do?

JESSI: I think I’ve always worked in the event and meeting industry without truly knowing it. I have always loved Atlanta and working at organizations along people who shared the same love of sharing with others how amazing and interesting our city really is. Atlanta has a history so few people know about—knowing that I’m a part of a team that has the opportunity to showcase to others what all ATL has to offer is one of the best feelings!

DSOUTH: What do you like best about best about your new position at DSouth? What do you look forward to in your role on the team?

JESSI: I’m so excited to officially be a part of this team! It’s a great feeling knowing that every day will bring new challenges, new learning opportunities, and new triumphs.

DSOUTH: Do you have a favorite event that you’ve worked on to date (before or with DSouth)?

JESSI: I think one of my favorite events I’ve ever worked on was Party With the Past at Atlanta History Center. Party With the Past is a free program offered every other month throughout the city of Atlanta that invites people to come out, enjoy a libation or two, explore a historic location, and learn about the history of that building or neighborhood. Party With the Past was planned by a committee of AHC employees who used their networks to make connections and establish partnerships for these events. We took the program to the Fox Theater, the American Hotel, Oakland Cemetery, the Tabernacle, the Flatiron Building, Callanwolde, and so many other incredible sites throughout the city! It really made my history loving heart happy see so many people interact, discover, and engage with these historic sites throughout our city.

DSOUTH: Who has influenced you the most (in life and/or your career)?

JESSI: My Nana has had the biggest influence in my life. She is the strongest human I know and has always been the constant in my life who encouraged me and supported me to follow my heart when pursuing my happiness. She is truly the glue of my family and I am so lucky that she is my Nana.

DSOUTH: What is the one piece of advice you would share with others at the beginning of their career?

JESSI: There will be some really terrible, awful, no good days and you will make a lot of mistakes, but just remember that tomorrow is another day and if you didn’t make any mistakes how would you learn anything? Also, remember to be gentle with yourself and take time for you and your health.

DSOUTH: If you could set off to any place on Earth, where would it be and why?

JESSI: If I could go anywhere, I’d go to Canada—mainly because there’s an Instagram famous basset hound named Dean the Basset who I am obsessed with and would do my absolute best to meet him. I’d also love to go to Germany one day. And England. And Ireland. And Scotland. But those all require a passport which I don’t currently have.

DSOUTH: What do you love to do when you’re not working?

JESSI: On the weekends, you can find me hiking with my husband, Kevin, followed by a stop at a local brewery for a beer. Our favorite places to hike in Georgia include Cloudland Canyon, Panther Creek Falls, Raven Cliff Falls, and Blood Mountain Wilderness. However, our all-around best spot for hikes and beers has to be Asheville, North Carolina.

 

DSOUTH: What are a couple things people would be surprised to learn about you?

JESSI: I think people are always surprised to learn that when I moved to Atlanta, I had only been to a couple places in the city in my twenty-something years of being alive—Tuner Field for Braves games, The Varsity after a mandatory field trip to SciTrek, and the Fox Theater to see Cats. Because of this, I needed to learn my way around the city and fast. One of my first jobs when I moved to Atlanta was being a Segway tour guide. It was such a fun job that allowed me to explore ATL and tell cool unknown stories of downtown Atlanta with visitors from all over. Another cool job I had was being a dogwalker for a former Atlanta Hawks basketball player.

DSOUTH: You are too funny! We are so glad to have you on our team to keep us all laughing, Jessi. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for you.

 

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