Ellen Walker-Mathews

Ellen Walker-Matthews Bio

TOTA’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Ellen Walker-Matthews, has worked with the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association over the past 14 and a half years, working in various roles until taking on the lead position in the spring of 2021.
Prior to joining  TOTA, Ellen had a long career in the tourism industry, and specifically the hotel industry, joining CP Hotels in 1979.

Ellen has been an active member in industry associations as well as service groups, including director positions for the BC Summer Games and the Okanagan Wine Info Centre, the District Governor’s Representative for the Penticton Rotary Club and served previously on the Board of the South Okanagan Medical Foundation. Ellen is a long standing member of the  Summerland Rotary Club, is on the board of Colorectal Cancer Canada and the board of the Canadian Culinary Tourism Alliance.

As a personal passion, Ellen founded and was the Chair of the Giants Head Grind – Christopher Walker Memorial Race, and event that she hosted for 10 years is in honour of her son, who died of Colorectal Cancer in 2013 and has raised funds for initiatives focused on the early detection of Colon Cancer in young persons as well as building and enhancing the trail system on Giants Head Mountain Park in Summerland.

Married for 26 years to Tom Matthews, Ellen is proud to  have  Krista and Stephen (Tom’s daughter and son ) in her life along with their partners Andrew and Taylor and the “littles” Will (3) and August (1) and while Chris is no longer with us he and his memory remain a big part of her life, and his former finance Hannah together with her husband Luc and their children Waylon and Francis are very much a part of her family.