Kelli Hepler

Kelli Hepler has a degree in Commercial Art from Colorado Mountain College in Glenwood Springs. She started a Design and Advertising business 35 years ago and over the years has seen her business focus in small rural communities and scenic byways.

Kelli’s philosophy is that by connecting farms, food and art in small communities they can remain unique and tell their story to travelers in an engaging and creative manner. This cooperative edge allows communities to use the ag and arts as an economic development tool in rural areas along scenic byways.

She developed an award winning Agritourism program for Delta County 15 years ago and still works with other local Agritourism providers to keep it promoted. She started the Colorado Agritourism Association for the Colorado Tourism Office and today sits on the Board of the Colorado Agritourism Association and was part of a four-person team that developed the Strategic Plan for Colorado Heritage and Agritourism.

She received an ASHTO award, along with Walden Mills Group, for her part in developing a “Train the Trainer” kit that included a board game designed to help byway volunteers learn about their region. Her agritourism program for Delta County received an Advancing Colorado award in 2006 and was recognized as the 2011 Outstanding Individual Contribu-tion to Colorado’s Tourism, also an award from the Governor’s Office. Kelli is a graduate of the Colorado Tourism Leadership Journey inaugural class of 2018.