Dec 11, 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C. (December 11, 2025) – The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) has selected Brand USA’s Senior Vice President, Innovation and Chief AI Officer, Janette Roush, as one of its “Top 25 Extraordinary Minds“ for 2025. This is the 23rd year HSMAI has compiled the list, which annually recognizes exemplary achievement and leadership in hospitality sales, marketing, revenue optimization, and distribution.
Roush will join an exclusive list when she is honored by HSMAI at a reception in New York City on February 18, 2026.
“I’m thrilled to see Janette recognized by HSMAI as one of the ‘Top 25 Extraordinary Minds.’ Through her leadership, Brand USA is not only embracing innovation—we’re setting the pace globally. Her efforts are helping us leverage data and emerging technologies to deepen our understanding of traveler behavior and inspire visitation to the United States in more dynamic, personalized ways,” said Fred Dixon, president and CEO of Brand USA.
The 2025 “Top 25” honorees were judged by a panel of senior industry executives for their recent work based on the following criteria: creativity and innovation, cutting edge sales or marketing campaigns, triumph in challenging situations, and/or efforts that resulted in dramatic gains.
As Chief AI Officer and SVP of Innovation at Brand USA, Janette spearheads AI-driven strategies to enhance tourism marketing, streamline internal operations, and foster innovation for the benefit of both Brand USA and the broader U.S. travel industry. Prior to joining NYC Tourism, she spent more than two decades marketing Broadway at organizations such as Broadway.com and AKA, a global leader in entertainment advertising and strategy. She is a two-time Ironman, a LinkedIn Top Voice, an expert advisor for the European and U.S. cohorts of the “AI Opener for Destinations” program, and was named a 2024 Influential #Eventprof by Northstar Meetings Group.
“AI is reshaping how we connect people to places. I’m proud to help the U.S. tourism industry lead with innovation, not just catch up to it,” said Janette Roush, senior vice president, innovation and chief AI officer.
The “Top 25” will be honored in person at a reception at the New York Marriott Marquis February 18, 2026. The reception is being held in conjunction with the HSMAI Adrian Awards Celebration, which recognizes the winners of the largest and most prestigious competition in global travel marketing.
In addition to the “Top 25” reception, Roush will be featured in a series of HSMAI spotlights, receive a personalized award, and henceforward be recognized as a “Top 25 Minds in Hospitality Sales, Marketing, Revenue Optimization, and Distribution.”
