by Deb Brown | Aug 18, 2026
Cortney Bloomer, MPH, Destination Development/Tourism Development/Community Development
Cortney Bloomer formerly served as the manager of the Destination Development programs for the Nevada Department of Commerce/Travel Nevada, delivering economic development through the development of tourism in rural communities throughout the state. In this role, she developed strong skills in facilitation of community meetings, Main Street development, community workshops and more, as a way to bring together constituents with often diverse and competing opinions, to work toward agreement on what must be accomplished to meet the goals. In that position, Cortney worked tirelessly with a statewide network of partners and strategies to strengthen collaboration and build capacity and followed along with each client community previously equipped with a plan, through an additional four years.
Cortney also headed up programs to assist small businesses and worked to identify sustainable funding for each of the two destinations a year for which development projects were executed. A recent move from the Nevada Department of Commerce, brought her to the Community Economic Partners team, since she knew our work well as our client. Prior to this work, she served as the Food Systems Manager for the Healthy Communities Coalition, where she headed educational development for the volunteers, successfully applied for grants and handled comprehensive administrative duties. Cortney also previously served as the Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator for Western Nevada Safe Routes to School for Carson City.
Education
Bachelor of Science, Biology, West Virginia Wesleyan College
Master of Public Health, West Virginia University
Memberships, Service, Recognition
Governor’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board
US Department of Agriculture Grant Review Panel
Governor’s Council on Food Security
Carson City Public Health Department Conference
Carson City Community Health Improvement Program
by Deb Brown | Aug 18, 2026
Briana Konecke, Tourism Development
Ms. Koenecke brings a varied background of tourism accomplishments to Community Economic Partners/National Travel Center, supported by a Masters in Travel and Tourism Management from New York University. She is especially conversant in benchmarking of both peer and competitive destinations, and able to tie the best practices and success stories of the destinations directly to the advantages they will provide a client destination. Prior to going back to school, she served as a professional tour guide across Asia, Europe, and Oceania, providing direct insight into visitor behavior patterns and experience design. Brianna also spent time in the Peace Corps in Indonesia where she developed and implemented a community-based teacher training program. She also has extensive experience in conducting surveys and developing research protocols across diverse contacts.
While in graduate school, Brianna was selected to participate in the NYU Hospitality Innovation Hub Incubator Program where she pursued the development of data-driven solutions to support DMOs in their quest to increase their opportunities and improve data-sharing opportunities between DMOs. Other interesting experiences in tourism development include leading two and three weeklong summer youth travel programs that included both community service work and cultural exploration, providing concierge services for private and corporate events to help create memorable client experiences at a luxury camping retreat on Governors Island. More recently, Brianna conducted multi-state research surveying DMOs across Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and New York to document their operational challenges and visitor management strategies.
Education
Bachelor of Arts in History, Elon University
Master of Travel and Tourism Management New York University Tisch Center for Hospitality
Certifications
Certificate in DEI for Hospitality and Tourism Events
by Deb Brown | Aug 18, 2026
Chadley Hollas, PhD (being awarded) Destination Development/Tourism, Agritourism
Like so many others on the Community Economic Partners/National Travel Center team, Chadley Hollas brings a multitude of varied experiences to his work. Beginning his career in hotel management, including a stint with Marriott and Sage Hospitality, he worked as the National Events Manager for M.O.R.E., planning and executing large-scale events nationwide, managing logistics and personnel, accommodating as many as 25,000 attendees. Chadley’s work as Director of Tourism for Salado, Texas, resulted in an increase in hotel tax revenues by 25% in two years’ time. More recently, he has worked in agritourism, after learning from the ground up, as the owner of a goat dairy. This experience has led to projects with the University of Vermont, Cornell University, and Penn State, as well as the State of Maine Department of Agriculture, Forestry, and Conservation and the Maine Cheese Guild. Chadley has held teaching positions at the University of Georgia, Texas A&M University, and Oregon State University. He has also served on the Board of Directors of Travel Unity, Global Agritourism Network, the Texas Brazos Trail, and the Texas Prehistoric Trail.
Education
Bachelor of Science, Recreation, Park, and Tourism Sciences, Texas A&M University
Master of Science, Recreation, Park, and Tourism Sciences, Texas A&M University
Doctor of Philosophy, Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management, University of Georgia
Memberships
Southeast Tourism Society
National Association of Community Development Extension Professionals
Global Agritourism Network
National Extension Tourism Network
Texas Travel Industry Association
Phi Kappa Phi
Travel Unity
World Congress on Agritourism Scientific Advisory Board
Publications
Being Prepared for Agritourists in Comprehensive Foundations of Tourism, Elsevier
Agritourism: Sustaining Foodways and Agricultural Heritage, Routledge Handbook on Food and Cultural Heritage
Rest As a Reason to Travel, Current Issues in Travel
Special Projects
Development of a National Network and Repository for Agritourism AGMRC
Survey of Agritourism in the United States USDA
Foundations of Tourism, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Introduction to Tourism Impacts, University of Georgia
Honors and Awards
Best Paper Award, Global Sustainable Tourism Conference
Tourism Cares Academic Award
Excellence in Tourism Programming Award National Extension Tourism Committee
by Deb Brown | Feb 3, 2026
Debra Elliott, MSME, Technology
Having earned a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Cum Laude, Debra Elliott is not your typical technology geek. She brings precision, creative ingenuity, and practicality to technology work that enables the development of websites in record time and hosting without interruption. Her commitment to excellence is reflected in a rich portfolio that showcases the seamless integration of design and functionality. Beyond the digital realm, Debra is a multifaceted individual with a penchant for diverse interests.
An avid golfer and a competitive volleyball player, she stays active and engaged outside the realm of web development. However, it’s under the vast night sky that Debra truly reveals another facet of her personality. An enthusiastic amateur astrophotographer, she captures the beauty of the cosmos through her lens, turning the heavens into breathtaking visual stories. This hobby not only highlights her appreciation for the wonders of the universe but also showcases her meticulous attention to detail. A trait that seamlessly translates into her web development endeavors. Whether crafting code or capturing the cosmos, she stands as a testament to the harmonious balance between the analytical and the artistic.
Education
Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering, Cum Laude, Colorado State University
Master of Science, Mechanical Engineering, Colorado State University
by Deb Brown | Feb 3, 2026
Tourism & Communications Professional | Content Strategy | Media Relations.
Jessica served as the Communications Manager for the Iowa Tourism Office of the Iowa Economic Development Authority for 15 years and another 12 as the Manager of the Iowa State Fair. Especially important was her work as the Vision Iowa Program Manager, during which she administered funding for community infrastructure projects.
Within tenure, Jessica specialized in promoting Iowa’s tourism and cultural assets through strategic media outreach, content creation, and partnership development. As Tourism Communications Manager at the Iowa
Economic Development Authority, she managed media relations, produced the Iowa Travel Guide, and led co-op advertising efforts. Her background also includes managing state grant programs and nearly a decade of marketing for the Iowa State Fair.
Education
Iowa State University Bachelor Of Science – Bs, Psychology/Journalism And Mass Communications
