Meet the Staff

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Rebecca Bond, Executive Director

Rebecca is the Executive Director and official spokesperson for the Albany Visitors Association (AVA). Since joining the AVA in 1996, she has advanced through the ranks holding every position at some point during her tenure. She’s most widely known for her work with Albany’s historic resources, assisting with organization, project management, marketing, event planning and volunteer coordination. She is now actively involved in leading AVA’s marketing and operational planning. She also serves as a liaison to many partners including the Historic Carousel & Museum, Albany Downtown Association, Transient Lodging Tax (TLT) shareholder committee, Linn County Cultural Coalition and the Willamette Valley Visitors Association. Rebecca’s experience in tourism marketing is well-known, and she has boundless enthusiasm and love for the community in which she lives and works.

Email: rebecca@albanyvisitors.com

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Kim Jackson, Marketing Manager

Kim is the former city editor of the Albany Democrat-Herald. He oversees AVA’s historical resources and group marketing. His duties include promoting sports tourism, outdoor recreation, and serving on the public relations committee for the Willamette Valley Visitors Association. Jackson graduated Oregon State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Technical Journalism. He spent three years as sports editor at the Gresham Outlook before moving to the Albany Democrat-Herald in 1986, where he held positions as sports writer, sports editor, news editor and city editor. He resides in Albany with his wife, Julie. They have two children.

Email: kjackson@albanyvisitors.com

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Alicen Arsenault, Marketing Specialist

As the Marketing Specialist, Alicen keeps up all of the social media, posts to the AVA website, writes blogs and designs ads. She is a graduate of Linn-Benton Community College with an AA in Visual Communication. Before rejoining the workforce, she was a stay-at-home mom and homeschooled her children. In her free time, she enjoys drawing, painting, and hiking. When she has time, Alicen is available to take on freelance graphic design projects. She is also a member of the Cumberland Community Events Center board. Alicen and her husband Joe have been married for over 20 years and have become empty nesters. They have a grown daughter and son.

Email: alicen@albanyvisitors.com

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Lonna Capaci, Visitor Services Manager

Lonna Capaci, Visitor Services Manager, is the public’s first point of contact with the AVA. She answers the phones, adds events to the event calendar, orders and stocks brochures and makes our lobby a welcoming space. She is passionate about our little city and loves being the “hostess” of Albany. She’s a long time resident of Albany, and though she swore she’d never live here again after graduating high school, she came back and absolutely fell in love with her hometown. Her hobbies are reading, journaling, gardening and singing jazz. You can hear her at  JustLonna.com and at Springhill Cellars Winery during the summer! After raising 5 children, she and her husband Rollie are dog parents to 3 dogs.

Email: info@albanyvisitors.com

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Don Vance, Volunteer Coordinator

Don has been with AVA for 25 years. He’s one of the friendly smiling faces you’ll see when you walk through our front doors and gladly dispenses maps or directions to anywhere you’d like to go in Linn County. Don also coordinates the volunteer staff and training at our “Little Blue House” visitor information center at the southbound I-5 Santiam Rest Area. These volunteers serve free coffee and hot chocolate, and help guide travelers towards the best sights in Albany.

Email: info@albanyvisitors.com