The Chamber of Medford & Jackson County
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    • New Chief Marketing Officer
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    • FORUM - Oct21
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Meet Our Staff

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 ELI MATTHEWS, IOM
 President & CEO
 541.608.8516
 Eli Matthews serves as President & CEO of The Chamber of Medford & Jackson County. Matthews recently celebrated his eighth anniversary with The Chamber. As a  fourth generation Southern Oregonian, Eli and his wife Kelly share a deep love of the Rogue Valley, enjoying the many outdoor adventures it offers. He has a BA from Wheaton College and a master’s from George Fox University. Eli is a graduate of both WACE Academy and Chamber Institute.

Matthews is a former Medford City Councilor and was senior vice president of Travel Medford. Matthews has a life saying: “Always give your 100%, unless you’re donating blood.”


Headshot of Cathy Watt
CATHY WATT
Office Administrator
​541.608.8515
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Cathy has been with The Chamber for 10 years as the Office Administrator, responsible for all things financial for The Chamber, Travel Medford, and the Rogue Valley Foundation. She is staff for the Board of Directors as well as several Action Teams of The Chamber.
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In her spare time, a trip in their Mustang to anywhere is at the top of Cathy, and her husband John’s, to-do list. Good food with friends at one of the many excellent restaurants or wineries make for a perfect Rogue valley day.


Headshot of Kira Zavala
 T.J. HOLMES
 Senior VP – Travel Medford    
 541.608.8533
​T.J. Holmes serves as the Senior Vice President of Travel Medford after spending the previous 11 years rooted in the Redding, Calif., community in both the travel and tourism industry for Visit Redding and as a member of the media. A former Rogue Valley resident, T.J. returns home to the area where he’s spent parts of the past 25 years exploring the region's vast outdoor offerings and events with friends and family, including his wife and adventure companion, Tracy.

​The personal connection T.J. feels for Medford drives his desire to champion community vitality and he believes collaboration and communication are essential in building a better community, often referring to the aphorism: "A rising tide lifts all boats."


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IRMES DAGBA-CRAVEN
VP Communications & Programs
541.608.8534
Irmes serves as Vice-President of Communications and Programs. In this role, Irmes develops and oversees communication efforts aim to keep members and the community informed of The Chamber’s signature events and programs. Prior to joining The Chamber, Irmes spent 14 years working for numerous Marketing and Public Relations agencies representing national and multinational consumer brands and developing strategic campaigns and initiatives aimed at driving earned media, buzz, awareness and most importantly business results.

A lover of languages and cultures, Irmes is a native French speaker and a fluent Italian speaker. She loves spending time with her husband. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, hiking, traveling and is a self-proclaimed foodie.


Headshot of Shelly Wager
​SHELLY WAGER
Executive Assistant to the President & CEO​
Director of First Impressions 
541.608.8526
​Shelly serves both as Director of First Impressions and Executive Assistant to the President & CEO. Shelly is the staff liaison for Greeters, the weekly networking event, and The Chamber Ambassador team. She is your point of contact for ribbon cuttings and special events.

Shelly loves spending time with her husband of 30 years, her 3 children and  3 beautiful grandbabies. In her spare time, she loves working in her yard and enjoys the beautiful outdoors of Southern Oregon. 


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ANGELA WOOD
Director of Sales & Sports Development – Travel Medford
 541.608.8517

​Angela works primarily with groups that hold meetings, conferences, or team sports in Medford.  She was instrumental in the formation the Southern Oregon Sports Commission in 2012, who’s main focuses are sports tourism advocacy, event procurement and venue development.  Angela also serves as Festival Director for the Heart of the Rogue Festival.
 
In her non-working hours, she strives to see the world one adventure at a time.  Angela also enjoys spoiling her grandchildren, hiking, entertaining, and discovering amazing wine.


Headshot of Angela Wood
KIRA ZAVALA
Director of Business Development & Partnerships
541.608.8522

Kira serves as Director of Business development and partnerships. She works closely with for-profits and nonprofits that are looking to be apart of the business community by ways of membership, sponsorship and partnership. Kira joined The Chamber team in August 2018. Her past experience includes workforce development, recruitment and nonprofit work.

Kira has been a longtime chamber member, holding the role of Ambassador Chair for 2 years, cohost of Greeters as well as providing support to several of our action teams prior to becoming a chamber team member.


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SAMANTHA CAÑEZ  
Digital Content & Production Manager – Travel Medford
541.608.8518


Samantha is responsible for promoting and marketing Medford as a leading visitor destination by increasing brand awareness with visitors, partners, travel writers and residents. She also supports Travel Medford’s digital content curation, social media, community outreach, and event coordination.
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Outside the office, Samantha likes to explore the great outdoors with her fiancé and two little adventure dogs. She is also passionate about art and personal development and is constantly in the middle of a good book.


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EMILY HUNTER
Communications Coordinator – Travel Medford
541.608.8511


Emily works primarily with marketing and communications. She received her Bachelor of Science in Communications from Southern Oregon University in just three years, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. As an Oregon native, she has an in-depth knowledge and passion for the Rogue Valley.
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In her non-working hours, she loves to discover new trails to run and hike on.  Emily also enjoys spending time with her husband, writing, entertaining, and drinking iced coffee.


The Chamber of Medford & Jackson County

Hours: Monday-Friday 9am-5pm
​101 E 8th Street | Medford, Oregon 97501
phone: 541.779.4847 | fax: 541.776.4808 | email: business@medfordchamber.com 
  • JOIN
  • Business Directory
  • Advertise with Us
  • Chamber Job Board
  • Programs & Events
    • Chamber Calendar
    • Community Calendar
    • Chamber 101
    • Chamber Day at the Capitol
    • Chamber Travel
    • Employment Law Series
    • Excellence in Business Awards
    • Forum
    • Greeters
    • Leadership Class
    • Ribbon Cuttings
    • Young Professionals Network
    • Submit an Event
  • Member Services
    • Member Benefits
    • Member Resources >
      • Chamber Discounts & Special Offers
      • Member Coupons
    • Member Login
  • Newsroom
    • New Chief Marketing Officer
    • Eli Matthews to Serve on Chamber Executives Association Board
    • New Senior Vice President - Travel Medford
    • New Vice President Communications & Programs
    • Excellence in Business 2021
    • FORUM - Oct21
    • New Logo & Brand Identity
  • Chamber News
    • The Business Review
    • The Weekly Newsletter
    • Subscribe
  • About Us
    • Our Mission
    • Meet Our Staff
    • Board of Directors
    • Action Teams
    • Rogue Valley Foundation
    • Relocation Information
    • History
    • Advocacy
    • Contact Us
  • Travel Medford
  • Employment Law Seminar