Lee Sentell - Director

Lee Sentell has been involved in tourism promotion for more than 25 years. He was director of marketing at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center and Space Camp in Huntsville in the 1980s and tourism director in Huntsville in the 1990s. Gov. Bob Riley appointed him director of the Alabama Tourism Department in 2003. During an earlier career, Sentell was a reporter and city editor of The Decatur Daily following graduation from Auburn University in journalism.

Under his leadership, Alabama's tourism agency has been selected as the best in the South for three of the past four years. Their Year of Alabama Food campaign received a national award for the best state promotion. Other campaigns have celebrated gardens, outdoors, the arts and sports. In 2009, the agency will celebrate The Year of Alabama History. The 2010 program will focus on The Year of Small Towns & Downtowns.

He currently serves on the boards of the Alabama Historical Commission and the Alabama State Council on the Arts.

He is the author of a travel book entitled "The Best of Alabama."