2023 Tourism Conference Agenda

 

Tuesday:

Commission strategy session – 10 – Noon Wildcat/Dome Rock Room

Byway Association Meeting 1pm-2pm – Pony Express Room

Commission Meeting 2-4 pm – Wildcat/Dome Rock Room

NETA meeting 4pm-5pm – Wildcat/Dome Rock Room

Exhibitor set-up – Can Start Set-up After 12pm – In the hallway

Silent auction set up – After Noon – Chimney Rock/Oregon Trail Room

5:30 - Welcome reception by Gering – Midwest Theater – 1707 Broadway, Scottsbluff

    Dining On Own - Options will be given 

Wednesday:        Business Logo Apparel Day

8:00 – 8:45 breakfast buffet -- Chimney Rock/Oregon Trail Room

8:45 – Welcome to Gering & Announcements

9:00 - Keynote – The Power of Storytelling - Kelly Swanson -- Chimney Rock/Oregon Trail Room

10:00 – Networking Break

10:30 - Breakout sessions

•    Wildcat/Dome Rock Room -- Winning Grant Funds: Stand Out and Succeed – DED: Sheryl Hiatt, Tourism, Nebraska Arts Council/Creative District: Steve Woerth, Historical Foundation: Leslie Fattig, Sunflower Grant Writing – Katie LeDoux, Omaha; G&P grant funding – Jane Gustafson

•    Platte River Room -- Social media content ideas to attract more heritage and cultural tourism visitors – Sheila Scarborough

•    Pioneer Room – Harnessing Indigenous Tourism: Opportunities for Growth– Richard Wright Jr, Culture Director, Ponca Tribe Nebraska 

•    Pony Express Room – Increasing Sports Tourism by Building Partnerships & Relationships – Fred Uhe

11:45 Lunch – Chimney Rock/Oregon Trail Room -- John – Marketing Update

Keynote – Transformational Opportunities for DLOs & Destinations - Berkley Young 

1:30 – Networking Break

2:00 - Travel & Media Trends for 2024 -- Chimney Rock/Oregon Trail Room -- Panel – Mady So, Adeina Anderson, Jennifer Broome,  JT Martin

3:15 – 4:45 General Session -- Chimney Rock/Oregon Trail Room -- Collaborating with Tourism Entities & Commissioners 

DOT Matt Neemann, DED: Sheryl Hiatt; Hospitality Association: Zoe Olson; NETA: Anjanette; Game & Parks: Jane Gustafson

5:45-9:00 – Oktoberfest – Legacy of the Plains Museum (will have buses and don’t forget your stein you received last year in So. 

Sioux City)

Thursday:

8:00 – 8:45 Breakfast Buffet -- Chimney Rock/Oregon Trail Room

8:45 – Welcome & Announcements

9:00 – What’s on the Horizon – Panel -- Chimney Rock/Oregon Trail Room

•    Joslyn – Amy Rummel 

•    Gene Leahy Mall – Riverfront – Kristyna Engdahl

•    STAR WARS – Jane Gustafson

•    Norfolk waterfront/downtown project – Mayor Moenning

10:00 – 10:30 Silent Auction Ends & Networking Break    

10:30 - Breakout sessions

•    Pony Express Room -- Volunteerism: Recruiting Volunteers to Boost Tourism Impact – Hannah – Omaha

•    Platte River Room -- The Power of Regenerative AI and ChatGPT: What it means for Tourism and Hospitality – Justin Gibbs 

•    Wildcat/Dome Rock Room -- Telling your story – interactive discussion on how to find craft and grow your business – Kelly Swanson

•    Pioneer Room -- Enhancing Accessibility & Inclusivity in Tourism Panel -- Moderator – August Erickson

•    Sunflower Project– Rachel Barth 

•    Wildcat Hills – Amanda Filipi

•    West Point City Park – Ashley Strehle

Noon – 2:00pm Awards Luncheon -- Chimney Rock/Oregon Trail Room

 

Speakers & Bios

 

Keynote: The Power of Storytelling - Kelly Swanson

Kelly is an award-winning storyteller, comedian, motivational speaker and author. She is a Huffington Post Contributor and a cast member of The Fashion Hero television show airing on Amazon Prime. She has launched her one-woman show, “Who Hijacked My Fairy Tale” in theaters and it is being booked all over the country. In July of 2022 she was inducted into the National Speakers Association Speaker Hall of Fame.

