WCVA Staff
Heather Anderson: Tourism Sales Manager (ext. 110)
Heather Anderson is the WCVA’s tourism sales manager, serving as the main contact for tour operators, receptive operators, day operators and international travel leads for Washington County. She also takes meeting requests from planners looking for event space in the county.
As a graduate of Mt. Hood Community College with an A.S. in Radio Broadcasting, Heather found herself leaving the world of hospitality and hotels to pursue a career in radio. She worked in the programming and promotion departments for multiple stations at Entercom Radio for 4 years and moved to Clear Channel Radio as the Promotions Director for KRVO. Her passion for travel and hospitality led her to a Catering Sales Director position with Prism Hotels, then she went on to Pacific University as the Aramark-contracted Catering Manager. In March 2008, Heather began working at WCVA, which is her first role at a DMO.
Heather refers to herself as an almost “True Oregonian,” living here most of her life after moving from Alaska. In her free time, Heather looks for memorable outdoor adventures, music festivals or just some good family fun! Being a Washington County resident since age six, Heather makes time to share the favorite local activities she enjoyed as a kid with her daughter. Heather is astonished that she can find new things to do in Washington County after living here so long!
Birgitte Christensen: Administrative & Sales Assistant (ext. 108)
Birgitte Christensen joined the WCVA in November 2009 as administrative and sales assistant. She provides support to the CEO and sales staff, including coordination of committee meetings, materials and volunteers.
A native of Aloha, Ore., Birgitte (pronounced Bur-GEET-uh) and her family lived in the Netherlands for a year-and-a-half, and Birgitte attended Brigham Young University in Utah and Brigham Young University-Hawaii in Oahu, from which she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in hospitality and tourism management. Prior to joining the WCVA, she worked for the Portland Rose Festival Foundation.
In her free time she enjoys hiking, body surfing, photography, cooking and traveling.
Laura Garratt: Sports Sales Manager (ext. 102)
Laura joined the WCVA in November 2008 as the sports sales manager. She is the main contact for sports event managers, owners and tournament directors who are searching for sports venues throughout Washington County. Laura connects these sports planners with decision-makers at local sports facilities, parks and recreation departments or districts, and does the legwork to secure group discounts and room blocks for sports groups at various hotels within the county.
Garratt was born and raised in Palo Alto, California, also home to Stanford University and one of the best athletics programs in the nation. Garratt credits growing up in Northern California, surrounded by a strong collegiate womens sports culture, to her lifelong love of sports. In addition to years of basketball, she played competitive club soccer for ten years, which opened many doors for her as a female athlete before she decided to forgo the path of collegiate varsity soccer for a more balanced college experience. Garratt attended Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, earning a Bachelor of Arts in communication studies. As a member of the LMU Women’s Club Soccer Team, Lambda Pi Eta NCA honors society, Pi Beta Phi Fraternity, and LMU Intramurals, Garratt discovered a passion for sports marketing. This passion was solidified when she moved back to the Bay Area and played soccer for a junior college, followed by a year of traveling and working throughout Australia.
Prior to the WCVA, Garratt worked for a market research firm; the restaurant/hospitality industry; and retail sales. She moved to Southeast Portland in July 2008, and to Washington County in 2009. Garratt claims she is a “Duck by association” thanks to her younger sister, a student at University of Oregon. Garratt can be found around the Portland-Metro area playing indoor soccer, parked in front of a TV for any sports event or big series, or spending the weekends getting lost in Washington County’s wine country.
Allison George: Stakeholder Development Manager (ext. 111)
As WCVA’s Stakeholder Manager, Allison George serves as the stakeholder liaison and is responsible for community outreach. Allison heads up WCVA’s monthly Westside Spotlight networking event.
A native of Southern Oregon, and an aspiring actress, Allison has lived in the Portland metro area for more than 10 years. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre Arts from Carroll College in Helena, MT, where she was a member of the basketball team. She was inducted into the college’s sports hall of fame in 2006.
Angie Marsh: Marketing Assistant (ext. 113)
Angie Marsh joined the WCVA in August 2009 as the marketing assistant. She is responsible for furthering WCVA’s online marketing efforts, including social media, content on the websites, and both consumer and industry eNewsletters.
Marsh has worked as a web editor, communications associate and publications specialist for nonprofit organizations, including Multnomah Athletic Club, Mt. Hood Community College and the environmental organization Metafore (now GreenBlue). She is the author of multiple award-winning essays and publications. Marsh received her Bachelor of Arts in journalism from the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication, and is certified in sustainability through Oregon Natural Step.
A Portland native, she can often be found pulling her eldest daughter in a bike trailer around the area, searching for adventure.
Martha Moore: Office Manager (ext. 101)
Martha Moore has served as the WCVA’s office manager for more than 10 years. She is responsible for the organization’s finances, human resources and operations. Moore has lived in Washington County for 30 years, and has had an impressive career in the corporate sector in the areas of benefits administration management, human resources consulting, office management and insurance.
Sylke Neal-Finnegan, APR: Communications/Public Relations Manager (ext. 104)
Sylke Neal-Finnegan joined the WCVA June 2007 as communications and public relations manager. She is responsible for media relations, print ad collateral, and writes editorials and other pieces for publication.
Neal-Finnegan has more than 11 years of PR experience in the tourism industry. Most recently, the Las Vegas native served as public relations manager for the Golden Nugget Hotels and Casinos in Las Vegas and Laughlin, Nev. In addition, she previously traveled throughout the country as a recruiter for Bellagio Resort in Las Vegas, and served as public relations specialist for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA). Neal-Finnegan received her Bachelor of Arts degree in communication studies at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Marie Prins: Visitor Information Specialist (ext. 100)
Marie Prins, visitor information specialist, joined the WCVA in 2004 after volunteering for the organization. She oversees the visitor information center, and is often the first person to greet visitors, either in-person or by phone. In addition, Prins is responsible for visitor information services, which encompasses myriad tasks, including overseeing the inventory of publications, coordinating events, and assisting visitors – drop-in visitors, callers and online requests – with information about Washington County.