Rancho Mirage, CA — Visit Greater Palm Springs (Visit GPS) is pleased to welcome Lauren Bruggemans as Director of Sustainability and Community Engagement. In this newly created role, Bruggemans will lead Visit GPS’ efforts to grow and enhance workforce development, sustainability, DEI, accessibility and promotion of the benefits of tourism locally.
Visit Greater Palm Springs is committed to ensuring that the values of sustainability, community, collaboration, and inclusion are embedded not only within the organization itself but also in the region’s travel industry.
“We are delighted to have Lauren join our team as we continue to collaborate with our tourism partners and local communities to enhance our sustainability and DEI practices,” said Scott White, President & CEO of Visit GPS. “Her depth of experience paired with her passion and thoughtful approach is exactly what we need to move these initiatives forward.”
“I am thrilled to join an innovative and collaborative team that truly lives their values and prioritizes making the Coachella Valley a sustainable, equitable and inclusive destination for all,” said Bruggemans.
Bruggemans joins Visit GPS with more than 16 years of hospitality and management experience across multiple divisions and sectors. Some of that time was spent in Eastern Indonesia where she headed up the Sumba Hospitality Foundation, a social enterprise and workforce development program that was recognized by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) for Innovation in Tourism in 2018. This included overseeing the construction and opening of an eco-resort that provided students with practical experience.
More recently, Bruggemans was the founding Chief Executive Officer of We Are One United, Inc., a learning and development social enterprise serving the Western Coachella Valley focused on youth engagement, workforce development and mental health. In addition, Bruggemans worked with the City of Palm Springs as a consultant to provide technical assistance and outreach to hotels & restaurants regarding sustainability-focused city and state ordinances. Lauren is also an Adjunct Faculty Member at Cal State University San Bernardino, Palm Desert campus.
A native of Palm Springs, Bruggemans has a Master’s degree in Social Business and Entrepreneurship from the London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE) and earned her Bachelor of Arts in International Politics at the University of California, San Diego.
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About Visit Greater Palm Springs
Visit Greater Palm Springs (Visit GPS) is the official destination marketing organization for the nine-city Southern California oasis of Palm Springs, Desert Hot Springs, Cathedral City, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells, La Quinta, Indio, and Coachella. Founded in 1989 with a mission to positively affect the destination’s $7.5 billion tourism economy and quality of life for its residents, Visit GPS provides sales, marketing and PR, and destination development activities to grow visitation from potential leisure travelers and event, meeting, and convention group markets.