Kelly’s wacky wit and powerful stories have charmed hearts and tickled funny bones over the years. In addition to her role as a funny motivational speaker, she teaches people how she does it by sharing what she has learned about connecting and engaging to have more influence in business, using one tool – strategic storytelling. Sharing her own powerful journey through story and the formula she discovered, you come to that magical place where the art of story meets the business of persuasion.

 

Keynote: Transformational Opportunities for DLOs & Destinations - Berkley Young

Berkeley specializes in destination research, planning and strategy. His travel industry experience includes management positions at a destination marketing organization, a research/planning firm, a Chamber of Commerce and managing a golf resort community, all of which gave him a unique edge when analyzing research data. He has conducted research and strategic planning studies with destinations of all sizes in 35 states. Berkeley is obsessed with understanding the behavior of travelers and how they make their destination decisions. Taking that research into a comprehensive plan to unify a destination’s leader is his favorite part of client work. He is a highly rated speaker in the travel industry and is known for his clever approach when explaining even the most complicated data and trends.

 

Winning Grant Funds: Stand Out and Succeed

Learn the ins and outs of grant funding and how it can help you from a wide-ranging panel of tourism and agency experts.

Sheryl Hiatt - Sheryl serves as the Director of Field Operations for the Nebraska Department of Economic Development. The Field Operations staff live and work in their regions, serving as first point of contact to NDED programs. The team works with a variety of businesses, communities, start-up entrepreneurs, and economic development organizations and leads the Nebraska Business Retention and Expansion (BRE) survey program. Sheryl’s career at NDED spans 23 years. In additional to serving the North Central region of the state, she also assists across various divisions within the Department with hiring, application review, program development and implementation as needed. She has served on the board of the Nebraska Economic Developers Association and currently represents NDED on the Nebraska Manufacturing Extension Partnership Advisory Board.

Steve Woerth - Steve has been an active member of the Brownville Historical Society since 2012, including as a board member from 2016 to 2023 and as President from 2019 to 2023. As an advocate for the Nebraska Arts Council's Creative District program, he has put his passion for small communities throughout Nebraska to use and received the Daughters of American Revolution Award for Excellence in Community Service in 2023. A native Nebraskan who is also a veteran of the United States Navy, he has also been active in the Nebraska Trails Council and the Boy Scouts of America.

Jane Gustafson - Jane is an Assistant Division Administrator with the Communications Division of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Her working title is Marketing and Advertising Manager, and she leads the agency’s in-house creative team and coordinates strategic communication efforts with help from an outside advertising agency. A Nebraska native and graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Jane has experience in health care software, telecommunications, social research and engineering. Marketing the Nebraska outdoors is by far her favorite job. From emails and event marketing to social media, mass media and digital campaigns, she is thrilled to be part of a talented team of communications professionals who are passionate about conservation, the Nebraska outdoors and sharing their knowledge. Plus, she enjoys the odd e-mails her co-workers send, such as “One of our snakes is loose in the building” and “I have an owl looking for a ride to Scottsbluff.”

