Destination Stewardship
The functions of Destination Development, Grants and Regional Cooperative Tourism Program (RCTP) were combined into a single department called Destination Stewardship. These functions all have programs that are responsible for people, products and places that enrich visitor and resident experiences.
Much of our current work stays the same in providing technical assistance and funding to our regions, communities and industry partners. The products and services currently provided such as training, toolkits and case studies — all those are at the heart of this group. The Destination Stewardship department will enhance our partnership with, and support of, our regions while ensuring alignment and engagement with regional partners in all of our destination stewardship efforts.
• Leads the agency’s destination stewardship strategy, management of departmental and organizational operations and delivery of regionally based destination, investment, product and community development outcomes to support Travel Oregon’s mission.
• Oversees staffing, priorities, outcomes and budgets, and serves as the liaison with industry organizations to provide facilitation and funding to communities and the industry.
• Provides strategic and programmatic leadership in the development of robust destinations while preserving, enhancing, and celebrating locals and their quality of life.
• Leads and manages a team of destination professionals to accomplish this work.
• Leads and support community-based tourism development and provides follow-up leadership and support to action teams.
• Spearheads Portland destination-focused programming.
• Aligns within agency to advance key priorities of the agency and the industry in Oregon.
Favorite Oregon Activity: Swimming and playing in one of Oregon’s pristine bodies of water… followed up by an in-town local food and beverage walking/biking tour. Or a Portland Thorns game!
• Develop and direct destination stewardship and experience development initiatives and collaborations to support efforts and goals at the destination level.
• Recommend strategies & facilitate programs that integrate Travel Oregon’s stewardship lenses, balancing overlapping and conflicting needs and interests of diverse stakeholder groups.
• Cultivate partnerships and engage stakeholders to leverage resources, build capacity, expand collaborations, and solve for destination challenges.
Favorite Oregon Activity: Seeking Oregon’s best hidden culinary experiences from farms, ranches, and historic downtowns in rural Oregon
• Oversees Travel Oregon programs related to supporting tourism businesses including the Oregon Food Trails, Digital Marketing Boost, and Why Guides programs.
• Leads industry Learning Communities in the areas of Food & Farm Trails, Dark Sky Tourism, and Why Guides.
• Develops tools and resources to support industry partners in learning about and developing product within emerging visitor experience areas.
• Liaisons with the Brand Stewardship department, connecting new visitor experiences and information coming out of Oregon’s destinations to Travel Oregon’s consumer marketing channels.
Favorite Oregon Activity: Backpacking and alpine lake swimming in the Wallowas.
• Oversees Travel Oregon programs and projects related to outdoor recreation visitor experience development and other niche priority areas.
• Leads and collaborates stakeholder-driven processes to support destination challenges and opportunities.
• Manages an array of strategic partnerships to bring key destination stewardship-related training, events and resources to Oregon’s tourism industry.
Favorite Oregon Activity: Sharing the love of Oregon's outdoors with her two kiddos.
• Strategizes and develops Regional Cooperative Tourism Program plans
• Liaises with Regional Destination Management Organizations regarding their execution of regional plans
• Maximizes impact of regional tourism investments
Favorite Oregon Activity: Chanterelle picking, mountain biking and trail stewardship
• Serves as the project manager of the Regional Cooperative Tourism Program
• Liaison between Regional Destination Management Organizations and Travel Oregon departments
• Assists in the tracking and implementation of regional strategic plans
Favorite Oregon Activity: Long walks up tall mountains accompanied by alpine dips
• Leads strategy and development of Travel Oregon's regional and community funding and investment portfolio.
• Oversees the competitive grants program and aligns financial investments, grants and sponsorships to the agency's vision to maximize community impact.
• Leads and manages a team of grants administrators.
Favorite Oregon Activity: Exploring the great outdoors and spending time with family in Ashland
• Administers competitive and matching grants programs.
• Leads in ongoing development of program improvements.
• Ensures projects are successfully moving forward.
Favorite Oregon Activity: Foraging for rocks, feathers and sticks in Oregon’s beautiful temperate rainforests.
• Develops and implements funding programs that contribute to the development and improvement of communities by enhancement, expansion and promotion of the visitor industry.
• Manages the Oregon Wine Country License Plates Matching Grant and the Oregon Wine Country License Plate Tourism Promotion Distribution programs which support wine and culinary tourism.
Favorite Oregon Activity: Exploring u-pick farms of the Willamette Valley.