As Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy at the U.S. Travel Association, Tori Emerson Barnes directs the association’s government and political affairs, external and industry communications, and marketing and research teams. Barnes is highly regarded on Capitol Hill and across the industry for managing a portfolio of domestic and international travel issues focused on transportation and infrastructure, security and travel facilitation, tax policy, sustainable travel practices, Brand USA, and national parks and public lands.

She is a manager of the association’s CEO Roundtable, a leader on multiple industry-wide coalitions, a frequent presence in the news media, and the creator of U.S. Travel’s Travel Works Roadshow and the Future of Travel Mobility, a forward-looking advocacy conference and event series. Through her Let’s Meet There Coalition, Barnes was credited with securing pandemic-related federal relief utilized by hundreds of travel businesses and destinations, and united dozens of major businesses and organizations to inspire future travel amid the pandemic. She was recognized as one of the Top 50 Women in Travel by the Global Business Travel Association’s WINiT.