SACRAMENTO, Calif.—Visit California has named Julie Coker as its next president and CEO, succeeding longtime leader Caroline Beteta, who announced her retirement earlier this year.
Coker, who most recently served as president and CEO of NYC Tourism + Conventions, will assume the role Oct. 1. She becomes only the second president and CEO in the organization’s history and will also serve as a strategic adviser to the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development.
Coker’s appointment follows a global executive search led by Visit California’s Board of Directors, in partnership with SearchWide Global. The search committee was chaired by Ken Potrock, chair of the Visit California Board of Directors and president of Major Events Integration at The Walt Disney Co. “After a rigorous and wide-ranging global search, Visit California is proud to welcome Julie Coker as our next president & CEO,” Potrock says. “Julie is a proven leader who has delivered exceptional results in some of the most competitive and complex destination markets in the country. We are confident she is the right visionary to build on Caroline’s extraordinary legacy and reinforce California’s position as one of the world’s most compelling destinations.”
Coker has more than 30 years of experience in hospitality and destination marketing. She began her career with Hyatt, where she spent 21 years, rising to general manager of the Hyatt Regency Philadelphia. She later spent a decade with the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau, including four years as president and CEO. From 2020 to 2024, Coker led the San Diego Tourism Authority as president and CEO, guiding the destination through the pandemic and its recovery while helping San Diego achieve the nation’s third-highest hotel occupancy levels and generate $14.3 billion in visitor spending. During that time, she also served on Visit California’s Board of Directors.
In addition, Coker currently serves on the executive board of the U.S. Travel Association and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Travel and Tourism Advisory Board.
“I am thrilled to see Julie carry this critical work forward,” says outgoing president & CEO Beteta. “She has built and led world-class organizations, knows California’s tourism industry from the inside, and brings the kind of experience, relationships, and vision this moment demands. What California’s travel industry has built together—the brand, the partnerships, the trust of more than 18,000 investors—is ready for its next chapter. I leave this organization with great pride and even greater confidence.”
Adds Coker, “California is the world’s most iconic travel destination, and leading Visit California at this moment is an opportunity I approach with deep respect, genuine excitement, and a clear sense of purpose. The foundation Caroline Beteta and the California tourism industry have built over three decades is extraordinary, and the future is bright with so many global events shining the spotlight on the Golden State in the next three years. I look forward to working alongside the Visit California team, the board, and partners across the state to make the most of this moment.”
The leadership transition comes as California’s tourism industry continues to grow. The state’s travel economy generated more than $158 billion in visitor spending in 2025, while the organization received a 98.3% approval rating in its most recent statewide marketing renewal referendum.
