Lorri Krebs

Dr. Lorri Krebs is Professor and Chair of the Department of Geography & Sustainability at Salem State University and a Faculty Affiliate with the Center for Entrepreneurship, Economic Development & Sustainability (CEEDS). She is a geographer whose work bridges sustainability, tourism, and regional economic development through applied research, experiential learning, and community partnerships.

Dr. Krebs holds a double major Bachelor’s degree in Psychology (Learning & Behavior) and Geography (Resource Management), a Master’s degree with a concentration in ecosystem approaches, a Graduate Certificate in University Teaching, and a Ph.D. focused on tourism technology, decision-making, and destination systems. This interdisciplinary academic foundation informs her holistic approach to teaching, research, and public scholarship—integrating human behavior, environmental systems, and economic development.

An advocate for experiential and place-based education, Dr. Krebs designs and leads domestic and international field experiences, study tours, and community-engaged research projects that embed professional practice into the curriculum. She has mentored students through applied research in Peru, across the United States, and throughout the North Shore of Massachusetts, connecting classroom learning to real-world problem solving and workforce development.

With international experience in Switzerland, Mexico, and Canada, Dr. Krebs brings a global perspective to local and regional challenges. Her scholarship examines the intersections of climate change, tourism, destination resilience, and community identity, translating academic research into policy-relevant insights and actionable strategies. Her work and expertise have been featured in outlets such as CBC (on post-wildfire recovery and sustainable tourism in Canada) and Popular Science (on standards for truly sustainable eco-resorts).

Through her leadership, teaching, and applied scholarship, Dr. Krebs is committed to strengthening communities, advancing sustainable regional futures, and preparing students to lead in a rapidly changing world.

• Sustainable tourism, ecotourism, and destination resilience

• Climate change adaptation and community sustainability

• Regional economic development and workforce systems

• Experiential, place-based, and field-based learning models in higher education

• Augmented reality (AR), artificial intelligence (AI), and emerging technologies in tourism, interpretation, and destination management

• Tourism impacts, visitor behavior, and decision-making

• Land use planning, community identity, and environmental stewardship

• GIS, spatial analysis, and data-driven decision support

• Community-engaged and applied research methodologies

• Professor and Chair, Department of Geography & Sustainability, including academic leadership, curriculum development, faculty mentoring, and program innovation
• Teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in sustainability, tourism, economic geography, community development, and applied GIS/modeling
• Faculty Affiliate, Center for Entrepreneurship, Economic Development & Sustainability (CEEDS), contributing to interdisciplinary research and community partnerships
• Leading grant-funded and applied research projects with municipalities, nonprofits, and regional stakeholders focused on economic resilience, workforce development, tourism, and sustainability
• Mentoring undergraduate and graduate student researchers engaged in applied, workforce-aligned projects
• Producing public scholarship, reports, and presentations that translate research into policy and practice
• Supporting program development initiatives, including certificates and interdisciplinary offerings aligned with emerging workforce and sustainability needs
• Leading Travel Seminars and coordinating domestic and international field experiences, including study trips to Peru, Morocco, Spain, Monte Carlo, France, Greece, and Walt Disney World, integrating experiential learning, professional practice, and cultural immersion.
• Designing and directing experiential, place-based learning initiatives that embed students in applied research, fieldwork, and real-world problem-solving.
• Coordinating internships for undergraduate and graduate students, facilitating professional placements with regional and national industry partners in tourism, hospitality, economic development, and community organizations.
• Advising students pursuing the undergraduate Certificate in Sustainable Tourism Development and graduate pathways that bridge GIS with community planning, tourism, climate change, and sustainability.
• Cultivating partnerships with local businesses, organizations, cities, and towns to identify collaborative opportunities that generate measurable community impact and applied learning experiences for students.

