Amanda Livingston is the Director of the Smyth County Tourism Association, which represents Smyth County and the towns of Chilhowie, Marion and Saltville. Born and raised in Atlanta, she thought briefly about being an English professor, before realizing she actually just liked reading. After graduating from Rice University in Houston and working in marketing for over a decade, she moved to Southwest Virginia and discovered her true passion: telling the world about the extraordinary people and places of Appalachia. She and her husband own an outfitter and hiker hostel in downtown Marion, Virginia, and raise their two children in nearby Washington County, Virginia. She has won multiple awards for her work in tourism, including the 2025 Citation Award from Emory & Henry University.
