Shop the Valley

Our Team is Your Team

Shop the Valley was created to thank clients, reward employees and acknowledge VIPs with one-of-a-kind gifts and travel experiences. In addition to our product division, which represents more than 1,200 handmade gift items, we offer a full range of destination management (DMC) services and cater to providing the ultimate in luxury programming for groups of up to 100 participants.

Meeting and incentive travel organizers can enjoy the convenience of making complementary gift selections while working in conjunction with our DMC division to create a magical event in the Okanagan Valley.

Our product division was designed to satisfy the exacting needs of meeting and incentive executives who are able to shop by price point or theme. Each product represented by Shop the Valley has been hand-selected to serve as an ideal delegate or VIP room gift, speaker thank-you, corporate recognition award, or employee incentive.

Tommi Hanley, CITE - President

Tommi has 20 years experience in the meeting and incentive travel industry. The first woman in Canada to attain the Certified Incentive Travel Executive (CITE) designation from the Society of Incentive & Travel Executives in 1992, she served several years on the SITE Canada Board of Directors, including two elected terms as President. Tommi is a former Editor of Meetings & Incentive Travel magazine and was instrumental to the creation and launch Canada's only M&IT-specific conference and trade show - IncentiveWorks (formerly CMITS) - now in its 18th successful year. She founded Thompson Lloyd Communications in 1992 to provide specialized media relations, communications and marketing services to a wide variety of clients, including major hotels, tourist boards and destination management companies.

Karin Dowsett - Sales Manager

Karin has more than 15 years experience in the tourism industry, most recently as the Food & Beverage Manager at Okanagan Golf Club. An organizational wizard, Karin is skilled at organizing events for 10 to 1,000 with a flare for details. Always cool under pressure, Karin's motto is "there are no problems, just challenges to overcome while exceeding client expectations". Karin works closely with clients to ensure every element of a program is carefully understood and that venues, themes, decor and entertainment are matched to a group's demographics, interests and past experiences.

Dawn Larsen - Retail Sales Manager

Dawn brings a wealth of enthusiasum and knowledge to her position as Manager of Retail Sales for Shop the Valley. Dawn's experience includes managerial and frontline sales positions with Pier One where she was recognized for both her leadership and outstanding sales abilities. She also has extensive administrative experience and skills, honed while serving the faculty of nursing at Okanagan College. Dawn has a passion for the artisan products represented by Shop the Valley and passionately continues to introduce new products to our retail and corporate gift divisions.

Susan Resciquio - Customer Care

It's all in the details. Happiest when attending to the finer points of Shop the Valley, Susan has a soft touch combined with a determined approach that ensures every job is completed on-time and on budget. A consummate multi-tasker - Susan has extensive front-line experience, most recently assisting with the management of an internationally acclaimed group of boutique spas. Whether it's a question, concern or change of plans, Susan will ensure you get the answers and support you need, when you need them.