Dr. Kelly Martinez Semrad, currently serves as a faculty member at the University of Central Florida (UCF) in the Rosen College of Hospitality Management. She is the former associate director for the University of Florida’s Eric Friedheim Tourism Institute.

Dr. Semrad serves on economic research teams that specialize in poverty alleviation in tourism economies. She has helped provide policy for tax reform and economic structural adaptations as well legislation for social and environmental justice in the tourism and hospitality industry. Her industry experience is vast including policy reform with international governments and tourism industries as well as having served on mega events’ host committees such as the World Series and Super Bowl Games. Dr. Semrad has presented nearly 100 research presentations at international conferences, publishes in renowned academic journals, and continues to serve on research teams that provide evaluations and technical reports to tourism and hospitality organizations and governments worldwide. She is an active team member for numerous grants representing socio-economic needs in developing countries.

Dr. Semrad is the recipient of numerous research and teaching awards and has also served as an invited visiting professor at multiple universities abroad. Her teaching portfolio is extensive, having taught more than 30 different tourism, hospitality, event, entertainment, and sport management classes in the areas of finance, economics, marketing, and management. She is an active advocate for the continued development of degree programs that represent society’s growing educational needs. Thus, she has served as a degree underwriter for both the University of Central Florida and the University of Florida.