Carole has over a decade of experience in the travel industry specializing in cultural, heritage, and agricultural tourism. She has served as Cultural Heritage Tourism Director for KY Department of Travel and also Tourism Director for HandMade in America. Before taking time off to become a mother, she owned Meritage Consulting where she had continued her involvement in community development and strategic planning. She has served on several boards including Preservation Kentucky, Friends of KY Folk Art, HandMade in America, and chaired the inaugural National Cultural Heritage Tourism Director’s Committee. Her past clients include Charlotte Regional Partnership, North Carolina Arts Council, Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce, Appalachian Regional Commission, Orange and Chatham County Arts Commissions, Kentucky Artisan Heritage Trails, and the Southern Maryland Agricultural Commission. Along with Cheryl Hargrove, she co-authored AgriCultural Tourism: Asset Building and Marketing, a workbook sponsored by the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area.
Carole received her BA in Art Education from Murray State University and did her graduate work at Middle Tennessee State University where she received her MA in Public History and Cultural Resource Management, focusing on Appalachian craft and tourism. Carole lives with her husband, Philip, and son Liam in Charlotte.