Lydia Ivanovic
Meet Lydia Ivanovic:
Lydia completed her undergraduate studies at Smith College in western Massachusetts, majoring in Economics. Having worked on her school’s food sustainability campaign, Lydia is excited to see her food systems organizing skills put to work in developing the Basin’s agritourism network, among other projects. While Lydia hails from the big apple, she is excited to embrace the close-knit nature of rural communities and work alongside grassroots organizations to inspire real change. When not in the office, Lydia loves rock climbing, hiking, and playing the saxophone.
Community and Organization:
Nestled in the Klamath Basin on the eastern slopes of the Cascade Mountains, Klamath Falls offers an outstanding array of natural and cultural wonders. Once a timber-centric economy, Klamath Falls now has a vibrant tourism sector, attracting visitors to explore the unique natural environment, vibrant cultural communities and rich heritage resources. Home to Crater Lake, Mountain Lakes Wilderness, and the Lava Beds National Monument, the Klamath Basin offers year-round outdoor adventures including hiking, fishing, biking, and snowshoeing. A day spent in Klamath Falls offers 15 sites on the National Historic Register, museums, varied dining options, shops, and breweries. Discover Klamath is Klamath County’s official tourism agency, promoting community attractions throughout the Basin.
Project:
Serving as the Rural Tourism Coordinator at Discover Klamath, the RARE member acted as a facilitator and project lead on numerous community initiatives that spanned the realms of Outdoor Recreation, Cultural Heritage Tours, Agritourism, and Arts and Culture. Lydia’s projects crossed the California-Oregon border, engaging in strategic regional coalition, community outreach, and comprehensive marketing with the cooperative network of downtown revitalization groups that make up the Rural Klamath Connects Communities (RKC). She worked with RKC and other community leaders to develop and promote marketing materials on water trails in the Klamath Basin, created cultural heritage audio tours and brochures, and partnered with local farmers and agricultural institutions to create a plan for agritourism in the Klamath Basin. Lydia also developed a plan for community engagement in developing a winter tourism market, and continued development of wayfinding signage and improvements for outdoor recreation, cultural heritage, and agritourism.