Katie LeDoux - Katie is the Founder and Executive Director of Sunflower Grant Writers, a unique company based out of Omaha. At Sunflower, her team provides personalized grant research and grant writing services to all types of organizations – small and large, nonprofit and for-profit, and assists with business development plans, grant review/feedback and more. She grew up in Saint Louis, MO and as a public policy graduate from Duke University (BA) and George Washington University (MPP). She spent the first 18 years of her career living and working in Washington, DC, at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and then at the Kennedy Center. Some of the special projects she worked on included helping to secure funding and planning the highly acclaimed Clarice Smith Lecture Series, organizing and managing the Wall of Remembrance, a large public art project dedicated to the memory of 9/11 victims, planning and securing all public programs and the first ever audio tour for a major exhibition on George Caitlin, and being instrumental in planning the Kennedy Center’s first ever complete Wagner’s Ring Cycle. She and her husband moved to Omaha in May of 2017 and are very happy to call this area home. Since launching her own company in 2019, she has been able to secure grants that helped to fund wish lists for clients including arts programs, city expansion, youth development, agriculture, health care projects and more. To date, Sunflower Grant Writers has raised over $1M in funding.

Leslie Fattig - Leslie has served as the Executive Director of the Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation (NSHSF) for more than 10 years. Prior to joining the Foundation, Leslie was President of AmeriMax Financial Corporation in Frankfort, Illinois. In 2021, Leslie and her team launched the Statewide Grants Program which supports local preservation and education efforts in Nebraska. A fundamental element of NSHSF’s strategy is generating enthusiasm for history and historical education. This program awards seedling grants to a variety of non-profit museums, historical societies and libraries for the creation of captivating exhibits, processing and preserving artifacts, and programs that not only promote history but also enrich visitors’ appreciation of the area. In 2022, the NSHSF introduced WanderNebraska, a statewide travel adventure program aimed at boosting heritage tourism to benefit local economies. WanderNebraska encourages travelers to explore a broad and exciting assortment of Nebraska attractions with historical significance, including museums, libraries and other points of interest.

 

Captivating Content: Social Media Ideas for Heritage and Cultural Tourism Visitors - Sheila Scarborough

Certain visitors and locals are drawn to heritage and cultural attractions, but what about in smaller towns and rural areas? Do they have assets that can appeal to this sort of person? Using the 8 Rural Culture Elements from the Kansas Sampler Foundation as a framework - architecture, art, commerce, cuisine, customs, geography, history, and people - you'll learn lots of ideas for using social media and online content to help promote heritage/cultural offerings to exactly the sort of visitor who will appreciate them.

Sheila is a speaker, trainer, and writer specializing in tourism, travel and social media. Along with Leslie McLellan, she's part of the Tourism Currents team, offering online and in-person workshops and training in social media marketing for tourism, hospitality, and economic development. She co-founded and still writes for the award-winning Perceptive Travel blog, serves as a PanelPicker Evaluator for SXSW - the South by Southwest conference - and serves on the Engagement Committee for the Texas Downtown Association. A U.S. Navy veteran and a Navy Master Training Specialist, Sheila is an NHRA drag racing fan because there's one winner, one loser and no whining.

 

Harnessing Indigenous Tourism: Opportunities for Growth – Richard Wright, Jr.

Richard currently serves as the Director of Cultural Affairs with the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska, where he has worked for a little over two years. Richard is also an enrolled member of the Ponca Tribe. He graduated from Wayne State College with a degree in social sciences education in 2020. He specializes in Ponca culture and history and shares that with members of the tribe and the general community. He also oversees the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska’s language, preservation, and tourism programs within the Department. When not in the field or behind the desk, he enjoys attending powwows and visiting cultural and historically significant sites.

 

Increasing Sports Tourism by Building Partnerships & Relationships – Fred Uhe

A 36-year employee of Sarpy County, Fred was originally hired as Chief Deputy Sarpy County Clerk and later transitioned to Director of Community and Government Relations, which included a 20-year stint as Sarpy’s lobbyist to the Nebraska Legislature. He assumed the Director of Tourism role in October 2017 at which time the office was facing some challenges. During his third week on the new job, they co-hosted this conference (2017 Nebraska Tourism Conference) and he was able to hit the ground running and hasn’t looked back since. He has overseen an increase in total lodging sales from $34.3 million in 2016 to $47.6 million last year, with no additional rooms. His office has recruited/attracted new events to the county including the largest collegiate volleyball tournament in the country, two collegiate club quidditch (now quadball) regionals and numerous youth tournaments.

