October 8-9, Florence, OR
The Oregon Coast Visitors Association, taking place from October 8-9 in Florence, OR, is thrilled to announce the first in our lineup of keynote speakers for the annual People’s Coast Summit.
Plenary Session – Keynote
Strengthening Oregon’s Coastal Hospitality Industry
This year, attendees will have the unique opportunity to attend the plenary session: Strengthening Oregon’s Coastal Hospitality Industry – a fireside chat that will be facilitated by Jesse Quinn, Community Engagement Director with Lane Workforce Partnership.
This fireside chat is a discussion of a vital and vibrant part of our region’s economy – the Oregon Coast hospitality industry. They are going to introduce the Oregon Coast Hospitality Industry Sector Partnership – a collaborative initiative designed to strengthen and elevate our industry. Their mission is simple yet impactful, they aim to provide a platform for collaboration, share best practices, address common challenges, and identify opportunities for innovation and growth.
Jesse will engage our panelists Matt Sayre, Executive Director of Collaborative Economic Development Oregon and Ashley Espinoza, Executive Director of Lane Workforce Partnership in this introductory chat. Later, participants will have the opportunity for a deeper dive in a workshop session.
Workshop Session
Strengthening Oregon’s Coastal Hospitality Industry – A Deeper Dive
Attendees can take a deeper dive into the Oregon Coast Hospitality Industry Sector Partnership during an interactive workshop session. This workshop, facilitated by Jesse Quinn, Community Engagement Director, Lane Workforce Partnership, will explore the vision and goals of the partnership in greater detail, featuring insights from panelists:
- Ashley Espinoza, Executive Director – Lane Workforce Partnership
- Matt Sayre, Executive Director – Collaborative Economic Development Oregon
- Ryan Kounovsky, Manager of Workforce Programs – Lane Workforce Partnership
- Rebecca Donley, Hospitality Industry Sector Strategist – Oregon Restaurant and Lodging Association
Attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of how they can contribute to and benefit from this collective endeavor to make the Oregon Coast hospitality industry stronger, more resilient, and even more welcoming.
The campus style event will take place across multiple venues in Florence. This year’s agenda will feature a line up of speakers and workshops that will offer big-picture thinking and topics valuable to tourism stakeholders from all over the coast. Attendees can expect to takeaway valuable knowledge and resources around destination marketing, technology, sustainability, and more!
Get ready for the Oregon Coastal tourism event of the year.
Register here!
Sponsorship
Thank you to Travel Lane County for their sponsorship of the 2024 People’s Coast Summit.
For partners who want to get even more involved, we are offering various sponsorship levels to suit your goals and budget, including exclusive benefits such as logo placement on event materials, complimentary summit registrations, and opportunities for direct engagement with attendees.
Sponsorship offers a great opportunity for you to gain brand visibility, engage in networking opportunities, be seen as an industry leader, and make a community impact.
View our sponsorship opportunities here, and contact Deputy Director Arica Sears for more information about becoming a sponsor of the 2024 People’s Coast Summit.
Speaker Bios
Ashley Espinoza
Executive Director Lane Workforce Partnership
Ashley Espinoza, raised in the small Lane County town of Junction City, is a dedicated community leader with over a decade of experience in workforce and economic development. Her commitment lies in bridging the gap between underrepresented communities and broader community, fostering collaboration between the public and private sectors, and actively engaging with her community. Through her collaborative leadership style, Ashley has successfully overseen investments of millions of dollars, driving positive change and promoting sustainable growth within the region.
Currently, Ashley serves as the Executive Director of Lane Workforce Partnership. Additionally, she contributes her expertise to multiple esteemed boards, councils, and commissions, including the Bethel District #52 School Board, Connected Lane County Board of Directors, La Plaza Board of Directors, Lane Council of Governments Board of Directors, Founder of Latino Professionals Connect and as a Leadership Council Member of the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, further showcasing her commitment to arts and cultural enrichment.
A proud mother of two teenagers and wife to a Union Carpenter, Ashley’s personal life deeply influences her dedication to community service, shaping the landscape she passionately serves.
Matt Sayre
Executive Director Collaborative Economic Development Oregon
Matt is the Executive Director at Collaborative EDO, a regional economic development non-profit organization that serves all of Lane County. With a background at Nike and the Technology Association of Oregon, Matt’s focus is on aligning workforce systems with regional economic development. His efforts have contributed to Eugene’s recognition as a ‘Mozilla Gigabit City’ and a ‘Top 10 Up-and-Coming Tech City in the Nation’. A ’20 under 40 Rising Business Star’ awardee by The Register-Guard, Matt has played a key role in the growth of local startups and the recruitment of major employers like Uber, SentinelOne, Nulia, Stratacache, and Southwest Airlines to Eugene.
Ryan Kounovsky
Manager of Workforce Programs Lane Workforce Partnership
Ryan Kounovsky is the Workforce Program Manager for Lane Workforce Partnership. In this position, his primary responsibility is overseeing various Workforce Innovation and Opportunity (WIOA) Programs, along with management of other grant funded programs. Prior to coming to LWP, Ryan was the Chief of Staff for Representative Jeff Reardon in the Oregon Legislature, working on issues around Career and Technical Education, strengthening schools, water issues, environmental concerns, and workforce development. Two of his final pieces of legislation he worked on was passage of Future Ready Oregon, an innovative $200 million dollar investment in workforce development across Oregon, and a $250 million dollar investment in conserving Oregon’s water use and modernizing waterways.
Ryan holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration and Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management from the University of Oregon’s school of Planning, Public Policy, and Management
Jesse Quinn, Community
Engagement Director Lane Workforce Partnership
Jesse Quinn is the Community Engagement Director at Lane Workforce Partnership with over 10 years of leadership experience in nonprofit management and higher education. Prior to joining Lane Workforce Partnership, he served as Director of Annual Giving at United Way of Lane County. A position which led United Way’s year-round employee workplace fundraising efforts with over 216 local business leaders. His other leadership roles have included serving as Development Manager of HIV Alliance and advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion at the University of Oregon.
Jesse graduated from the University of Oregon’s school of Planning, Public Policy and Management with a masters in Nonprofit Management.
He currently serves as a Board Member and Community Service Committee Co-Chair for the Rotary Club of Eugene and actively contributes as an HIV Alliance Board Member. In his spare time, Jesse enjoys exploring new swimming holes and running trails.
Rebecca Donley
Hospitality Industry Sector Strategist, Oregon Restaurant and Lodging Association
Rebecca is the Oregon Coast Hospitality Sector Strategist at the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association, where she leads initiatives to enhance workforce development and align with the Department of Labor’s Good Jobs Principles. With extensive experience in hotel operations, Rebecca is committed to strengthening the hospitality sector. She is also passionate about restoring her 1951 home and enjoys spending time on her backyard farm with her animals.
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The Oregon Coast Visitors Association organizes this event to keep coastal businesses, leaders and nonprofits up to date on new trends, studies and topics for the tourism industry while providing plenty of casual networking and fun entertainment. Stay tuned for details on workshops, speakers, and more for this year’s Summit.