Samantha Johnson has been named the new Director of Tourism for the City of Staunton and will assume her new role in mid-April 2024.
“We are thrilled that Samantha is joining our team as we launch into the busy spring tourism season,” City Manager Leslie Beauregard said. “Samantha brings a wealth of knowledge and a fresh perspective from her time leading the tourism team in Prestonsburg, Kentucky.”
“It’s a true honor for me to join the Staunton community,” Johnson said.
Before coming to Staunton, Johnson was the Executive Director of Tourism in Prestonsburg, Johnson and her team have seen record high visitation consistently in the last four years.
Johnson is involved in the arts and was the Artistic Director of Artists Collaborative Theatre in Elkhorn, Kentucky. She was president of the Kentucky Appalachians regional tourism initiative, and on the Kentucky Travel Industry Association board, representing Kentucky tourism at the state level.
Johnson was recently named the 2023 Business Person of the Year by the Floyd County Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. She has a bachelor’s from the University of Kentucky.