Prior to his move to Tourism, Fred was involved in the construction of Werner Park, home of the Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers and USL League One Union Omaha. As a founding member of the Sarpy County Sports Commission, he led the committee to erect the statue honoring St. Louis Cardinals great Bob Gibson, a Sarpy County resident, at Werner Park. The dedication and banquet featured Tim McCarver, Joe Torre, Bill White and MLB Commissioner Bud Selig.

Active in the community, Fred is Chairman of the Board of Governors for Metropolitan Community College, a member of the executive board of Fontenelle Forest and a board member for the Papillion-La Vista Schools Foundation. His industry involvement includes serving as the Vice-President of the Southeast Nebraska Tourism Coalition (SENTC) and legislative co-chair for the Nebraska Travel Association (NETA).

 

Panel: Travel & Media Trends for 2024

Get ahead on what to expect in the next year from travelers, as well as how to capitalize from a media and press perspective. A diverse and accomplished group of journalists and content creators will provide insight.

Moderator: Mady So - As a Junior Account Executive for TURNER PR, Mady provides support to destinations and hotel teams through media outreach, client relations and project planning. Prior to joining the team at TURNER, she graduated from New York University in 2022 with a bachelor's degree in Media, Culture and Communications (MCC) and Media/Entertainment Business with previous agency experience including clients such as Hyatt and Graduate Hotels. Working with such clients as Travel Wisconsin, Visit Nebraska, Discover South Carolina and Viceroy Chicago, Mady brings a studied knowledge of new media and a cultured perspective to every project, striving to cultivate purpose and passion when connecting partners. She has studied French, Korean and ASL with plans to further her linguistic knowledge with Spanish and Japanese. In her free time, Mady enjoys music, books and all things yarn.

JT Martin - is a 5th generation Nebraskan who spent a decade working in media and advertising in San Francisco and New York. He was an ad strategist at Time Inc in New York and has appeared on camera in roles for MTV, TCL, Enews and GQ. After moving back to Nebraska in 2020 he created the Nebraska Made podcast that featured entrepreneurial Nebraskans including Tom Osborne, Clay Smith, Ava Thomas and Pete Ricketts. In 2022 he began documenting his Nebraska travels via his social media account @thecornbelt and in the summer of 2023 his videos were seen 15M times. Today he helps Nebraska businesses increase their visibility online and runs a startup called NextUp that helps high schoolers learn digital literacy.

Adeina Anderson - is a freelance multimedia travel journalist for broadcast, digital, and print outlets. Based in San Antonio, Texas, she is an on-camera talent as an expert, host, and reporter on travel, food, pet-friendly travel, safe and fun road trips and outdoor fun. As a travel journalist, Adeina creates travel and outdoor adventure segments for multiple local television lifestyle shows on NBC, ABC, CBS CW, and Fox affiliates in the top 50 TV markets including Tampa and Denver. She has written and photographed for outlets including A Girls Guide To Cars, Prime Women, Texas Travel Talk, and Microsoft Start. Her specialties are unique and pet-friendly outdoor adventures, empty nest travel, adventurous road trips, weekend road trips, luxury travel, and exploring the most beautiful places in the United States. She has road tripped to 48 of the 50 states. Her adventure bio includes Road Tripping to 34 states in 30 days, hiking Glacier National Park, New River Gorge National Park, and Yellowstone National Park. She has explored Mammoth Cave, Natural Bridge Caverns, The Cave Without a Name, Jewel Cave, and Marvel Cave, and has fly-fished in Montana, Michigan, Wyoming and Wisconsin. She has zip-lined, kayaked, and explored many locations in Texas, West Virginia, Colorado, and Wyoming, and white water-rafted in Montana and Wyoming.

