The Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau (VCB) welcomes Jason Boeckman as its new marketing coordinator.

Boeckman’s role will include helping to oversee website editorial content, maintenance and development. He will also assist with planning and logistics for events, such as Island Hopper Songwriter Fest and the VCB Annual Meeting, among other duties.

Boeckman most recently worked as a coordinator for Lee County Parks & Recreation, providing education outreach about the county’s environmental conservation program, as well as assisting with operations at Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve and managing the department’s social media pages. He is an avid nature photographer and the VCB has used several of his wildlife images on its website, social media and in visitor guides. 

Prior to that, Boeckman was assistant manager for internal corporate communications at Chico’s in Fort Myers, and marketing associate for BIG ARTS and Herb Strauss Theater on Sanibel Island.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in strategic communication from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. He is an executive board member for SWFL Pride, which hosts the area’s longest-running annual LGBTQ Pride festival. He and his husband are residents of Fort Myers. 

Get to know Jason

• What is your go-to restaurant in Lee County? For a casual dining night out, it’s Nice Guys Pizza in Cape Coral. I have visited Italy, New York City and Chicago, but as far as I’m concerned, the best pizza in the world can be found in Cape Coral! They have so many amazing pizzas, including several vegan-friendly pizzas, which is great because I eat a mostly plant-based diet. My favorites are the General Tso and Truffle Shuffle pizzas. For a fine dining night out, I enjoy Cristof’s, especially on a cool evening when you can dine outside on their patio or deck. My favorite dish is the Southern Bouillabaisse.
• For photos, morning light or golden hour? It depends on what I’m photographing, although I usually prefer the light at sunset. One of my favorite spots to photograph wildlife is Bunche Beach at low tide, when the shorebirds come in to feed on fish in the shallow tidal pools. If the tide is low in the morning, I will usually set up with my camera facing west, with the sun rising behind me. If the tide is low around sunset, I usually like to play around with backlighting as the sun is setting, for more dramatic shots. If I am taking photographs of people at outdoor events, then it’s all about the golden hour. You can’t beat the warm glow and soft lighting at the end of the day.
• What are three things we might be surprised to learn about you? I played the Captain in my high school’s production of “The Sound of Music.” I have a pretty impressive fossil collection. I have only ever broken a bone once – a baby toe, playing sand volleyball.
• What is one of your favorite memories from 2020? My husband and I usually plan a big trip each year. That didn’t happen this past year due to COVID. Instead, we planned several getaway weekends to destinations here in Florida, as well as a few staycations – a weekend at the Gasparilla Inn in Boca Grande was definitely a highlight. It was really fun to explore more of the state, especially smaller destinations. I also went on a few small road trips with friends. In the past year, I’ve visited from Panama City Beach all the way down to Key West, and a lot of neat places in-between. But it’s hard to beat when you already live in paradise!