Flagler alumna and recently appointed Director of Visit Inverness Loch Ness, Ellen Fogel Walker ’18, never expected to become the chief executive of the tourism agency for the greater Inverness and Loch Ness region—or to be living in Scotland at all. But leading the official destination marketing organization for one of the world’s most storied landscapes has become a dream come true, shaped in large part by the experiences she had at Flagler College.
As director, Walker is responsible for promoting Inverness as a visitor destination and supporting hundreds of local businesses.
“We cover an area of 1,200 square miles, and we are a representative organization. We have almost 500 member businesses that we look after, which are related to tourism in the area. That covers everything from accommodation providers to experiences to food and beverage operators and everything in between,” she said.
Walker continued, “We are the main destination marketing organization, so we both give information and promote the area at home and abroad. I’m really honored to be representing a place and leading a team of people to ensure that our destination is welcoming to people from all over the world, of all different backgrounds.”
Walker’s passion for heritage tourism and public history sits at the heart of her work. Her favorite part of the job is seeing how storytelling, often through something as simple as a conversation, can shift perspectives and help visitors connect more deeply with the place she now calls home.
“People make places… when you engage with them, you can learn from them and see different perspectives about the world,” she said. “Through my time in this role and in other roles, it’s just been kind of a growth of that idea.”
Finding Her Path at Flagler
Walker’s belief in the power of people and place was reinforced at Flagler, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in both public history and Spanish language and literature, as well as a minor in economics. During her time on campus, she formed a deep connection with the St. Augustine community and became involved in programs that helped her understand the city’s past.
She served on the Student Life Association, worked on advocacy and volunteer initiatives, and spent time at the Governor’s House Cultural Center and Museum. “My whole experience there was just really special,” Walker said. “I don’t think you could replicate that.”
Walker didn’t arrive at Flagler as a public history major. She enrolled as an international business major but quickly found herself drawn to history courses.
She credits former faculty mentors Dr. Wayne Riggs and Dr. Leslee Keys, as well as current professor Dr. Kelly Enright, with helping her discover her passion for public history and pushing her to grow.
“Flagler gave me professors who really saw me and helped me find what I loved,” Walker said. “They challenged me to grow and showed me how public history could become a career.”
A Life-Changing Opportunity Abroad
Not only did Walker’s professors at Flagler help her unlock her love of Public History, but while at Flagler, after finishing her freshman year, she was presented with a unique opportunity to go on an eight-week internship in the Scottish Highlands in 2016.
Flagler had partnered with the University of Highlands and Islands at that time, and Walker had been granted a scholarship, supported by the humanities faculty, to go on this trip. One of the places Walker would get to visit was Inverness.
“I was like, oh, that sounds really interesting. I've always wanted to go to Loch Ness. That sounds cool,” Walker said. “But I didn’t have the ability to go there on my own. With support from the university and others, I was able to go over.”
Walker continued, “That experience really was transformational. I met a lot of really great people, made a lot of good contacts, and was thinking more seriously about what I wanted to do with grad school, and what I wanted to do in the long term.”
Building a Career in Scotland
After this life-changing trip, Walker returned to Flagler feeling driven, with a clear focus on what she wanted to do and how she wanted to grow. She knew she wanted to expand her knowledge of advocacy, public history, and economic development. This trip was the catalyst for Walker to determine how she would reach her goals and helped her produce a roadmap that led to her current position as Director of Visit Inverness Loch Ness.
“When you pushed for opportunities at Flagler, you got them back. I really appreciated that,” Walker said.
Walker’s next step was to return to Scotland to pursue her Master of Science in Environment, Heritage, and Policy at the University of Stirling. From there, she went on to work with Historic Environment Scotland, where she reviewed statements of significance for early ancient monuments, which led to her research getting published. From there, she started working for the National Trust for Scotland and officially moved to Inverness in August 2019.
Walker worked her way up from front of house at Culloden Battlefield to becoming the estate and conservation manager. This entailed managing a conservation at one of Scotland’s busiest attractions. Then, last year, she transitioned to managing a portfolio of castles, enclosed gardens, and stately homes in Aberdeen. Then, she was approached about her new position.
“I had a fantastic time working for the trust and grew a lot, and certainly a lot of the connections that I made at Flagler just kept going. But all of that comes back from my experience at Flagler,” Walker said.
She even ended up marrying someone whom she met during her eight-week-long internship in Scotland back in 2016.
Giving Back to the Next Generation
Walker remains connected to Flagler, returning to speak with public history students and those interested in museum careers. She serves as vice president of the Scottish Museums Federation, helping those who want to enter the heritage sector not be afraid to take different paths to achieve their goals.
One of her favorite aspects of working in Scottish public history is interpreting the Battle of Culloden and its surprising ties to early American history. She frequently shares stories that illustrate how the battle shaped the events that followed in North America.
“I really like Culloden because it is the start for so many different parts of world history… it encapsulates so much of Scottish history and identity within one place,” Walker said.
A Unique Perspective
As an American working in Scotland’s heritage sector, Walker brings a valuable dual perspective.
“In my current role, being a foreigner is important because I’ve been both a visitor and now, it’s where I call home,” she said. “I can see what draws people here, but also why and what, as a local person, I want to help protect in terms of local traditions and identities.”
Her story—rooted in curiosity, community, and hands-on learning—offers a powerful example of the pathways Flagler’s public history program can open for students who want to make an impact far beyond campus.
