Meet The Garden City Visitors Bureau Board of Directors

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Garden City Visitors Bureau is dedicated to promoting growth while also preserving the qualities that make Garden City a one-of-a-kind place to live, work, and visit. These unique features include our creative spirit, entrepreneurial drive, and love of the outdoors.

V. (Victoria) Long (she/her)

President

A design and growth strategist, V. cultivates intentional change and strong teams. As a career consultant, she brings deep skills from her work with Fortune 500, federal, and NGO clients–and coupled with firm belief in the power of people and relationships. Currently, V. focuses her time on experience design; her spare time is spent on bio-dynamic, sustainable urban farming.

Crystal Potter

Vice-President

Crystal Potter is an Idaho native and has lived in Garden City for 20+ years. She co-owns Potter Wines, an urban winery nestled among others along Chinden Boulevard. She is a loyal advocate of the local wine industry and a lover of Garden City and the progress it continues to make as a hidden gem in our great state of Idaho.

Mary Jo Nyblad

Treasurer

Idaho native and 28 year GC resident. BA from Whitman College and MBA from Idaho State University. Worked for Boise Cascade for 36 years in various capacities retiring as Vice President of Commodity Sales and Division Transportation. I am a past board member of Big Brothers Big Sisters, past Worthy Matron of the Order of the Eastern Star, and currently on the board of trustees for the Idaho PEO chapter house in Caldwell.

Casey Lea

Board Member

Casey is a native Idahoan who joined Split Rail Winery in 2014 and has been in love with Garden City ever since! During her time at Split Rail, she’s had an essential role in all winery operations. From creating products from the ground-up to planning winery events, she’s helped people think outside the box when it comes to wine.

Her passion for all things Idaho has sparked her interest to help promote Garden City and all it has to offer!

When she’s not doing all things Split Rail and enjoying Garden City, she spends her time exploring Idaho with her family & 2 pooches, paddle boarding, hosting dinner parties, and day dreaming of drinking Champagne on sunny beaches with the latest issue of Vogue…

Jennifer Mackay

Board Member

Jennifer Mackay is a seasoned professional adeptly managing Group Sales and Social Media at The Riverside Hotel, the largest hotel in the Treasure Valley. Her significant role within the Garden City Visitors Bureau Board of Directors highlights her extensive experience, gained over years of dedicated service in the dynamic hospitality industry, positioning her as a valuable asset to the board’s initiatives.

Jennifer plays a central role in managing The Riverside Hotel’s operations, overseeing strategic group bookings for Corporate and Government events while skillfully accommodating entertainment artists performing at local venues like The Knitting Factory, Taco Bell Arena, and Revolution Concert House. With meticulous care, Jennifer curates the hotel’s Social Media presence on all major platforms. Her unwavering commitment effectively informs the community about hotel developments and promotions and thoughtfully highlights the offerings of The Sapphire Room, BAR365, and The Sandbar Patio Bar & Grill.

Jennifer’s dedication and passion for hospitality and Garden City fuels seamless collaboration and exceptional guest experiences. Her successful journey began humbly with a housekeeping role at a temp agency in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Sasha Rojas Zaragoza

BOARD MEMBER

Sasha Rojas Zaragoza has been a resident of Garden City for 21 years and thoroughly enjoys her place of residence. She expresses great enthusiasm for the remarkable progress and potential that Garden City is currently experiencing. Sasha’s children are enrolled at Anser Charter School, where she actively participates as a member of the Board and Family Council. She expresses her willingness and delight at the opportunity to serve on the Garden City Visitor’s Bureau Board, contributing to the community’s ethos of “give where you live.”

Art Robinson

Board Member

Art was born and raised in New York and moved to Idaho in 2015. In 2018, he left the corporate career to start Wepa, first as a popup working in breweries and farmers markets in the Treasure Valley and opened the brick & mortar in 2021. He is thrilled to be part of the growing Garden City community.

