Yelm Chamber of Commerce Welcomes New Executive Director

Posted

Amanda Muñoz began her job as the executive director for the Yelm Chamber of Commerce on Feb. 27 and would like to create more opportunities to engage with the community.

Muñoz, who lives in Yelm with her husband and two kids, believes the city has many amazing things to offer.

“We absolutely love living here,” Muñoz said. “My favorite thing about Yelm is the small town feel and strong sense of community. You don’t get that sense of security and comfort in large cities.”

Muñoz said she was excited when she saw the opening at the chamber of commerce following the short stint of Madison Cahoon, who was announced as the executive director in November.

“I decided to apply for the executive director position because I love this community and wanted to find ways to contribute and help it continue to thrive,” Muñoz said. “I love working with people and helping them grow, so this role is the perfect fit. I truly just want to help others and make a positive impact in our community.”

Prior to taking on her new role, Muñoz worked in the fields of school administration and health care. Her prior roles focused heavily on community engagement and outreach.

“In my previous role, I was also responsible for communication, social media and marketing, and engaging the community,” Muñoz said. “I loved working with businesses, community members, and city officials previously, so this felt like a great fit.”

Muñoz said her current focus is to ensure the chamber’s functions run smoothly for its members and to create value in having a membership with the Yelm Chamber of Commerce. More than that, Muñoz said she wants to ensure that members are highlighted and promoted on their platforms.

“I am also working to create opportunities to engage with the community through our various events. I came in and many of our spring and summer event plans are well underway, so I really want to make sure that these events are a wonderful experience for our community,” Muñoz said. “I would love to engage more with the community and ensure the chamber is a positive presence within Yelm.”

There are several different activities and events scheduled, which include the Home and Garden Show on April 29 at Yelm High School.



“We plan to have several workshops and activities for kids and adults. We will have a car show that day and several amazing vendors,” Muñoz said. “This is a great way to meet others in the community and support our amazing local businesses. It will be a fun event for adults and children, and it is free to attend.”

Then in June, the Chamber of Commerce will host the Prairie Days Parade. Registration for the parade opened this week, according to Muñoz. After the parade, the City of Yelm will host several activities sponsored by local organizations.

On July 22, the chamber will host the Nisqually BBQ Rally, which she said is already being planned. The event will feature the Amateur Andy’s and Andie’s BBQ competition, several professional food vendors, business vendors, live music and a beer garden.

The chamber also hosts several recurring events, which are all open to the community.

On the second Tuesday of each month, the chamber hosts its forum and luncheon.

“The topics of our forums are relevant for local businesses and community members and is a great way to network and meet professionals in Yelm and surrounding areas,” Muñoz said.

Tickets for the event are $20 for chamber members and $25 for non-chamber members. Lunch is provided by different local businesses each month.

The chamber also hosts Leads at Lunch on the first and third Friday of every month.

“This is an opportunity to meet and network with local members of the business community. We meet at a different location each time to support local businesses in the community,” Muñoz said.

She encouraged people to follow the chamber on Facebook or to check out the Yelm chamber website at yelmchamber.com for details on upcoming events.