After serving as the executive director of the Dana Point Chamber of Commerce from 2012-2017 and spending the past five years overseeing the marketing for Mammoth Mountain Ski Areas, Heather Johnston will be returning to Dana Point to assume the role of Visit Dana Point’s executive director.
Johnston left her position at the Dana Point Chamber of Commerce when she and her husband moved to Mammoth Lakes, California. Five years later, Johnston is ready to return to Dana Point to take up a new role in the city’s business community.
“I would say, very few places would even make me consider moving from here, but Dana Point,” Johnston said from her Mammoth Lakes home. “When I was called, I definitely was interested.”
Though Johnston didn’t have any plans of moving, when she received a call about the open executive director position with Visit Dana Point, she decided to apply.
“I had such a wonderful time with the community and with the business community and the city and everybody when I worked for the Chamber,” Johnston said. “Obviously, it’s a gorgeous area, but really a place that, in my opinion, is one of the best beach luxury destinations out there.”
As Johnston was interviewing for the position, Mammoth was experiencing an especially harsh snowstorm.
“Every day, I was going out and I was digging snow, I was shoveling it, and so that’s one thing that probably helped me make the decision,” Johnston said. “But I will miss the people up here in Mammoth.”
She added she’s currently finishing up her last days at Mammoth Mountain Ski Areas and will head down to Dana Point for her first day at the destination management organization on Feb. 6.
“I will come back and be working with the board, very closely with the board, and we’ll be working with the staff to promote Dana Point as a destination,” Johnston said.
Johnston added that the staff has worked hard to bring in more business to Dana Point with conferences and meetings.
“It sounds like (staff) really want to start focusing on building the brand of Dana Point and making sure that it includes all the businesses and all the different activities that Dana Point has to offer,” Johnston said. “I’m really excited about that.”
Johnston feels as if her background in hospitality will serve her well in the position after working for Mammoth Mountain Ski Areas and serving as executive director at the Dana Point Chamber of Commerce. She’s also worked as the executive director for Discover Torrance Visitor Bureau, and as senior account marketing manager for Disneyland Resort.
She also runs her own marketing and design group.
“I think that gives me a leg up to come in and really hit the ground running,” Johnston said. “I know a lot of our stakeholders, a lot of people who are invested in growing tourism and promoting Dana Point as a destination and building the brand.”
“I think with my marketing background and my tourism background and Dana Point background, I think I’m a great fit,” Johnston continued.
Looking forward to her start date, Johnston said her focus will be on seeing where Visit Dana Point can help promote other businesses to tourists.
“I’m most looking forward to really building the brand as Dana Point,” Johnston said. “The hotels are really well-known brands individually and with Dana Point.”
Johnston continued that there’s “such a potential for us to work on what’s already been developed and work to bring in other businesses and attractions and really showing everything that Dana Point has to offer.”
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