20 Under 40: Brandy Rodtsbrooks
Director of Marketing & Communications, Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce
Age: 39
“She has a passion for mentoring younger professionals and helping them navigate their career opportunities. Whether training interns, formally supervising staff members or providing guidance and advice, Brandy is always teaching and challenging others to be the best they can be.”
Brittany Quick-Warner, Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce
Bio
Brandy Rodtsbrooks, director of marketing and communications for the Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce, relaunched the OPEN for Business magazine, while also developing a digital-forward approach to communications that help the Chamber and its member businesses. She mentors emerging marketing professionals and volunteers for numerous organizations, including as board chair of MECCA, where she’s leading new development for the nonprofit. She has leveraged her skills to support committees such as the Downtown Marketing Partnership, the Community Health Improvement Plan, and the Financial Stability Partnership.
Get to know them
Q: What has winning a 20 under 40 award meant to you?
The 20 under 40 awards have been offering me inspiration for years. I would find myself waiting for the annual announcement to see who would be recognized for their impact on our community. Seeing those great leaders in the spotlight motivated me to work harder. It’s been interesting to feel a different sense of responsibility sweep over me now that I’m included alongside all the incredible people who have won this award. It’s an incredible honor that’s solidified my resolve to show up in new ways and support the growth of the projects and people building our community.
Q: What is it about working in Eugene that you find the most compelling?
Collaboration isn’t an idealistic value as I think it can be in other places; collaborative work actually happens here. It’s been inspiring to see so many projects and initiatives in which committed people in the private sector, nonprofit, and government organizations come together to tackle big problems because they care about making our community better. In this community, if you want to engage and build something even better, the opportunity to be involved and take action is there.
Our community is fortunate to be so open to taking different approaches, testing new ideas, or using creativity when tackling challenges. I think it’s interesting how embracing creativity and innovation has opened doors to new industries and created a strong culture for local makers, creatives and innovators. I think this is one of the key differences that separate Eugene from other cities and cultivates the potential for an incredible future.
Q: How was your community involvement impacted your work and life?
After seeing some inspiring community building work unfold, I absolutely believe that one person can make a difference and that even more can be done when we work together. Creating a great quality of life and a vibrant economy for a community is complex work. I feel fortunate to have seen the many ways that local leaders take simple and effective steps to cultivate that for our community. It’s built a sense of connection that I think has become a central theme for my career, and has helped me focus on building partnerships and leveraging opportunities that support others and benefit our whole community.