The Staff of the Aspen Chamber Resort Association:
Debbie Contini Braun
President and CEO
970-920-7140
Debbie has lived in Aspen seven years. She grew up in Palmer, Alaska and still visits yearly. She started with the Aspen Chamber in 1999 as the membership director, she was promoted to vice president of business development in 2003 and was appointed president and CEO the summer of 2005. Debbie is married with two children. She serves on the advisory board of Kid's First and is a board member with the Roaring Fork Valley Community Health Plan. Community involvement includes taking part in the Aspen Civic Center master plan and fundraising and volunteering for Roaring Fork Kids and Basalt Elementary School.
Prior to joining the Chamber, she was project manager of the Children's Diabetes Foundation in Denver where she helped to produce The Carousel of Hope - the single largest one-night fundraiser in the United States -raising over $6 million. Debbie has worked for CE Sports as an event manager and the Budweiser Mogul Tour as athlete relations manager.
Debbie graduated from Northern Arizona University in 1988 with a degree in Public Relations/Journalism, and a minor in psychology.
Jennifer Albright Carney
Vice President of Event Marketing
970-920-7143
Jennifer Albright Carney manages the special events department and produces Winterskol, the Food & Wine Magazine Classic in Aspen, Aspen's Old-fashioned Fourth of July Celebration, the Aspen Arts Festival, and the Cocktail Classic.
After graduating from Michigan State University in 1992, Jennifer spent the summer working on Nantucket Island and three months in Hong Kong before moving to Aspen. Jennifer has lived in Aspen for the past twelve years. Prior to joining the Chamber, Jennifer worked for the Ritz-Carlton Aspen and at the Aspen Art Museum as membership director.
Julie Hardman
Special Events Manager
970-920-7146
Julie Hardman assists with the production of Winterskol, the Food & Wine Magazine Classic in Aspen, Aspen's Old-fashioned Fourth of July Celebration, and the Aspen Arts Festival.
Julie has worked in the events department at the Aspen Chamber for 5 years. Prior to joining the Aspen Chamber, Julie worked for Ski.com, the Snowmass Village Resort Association as the events manager and taught skiing for the Aspen Skiing Company. Julie moved to Aspen 12 years ago from Atlanta, GA.
Michelle Miller
Director of Operations
970-920-7142
Michelle works directly with the President and CEO of the Aspen Chamber, provides administrative support to the staff, including Human Resources, Office Management and Finance.
Michelle previously worked at the Snowmass Resort Association in Snowmass Village and has lived in the Roaring Fork Valley for over 12 years, originally from the Chicagoland area.
Heather Compton
Director of Member Services
970-920-7169
Heather's primary responsibility is planning and executing member programs, and providing Chamber support for marketing local businesses.
Heather has lived in Aspen since 1997. Prior to joining the Chamber she was a Catering Sales Manager and National Sales Manager at The Little Nell Hotel, Aspen's only five-star/five-diamond hotel. Heather has worked for non-profit associations in the past and is married with two children. She graduated from the University of Georgia in 1992 with a degree in Public Relations/Journalism, and minors in business and art. Community involvement includes fundraising and volunteering for Roaring Fork Kids where her children attend daycare.
Karen Keeley
Guest Service Manager
970-920-7145
Karen joined the Chamber after working for Stay Aspen Snowmass as a group sales manager for four years. Before that she worked for the Snowmass Resort Association in the central reservations office for nine years.
Karen has lived in the valley for 20 years.
Lisa Johnson (Weiss)
Director of Sales & Marketing
970-920-7141
In Aspen for 4 years, Lisa manages the destination marketing and sales programs at the Aspen Chamber developing a comprehensive marketing and sales plan annually for the City of Aspen. With advertising, marketing, sales, public relations and web marketing programs, the primary objective of the department is to bring new visitors to Aspen. The Sales and Marketing team consists of Joanna Eisler, National Sales Manager, Annie Watts, Marketing Manager and Stephanie Power Smith, Administrative Manager.
Lisa graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in Education but quickly realized she had a bigger love for marketing and the travel & tourism industry. Having worked with Benchmark Hospitality as a Conferences Services Manager and at Baker Marine Group as an Event Marketing Manager, Lisa joined the team at the Aspen Chamber as the Marketing and Sponsorship Manager before assuming her current role.
Currently a member of HSMAI, TIA and PRSA, Lisa is working toward her APR (Accredited in Public Relations) certification. Lisa lives right in the heart of Aspen and loves every minute of it.
