By Charlotte Buchanan
Danielle Morgan, Executive Director of Visit Greenwood, was born and raised in Yazoo City. Her enthusiasm for the Delta shows in her everyday life and work. “The Delta is such a special place to me. I have always been passionate about sharing it with the world and now I get to do it every day,” Morgan said.
Morgan has a Bachelors in Fine Arts from Delta State University and a minor in Photography. Her work career started out with a small advertising and public relations firm, Mann and Associates in Jackson, “This was a great opportunity and being a small firm with diverse clients taught me about different areas of advertising, public relations, and marketing. Next, I served as Graphic Arts Coordinator for Mississippi Farm Bureau Foundation for ten years. During that time, I also owned a restaurant in Lexington called Kittrell’s on the square in Lexington I had no official tourism experience before taking the reins of the Greenwood Convention and Visitors Bureau, but feel I have been an unofficial tour guide my entire life,” she commented.
With the COVID-19 virus, providing entertainment for residents and visitors has been a challenge. “There is no doubt we are all ready for some holiday joy. Our community partners and leaders have worked together to come up with safe solutions for all to enjoy the holiday season. For instance, Santa was in the drive through window of the Bank of Commerce so children could leave their letters to Santa Our wonderful Roy G. Martin Band Festival will be held in reverse on December 4. People can drive through and see the stationary floats and balloons along the parade route. We will sponsor the firework show after the parade and we are asking that people view this responsibly from their cars. We feel after such a challenging year, the community needs these traditions as a way to spread good cheer and boost morale. Greenwood is also launching a new holiday lighting trail called “Under the Delta Lights”
Morgan is very active in her community. She is a member of the Greenwood Rotary Club where she serves on the Board of Directors. She just finished back to back terms as president of the Mississippi Delta Tourism Association (Visit the Delta). Morgan also represents the Delta region on the Mississippi Tourism Association Board of Directors. She is currently Vice-Chair of the Tourism Mississippi PAC and is an ex-officio board member of the Museum of the Mississippi Delta and Main Street Greenwood.
She is married to Greenwood native Brent Morgan. “We are perhaps best known around Greenwood for our downtown rescue pup. His name is Howard Street Howard and has captured the hearts of the whole city,” she commented.
Morgan enjoys music, photographer and painting, mostly in watercolor. “I don’t have much time for painting but hope to get back to it one day when my career is less demanding,” she said.
Morgan believes that Greenwood’s people are its greatest asset. “There is a really strong sense of community here and so many who are willing to contribute their time and resources to make our town better,” Morgan says.
