Catie Boucher
Email: coordinator@visiteasternoregon.com
Title: Special Projects Coordinator
Organization: Eastern Oregon Visitors Association
Community: Pendleton
Population: 16,685
County Served: 11 counties–Baker, Gilliam, Grant, Harney, Malheur, Morrow, Sherman, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa, and Wheeler. 2 tribes–Burns Paiute, Confederate Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR)
Meet Catie Boucher:
Catie is a huge dog lover–trailing off mid-sentence because she sees a cute dog is a common occurrence for her (and she’s not sorry)! She also loves doing book swaps with friends, which is really just a fun excuse to talk to them about her favorite books.
She’s a recent graduate from Oregon State University with a BS in Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences. During her studies, she fell in love with the connections between tourism, conservation, equity, and community development.
This is her second year with RARE and EOVA! She’s excited to continue getting to know the communities in Eastern Oregon.
Community and Organization:
Eastern Oregon is a beautiful, diverse region with rich cultural and environmental context. It is the largest region (almost half the state!), but only a fraction of the state’s total population because it is largely rural.
Pendleton will serve as Catie’s home community. Although Pendleton is known for the iconic Round-Up, the rolling hills and downtown riverside walking path have become central to Catie’s own image of the area.
Eastern Oregon Visitors Association is a small but mighty team–almost entirely RARE alumna! EOVA serves 11 counties and two tribes in the Eastern Oregon region. EOVA focuses on three marketing and development pillars: agritourism, outdoor recreation, and culture/heritage. As a Regional Destination Management Organization, it is often the key link between Travel Oregon and the local communities. We use our regional perspective to identify opportunities for collaboration, acting as a conduit that brings partners together.
Projects:
Catie is involved in a lot of different projects, spanning themes as varied as culture/heritage, culinary/agritourism, accessibility, and sustainability! Her primary role is to continue building a strong regional network that connects local partners involved in arts, culture, history, and storytelling. She will also be spearheading some specific projects including audio tour development, disability awareness workshops for local businesses, and a local food directory.