Contact Us

Ed Phillips

C.E.O of Burke County Tourism

Ed Phillips, C.E.O. of the Burke County Tourism Development Authority has spent 34 years in the Tourism Marketing field. Ed previously owned Granite Communications, a Destination Marketing Company that served tourism clients all across North Carolina. Ed served as President of the North Carolina Travel Industry Association, a member of the N.C. Travel & Tourism Board and facilitated the transition from the Travel Council of North Carolina which was formed in the 1960s. Ed is a graduate of Western Carolina University where his senior Tourism Marketing paper was titled, “Western North Carolina- It’s a Natural.” Ed brings a wealth of practical experience to the Burke T.D.A. including printing, publishing, photography and creative travel writing. Ed has served as the C.E.O. of the Burke T.D.A. since 2010.

Phone: (828) 433-6793

Email: [email protected]

Katherine Christie

Director of Sales and Marketing for Burke County Tourism Development Authority

Katherine graduated from Appalachian State University with a Bachelors Degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management and a minor in History. Katherine realized her love for the hospitality industry working events at local venues through high school. Once in college, Katherine starting working in hotels in Blowing Rock and Banner Elk North Carolina. She was in front desk management for many years before leaving to come to Discover Burke County in 2019 as the Group Sales Manager. Since then she has grown to developing tours on the Ridgeline Trolley, working with travel writers and helping manage the visitor center. Now as the Director of Sales and Marketing, she gets to wear multiple hats helping people have the best time possible in Burke County.

Phone: 828-433-6793

Email: [email protected]

Ashlie Frye

Visitor Relations Specialist for Burke County Tourism Development Authority

Ashlie graduated from East Carolina with a Bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management with a concentration in food and beverage and hotels with a minor in Business Administration. Ashlie decided to pursue hospitality after working in a restaurant during college and realizing her love for helping and working with people. After college, she started out working as a food and beverage manager in a hotel. While doing this, she dabbled in the hotel events which later led to her transition into sales and a move closer to where she grew up. After working in hotels for several years and commuting over an hour, she decided she wanted to work closer to home which brought her to Burke County. Burke County is where she discovered she is able to express her love for the beautiful outdoors this county has to offer along with interacting and helping people discover new places as well.