Kristen Adamo

Kristen Adamo was named the new president of the Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau (PWCVB) in April, but she’s been making strides in PVD long time before that.

A native Rhode Islander, Kristen went to Bayview highschool in Riverside, but left the state to double major in journalism and political science at Ohio Wesleyan University. After trying her hand at living somewhere else, she decided to return home. Kristen joined the PWCVB in 2002 as the director of communications and found herself as the VP of marketing in 2005. “My job is to bring people to Rhode Island,” she says. For example, last year alone, the Rhode Island Sports Community brought in 238 groups and made over $73 million, which benefited the state and local economies.

Right now Kristen says the PWCVB is focusing on making PVD a weekend getaway for other New Englanders, and really focusing on wellness and wellness tourism, which is the fastest growing tourism segment in the world. When working on how to get new blood into the state Kristen says, “You’ve gotta know what makes you special,” and special we are. Kristen says some of the main focuses of the PWCVB visitors campaigns to Providence are focusing on our culinary and arts and culture scene.

Kristen is also focused on revitalizing the stories of those who may have been silenced in the past, including expanding tourism into PVD’s neighborhoods. “We’re working on a walking tour of African American history in Providence,” she says. “It’s just the first step. There are just so many interesting stories that aren’t from that historically white-male view point. We have to look at those.”

Kristen lives in Warwick and loves to explore PVD’s restaurant culture. She also walks in her spare time with her walking club and her dog, and is passionate about music and says that she loves the idea of a good old dive bar with a Journey cover band.