Experience Columbia SC debuts 2025 ambassadors
January 21, 2025Experience Columbia SC announced its new group of local ambassadors Wednesday in conjunction with the launch of this year’s Columbia SC Insider’s Guide publication, available now at the Columbia SC Visitors Center and on our website.
The Columbia SC ambassador program, now in its seventh year, allows prospective visitors to see the Columbia region through the eyes of its locals. The ambassadors champion the region through a homegrown, authentic point of view, share a common love for Columbia and represent makers, entrepreneurs, parents, professionals, foodies, creatives and so much more in the community.
The new ambassadors include James Agens, Aditi Bussells, Trahern Cook and Michaela Leung. Agens is the owner of Terracotta Nursery and SC Pride vice president; Bussells is Councilwoman at-Large for the City of Columbia, Cook, also known as Easel Cathedral, is an artist and live painter, and Leung is a digital journalist, Pilates instructor and curator of All is Well. Each ambassador offers unique perspectives, experiences and interests that drive their passion for Columbia.
“We developed this Ambassador Program where each year we select four locals who are deeply entrenched in their community, involved in a variety of different things and are very passionate about what they do,” said Kelly Barbrey, ECSC’s VP of Marketing and Communications. “Every year when we bring in a new class of ambassadors, we see them as an addition to an already wonderful group of people who support us and tell the story of our region. We are looking so forward to having them be an extension of our team, to welcome visitors, and encourage local pride and we can’t wait to see what the year ahead holds for all our ambassadors and our community.”
The ambassadors who precede this year’s group include Shanika Pichey, Anthony Goldman, Lynn Luc, Vanessa Bialobreski, Kim Jamieson Crafton, Mark Rapp, Rita Patel, Merrell Johnson, Ashley Jenkins, Lee Snelgrove, CJ Lake Tamasco, Ashley Cady Elsey, Angela Yong, Preach Jacobs, Michael Mayo, Bianca Crawford Shelton, Mattison Heatherly, John Sherrer, Morihiko Nakahara, Pamela Bynoe-Reed, Amy Beth Franks, Crush Rush and David Laird.
To read more about the program and previous ambassadors’ favorite things to do and places to go around town, please visit www.experiencecolumbiasc.com/ambassadors.
About Experience Columbia SC
Experience Columbia SC is the region’s destination marketing organization. We’re responsible for all marketing efforts intended to help more visitors discover all that makes Columbia the real Southern hot spot. Think of us as the biggest cheerleader for the heart of South Carolina. For more information, please visit www.experiencecolumbiasc.com.