Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser has honored Madison Parish Tourism Director Tina Johnson with the Pelican of Distinction Award, recognizing her leadership, dedication, and contributions to Louisiana’s tourism industry.
In a letter accompanying the award, Nungesser wrote, “Please accept this award as a token of my sincere appreciation for all that you do—not only for your parish, but for tourism throughout Louisiana. I regret that I was unable to present it to you in person at the Louisiana Tourism Summit.”
The Pelican of Distinction Award inscription reads, “Presented in recognition of your outstanding leadership, unwavering dedication, and lasting contributions to the Louisiana tourism industry. Tina Johnson. Thank you for everything you do and the passion you bring to Louisiana Tourism. Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser.”
Johnson has served as Director of the Madison Parish Tourism Commission since 2005, leading local and regional efforts to promote Madison Parish and Tallulah as destinations for cultural, historical, and outdoor tourism. A retired library administrator from the University of the District of Columbia, she also worked as an adjunct professor and librarian at Howard University and Averett University in Virginia before returning to Louisiana.
Her experience in education and information services has shaped her approach to community development and tourism promotion. Johnson regularly contributes articles to the Louisiana Road Trip Magazine and The Madison Journal, where she writes about local history, attractions, and heritage preservation. She is an active member of The Northeast–Tallulah First Seventh-day Adventist Church, serving as superintendent of the Sabbath school class.
Johnson’s civic service spans numerous organizations. She has been a member of the Tallulah Chamber of Commerce, the City of Tallulah Beautification and Revitalization Commission, and the Madison Parish Historical Society. She has volunteered at the Tensas National Wildlife Refuge’s Annual Hunting and Fishing Day and served as chairman of Teddy’s Bearfest, a festival commemorating President Theodore Roosevelt’s 1907 bear hunt in Madison Parish. The festival was sponsored by the Madison Parish Police Jury and held annually from 2007 through 2018.
Johnson also serves on the boards of Louisiana Delta Adventures Inc. and the Miss-Lou Rural Tourism Association and is a member of the Louisiana North Coalition, a regional tourism partnership. Her community roles include work with the Madison Relay for Life Team and the LSU AgCenter Advisory Leadership Council for the Northeast Region Committee. She has previously served on the boards of Northeast Delta Resource and Development Area Inc. and Louisiana Delta 65 Inc.
Johnson credits her lifelong dedication to service to her upbringing in a family that valued faith, education, and helping others. She has said her motivation to contribute to her community comes from gratitude for the opportunities she has had and from the encouragement of those who supported her. She often describes Tallulah as a “diamond in the rough,” emphasizing its potential for tourism, small business development, and cultural recognition.
Under Johnson’s leadership, the Madison Parish Tourism Commission has focused on promoting the parish’s historical landmarks and outdoor recreation opportunities. Madison Parish is known for its hunting and fishing destinations and its connection to President Roosevelt’s 1907 bear hunt that inspired the creation of the teddy bear.
Prominent historical attractions highlighted in Johnson’s tourism efforts include Crescent House, one of four homes spared during the siege of Vicksburg; the Hermione Museum, a restored Civil War–era home relocated to Mulberry Street in Tallulah that now houses artifacts documenting the parish’s history; the Southern Heritage Air Foundation Museum at the Vicksburg–Tallulah Regional Airport, featuring vintage aircraft and World War II memorabilia; Madam C. J. Walker’s Birthplace, now home to Delta City Hall; Milliken’s Bend, a former prosperous river community destroyed during the Civil War and now marked by historic signage; the Duckport Canal and Grant’s Canal, both Civil War-era engineering efforts tied to the siege of Vicksburg; and Richmond, the original parish seat destroyed during the war.
Johnson also promotes the Standard Oil Airport Building, the site of the world’s first crop-dusting operations in the 1920s, and the Church Cornerstone on Thomastown Road, believed to have been a site of Underground Railroad activity.
Her office supports and promotes key local events that draw visitors each year, including Teddy’s Bearfest, held the second weekend in October, and the Christmas Festival Along the Bayou, hosted the first weekend in December. The Christmas event features arts and crafts vendors, a parade, a community choir concert, and fireworks over the bayou.
Nungesser’s recognition of Johnson underscores her long-standing efforts to promote rural and small-town destinations as integral parts of Louisiana’s broader tourism network. The award places Johnson among a select group of individuals recognized for advancing tourism across the state.
Nungesser’s message and the award presentation mark statewide acknowledgment of Johnson’s nearly two decades of work connecting Madison Parish’s cultural, natural, and historical heritage to Louisiana’s tourism identity.
