Meet Andrea Copeland, VP of Marketing at Visit Springfield

Andrea Copeland knows time management.

The new Vice President of Marketing at Visit Springfield is a lifelong Springfield native. Earning her bachelor’s degree in graphic design from Evangel University and spending the early years of her career at Girl Scouts of the Missouri Heartland before heading Southwest Baptist University’s marketing department, the mother of three - four in December! - is currently earning her MBA in Marketing from Southwest Baptist University, set to graduate in May.

With all those facets jockeying for position in her life, Copeland was hesitant to add a professional move the first time she saw the job posting for Visit Springfield. Though she was tempted to apply, she admitted feeling “underqualified,” and didn’t submit an application, despite her experience.

And then the job was posted, later, again.

“My husband said, ‘You have to do it. You’re underselling yourself,’” Copeland said. She submitted the application, and from the very first interview, was “hooked and excited.” She began in the position in early June.

“I started with an internal focus, getting to know everybody really well, figuring out what our current strategies were. Then I started focusing externally, on vendors and partnerships. I got to take a tour of Fantastic Caverns. That was fun to do in the middle of my workday, going to a meeting in a cave!” Copeland said. She has hit the ground running, traveling and connecting with others to learn about the tourism industry.

Copeland has plenty to be excited about in her first year. The Route 66 Centennial is one of her main focuses, but she’s also looking forward to building connections and community partnerships as a first-year goal.

“Growing up in Springfield, it’s been fun to look at Springfield in a brand new lens that I never really thought of, because when you grow up somewhere, you think, why would anyone come here? It’s been so interesting to learn a whole new side of Springfield that I never got to see before. I think the city is growing in the right direction, and I’m excited to be a part of it.”