Jennifer Broome - has stood on the equator, crossed the Arctic Circle, skydived with the U.S. Army Golden Knights, flown with the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, and trekked to Everest Base Camp. She is a freelance multimedia travel and environmental journalist for broadcast, digital, and print outlets including The Weather Channel, Local Now, AAA, Denver Post, Dream of Italy, Matador Network, Newsbreak, and multiple television stations in top 35 markets. Based in Denver, she is also a television meteorologist with weather videos regularly appearing on The Weather Channel, WeatherNation, Accuweather, and other broadcast and digital outlets around the globe. She is a sought-after travel expert, content creator, podcast guest, and speaker. Her specialties are outdoor adventure, solo travel, U.S. National Parks, road trips, luxury travel, and sustainable tourism. She's been to all 50 U.S. states, 47 countries, and is on a quest to visit all National Park Service sites including all national parks.

 

General Session: Collaborating with Tourism Entities & Commissioners

From state agencies to commissioners and tourism associations, it's valuable to understand how to work with people in the industry. This panel brings together several experts from across the state who will discuss how to best cooperate with their organizations and create the best result for your own goals.

Sheryl Hiatt - Sheryl serves as the Director of Field Operations for the Nebraska Department of Economic Development. The Field Operations staff live and work in their regions, serving as first point of contact to NDED programs. The team works with a variety of businesses, communities, start-up entrepreneurs, and economic development organizations and leads the Nebraska Business Retention and Expansion (BRE) survey program. Sheryl’s career at NDED spans 23 years. In additional to serving the North Central region of the state, she also assists across various divisions within the Department with hiring, application review, program development and implementation as needed. She has served on the board of the Nebraska Economic Developers Association and currently represents NDED on the Nebraska Manufacturing Extension Partnership Advisory Board.

Anjanette Bonham - Anjanette is the Executive Director of the Adams County Convention & Visitors Bureau in Hastings, Nebraska. She is originally from Pender, Nebraska and grew up on the family farm. Anjanette received her Bachelor's Degree in Travel and Tourism, with an emphasis in Convention and Meeting Planning, from the University of Nebraska at Kearney in 1996. Prior to being employed at the Adams County CVB in April 2017, she was a stay-at-home mom for 17 years. Anjanette and her husband John have two children Tyson 23 and Allison 20. She enjoys spending time with her family. Anjanette is currently the President of NETA (Nebraska Travel Association), President of the Hastings Downtown Center Association, and a member of Sports Nebraska.

Matt Neemann - Matt was raised in Lincoln, graduated from Lincoln High School and received a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from UNL in 1999. He began working at the Nebraska Department of Transportation in 1995 as a student and has held various positions since. In 2007, he moved into his current position in the Traffic Engineering Division with responsibilities over signing, pavement marking, traffic signals, and work zone traffic control on all highways throughout the state.

Jane Gustafson - Jane is an Assistant Division Administrator with the Communications Division of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Her working title is Marketing and Advertising Manager, and she leads the agency’s in-house creative team and coordinates strategic communication efforts with help from an outside advertising agency. A Nebraska native and graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Jane has experience in health care software, telecommunications, social research and engineering. Marketing the Nebraska outdoors is by far her favorite job. From emails and event marketing to social media, mass media and digital campaigns, she is thrilled to be part of a talented team of communications professionals who are passionate about conservation, the Nebraska outdoors and sharing their knowledge. Plus, she enjoys the odd e-mails her co-workers send, such as “One of our snakes is loose in the building” and “I have an owl looking for a ride to Scottsbluff.”

Zoe Olson - Zoe is the Executive Director of the Nebraska Hospitality Association (NeHA) and its educational arm, the Hospitality Educational Foundation (HEF). A UNL graduate with a degree in journalism and a focus in advertising, Zoe has more than 30 years of organizational management, marketing, and public relations experience. She has initiated new ventures throughout her career, from successful fundraising events to programs designed to engage clients and increase membership. Prior to coming to the NeHA, Zoe served as the Executive Director of Blue Rivers Area on Aging, Director of Public Relations and Marketing for Aging Partners and Executive Director of the Nebraska Wheat Growers Association.

