Tori Emerson Barnes is the executive director of the Great American Road Trip Inc. and founding principal at Anchor Solutions LLC. In her role at Great American Road Trip Inc., she drives the execution and production of a multi-modal road trip designed to foster national pride, boost domestic tourism and showcase all that makes America the greatest country in celebration of America’s 250th birthday on July 4, 2026.  Barnes is also the founding principal of Anchor Solutions LLC, a firm dedicated to helping clients navigate the dynamic intersection of policy, public affairs, and industry transformation operating across travel, transportation and emerging mobility ecosystems.

Most recently, she served as executive vice president of public affairs and policy at the U.S. Travel Association, the leading voice for all segments of the U.S. travel and tourism industry. Barnes directed the association’s public affairs, policy and external facing strategy.

Barnes is highly regarded on Capitol Hill, throughout critical constituencies in Washington, D.C. and across the travel and transportation industries for managing a portfolio of domestic, business and international travel issues focused on transportation and infrastructure, security and travel facilitation, tax policy, sustainable travel practices, Brand USA, national parks and public lands, among others.

She is the creator of U.S. Travel’s Travel Works Roadshow and is a frequent presence in the news media. In addition, Barnes founded the annual Future of Travel Mobility event in 2021, a forward-looking advocacy conference providing industry thought leadership across the travel, transportation and technology sectors together with government officials and the media. 

Barnes is credited with securing pandemic-related federal relief utilized by hundreds of travel businesses and destinations. In 2020, she helped stand up the Let’s Go There Coalition that united dozens of major businesses and organizations in a national consumer campaign to inspire future travel amid the pandemic. The effort evolved into the Let’s Meet There Coalition to focus on the safe restart of business travel and professional meetings and events.

The Hill has named Barnes one of Washington’s top lobbyists for four consecutive years. In 2021, the National Institute for Lobbying & Ethics recognized Barnes as a Top Lobbyist. She was also recognized as one of the Top 50 Women in Travel by the Global Business Travel Association’s WINiT and has been selected as a Leading Lobbyist by Association Trends.

Barnes is on the board of the Congressional Women’s Softball Game and coaches the Members of Congress team, which plays an annual game versus women in the press to raise money for the Young Survival Coalition, an organization for young women facing breast cancer. 

Prior to her work at U.S. Travel in November 2017, Barnes was an integral member of General Motors’ federal affairs team for more than 14 years, where her efforts led to the enactment of the electric vehicle tax credit for consumers, among other policy wins. In her role, Barnes advised GM’s chief executive officer and senior company leaders. She has also served as a congressional liaison for the Republican National Committee, and as director of fundraising and events for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s National Capital Chapter.

A Washington, D.C., native, Barnes graduated from George Mason University and attended Miami University of Ohio. In 2014, Barnes participated in GM’s inaugural Stanford Business School Transformational Leadership program for senior executives. She is an avid runner, frequent traveler and she loves to exercise, ski, entertain and spend time with her daughter, family and friends.