Below is a list of Tourism Council staff members with email addresses. You may contact staff directly, call our office at 401-724-2200, or send a
general email. You may also use our
online contact form to request information, volunteer, or provide financial support.
Robert Billington
President
bvri@aol.com
|
Serves as President and
CEO of the Council and for over twenty years has led the charge to bring the Valley communities
together to create outstanding tourism in the Blackstone Valley through pride of place, education, development along the Blackstone River, community development, and job creation. |
|
Natalie Carter
Director of Operations
natalie@tourblackstone.com
|
Serves as Director of Operations,
Business Manager, and grant writer. Co-chairs the Blackstone Valley and Amber Valley Compact,
an international relationship with the Amber Valley in England. |
|
Lilly Kayamba
Market Analyst
Group Tour Manager
Elderhostel Administrator
BVTCLilly@aol.com
|
Designs and promotes group tours to tour operators throughout the United States. Lilly also researches, develops and administers Rhode Island history art and cultural programs for Elderhostel, the nation’s first and the world’s largest travel and education organization for adults 55 and older. |
|
Donna Houle
Special Projects Manager
donna@tourblackstone.com
|
Serves as Manager of the Blackstone Valley Scenic Railway Tours providing narrated train tours of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor and assists in special programs
and also manages the Visual Library and Co-chairs the Annual
Dinner Meeting and Auction. |
|
Amanda Wood
Office Manager
Translator
amanda@tourblackstone.com
|
Serves as Office
Manager and coordinates the Rhode Island Chinese Dragon Boat Race
and Festival and Blackstone Valley Heritage Golf Tournament as
well as transportation and reservation manager for all vessels and
vehicles owned and operated by the Council, and serves as our
Portuguese and Spanish translator. |
|
Olon Reeder
Public Affairs
Intergovernmental
Relations
bvtourism@aol.com
|
President and CEO of
Reeder Associates and works on location representing Council
interests. Since October 1992, Reeder Associates has represented
the Council and facilitates media relations, promotes and publishes the region’s social, cultural, historic and recreational events and activities, develops a public relations strategy and related activity. |
|
Ramon Rodriguez
River Engineer
info@tourblackstone.com
|
Serves as Port Manager for all Council vessels including the Blackstone Valley Explorer, the Samuel Slater Canal Boat and the Spirit of the Blackstone. |
|
Patricia McAlpine
Blackstone River Education
Coordinator
patti@tourblackstone.com |
Serves as coordinator of the Blackstone Valley Explorer programs including “RiverClassroom,”
and serves as editor of the electronic newsletter. |
|
Lesley McLaughlin
Program Assistant
Lesley@tourblackstone.com
|
Serves as
administrative and marketing support for various projects and
programs, including the Canoe Trail, Travel Experiences and Tour
Rhode Island. |
|
|
Matthew DeMello
Coordinator, Keep Blackstone Valley Beautiful
|
Serves as Coordinator
of Keep Blackstone Valley Beautiful, an affiliate of the
national non-profit Keep America Beautiful. Works with
government, business and civic groups in Rhode Island's
Blackstone Valley to understand their needs and reduce waste,
prevent litter and beautify communities. This position is
sponsored by AmeriCorps* VISTA. |
|
|
Andrew Pierson
andrewpierson@
pawtucketcdc.com
|
Andrew’s work as the Broad Street Initiative Coordinator
includes neighborhood outreach and organizing a series of
programs that serve the Broad Street Corridor in Pawtucket,
Central Falls, and Cumberland RI. His role is to facilitate the
programs and work with residents, business owners, and local
officials for the betterment of the Broad Street Corridor. |
|
Robert Gilson
Interstate295 Visitors Center Coordinator
r.gilson@cox.net
|
Bob serves at the
Volunteer Coordinator at the Interstate 295 Visitors Center and
oversees a staff of 18 volunteers that operate the center from 9
to 5, 364 days per year. Bob is also responsible for advertising
sales at the center.
|
|
Lorraine Provencher
Special Project Coordinator/Website Content Manager
bvfootsteps@aol.com
|
Serves as Project
Coordinator for the Blackstone Valley Preserve America
Footsteps In History Weekend working with all the REACH
partners throughout Blackstone River Valley of Rhode Island and
Massachusetts. Manages content of all Blackstone Valley Tourism
Council websites. |
| Visitor Center |
Wendy Jencks
Visitor Center Manager
wendy@tourblackstone.com
|
Serves as Manager of the Blackstone
Valley Visitor Center and coordinator of visitor center projects,
including Visitor Center celebrations. Delivers tourism brochures
and flyers to the entire Blackstone River Valley. |
|