 

Panel: What's on the Horizon

There are some exciting developments on the way in Nebraska's tourism industry. This panel of experts will weigh in and tell you what you need to know about what the future holds for several of these, including the re-opening of the Joslyn Art Museum, the Omaha RiverFront project, STAR WARS (Statewide Tourism and Recreation Water Access and Resource Sustainability) and Norfolk's water trail and downtown projects.

Jane Gustafson - Jane is an Assistant Division Administrator with the Communications Division of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Her working title is Marketing and Advertising Manager, and she leads the agency’s in-house creative team and coordinates strategic communication efforts with help from an outside advertising agency. A Nebraska native and graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Jane has experience in health care software, telecommunications, social research and engineering. Marketing the Nebraska outdoors is by far her favorite job. From emails and event marketing to social media, mass media and digital campaigns, she is thrilled to be part of a talented team of communications professionals who are passionate about conservation, the Nebraska outdoors and sharing their knowledge. Plus, she enjoys the odd e-mails her co-workers send, such as “One of our snakes is loose in the building” and “I have an owl looking for a ride to Scottsbluff.”

Amy Rummel - As Joslyn Art Museum’s Director of Marketing and Public Relations, Amy Rummel provides vision and leadership in the development and implementation of the Museum’s marketing strategies and campaigns. She serves as media spokesperson and head of communications, working to grow engagement with Joslyn’s diverse audiences. Rummel’s present focus is a full rebranding of the Museum, which is closed to the public until 2024 for renovation and the construction of a 42,000-square-foot addition. A native of Omaha, Rummel holds an MA in English from Creighton University, a BA in English and Public Relations from Hastings College, and has more than 25 years of experience in arts communications, public relations and marketing.

Katie Bassett - As the Vice President of Parks, Katie Bassett oversees operations of The RiverFront in downtown Omaha. Throughout the four-year construction process, Bassett worked directly with design and construction teams to manage park progression, strategize future developments and balance the project budget. Upon reopening, Bassett has successfully led the maintenance, operations and activation efforts within The RiverFront, which was completed in phases beginning with Gene Leahy Mall in July of 2022, followed by Heartland of America Park and Lewis & Clark Landing in August of 2023. She continues to be a community liaison for the park, leading public outreach opportunities and ensuring communication with local stakeholders.

Josh Moenning - Josh is the owner of Renew Nebraska LLC, a community developer, and Mayor of Norfolk, Nebraska. He was elected to the Norfolk City Council in 2012, mayor in 2016, and re-elected in 2020. He’s worked as director of clean energy group New Power Nebraska and owns and operates a small business in the field of renewable energy development. He also assists his family’s beef business and has two children, Molly and Henry. He’s worked in the Nebraska Legislature, for the U.S. House of Representatives, and as executive director of the infrastructure development group 4 Lanes 4 Nebraska. Moenning earned a journalism degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and has completed the Harvard Kennedy School’s Climate Change Policy: Economics and Politics executive program. In 2020, he was selected to serve on the board of directors of the National League of Cities. He’s now putting his talents to use in the North Fork development project, which has the goal to create a recreational, residential, entertainment, and retail/ business corridor along the North Fork River to enhance the quality of life for the City of Norfolk and Northeast Nebraska.

The Power of Regenerative AI and ChatGPT: What it Means for Tourism and Hospitality - Justin Gibbs

Justin directs the Analytics & SEO teams at Miles Partnership, ensuring that website activity is being properly measured, while also working to improve their presence in search engines. When he's not working, he can usually be found working on his home, socializing with neighbors, and tearing up the streets on his 49cc scooter.

