Board Special Meeting Minutes and Recording - September 15, 2025

The audio recording and the director's presentation of the September 2025 special Board meeting can be accessed here:

Recording

Presentation

Please find the draft meeting minutes below

Charlottesville Albemarle Convention & Visitors Bureau 

Board of Directors Meeting 

August 25, 2025 – 1:00 p.m. 

CACVB Administrative Office

PRESENT: Francois Abadie, Olivia Branch, Andrea Copeland, Emily Kilroy, Bea LaPisto-Kirtley, Jennifer Lyon, Jaruchan Palakawongs, Danny Shea, Amber Smith, Brad Uhl Juandiego Wade (Presence of Brad Uhl is not reflected in the roll call performed on the recording).

ABSENT: Russ Cronberg, Athena Eastwood, Chris Engel, Darcie Weigand

ALSO ATTENDING: Courtney Cacatian, Lauren Bohdan

1. CALL TO ORDER

Chair Bea LaPisto-Kirtley called the meeting to order at 1:06 p.m.

Roll Call: Chair LaPisto-Kirtley invited Lauren Bohdan to perform the roll call.

2. ALL-VIRTUAL MEETING POLICY

Members discussed the desirability of approving a policy that would allow the CACVB Executive Board to have the option to call all-virtual meetings to complement the scheduled in-person meetings. County of Albemarle policy for boards such as that of the CACVB allows for a limited number of all-virtual meetings. Hybrid meetings (where some Board members are in person and some are participating virtually) are not permitted. Jennifer Lyon moved to adopt the proposed policy. The policy was passed by a unanimous voice vote.

3. DISCUSSION: CACVB BRAND UPDATE

a. Brand direction: CACVB Executive Director Courtney Cacatian outlined the purpose of the CACVB brand update project. The project is part of the organization’s 20-year tourism master plan adopted in 2023. The rebranding helps Charlottesville-Albemarle County get attention from potential visitors and attract visitors whose interests are suited to our region’s assets. The brand will provide a unified message across regional tourism sectors. This is important, as industry stakeholders have expressed uncertainty over how to align their messaging with the CACVB’s current branding. The Charlottesville-Albemarle County has a mixed view of tourism, and community engagement with brand development makes the brand more endurable.

The Board discussed the rebrand, both asking questions of Ms. Cacatian and offering insights from their personal and professional experiences in the tourism industry. Members were particularly interested in the data and market testing underlying the brand concepts the CACVB team has developed. CACVB gathers data through web inquiries and engagement at the Mobile Visitors Centers. CACVB also draws from visitor research performed by partner and consultant organizations. The rebrand concepts were displayed in the Mobile Visitor Centers, where CACVB staff solicited verbal feedback on the concepts from visitors and interested locals. The Board discussed the proposed brand slogan of “Celebrate on Purpose,” and its utility. Ms. Cacatian presented mock-up advertisements using the proposed branding and draft ad copy. The mock-ups included full-page ads, website ads, and a social media carousel. Members highlighted both the advantages and drawbacks of “Celebrate on Purpose” as a slogan. The slogan can be worked into many upcoming events in the region (such as VA250 and the 50th anniversary of the Downtown Mall) and can be a strong foundation for a variety of advertisements. However, members expressed concern that “Celebrate on Purpose” may be considered an activist statement and may draw unwanted attention in the context of the upcoming tenth anniversary of the Unite the Right Rally in Charlottesville. Members expressed an interest in testing the proposed “Celebrate on Purpose” branding against an alternative (“Find Your Reason”) to gauge visitor response.

Ms. Cacatian proposed a two-week AB test of advertising based on alternative brand concepts, the results of which could be presented at the Board’s regularly scheduled October meeting. Juandiego Wade moved to pursue this course of action. A voice vote was called, with all in favor and none opposed.

b. Logo concept: Ms. Cacatian presented two logo concepts based on the drafts presented by Charette Agency at the August Board meeting. The new designs had been created using a generative AI program to help the Board visualize the brand direction. Board members were generally positive about the draft logos, especially the color palette of Logo 1, but expressed concern that the images would be difficult to replicate in all the contexts that they will be needed (for example, they would be difficult to print on banners or clothing items). CACVB staff are discussing which local designers might able to work on this project in order to get a completed product ready quickly. Board members suggested that “Albemarle County” should be used, rather than simply “Albemarle,” to avoid confusion. The Board were able to identify four key elements they wanted included in the logo: the Blue Ridge Mountains; a river; vineyards; a representation of the city, possibly an iconic building. Juandiego Wade moved that the Board recommend CACVB staff to pursue those design recommendations. A voice vote was called, with all in favor and none opposed. Jennifer Lyon noted that she would like to have a future discussion about crisis communications and the Board’s role in supporting CACVB staff in a crisis.

Chair LaPisto-Kirtley adjourned the meeting at 2:29 p.m.