• Build relationships with leaders from across the county

• Learn about new development opportunities and resources

• Gain insight from experts and peers shaping local economies

• Contribute your voice to the conversation about Macoupin’s future

Guest Speaker: Dr. Katie Dudley is a Community and Economic Development Specialist with University of Illinois Extension who leads regional and statewide initiatives focused on rural tourism, outdoor recreation economies, workforce development, and resident-first community resilience. Her work helps rural communities use local identity, schools, public lands, career pathways, and other community assets to strengthen local ownership, expand opportunity, and build long-term economic and civic capacity.

Dudley holds a PhD in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management from Clemson University and brings academic, professional, and lived experience in tourism, community engagement, workforce development, and outdoor recreation. Her work focuses on supporting thriving communities, ecosystems, and tourism systems that serve residents first while creating meaningful experiences for visitors. Prior to joining Extension, she was a professor at California State University, Long Beach, where her teaching and research centered on sustainable tourism and outdoor recreation.

Originally from nearby Carrollton in Greene County, Dudley’s work is grounded in a commitment to rural communities and the belief that tourism and outdoor recreation can support stronger local economies, healthier communities, and long-term resilience.