Board of Directors

Meet our Board

In 2022, Visit The County was established as a Municipal Services Corporation to serve as the official Destination Marketing & Management Organization for Prince Edward County. With that came the appointment of the first ever Board of Directors for Visit The County.

To contact the full board, email board@visitthecounty.com

Access DMMO Board Minutes

Christal Agostino | Chair

Specializing in hospitality and travel, Christal has spent her marketing career in brand, content and partnership strategy for iconic global luxury & travel brands such as Fairmont Hotels, Air Canada’s enRoute and Loews Hotels. With an MBA degree from Queen’s University, Christal also specialized her Masters degree in Paris, France with a focus on International Luxury Brand Management at renowned luxury-focused university, ESSEC.

Most recently, Christal has been consulting on brand strategy for clients such as Omni Hotels & Resorts via the Lotus Marketing Agency. Prior to that, as Executive Vice President of Air Canada Media at Spafax, Christal led multi-disciplinary teams and spearheaded the complete brand update and redesign of the enRoute Media brand as well as the launch of its new digital platform and social channels for their client, Air Canada.

Christal has also spent much of her career on the corporate-side in hospitality. At Fairmont Raffles Hotels International (FRHI) on the Brand Development & Global Lifestyle Partnerships team, Christal led global brand relationships and managed programs such as: Fairmont’s global wellness pillar “Fairmont Fit” with the Adidas Group, a Global Cocktail Program with Diageo and the LVMH group, and money-can’t-buy guest experiences and packages with brands such as BMW, TaylorMade Golf, Universal Music Group, Canada goose and Napa Valley Vintners.

During her time with Loews Hotels, Christal was hired to lead the brand development for Loews’ first luxury & lifestyle boutique hotel brand, BISHA—managing the complete process from brand identity to digital content strategy and guest experience.

Want to reach Christal? Send her an email at christal@visitthecounty.com

Micheline Kuepfer | Vice Chair

Micheline Kuepfer is a seasoned marketing and product management professional turned entrepreneur, with over two decades of experience in geodemographics, segmentation strategies, and client engagement.

As Proprietor & Chief Experience Officer at Broken Stone Winery in Prince Edward County, she leads front-of-house operations, manages the tasting room experience, plans winery events, and oversees LCBO and restaurant sales.

Prior to this, Micheline held senior leadership roles at Environics Analytics, where she developed innovative tools and training programs for web-based software and guided clients in strategic segmentation and marketing. Her earlier career includes impactful roles at AC Nielsen Canada, Allstate Insurance, and Compusearch Micromarketing, where she specialized in data-driven marketing and client support. Micheline holds a B.A. in Geography from the University of Western Ontario and an Honors Diploma from Laurentian University. Bilingual in French, she is also an active community volunteer and advocate for supporting small business in PEC.

Shelagh Paul | Treasurer

As leader of the Global Communications team for the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS), Shelagh oversees the pension Plan’s brand and reputation globally. She is a creative strategist who thrives on delivering bold initiatives. She is known for her genuine nature and ability to spark and nurture powerful relationships.

Shelagh built her early career in the Canadian property and casualty insurance industry, serving in senior roles across Communications, Marketing, Strategy, Business Development and Performance Analytics.

Shelagh holds a designation in Marketing Communications Leadership from the Schulich School of Business, as well as a B.Sc. in Environmental Science and a M.Sc., Urban Planning - both from the University of Toronto. She served proudly on the Board of Directors for the YMCA HBB from 2015 to 2022. The thread that ties together Shelagh’s experiences and education is her deep love of nature and her conviction for creating strong community. She and her husband and two sons spend as much time as possible in their place in Hillier and look forward to the day that they can call the county home.

Janna Smith

Executive Director, County Arts

Janna has twenty-five years of experience working in nonprofit, government funded arts organizations in both Ontario and Quebec. Past roles include Administrative Manager of Festival Players PEC, and General Manager of Youtheatre in Montreal, where she successfully led projects funded by the Canada Council for the Arts, Canadian Heritage, and Foreign Affairs Canada.

Since becoming County Arts' first Executive Director in 2017, Janna has led the organization through a period of growth and transformation to include multiple staff, community-focused programming, revenue generation for local artists, professionalization grants, successful arts advocacy campaigns, and more. In 2024, she helped to secure a prime Picton Main Street location in the Armoury building to host a variety of activities that spotlight the County’s incredible wealth of talent.

Janna holds a Bachelor of Arts from McGill University, a Certificate in Management from Concordia University, and is a trained bookkeeper.

Karen Orme

With over 30 years of experience in journalism, marketing, and stakeholder engagement, Karen Orme is a seasoned communicator who has worked with clients in tourism, hospitality, healthcare, and the public sector.

Since making The County home almost nine years ago, she has played an active role in helping shape and support community and tourism initiatives that celebrate and strengthen the region.

Karen is co-owner of Runaway Rooster B&B + Guest Cottage in Bloomfield. She is the Membership Director of the Bloomfield & Area Business Association, and is on the project team working to revitalize the town’s Mill Pond Park and wetlands.

She is also a co-founder of the Bed & Breakfast Association of Prince Edward County, a co-administrator of www.bedandbreakfastpec.com, and is a member of StayPEC.

For much of her career, Karen worked in B2B publishing covering various industries, including the meetings and event-planning sector. In 2022, Karen worked with the municipality to assess The County’s readiness to host meetings, incentive travel and conventions, an area she believes holds a key opportunity for responsible, year-round tourism development.

