Amber Papou Appointed New CEO of TIABC

The Board of Directors of the Tourism Industry Association of BC (TIABC) is thrilled to announce the appointment of Amber Papou as the organization’s new CEO, effective February 1, 2026.

Amber takes over the role from Walt Judas who has led TIABC since 2015. During his tenure, Walt was one of the tourism industry’s leading voices, bringing together TIABC members and stakeholders to help empower British Columbia’s visitor economy to reach its full potential economically, socially, culturally and through the lens of sustainability. He will retire from full-time work after a long career that included senior management roles with Tourism Vancouver, BC Pavco and Port Metro Vancouver.

When Walt announced his intention to step down in fall 2025, the Board commenced a nation-wide search for TIABC’s next CEO, working with Chemistry Consulting and Two Willows Consulting to find suitable candidates. The process resulted in interest from qualified candidates from across Canada.

As the new CEO of TIABC, Amber brings extensive experience leading organizations across the education and tourism sectors. Throughout her career, she has helped lead transformative initiatives, including playing a key leadership role in building Merritt’s Country Music Capital of Canada brand and helping establish the Merritt Walk of Stars. Most recently, she served as president and CEO of the SelfDesign Learning Foundation.

In her new role, Amber will be responsible for leading the business and strategic priorities of TIABC, with a focus on representing tourism interests across the province and advocating on behalf of the organization’s members, stakeholders, partners, as well as Indigenous communities through collaboration and with the guidance of TIABC’s Board of Directors.

As of February 1st, Amber can be reached at [email protected] or 604-600-2868