Staff
Michael began his lifelong career in the hospitality industry while growing up in Atlanta and he made his home in Savannah over 20 years ago. For a decade, Michael worked for HLC Hotels, a local Savannah Hospitality company. At HLC, Michael was charged with overseeing the operations of multiple properties. In 2012, he was hired as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Tourism Leadership Council. He and his distinguished board of directors lead the largest trade organization representing the tourism and hospitality community in Georgia.
Michael was appointed to serve as a permanent member of the Tourism Advisory Committee. He serves on the executive committee of The Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce and is vice-chairman of EmployAbility. He is chairman of the Savannah Technical College Programs Advisory Committee and is a member of the advisory board for the Hospitality and Food Industry Management program at the University of Georgia in Athens. He serves as chairman and founder of the Savannah Police Foundation as well as chairman and founder of the Coastal Hospitality Education Foundation. He is a board member of The 200 Club of the Coastal Empire.
He is an active supporter and volunteer for The 200 Club of the Coastal Empire, The Savannah Harbor Foundation, Coastal Hospitality Education Foundation, and Autism Speaks.
In 2020 Michael and his wife, Amanda, founded Grace Autism Services, which provides therapy services to children on the autism spectrum throughout Georgia. His wife was appointed by Executive Order to the Board of Directors of the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities by Governor Brian Kemp. In their spare time, they like to dream about what they would do if they had spare time.
Patrick Connell is General Counsel for the Tourism Leadership Council, representing members in business negotiations, litigation, regulatory compliance, and policy matters. Patrick also specializes in land use planning and zoning law, and routinely assists clients with real estate development and permitting issues before government agencies and in the courtroom, if necessary. Patrick’s practical knowledge of land use law began with his study of landscape architecture at the University of Georgia and his work as a city planner for Athens-Clarke County prior to law school.
Michael O’Donovan serves as Chief Operating Officer for the Tourism Leadership Council. Michael oversees the distribution of all content containing pertinent information and news helpful to the TLC’s membership—a membership comprising hundreds of restaurateurs, hoteliers, and other regional businesses. Michael assists in distributing the TLC’s weekly forecast and memo to our members, which reaches thousands of readers. He designs and distributes the weekly Coastal Concierge Association Newsletter, a guide to the upcoming week’s happenings in the city, that is sent to hundreds of general managers and concierges who are a part of our lodging membership. Michael Serves as Editor-in-Chief of the TLC’s Savannah: A Southern Journey coffee table book and the Concierge Dining Directory book. He also serves as the Lead Technical Advisor during the TLC’s annual Tourism Awards & Scholarship Dinner.
Michael carries a decade of experience in programming, graphic design, IT, professional writing, and editing that has proven an enormous value to the TLC, as he lends his knowledge in several departments of our organization.
Sam Tostensen is the Director of Golden Isles for the Tourism Leadership Council, where he focuses on advocacy, membership relations, and guiding local tourism policy. He works closely with industry leaders, community stakeholders, and elected officials to ensure that the tourism sector remains a strong, sustainable part of the region’s economy.
Before stepping into his current role, Sam built a career in public service. He served as Deputy Field Director for the Office of Governor Brian Kemp, helping manage regional operations and community outreach across Southeast Georgia. He also worked as Southeast Georgia Field Director for U.S. Senator David Perdue and has held key positions in multiple statewide campaigns. His experience has given him a strong grasp of policy, politics, and how to connect the interests of local communities with state level decision making.
Sam serves on the boards of Keep Golden Isles Beautiful, the Coastal Georgia Council of the Boy Scouts of America, and Leadership Southeast Georgia. He studied Political Science at Valdosta State University and is a graduate of Leadership Glynn (2011), the Georgia Academy for Economic Development (2019), and Leadership Southeast Georgia (2022).
Originally from Brunswick, Sam now lives on St. Simons Island with his wife, Katie, and their son, Tripp. He’s proud to represent the region where he was born and raised and remains committed to helping it grow in ways that benefit both visitors and residents.