• Krebs, L. K. (2021). Learning at Disney: Myth or Magic? In J. Wessell (Ed.), Experiential Learning in Geography: Experience, Evaluation, and Encounters. Springer.
  (Experiential learning, tourism, and place-based pedagogy)
• Krebs, L. K. (2019). Assessing climate change, ecotourism, and small communities. Northeastern Geographer, 11, 30–47.
  (Climate change, ecotourism, community resilience)
• Krebs, L. K., & Whitelaw, G. (2008). Canadian environmental non-governmental organizations and ecotourism: Developing a framework for further research. Journal of Ecotourism.
  (Ecotourism theory, governance, sustainability frameworks)
• Krebs, L. K. (2009). The Effectiveness of the Internet as a Marketing Tool in Tourism. LAP Publishing.
  (Tourism marketing, technology, decision-making)
• Krebs, L. K., & Wall, G. (2006). Marketing tourism online. In E. Laws & B. Prideaux (Eds.), Managing Tourism and Hospitality Services. CABI Publishing.
  (Digital tourism strategies and consumer behavior)
• Krebs, L. K. (2017). Where climate change and polar bears collide: An Arctic ecotourism journey. Sextant, 23 (Winter).
  (Climate change communication and tourism narratives)
• Krebs, L. K., & Strohschein, D. (2017). Pokémon Go: Changing behavior to support healthy lifestyles.
  (Technology, behavior, and place-based engagement)
• Krebs, L. K. (2010). Economic Impact Analysis of Salem State University: Locally, Regionally, and Across the Commonwealth. Center for Economic Development & Sustainability.
  (Applied economic development and regional analysis)
• Hamilton, W., & Krebs, L. K. (2010). Spatial informatics: The key to regional economic development. Proceedings of the International Conference on Society and Information Technologies (IIIS).
  (GIS, spatial analysis, and economic development)

Selected Presentations

• The Future of Work: A View from 2023
  American Association of Geographers (AAG) Annual Meeting, Honolulu, HI — April 2024
  Presented research on regional economic trends, workforce systems, and post-pandemic labor shifts; sponsored and mentored three undergraduate research posters.

• Future of Work: Economic Trends and Regional Business Overview
  Workforce Development Leadership Summit, Salem, MA — June 2023
  Invited presentation synthesizing applied research on labor markets, economic resilience, and workforce development strategies.

• Climate Change and the Future of the Snow Sports Industry
  Invited Industry Briefing, Aspen, CO — January 2023
  Presented climate impact analysis and adaptation strategies for snow sports and tourism-dependent mountain communities

• Ecotourism and Climate Change: Exploring Changing Landscapes
  Explorer’s Lifelong Learning Lecture Series, Salem, MA — May 2024
  Public scholarship lecture translating research on ecotourism and climate change for community audiences.

• Sustainable Breck: Regional Sustainability Planning Workshop
  Invited Workshop Participant and Contributor, Breckenridge & Summit County, CO — April 2022
  Contributed to development of a comprehensive regional sustainability strategy for a tourism-dependent mountain region.

• Coastal Resiliency and Tourism Planning
  NOAA Coastal Resiliency Workshop (SECART), Kill Devil Hills, NC — October 2021
  Participated in defining collaborative regional strategies using GIS tools, drones, and public–private partnerships.

• Marine Animals and Tourism
  Invited Ecotourism Workshop, Nantucket, MA — September 2019
  Delivered a practitioner-focused presentation on sustainability, wildlife interactions, and responsible tourism practices for local businesses.

• Pokémon Go: Changing Behavior to Support Healthy Lifestyles
  American Association of Geographers (AAG) Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL — March 2015
  Examined technology-mediated place engagement, behavior change, and implications for tourism and public space.

• Public Opinion: How Strong Is the Public Voice in Society Today?
  American Association of Geographers (AAG) Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL — March 2015
  Sponsored and mentored undergraduate student research presentation on public opinion and participatory space.

Outside of her academic and professional work, Dr. Krebs enjoys travel, outdoor exploration, and spending time in nature. She is an avid skier and is especially drawn to mountain and coastal landscapes, interests that continue to inform her appreciation for place, environment, and human–environment relationships.