My name is Abbie Samson, the new Marketing and Communications Specialist with the Boone EDC. I graduated from Lebanon High School in 2012. During my senior year I  joined the Army National Guard, and trained right out of high school as truck driver (2012-2015).

I am a senior year Public Relations student with a minor in communications & secondary minor in classical culture. My passion is for PR and communications. during my freshman year I assisted the Red Cross in disaster relief after the series of tornadoes came through central Indiana and also heavily affected the Kokomo area. My system for handling multiple news agencies, photos, stories, and content was written up as a best practice template for future disasters.

As a sophomore undergraduate I earned the honor of being a teaching assistant to Dr. Laura O’hara, and assisting with her intercultural communications class. After a semester with Dr. Ohara I was selected, as a junior, to assist Dr. James Rediger in creating a curriculum for an online public speaking course, Comm 210. I know it sounds strange but we created a system of video submissions and taught students all over the country and even a few internationally. Our system of quizzes, tests, and assignments became the standard for online public communications.

In December 2014 my husband Casey and I opened up a small family leather shop on the square in downtown Lebanon. Having been active community members since our youth we have a special place in our hearts for Boone County. Casey and I still volunteer with the choir program for Lebanon High School and continue to be active members of the mainstreet program. We still reside in Boone County with our new baby girl.

I have enjoyed my time with the EDC as an intern and could not be more excited upon receiving an offer to stay here. I look forward to continuing to grow and learn, as well as growing my community.

Sincerely,

Abbie Samson