Interactions + Attractions

Join us as we talk with Corrina Ruffieux! Corrina is the Executive Director at Haywood County Tourism Development Authority and brings over 25 years of tourism leadership to her role. In her 2.5 years in Haywood County, she has led the creation of the county’s first Destination Master Plan, launched a full destination rebrand, and guided recovery efforts following Hurricane Helene—earning her the Haywood County Leader of the Year award. Her approach blends strategic vision with community collaboration, helping position Haywood as a model for sustainable tourism and destination stewardship.

Join us as we talk with Larry VanHoose! Larry is the Executive Director of the Alleghany County Chamber of Commerce in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. With more than 30 years of experience as a writer, creative director, photographer, and publisher, Larry has built his career around storytelling and community connection. Before joining the Chamber, he co-owned and was the Executive Editor of Surry Living Magazine, where he spent seven years celebrating local people and places across the region.

Today, Larry brings that same creative spirit to promoting Alleghany County—helping visitors and businesses discover all that the area has to offer. He and his wife, Trina, live on a small farm just off the Blue Ridge Parkway in Grayson County, Virginia, and are the proud parents of four grown children.

Thanks for tuning in!

Join us as we talk with Vivianette Ortiz! As the Executive Director of Latinos Aventureros, she leads the organization in creating meaningful outdoor experiences for Latinos and communities of color, breaking barriers and fostering deep connections with nature. Through shared adventures, Latinos Aventureros builds community, encourages learning, and inspires personal growth.

Under her leadership, the organization also promotes environmental awareness and sustainable practices to protect natural spaces, often collaborating with partners and community members across the Carolinas. This work reflects Ortiz’s ongoing commitment to community enrichment, inclusion, and empowerment.

A native of Puerto Rico, she treasures time with her family, enjoys hiking, and has a passion for plant care. Her volunteer work within the local Latinx community highlights her holistic approach to advocacy and community development, blending her professional pursuits with her personal passions and values.

Stay up to date on Vivianette and Latinos Aventureros:

Facebook: Latinos Aventureros en las Carolinas (https://www.facebook.com/latinosaventureros/)

Instagram: @latinosaventureros

Thanks for tuning in!

Join us as we talk with Carolyn Rhodes! Carolyn is an accomplished and visionary leader with an unwavering commitment to fostering collaboration, driving innovation, and championing progressive change. With a remarkable 20-plus year journey across diverse sectors, Carolyn’s passion lies in cultivating inclusive leadership and building sustainable infrastructures.

At the core of her leadership philosophy is a resolute dedication to opportunities for career advancement for all people. This principle intertwines with her pursuit of operational excellence and adherence to stringent compliance standards.

Having collaborated extensively with senior executives in nonprofits, small- and mid-sized businesses, and large corporations, Carolyn brings insight into organizational development, leadership, operations and strategy. Her approach encompasses active listening, transformative challenges, motivational guidance, and inspirational encouragement, all of which inspire individuals to transcend conventional boundaries and embrace innovation.

Thanks for tuning in!

Join us as we talk to Anita Brown-Graham! Anita is the founder and director of the ncIMPACT Initiative and the Gladys Hall Coates Distinguished Professor of Public Law and Government at the UNC School of Government. This initiative seeks to expand the School’s capacity to work with public officials on complex policy issues including economic mobility, the expansion of prekindergarten, and extending the labor pool. In 2020, she was named the Gladys Hall Coates Distinguished Professor of Public Law and Government at the School.

Brown-Graham previously taught at the School from 1994 to 2006, specializing in governmental liability and economic development aimed at revitalizing communities. She served as director of the Institute for Emerging Issues (IEI) at North Carolina State University from 2007 to 2016, where she led efforts to build North Carolina’s capacity for economic development and prosperity, working with business, government, and higher education leaders from across the state.

Brown-Graham began her career as a law clerk in the Eastern District of California. She is a William C. Friday Fellow, an American Marshall Fellow, and was named Distinguished Global Fellow by the Eisenhower Fellowships in 2021. The White House named her a 2013 Champion of Change for her work at IEI, and the Triangle Business Journal awarded her the inaugural 2021 Andrea Harris Trailblazer Award and named her a 2017 CEO of the year. Brown-Graham serves on the boards of several organizations, including Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina. She earned an undergraduate degree from Louisiana State University and a law degree from UNC-Chapel Hill.

Thank you for tuning in!

