Contact the Conference

Rocky Smith

Conference Director

Rocky’s path into the paranormal began in 1997 while working as a tour guide at Oregon City’s historic Francis Ermatinger House. It was there that he experienced his first undeniable ghostly encounter, an event that shifted his perspective and sparked a multi decade-long obsession with local lore. Over the next ten years, he meticulously researched and documented nearly 100 haunted locations across Oregon City. In 2006, he founded Northwest Ghost Tours to bridge the gap between pioneer history and spirits, sharing these stories with the public through walking tours. After years of attending and speaking at various West Coast paranormal events, Smith recognized a missing element in the region: a dedicated, large-scale gathering that seamlessly blended educational history with paranormal investigation and was easily accessible for the general public. After a conversation with William Becker the Oregon Ghost Conference was launched.   As a historian and paranormal investigator, Smith sought to demonstrate that ghost stories are deeply rooted in a city's actual, tangible heritage. Rocky was focused on creating a safe, open community space where enthusiasts and witnesses could share unexplainable events without judgment. He designed the event to offer diverse resources, including psychic gallery readings, paranormal workshops, ghost tours, investigations and a platform to help attendees connect with those that have passed on.   What started in 2012 as a local gathering at the Pioneer Community Center in Oregon City, quickly outgrew its surroundings. Under Smith's leadership, the conference moved to the old Oregon City High School before permanently relocating to the Seaside Civic & Convention Center in 2016 with the potential to accommodate thousands of annual attendees. Through the conference, Smith hopes to continue to expand the region’s understanding of its haunted past while fostering a vibrant network for paranormal researchers and believers alike.

Kristen Gray

Assistant Director

Kristen Gray first attended the Oregon Ghost Conference as an attendee, looking to build connections within the paranormal community. She immediately recognized that it was something special. The event brought together paranormal enthusiasts from throughout Oregon and Washington and provided Kristen with an opportunity to connect with others who shared her passion for the field. It was also at that first conference that she met Conference Director Rocky Smith. The following year, the team she joined, White Light Paranormal Insight participated in the conference as a vendor, and Kristen began volunteering her time to support the event. Her involvement initially included event photography, capturing the people, experiences, and moments that helped tell the story of the growing conference. By the third year, Kristen and fellow teammate Seth Michael were invited to speak at the conference. That same year, she took on responsibility for managing the conference’s social media, expanding her role beyond photography and beginning what would become many years of increasing involvement behind the scenes. From that point forward, Kristen continued to take on additional responsibilities each year, contributing her time, creativity, and organizational skills to help the Oregon Ghost Conference grow. When the conference relocated to Seaside in 2016 and an official Oregon Ghost Conference Committee was established, Kristen took on the primary role of Vendor Coordinator while continuing to contribute in numerous other capacities. Through years of dedicated volunteer service, Kristen has worked her way into the role of Assistant Director. Her commitment to the conference is rooted in her passion for the paranormal and all things spiritual, as well as her belief in creating a welcoming and respectful environment where people can openly share their experiences without fear of judgment and learn from others in the field. Over the years, the Oregon Ghost Conference has given Kristen the opportunity to form lifelong friendships and lasting connections with people who share her interests and passion for the paranormal. She remains deeply grateful for the conference and the community it has created—a place where like-minded people can come together, share their stories, learn from one another, and build connections that continue long after the weekend comes to an end.

Angela Smith

Box Office Manager

As the mother of Conference Director Rocky, Angela has had the unique opportunity to watch his vision for the Oregon Ghost Conference grow from its early beginnings into the successful event it is today. After retiring, and as the conference outgrew its original Oregon City locations and relocated to Seaside, Angela joined the team to lend her support and help wherever needed. Angela has enjoyed being part of the Oregon Ghost Conference team, reconnecting with familiar faces each year, welcoming new attendees, and sharing in the unique experience of bringing the conference to the Oregon Coast. She takes great pride in seeing Rocky’s vision continue to grow and in being part of the team that helps make it possible each year.

Holly Swogger

Box Office Assistant

Holly has been a longtime supporter of Conference Director Rocky Smith, his ghost tours, and the Oregon Ghost Conference (OGC), generously contributing her time and talents wherever needed. Her involvement with OGC dates back to its very first conference in Oregon City in 2012, where she worked at the ticket table and assisted with organizing raffle prizes. When OGC relocated to Seaside in 2016, Holly transitioned into the role of Box Office Assistant. In this position, she assists attendees with ticket purchases, prepares class lists for instructors, and helps coordinate the ever-growing collection of raffle prizes generously donated each year. Outside of her work with OGC, Holly has spent the past five years working with Oregon City Parks and Recreation, where she gives tours and helps plan events at the historic—and reportedly haunted—Ermatinger House. The Ermatinger House holds special significance to OGC, as it was the location that inspired Rocky Smith’s original tour business and ultimately played a role in the creation of the Oregon Ghost Conference. Over the years, Holly has truly enjoyed being part of OGC and is especially grateful for the opportunity to meet, connect with, and learn from so many fascinating and wonderful people within the paranormal community.