Annie Watts
Marketing Manager
970-920-7122
Annie Watts is part of the Destination Marketing program at the Aspen Chamber, which develops strategies and the marketing plan to promote tourism to Aspen in the non-winter months. Born and raised in the Seattle area, a graduate of Washington State University and has now lived in Aspen for the last 5 years. Annie enjoys all that Aspen has to offer and you can find her hiking or skiing most of her weekends away!
Stephanie Power Smith
Aspen Groups Administrative Manager
970-920-7196
Stephanie works directly with the VP of Marketing and the National Sales Manager for Aspen Groups. She provides administrative support for Aspen Groups including office management and finance. Prior to joining the Chamber in January of 2006, she was the Assistant Conference Director at The Gant for 6 years.
Although originally from Puerto Rico, she was raised in Gainesville, Florida and moved to the valley after she received her Bachelor's Degree in Recreation, Parks, and Tourism at the University of Florida in 1992. She has lived in the valley for 15 years, is married and has two children. Stephanie has served on the Board of Directors at Roaring Fork Kids since 2003.
JoAnna Eisler
National Sales Manager, Aspen Groups
970-920-7185
JoAnna Eisler is the National Sales & Marketing Manager for Aspen Groups. JoAnna works to promote Aspen as a year round destination to group planners. She is focused on generating group revenues to our hotel lodging properties and to participating businesses that benefit from group business. Keeping Aspen front of mind as a group destination and making it an accessible option for corporate and social meeting planners are her core objectives.
JoAnna joins us from The Sky Hotel where she served as Corporate Sales Manager since March 2007. Prior to that, Joanna spent the past four years at Kimpton Hotels in Portland, Oregon in operations management, catering & conference services and sales. JoAnna's strong hospitality experience also includes stints with Vail Resorts, TriStar Restaurants (Maui) and the Stein Erikson Lodge.
JoAnna began following her passion for resort life after attending Stephen F. Austin University where she majored in English & History. She met the ski bum of her dreams shortly thereafter, and is thrilled to now call the Roaring Fork Valley home. JoAnna is also on the Board of Directors for the Carbondale Community Food Co-Operative. She and her husband, John, have two dogs and enjoy all of the outdoor fun the Rocky Mountains have to offer.
Erik Klanderud
Managing Director of Guest Services
Aspen Chamber at Rio Grande Office
970-925-1940
Erik Klanderud is the managing director of guest services at the Aspen Chamber Resort Association (ACRA), and he just might be this mountain town's No. 1 fan. Klanderud (who also happens to be former mayor Helen Klanderud's son) has been graciously providing visitors and curious locals with vital Aspen information through ACRA for the last four years. That task comes easy to Klanderud, who has has spent the last three decades living in our mountain town and cultivating his expert status on all things Aspen (he is even a graduate of Aspen High School). Whether you're wondering what trail to hike, where to eat, or when the Wheeler Opera House was constructed, Erik always has an answer, and it almost always comes with a smile. For great conversation and an Aspen factoid, you can find this hometown boy at the ACRA offices at 425 Rio Grande Place.
Dorothy Frommer
Director of Guest Services
FACES of ASPEN/SNOWMASS
970-920-7144
Dorothy is the creator and manager of the community wide multi-faceted guest service initiative called "The FACES of ASPEN/SNOWMASS". With several aspects to the program, the mission is to raise the level of guest service throughout the community, and the goal is to have ASPEN/SNOWMASS become the number one destination resort in the country for its outstanding guest service. An Ambassador program for the Aspen Airport was started with the Winter 2007/08 season. Our smiling, patient Ambassadors connect with residents and visitors on their arrival and departure.
A native New Yorker, Dorothy has lived in Aspen for over 30 years. She opened a women’s clothing and accessory Boutique in Aspen in 1975, and has been involved with retail in Aspen ever since. She has a passion for Aspen history and excellent customer service.
Sue Wall
Guest Service Manager
970-920-7148
Sue is the manager of guest services for two of the Aspen Chamber visitor centers located in the heart of downtown Aspen: the Wheeler Opera House Visitor Center and the Pavilion Visitor Center on the corner of Cooper and Galena Streets.
Sue joined the Chamber as the Guest Service Supervisor at the Aspen Airport in the Spring of 2006. Previously, she worked many years in retail businesses, including owning a restaurant in Washinton State and a gallery/gift shop in Arizona. Prior to joining the Aspen Chamber, she worked for eight years as the manager of Toklat Gallery at Ashcroft.
Sue grew up in Aspen and has lived in this great town for thirty years.
|
