Laura Beth Strickland is The Vicksburg Post’s Woman of the Year.

As the executive director of Visit Vicksburg, Strickland has been instrumental in putting Vicksburg on the map as a premier tourist destination.

“I love my hometown, and I want it to be the best place it can be,” Strickland said. “A great tourism destination is also a great place to live. Anything I can do to make Vicksburg better, I want to be involved in that.”

Born and raised in Vicksburg, Strickland graduated from the University of Mississippi in 2008 with a degree in journalism and English with an emphasis on public relations and mass media.

Vicksburg tourism recently achieved national recognition, being named the Best Historical Small Town by Newsweek and being a finalist for the Great American Main Street Award.

“That was really huge, getting that designation from Newsweek. We’re really proud of that,” Strickland said. “We worked really hard with Vicksburg Main street for the Great American Main Street finalist recognition. (We’re) very excited about that. It’s huge to be recognized as one of the best downtowns in the country.”

Strickland works with other community organizations as well. She serves on committees for the Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce and the Vicksburg Main Street Program.

Her influence extends beyond Vicksburg. She is the president-elect of the Mississippi Tourism Association, where she will begin her term in July 2025. Strickland also works on statewide boards such as the Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area and the Mississippi River Parkway Commission.

“She is superwoman, to say the least,” said Bess Averett, executive director of the Friends of the Vicksburg National Military Park. “Her reputation among tourism professionals across the Southeast is second to none. People recognize how lucky we are to have her leading the charge for Vicksburg.”

Strickland is also involved in the Junior Auxiliary, Vicksburg Catholic School, and the Vicksburg Warren School District Advisory Council.

She credits her success to a supportive team at Visit Vicksburg, a strong board of directors, and community partnerships. She also credits the support of her family, her husband, Michael, and four children: May, Michael, Hunter, and Hadley.

“She’s not only a tremendous professional and advocate for Vicksburg, but she’s also an amazing wife and mother,” Averett added. “It’s inspiring to see her knock it out of the park in every area of her life.”

Strickland is looking forward to the future of Vicksburg as well. She is particularly excited about the coming bicentennial celebration events that will be going on throughout the year in 2025.

Jordan Amborn was one of the individuals who nominated Strickland for Woman of the Year. She has known Strickland since the two went to high school together at St. Aloysius.

“She’s a great leader. She’s a hard worker. She’s, you know, on a personal level, she’s a great friend,” Amborn said. “She’s kind and responsible, and, you know, she cares about other people, but she really is. She’s a great person.”