Rochelle Hicks

Director, Visit Mississippi & Secretary of the Board

P.O. Box 849
Jackson, MS 39205

For media inquiries, contact:

Katie Coats
Chief Marketing Officer
[email protected](link sends e-mail)

Rochelle Hicks was appointed as the Director of Visit Mississippi, the Tourism Division of the Mississippi Development Authority by Governor Tate Reeves in July 2023. As Director, Hicks oversees the state’s tourism brand, advances tourism initiatives, and promotes Mississippi to a broader domestic and international audience.

Hicks leads the effort to promote Mississippi as a destination for tourists by highlighting the state’s rich history, cultural and natural resources, and recreational opportunities. She and her team oversee many notable programs and initiatives including the operation of Mississippi’s 12 welcome centers.

Prior to her appointment, Hicks was Director of Advancement Initiatives at Canopy Children’s Solutions. She has over 25 years of experience in the Mississippi tourism industry, previously serving as Executive Director of the Mississippi Tourism Association (MTA) and Deputy Director of the Ridgeland Tourism Commission. During her tenure at MTA, Hicks played a vital role in passing legislation to promote the states Bicentennial in 2017 and Senate Bill 2193 in 2019, which provides permanent funding for advertising and marketing tourism.

Hicks currently represents Visit Mississippi as a board member for the United States Civil Rights Trail and Travel South USA. She also serves as a commissioner of The Mississippi Blues Trail, The Mississippi Country Music Trail, The LeFleurs Bluff Conservancy and Mississippi Commission for Volunteer Service. She is passionate about volunteer service and children’s mental health and serves as a board member of Canopy Children’s Solutions, Mississippi’s largest and most comprehensive non-profit organization.

A Louisiana native, Hicks attended the University of Louisiana. She and her husband, Jason, have lived in Mississippi for more than 25 years. They have two children, Ethan and Isabella, who are students at Mississippi State University and University of Mississippi Medical Center.