About Us

If you ask the Destination Services (Visit San Marcos and Downtown San Marcos) team what they do, they’ll likely say the coolest job ever. A group of folks who are extremely passionate about the place we get to call home, we are here to promote all the things that make San Marcos so dang awesome. We help meeting and event planners create unforgettable events, make San Marcos more colorful through the arts program, make sure Downtown is a wonderful place to be, welcome visitors with a smile and a few of our favorite recommendations, and so much more. Want to learn more about the Destination Services team? Meet the team and check out what we love about San Marcos.

Charlotte Wattigny – Creative and Marketing Manager

This is unapologetically Charlotte. She is the Innovation Manager for all things San Marcos. Or so she likes to think. Actually, Char handles the creative, marketing, and advertising for the visitor side of the City… and anything else they let her get her hands on. Char also manages the City’s arts and mural programs. After hours you can find her elbow deep in clay at the Eye of the Dog studio space she shares with her daughter, taste testing new craft brews, virtual tubing, telling her pup Bean no for the millionth time, or making sure Sarah has put on enough sunscreen at the river.

Denise Pardo – Destination Services Manager

Denise helps make San Marcos a meeting, events, and conference paradise. She works with meeting planners and event organizers to make sure their event goes off smoothly and their group has a wonderful SMTXperience. When she’s not keeping the Visit San Marcos team in line, you can find Denise cheering on her kids at their sporting events, fishing with her husband, or enjoying a cold margarita and queso at one of San Marcos’ favorite Tex-Mex spots.

Jared Stratemann - Administrative Assistant Senior

Jared keeps the Visit San Marcos team organized and in line. Well, he tries anyway... Jared is the friendly face welcoming visitors into the Tourist Information Center, serves as the liaison for the CVB advisory board, pays the bills, and wears a lot of hats! When he's not telling visitors about all the San Marcos hot spots, you can find him exploring the area with friends, soaking up some nightlife, and planning his next adventure. 

Rebecca Ybarra – Destination Services Director

Rebecca manages the creative and spirited Destination Services team with the task of generating buzz about our attractions and events and welcoming visitors to San Marcos. She’s a proud San Marcos Rattler and TXST Bobcat who loves to promote San Marcos while traveling the country.   When she’s not at the Tourist Information Center, you can find her: enjoying a cold beverage at a local eatery or bar with family and friends, fishing with Allen and Flor, and traveling Texas. 

Sarah Smith – Destination Services Marketing Specialist

Sarah manages the Visit San Marcos social media accounts, writes the Like A Local blog posts, works with filming projects in the City, and helps out with other creative projects and copywriting. When she’s not staring at her phone and reading social media captions for the thousandth time, you can find her: reading a book in a shallow section of the river (slathered in sunscreen, of course), enjoying a craft beer at a local brewery, baking decadent cupcakes in her kitchen, or knitting in a cozy pile of blankets. 

Steven Anderson - Destination Services Coordinator

Steven makes sure groups have a great time exploring San Marcos, provides a lot of the photography used in our marketing material, and is the liaison between the Texas Music Office and the San Marcos music community as part of the Music Friendly Communities program. In his time off, he enjoys all things photography-related, making music with his friends, and relaxing at home with his girlfriend and three cats.

Trey Hatt – Arts Coordinator

Trey manages the City’s public arts programs and serves as the staff liaison for the San Marcos Arts Commission. In addition, Trey is an aspiring author and hopes to someday see his books available at the San Marcos Public Library and (importantly!) wherever books are sold.