Galena Country Tourism—with a focus on continued growth to provide unmatched experiences benefiting county stakeholders, visitors, and residents—selected its newest full-time employee: Ekaterina Roberts takes on the role of community engagement manager.
“It’s exciting to see the way that Galena Country Tourism, and specifically our communications department, is evolving, and Kat will be a critical piece of that equation,” says Tom Rynott, communications director for Galena Country Tourism. “Kat’s worldly background coupled with her hospitality experience in major tourism destinations make her an excellent fit, and we’re very excited to have her on board.”
Roberts, a native of Bulgaria, studied business administration at Sofia University, in her native country. During her years as a student, she participated in multiple student exchange programs, which allowed her to visit the United States during the busy summer season and travel around the country. In addition to her unique travel experience, Roberts has worked in hospitality for multiple major tourism destinations in the U.S. As the community engagement manager, Roberts serves as the main point of contact for visitor-supporting businesses in Galena and in Jo Daviess County.
In 2017, Roberts and her husband, Joshua, visited Galena for a romantic weekend getaway. They loved it and joked about retiring there someday. A few months later, a job opportunity came along for Joshua, and their wish became a reality. Fast forward six years, and they now have long called Galena their home and say that they “can’t envision themselves living anywhere else.”
Galena Country Tourism is the destination management organization for Galena and Jo Daviess County, with a mission to promote, develop, and expand the visitor industry for the local economy and community. This not-for-profit organization provides numerous travel resources to visitors and a Visitor Center located in the Old Train Depot, 101 Bouthillier St., in Galena.
