Ellen Walker-Matthews
Chief Executive Officer & President, Thompson Okanogan Tourism Association
TOTA's Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Ellen Walker-Matthews, has held several roles with the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association since 2009, including her most recent role as CEO and President since 2021. Ellen's areas of expertise include: management training and development, new hotel and resort planning, competitive market analysis, business and marketing plan development, sales productivity analysis, operational reviews, project management, and asset management.
Before working with TOTA, Ellen had a long career in tourism and hospitality, specifically within the hotel industry, joining CP Hotels in 1979.
Ellen initially worked in Sales and Marketing with CP Hotels and later Delta Hotels and Resorts, and eventually moved into the role of Regional Marketing Director for Delta Hotels prior to moving to the Okanagan Valley in 1992.
Ms Walker-Matthews worked as the General Manager of the Ramada Courtyard Inn in Penticton, eventually joined Tepic Management Group as Sales and Marketing Vice President and later Rim Hospitality Canada to open and oversee several hotels in BC, Alberta and the western United States.
As a resident of the Thompson Okanagan region, Ellen has been an active member in industry associations as well as service groups, including board director positions for the BC Summer Games, and the BC Wine Information Centre, the District Governor's Representative for the Penticton Rotary Club, and the Summerland Rotary Club. As a personal passion, Ellen is also an active board member with Colorectal Cancer Canada and South Okanagan Medical Foundation and is the Founder and Chair of the Giants Head Grind - Christopher Walker Memorial Race which took place for 10 years and now is involved in assisting with the hosting Push for Your Tush in the Okanagan each spring.