GRAND LAKE — The Grand Lake Area Chamber of Commerce has named Samantha Miller as the Marketing and Tourism Director. Miller has acquired an impressive to do-list and brings to the job enough experience to expand the chamber’s social media reach and publicity.

Among her list of ideas to polish up the town and the chamber’s public image is by possibly tapping into TV exposure, including the Discovery Channel, Animal Planet and the History Channel.

She also has plans to create a documentary, which could be filmed in 3D, about the Colorado River and the dangers it faces. The documentary is Miller’s big project she works on almost every day, she said. The documentary would highlight Grand Lake as the headwaters of the river.

“This is all about the community coming together,” Miller said. Miller has already organized a large amount of in-kind contributions for the project, which she anticipates will cost the town very little money if any at all, though she is still in the initial preparation stages of the project.

Miller also plans to develop a branding strategy for the town and is sitting on the Marketing and Branding Committee for Grand Lake.

She has already accomplished some of her goals for the community. When Miller arrived to Grand Lake, the town’s Facebook page was seeing an average 500 visits per week. Now the site is seeing around 31,000 visitors a week.

Miller plans to explore cost-effective ways to market the town, such as through social media and by drawing in national press.

“There are so many great things we can do for free to support the town,” Miller said.

Miller moved here from Los Angeles with her boyfriend, Austin Anderson, who took a job as the golf course superintendent at Grand Elk Golf Course. Miller achieved her masters degree in public policy from Pepperdine University.

Before the move, she worked for the mayor of Riverside, Calif., implementing the business and education initiative. She also developed the social media policy for the City of Riverside.

“Everyone in the community has embraced me and has been so sweet to me,” Miller said. “I am very fortunate to be here. It feels like I am waking up in a dream everyday.”

Reid Tulley can be reached at 970-887-3334