 

 

Recruiting Volunteers to Boost Tourism Impact - Hannah Miller

Hannah Miller is the Senior Manager of Marketing and Communications for the TeamMates Mentoring Program’s National Office. She has served as a member of the TeamMates National Office staff since 2015, first as Mentor Recruitment Specialist, Marketing and Recruitment Coordinator, and Marketing and Recruitment Manager. Within the organization, Hannah has developed materials, empowered local coordinators and made presentations to recruit more than 16,000 new mentor applicants. She often calls herself the “Professional Hype-Woman” because her job is to excite potential mentors about the impact TeamMates makes on local youth. Along with her recruitment responsibilities, Hannah also leads a team of creative game-changers who make telling TeamMates’ story a priority.

She recently earned the “Gallup Certified Manager” title through Gallup’s Boss to Coach certification, making her an expert in strengths-based leadership. Prior to her experience with TeamMates, Hannah was an award-winning reporter and AM News Anchor for KLKN-TV in Lincoln, Nebraska. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Communications from Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania.

 

Telling Your Story How to Find, Craft and Grow Your Business - Kelly Swanson

Kelly is an award-winning storyteller, comedian, motivational speaker and author. She is a Huffington Post Contributor and a cast member of The Fashion Hero television show airing on Amazon Prime. She has launched her one-woman show, “Who Hijacked My Fairy Tale” in theaters and it is being booked all over the country. In July of 2022 she was inducted into the National Speakers Association Speaker Hall of Fame.

Kelly’s wacky wit and powerful stories have charmed hearts and tickled funny bones over the years. In addition to her role as a funny motivational speaker, she teaches people how she does it by sharing what she has learned about connecting and engaging to have more influence in business, using one tool – strategic storytelling. Sharing her own powerful journey through story and the formula she discovered, you come to that magical place where the art of story meets the business of persuasion.

 

Panel: Enhancing Accessibility & Inclusivity in Tourism

Moderator: August Erickson - August is the Accessibility Program Manager at Miles Partnership. He and his team are responsible for ensuring the digital products Miles creates are accessible to those with disabilities. When not working to make the internet more inclusive for all, he enjoys exploring the great outdoors and checking out local breweries in Miami.

Rachel Barth - Rachel is director of communications and customer engagement at the Lincoln Airport. Since arriving in 2020, she has helped the airport become safer, welcoming community as travelers returned after the pandemic, as well as spearheading new events. She led the airport's enrollment in the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program to make Lincoln a safe and welcoming place for all. In 2022, she was nominated for Lincoln Young Professional of the Year and the Inspire Award Woman of the Year.

Amanda Filipi - Amanda works for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission as an education specialist for the agency’s westernmost parks. Based out of the Wildcat Hills Nature Center south of Gering, she loves connecting children and adults with nature and the outdoors. Amanda’s affinity for the outdoors led her toward a career teaching others. She obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Natural Resources with an emphasis in Fisheries and Wildlife from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. Then, she went to work for Game and Parks as an educator at Ponca State Park before moving west for the rocky buttes and open prairies of the Panhandle. She worked as an educator for the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory before beginning her current position with Game and Parks over twelve years ago. Amanda is certified as an interpretive guide and certified interpretive guide trainer by the National Association for Interpretation.

Amanda and her husband, Todd, live near Bayard with their daughters, Lexi and Keeley, and German Shorthair Pointer, Sadie. They enjoy a wide variety of outdoor activities, including hiking, gardening, camping, fishing, kayaking and bird-watching.

Ashley Strehle - Ashley is a pediatric physical therapist at Franciscan Healthcare in West Point, Nebraska. She works with children with disabilities in the outpatient setting and serves area schools as well. She lives in West Point with her husband Luke and their 5 children. Ashley, along with a team of other pediatric therapists, identified a need within their community for accessible activities for children of all abilities, which is where the idea for an inclusive playground began. Their team was able to raise over $500,000 for a handicap accessible playground which was opened to the public in the summer of 2022.