Andrea Canacci named new Executive Director of Tourism for Marshall County

The Visit Marshall County board has officially named Andrea Canacci as the county's new Executive Director of Tourism. Bringing a wealth of local experience and a passion for community promotion, Canacci is eager to showcase all that the region has to offer.

“Promoting Marshall County will be such a pleasure because I know how great the people around here are," Canacci said following her hiring. "I’m excited to get to know them further and get to know new people who are making changes and doing things in Marshall County that will attract visitors.”

For residents of the Culver area, Canacci is already a familiar face. From 2022 to 2025, she served as the Event Coordinator and Social Media Manager for the Culver and Lake Maxinkuckee Visitor Center, a role that prepared her well for this countywide leadership position.

When asked what drew her to the executive director role, Canacci emphasized her desire to drive economic growth through tourism. “In this specific position, I felt that I could have a great impact on our county and try to attract more visitors, which would then create more overnight stays," she explained. "Also, I aim to highlight the many different facets of Marshall County that I have experienced, and that people come here to enjoy."

While she acknowledges she is still expanding her countywide knowledge, Canacci embraces the core mission of her work. "That’s the benefit of being in the tourism industry—that you get to talk about what there is to do, where to stay, and you’re the person who’s giving recommendations... At the end of the day, I have an opportunity to promote all that makes Marshall County wonderful.”

A major focus for Canacci will be shining a spotlight on the area's local enterprises. “Our local businesses and organizations attract people to our county, too," she noted. "They’re the ones putting together those community-wide events, attracting visitors from outside of our communities, and giving visitors and residents something to do and see. So it’s a pleasure to be able to highlight that.”

Canacci brings a diverse and extensive educational background to the position. A 2011 graduate of Culver Academies, she went on to study Communications at Saint Mary’s College and Radio, Film, and T.V. Production at the University of Central Florida. She also studied abroad as an English Speaking Union Scholar at St. Peter’s School in York, UK. Next month, she will graduate from Indiana University - South Bend with a major in General Studies and a minor in Business Administration.

Looking ahead, Canacci is most excited to leverage her creativity and build strong community networks.

“I like to make content for social media. So, if there’s a flyer for an event, I ask myself, how can I promote this event digitally, and how can we reach out to people on other platforms who like to follow social media or prefer reading about it in the newspaper, or if you’re waking up and you’re watching the news, how can I reach those people?" she said.

Beyond digital strategy, Canacci views tourism as a collaborative effort. "I am very social. I like to talk to people. I like to know what’s happening in our towns and what people are doing," she added. "We’re really here to help each other succeed and support each other. And if you focus on that, then your goals are going to be achieved while you’re helping others.”

Our reporting partners at the Pilot News assisted with this article.