Join us for a conversation with Anpeytu Neier, founder of Gratitude Farm and Retreat, LLC. With a background in business development, project and staff management, public relations, marketing, team leadership, consulting, hospitality, serving on nonprofit boards of directors, crisis intervention, stress management, and teaching crisis response, resiliency skills, horse management, horse training, and riding lessons. Her passions include all of those and promoting health and knowledge of our natural environment, which is why she founded Gratitude Farm and Retreat, LLC where people have opportunities to learn about themselves and Mother Nature.

She has earned recognition and awards including Rookie of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, and Dedication & Service from the Jackson, WY, Police Department Citizen's Mounted Unit, Changemaker from the Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault, the Deana Griswould Award for Outstanding Victim Advocate in the Non-Profit Sector from the Colorado Organization for Victim Assistance, and for 20 years of service as a 4-H Horse Project Leader. She is trained in the Mitchell models of critical incident stress management, is certified in Mental Health First Aid, serves as a personal coach especially for people experiencing trauma-related challenges and life transitions, and is writing a book about healing and thriving after childhood abuse.

Be sure to stay connected with Anpeytu and Gratitude Farm by visiting her Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Gratitude-Farm-and-Retreat-LLC/61553923663845/

Join us as we talk with John McCann! John is the founder and president of Partners in Performance, where his work centers on organizations culture, innovation and adaptive strategy, and leader development. His clients include the Association of Arts Presenters, Dance/USA, National Alliance for Musical Theatre, Martha Graham Dance Company, Chicago Opera Theatre, and the National Symphony Orchestra. Within the philanthropic community he has advised the Wallace Foundation, Bush Foundation, Maryland State Arts Council, Grantmakers in the Arts, Grantmakers in Education, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

John serves on the boards of the Emily Krzyzewski Center, Pocosin Arts School of Fine Craft, and the Greater Tyrrell Chamber of Commerce. And in 2024, he opened the Blue Juniper Inn in Columbia, NC. The boutique hotel sits on the Scuppernong River that hosts immersive events such as writing workshops with NC Poet Laureate Jaki Shelton Green, restoration week for arts executives, and culinary experiences with Chef Hannah Holland.

Stay up to date with John and his work:

www.partnersinperformance.us

www.impetusleadership.us

www.bluejuniperinn.com

Join us as we chat with Mac Jeffers from Riversong Cabin Rentals! What started as a family dream of owning a small business turned into reality when Mac’s family discovered the charming town of Elkin, North Carolina. Drawn to the beauty of the Yadkin Valley, they found a secluded 50-acre piece of land nestled between the Mitchell River and Snow Creek.

Today, Riversong offers a peaceful escape in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Guests can enjoy nature-bathing trails, fire pits, a swimming hole on Snow Creek, and easy access to nearby vineyards, wineries, and Elkin’s renowned hiking trails. With four brand-new cabins, Riversong invites you to slow down, recharge, and connect with the beauty of North Carolina’s outdoors.

Learn more and schedule time to stay at Riversong:

Email: [email protected]

Website: riversoncalling.com

Instagram: @riversongcabinrentals

Join us as we talk with Mayor Bobbie Jones! Mayor Jones is a lifelong leader whose journey has taken him from the Marine Corps to the classroom, and now to being the Mayor of Princeville, North Carolina, the oldest town chartered by African Americans in the United States.

A three-term mayor, Jones is dedicated to preserving Princeville’s powerful history while guiding it toward a thriving future. Mayor Jones believes in a vision where “Everyone Thrives.” His story is one of resilience, purpose, and hope ensuring that Princeville’s legacy is preserved for generations to come.

Stay updated with the Town of Princeville:

Website: www.townofprinceville.com

Also don’t forget to RSVP for the UPLIFT Rural Tourism Summit at www.uplifttourism.com/calendar

Join us as we get to talk with farmer Dallas Robinson about her passion project, the Harriet Tubman Freedom Farm! Dallas loves cats, plants, and soil! Her farming journey started in 2017, when she finally took the advice of a persistent college friend to attend the Soul Fire Farmer's Immersion that summer. It was love at first ripe tomato. Dallas apprenticed on various farms in North Carolina, Illinois, and completed the Farm Beginnings Course in Asheville in the fall of 2019. The Harriet Tubman Freedom Farm was launched in 2020. Like a pea tendril meanders, so has Dallas's path and she is very grateful to have come back to the farm in Whitakers, NC. Regardless of where she's gone, the mission to heal Black people's relationship to food and land through agriculture has remained the same.

You can connect with Dallas at the Harriet Tubman Freedom Farm below:

Website: www.theharriettubmanfreedomfarm.com

Instagram: @harriettubman_freedomfarm

Also don’t forget to RSVP for the UPLIFT Rural Tourism Summit at www.uplifttourism.com/calendar