With more than two decades of experience in travel and tourism public relations, Emele Hibdon founded EHPR in 2016 as a boutique agency dedicated to destination marketing and travel brand storytelling. Based in Portland, Oregon, EHPR proudly represents leading clients including Visit Big Sky, Travel Southern Oregon, Taste Newberg, and Mt. Hood & the Columbia River Gorge.

Before launching EHPR, Emele honed her expertise at Anthology Public Relations in Honolulu, where she managed high-profile programs for the Kaua‘i Visitors Bureau, Hawai‘i Hotel and Lodging Association, and Atlantis Submarines. She also provided strategic support to major accounts such as the Hawai‘i Visitors and Convention Bureau, Prince Resorts Hawai‘i, and Hawaiian Airlines. Since then, EHPR has collaborated with top travel brands around the world, including TreeCasa Resort Nicaragua, Travel Oregon, Visit Phoenix, and Visit Huntington Beach.

A skilled storyteller and strategic communicator, Emele is known for crafting compelling narratives that elevate brand visibility, enhance reputations, and spark engagement. Her strong relationships with journalists, editors, and content creators have resulted in top-tier media coverage in outlets such as Vogue, The New York Times, Travel + Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, CNN.com, and the San Francisco Chronicle. Her work has also led to national broadcast features on The Today Show, The Bachelor, The Biggest Loser, and PBS’s Places to Love with Samantha Brown.

Emele is an active member of the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW), where she previously served on the Western Chapter Board of Directors and now contributes to the organization’s DEAI committee.

Born and raised in Hawai‘i, she earned a B.A. in Journalism with a focus on Public Relations and a minor in Sociology from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. A passionate traveler, Emele has explored 50 countries across six continents. Her global adventures include volunteering at an orphanage in East Africa, working on an organic farm in India, trekking through the jungles of South America, and backpacking extensively across Europe and Southeast Asia.