Rachel Stewart

BOARD MEMBER

Rachel Stewart is honored to contribute her expertise to the Garden City Visitors Bureau. With 17 years rooted in Idaho, including 4 in Garden City, she embraces the excitement of witnessing the flourishing of remarkable enterprises in recent times. Her dedication to community engagement and networking is unparalleled.

A proud parent with 27 years of marriage, Rachel cherishes her role as a mother to two children. Her daughter’s graduation from Boise State University deepened the family’s commitment to Boise State athletics. Beyond her professional and familial commitments, Rachel immerses herself in diverse interests such as hiking, nurturing her garden, savoring live musical performances, and actively participating in many community affairs.

Rachel brings a wealth of educational experience spanning over 25 years, encompassing the entire spectrum from preschool to middle school. Currently serving as a dedicated 4th-grade teacher at Pleasant View Elementary School within the West Ada School District, she fosters a rich learning environment. In addition, Rachel’s coaching background shines brightly; she coached girls’ youth and high school soccer teams for several years, showcasing her leadership and mentorship abilities.

Ashlee Struble

Board Member

Multitasking extraordinaire, people person, mother of two and lover of a glass of Idaho Rosé. Originally from the great state of South Dakota, her expertise in hot dishes and driving in inclement weather is pretty extensive. She has lived in Garden City for over ten years and started off in the beer industry. She was able to learn the process of the craft and jumped feet first into partnerships with local non-profits. In her free time she loves being with her family, attending live music concerts and lover of corresponding with family and friends through snail mail.

Earl Sullivan

Board Member

As a frequent international traveler due to his work as the COO of global generic pharmaceutical company, Mr. Sullivan started in the wine business by being exposed to various wines and wine styles throughout the world. From there, using his background as a biochemist that also grew up working on a farm he fell in love with the process of winemaking. Telaya Wine Co was created by Mr. Sullivan and his wife with the production of an experimental 2008 blend. This business has evolved to a boutique winery focused on making hand crafted premium wines from best fruit from Idaho and Washington. From 50 cases in 2008 to 1600 cases in 2013 and a projected 6000 cases in 2019 the winery continues to grow and expand. The focus of the business is the Telaya Experience© and this includes an intense focus on the customer experience as well as providing the highest quality product available. In 2016 Telaya was named Idaho’s Winery of the Year by Great Northwest Wine Press. In addition, Telaya purchased land in Garden City and built a new 12,000 sq ft production and tasting room facility.

Kristen Jensen

Ex Officio

Kristen has over 25 years of experience in hospitality management, with specific focus in Sales, Marketing, Revenue Management and Operations. Prior to becoming a Partner with Johnson Brothers Hospitality in 2004, she worked for several national hotel companies and held the positions of Director of Sales & Marketing, Regional Director of Sales and Marketing and General Manager.

Currently, JBH Hospitality owns and manages over 600 hotel rooms in the Treasure Valley, and employs over 400 amazing staff members. The company’s business is Hospitality, but JBH’s partners are equally focused on improving the communities in which they operate.

Kristen resides in Boise with her husband, Mark.

John Evans, Mayor

Ex Officio

John Evans has been the mayor of Garden City since 2005. He grew up and was educated in the Midwest. A Vietnam veteran, John and his wife, Judy, were married in 1969 and have three children, twelve grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. John and Judy moved their family to Idaho in 1975 and to Garden City in 1988.

Dawn snapp

EX Officio

Dawn serves as Marketing Company Executive Support for U-Haul Company of Idaho for 17 years. She is an Idaho Native and has been in the Treasure Valley area for 19 years. Dawn is an Advocate for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACSCAN), served ACSCAN as ACT Lead, Fundraising Chair and Lobbyist at the Federal/State levels since 2008. Dawn is also a member of the Human Resources Association of the Treasure Valley (HRATV), ensuring her organization is kept up to date on the ever changing issues and laws related to business. She is also a proud sponsor of the Idaho Human Rights Education Center.

Free time is focused on family and community. Dawn’s professed loves are family, friends, DOGS, traveling the globe, coffee and ever exploring ways to engage with members of the community.