Chris O’Brien has been promoted to vice president of sports marketing and Kristen Krasinskas has advanced to director of sports marketing at Visit Panama City Beach, the bureau has announced, along with Patrick Stewart‘s promotion to vice president of special events.
“These promotions reflect the talent, hard work and strategic vision that each of these individuals brings to our team,” said Dan Rowe, president and chief executive officer of Visit Panama City Beach. “Patrick, Chris and Kristen have each played vital roles in the continued success of our destination and I’m confident they will further strengthen our impact and innovation in their new positions.”
O’Brien will continue leading the destination’s sports tourism strategy, driving business development and elevating the national profile of Panama City Beach. He joined Visit Panama City Beach in 2015 and has helped developed the nationally recognized Publix Sports Park, which has received multiple national venue awards.
O’Brien brings more than 20 years of experience to the role. He serves on the Panama City Beach Parks & Recreation Advisory Board and was recently inducted into the Grand Slam Tournament Hall of Fame in 2025 in recognition of his contributions to sports tourism and amateur baseball.
Krasinskas will lead strategic efforts to grow the destination’s presence in the sports tourism industry and will focus on market expansion by cultivating new national and regional partnerships. Prior to joining Visit Panama City Beach, she served as director of member experience at InnoLead, a Boston-based media and events company focused on corporate innovation.
Krasinskas also held roles with major sports organizations, including the Cleveland Cavaliers, Lake Erie Monsters, Cleveland Gladiators, New England Revolution and Invictus Boston, a CrossFit training facility.
Copyright © 2025 by Northstar Travel Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. 301 Route 17 N, Suite 1150, Rutherford, NJ 07070 USA | Telephone: (201) 902-2000