Susquehanna River Valley Visitors Bureau names Judy Machesic director

Judy Machesic will take permanent control of the Susquehanna River Valley Visitors Bureau at a moment when the agency’s bottom line is measured less by titles than by room nights, restaurant checks and downtown traffic. The bureau markets Union, Snyder and Northumberland counties, and the question for Lewisburg, Mifflinburg and nearby communities is whether its next leader can turn rising attention into spending that reaches local businesses.

The bureau said Machesic will become executive director July 1. She joined the organization in 2019 as member services director and later stepped in as interim director after Andrew Miller left on Aug. 9, 2024. The move ends a stretch in which the agency operated through leadership turnover and public scrutiny tied to the $800,000 theft case involving former marketing director Timothy Dowhower.

Machesic inherits a bureau that has posted clear digital gains. The organization said website traffic climbed more than 300% over the past two years, while social media engagement rose more than 200%. For a destination marketing group that promotes recreation and economic development, those numbers matter because they are the first step in filling hotel rooms, pushing visitors into downtowns and steering event crowds toward Union County businesses.

The bureau also has a broader economic argument to make. It said visitor spending in the three-county region reached $469.5 million in 2024, up 3.5% from the year before. That figure gives Machesic a concrete benchmark as she takes over an organization that sees itself as the official destination marketing group for Snyder, Union and Northumberland counties, with a visitor center in Milton.

Board chair Amber Guerrero said Machesic earned confidence through leadership, organization and commitment, and the bureau said she helped strengthen partner relationships during a period of growth. In February, the bureau said it was working with Bucknell University on a social-impact assessment and said it wanted to strengthen ethics, transparency and environmental responsibility, signals that the organization is trying to rebuild trust while keeping tourism promotion moving forward.

The timing also matters. The bureau said its annual elected officials luncheon drew a record number of attendees in early December, suggesting it has been widening its reach with local policymakers as well as travelers. With summer tourism season underway and the appointment becoming effective July 1, Machesic’s real test will be whether Union County sees more overnight stays, stronger event promotion and more consistent foot traffic in places that depend on visitor spending.