Advisory Board Bio – Barbara Drahl

Barbara Drahl is a strategic marketing executive and the President & Founder of Drahl & Co., a consultancy that partners with premium brands as a fractional CMO and strategic advisor to drive transformational growth. With more than 25 years of experience across tourism, entertainment, transportation, healthcare, and financial services, she brings C-suite leadership to every engagement.

Recognized as one of Orlando's Most Influential Leaders 2024 by the Orlando Business Journal, Barbara brings a proven executive track record to every client engagement. Prior to focusing on Drahl & Co. full-time, she served as Senior Vice President of Marketing & Commercial Strategy for Brightline, the first privately funded passenger rail system in America in over a century, where she led multimillion-dollar brand and marketing initiatives, launched major stations, and delivered category-defining programs and new revenue-generating products. Earlier, as Vice President of Marketing & Sales at SeaWorld San Diego, she led the company's marketing strategy during its largest reputation challenge in history — successfully rebuilding brand trust while achieving record park attendance. As Vice President of Marketing at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, she drove significant growth in digital engagement and online revenue while overseeing hundreds of annual marketing plans.

An active community and industry leader, Barbara is a member of Florida Executive Women, an Advisory Board Member of the Greater Orlando Sports Commission since 2023, and a guest lecturer at the University of Central Florida. She has also served on the Visit Orlando Global Marketing Committee, the Florida SBDC Advisory Board Council, and the Community Advisory Board for Central Florida Public Media, and was a two-year co-chair of the Wishmakers Ball for Make-A-Wish Central and Northern Florida, reflecting her longstanding commitment to the Orlando community.