The Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce announced today that Amanda Sablatura has been named Vice President of Communications. For the past year, Sablatura has worked as the Chamber’s Director of Public Relations. Saralee Tiede, who has served as the Chamber’s Vice President of Communications for nearly six years, will be leaving to work for the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center as Director of Communications.

“While we will miss Saralee tremendously, Amanda has done an outstanding job in her capacity as Director of Public Relations,” said Chamber President Mike Rollins. “Her experience will continue to be an asset to the Chamber as we continue our mission to build regional economic prosperity.”

Before coming to the Chamber in October 2004, Sablatura was a news reporter at KVUE News in Austin for five years where she covered the criminal justice beat and reported on news in the Austin region. Prior to that, Sablatura worked at KXII- TV in Sherman, Texas and KTEN-TV in Denison, Texas where she covered local news and anchored the weekend newscasts.

In her new role, Sablatura will oversee local and national media projects related to the Opportunity Austin job creation plan, the Chamber’s 5-year goal to create 72,000 new jobs in the Austin region. Sablatura will also work on marketing plans with the Chamber’s Economic Development department, coordinate efforts to strengthen the Human Capital brand while increasing education standards in the Austin region, and communicate the Chamber’s governmental agenda and value of Chamber membership. Sablatura will begin her new position on Monday, January 23.

The Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce is Central Texas’ largest business federation.