Leisurely drives around The County exploring its pastoral countryside with her husband George is a favourite pastime.

Carson Arthur

Over the last 25 years, Carson has taught homeowners how to raise the value of their homes through outdoor renovations while maintaining a focus on environmentally friendly choices. As a tv mainstay as part of the North American Cityline team as a landscape designer and outdoor expert; Carson has also been the host and guest expert on several tv shows that can be seen all around the world. He writes for several publications about outdoor design and appears regularly in a variety of magazines with guest articles and hosts his own radio show right here in Canada.

Carson is the author of the sold-out book Garden Designs for Outdoor Living and has a new book called Vegetables, Chickens and Bees where he teaches new gardeners how to grow food and become more sustainable in their own outdoor spaces. In 2019, Carson opened his namesake market in Prince Edward County. With a focus on growing food, organic principals, and products that make gardening accessible to everyone, Carson’s Garden + Market has quickly become a destination for discerning gardeners.

His credits include; the host of HGTV’s Green Force and Critical Listing; the Gemini nominated Room to Grow on Global, ION and the Discovery network; Better Homes and Garden’s Home, First Home on the Hallmark Channel in the U.S.; and as the gardening expert on HGTV’s blockbusters; Home to Win Season 1 through 4. Most recently, Carson has been a judge on HGTV’s Resort Renovation!

Courtney Khimji

Courtney Khimji is the Founder and CEO of Chimera Collective, a communications agency specializing in PR and brand storytelling. With nearly two decades of experience, she works with global brands and high-growth start-ups across sectors including travel, technology, beauty, culture, sustainability, apparel, and consumer goods.

Her expertise spans strategic communications, brand positioning, and crisis management, grounded in integrity, perseverance, rigour, and perspective. She holds an Honours B.A. from the University of Toronto and a Master of Arts from the University of Chicago.

Deeply connected to Prince Edward County, Courtney owns and operates a short-term accommodation in Ameliasburgh and has developed a strong appreciation for the region’s evolution as a leading cultural and tourism destination. She brings an understanding of the County’s creative community, seasonal rhythms, and the importance of thoughtful, sustainable growth that supports both visitors and residents.

Outside of work, Courtney is an avid equestrian and a mother of two boys, with her dog Winnie never far behind. She’s passionate about supporting small businesses and creating experiences that make the County feel vibrant, inclusive, and distinctly its own.

Samantha Valdivia

Originally from Cancún, she moved to Toronto in her twenties, where she immersed herself in the city’s vibrant hospitality scene. With a passion for food and service, she has spent the past 18 years working in restaurants, building a deep understanding of the industry and a strong connection to the communities she serves.

Since 2017, she has called Prince Edward County home, where she continues to contribute to the local culinary scene. In 2019, she opened La Condesa in Wellington, a Mexican restaurant focused on traditional cuisine and tequila-based cocktails, bringing an authentic taste of her roots to the region. She looks forward to continuing to build a stronger community in Prince Edward County through her work and connections within the industry.

Tara Wood

Tara is a strategic storyteller and community builder who blends creativity with clarity to drive meaningful impact. With a background in communications, stakeholder engagement, and public affairs, she helps entrepreneurs and organizations turn bold ideas into practical solutions. She has worked in non-profit and lead agency teams across every industry, including tourism.

Advocacy is a thread that runs through both her personal and professional life. As founder of Purpose Public Relations, she's spent over 20 years helping organizations connect with the right people and tell their story in a way that drives results and change. As chair of Conceivable Dreams, she led the campaign that secured funded IVF in Ontario in 2016 and a new family building tax credit in 2024. Whether it's a policy win or a local program that puts food on the table, the approach is the same: find the problem, rally the right people, and deliver something real.

Having visited Prince Edward County since childhood, Tara made it home in 2021 and quickly became an active member of the community. She volunteers with the Wellington Food Bank, PEC Food Collective, and Loyalist Humane Society. She has also recently co-founded Agentic Learning Labs, an AI workforce training company.

When she isn’t working or volunteering, you can find in her garden, lounging at local beaches, or enjoying the area’s amazing restaurants, wineries and breweries.

Sam Grosso | Appointed PEC Councillor

Sam Grosso is an entrepreneur driven by a ﬁerce work ethic and determination to succeed in any business endeavour. He strives to balance his drive to bring happiness, entertainment and service to his community. Recognized for his naturally caring and supportive values, Sam has earned the reputation of going the extra mile for people.

Sam has been a resident of Prince Edward County for 14 years and lives in Ameliasburgh (Ward 4) with his wife, Lia and their four children. The County has always felt like home to the Grosso’s, and after a 25-year career in the hospitality industry, Lia and Sam decided to move here to raise our family. Today, he is the owner of Vintage Car Wine Tours, a seasonal touring business where he connects folks to the County’s local wineries, breweries, and cider houses in his fleet of vintage cars.

Sam serves as Councillor for Ward 4 -Ameliasburgh and is nominated to serve as the Council Representative on the DMMO Board throughout the duration of his term of Council.

Want to reach Sam? Send him an email at sgrosso@pecounty.on.ca

Chase Ogwari Brant| Appointed MBQ Councillor

Ogwari Brant is a member of the Visit The County Board and also an elected councillor from the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte. He believes bringing people together to support local small businesses and grow the feeling of community is a great thing. Community can mean a lot of things; what it means to him is helping each other succeed in one way or another.