Karen Williamson is the Executive Director of Caswell Arts, a nonprofit organization based in Yanceyville, NC. With a background in nonprofit management, she has been working on strengthening the foundation of the NGO and increasing the visibility of the arts in Caswell County. Learn more about Caswell Arts here: https://caswellcouncilforthearts.wildapricot.org/ and be sure to stay updated on what UPLIFT is doing: https://www.uplifttourism.com/.

Get to know Angela Allen, the Director of Granville Tourism Development Authority. Through this role, she promotes Granville County as a tourist destination by highlighting the county’s rich history, agriculture, and events in order to create future tourism growth. She was recently recognized for her work promoting Granville County at the DIY Tourism and Local Marketing Conference in Asheville and for her use of innovative community building to create a tangible impact in how current and future visitors view Granville County. Learn more about Granville County and what they have going on here: https://www.granvillecounty.org/ and be sure to stay updated on what UPLIFT is doing: https://www.uplifttourism.com/.

Liz Parham has worked for more than 36 years in the field of downtown revitalization and currently serves as the director of the NC Main Street & Rural Planning Center. She is a Certified Main Street Director from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the National Main Street Center and has a passion for downtown commercial architecture, small businesses, and the assets of rural North Carolina. Learn more about the Main Street program here: https://www.commerce.nc.gov/about-us/divisions-programs/rural-economic-development-division/nc-main-street-rural-planning-center#contacts and be sure to stay updated on what UPLIFT is doing: https://www.uplifttourism.com/.

Join us for a happy hour episode as we get to know Chris Cavanaugh, president of Magellan Strategy Group, and learn about his involvement in tourism throughout his career. With 28 years of experience in tourism, Chris has become known as an expert in destination and attraction marketing and planning. His experience as a planning consultant includes destinations of all sizes, both rural and urban; attractions, especially historic, natural, and cultural sites; and numerous other hospitality entities. Learn more about Chris and Magellan Strategy Group here: https://www.magellanstrategy.com/ and be sure to stay updated on what UPLIFT is doing here: https://www.uplifttourism.com/.

Kofi Boone, FASLA, is a Joseph D. Moore Distinguished Professor and University Faculty Scholar at NC State University and a part of the UPLIFT program. Stay up to date on what Kofi and the UPLIFT team are doing here: https://www.uplifttourism.com/.