Anna Mikell, electronic media manager at Visit Gainesville, is currently FPRA Gainesville Chapter’s communication director. She has been involved in the local chapter since 2011 when she started at Visit Gainesville.
As electronic media manager for Visit Gainesville, Anna uses social media to promote Gainesville and Alachua County as a tourism destination and conference location. She reaches out to media to share the various events and attractions Gainesville has to offer visitors. This includes hosting travel writers and photographers on familiarization tours where they are able to experience local attractions, culture and food.
“No two days at work are the same, which is one of the reasons I really enjoy working in public relations,” Anna says. “I love to communicate with others, especially through social media.” Public relations is essential to her job at Visit Gainesville since she is constantly telling the story of Gainesville and Alachua County to potential visitors and tourists.
Originally from North Augusta, South Carolina (right across the river from Augusta, Georgia), Anna attended Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Georgia, where she received her bachelor’s degree in fine arts with a concentration in photography. She returned to Augusta for several years before making the move to Gainesville. “My favorite thing about Gainesville is definitely the food,” she says. “There are so many great local restaurants, and you can’t beat the farmers markets, either!” She is also quite fond of photography and can often be found taking pictures of her favorite scenes and meals in town.