Oakland County Executive Office Building Conference Center
2100 Pontiac Lake Rd
Waterford, MI 48328
AGENDA
8:30 AM
Check-In and Light Breakfast
9:00 AM
Introductions
Amy Miller, Program Officer, Main Street America
National Main Street Center – Main Street America
- Why Downtown is Important
- Stages of Program Growth
- Reinvestment Statistics – Telling Your Story
The Main Street Approach
- Four Points
- Transformation or Economic Strategies
- Guiding Principles
- National Accreditation Standards
- Membership and Resources
Organization Structure
- Duties of the Program Manager/Executive Director
- Board Roles and Responsibilities
- Organizing Your Work (Work Plans, Committees)
- Q & A
12:30 PM
Lunch
1:15 PM
Dana Walker, Executive Director Michigan Downtown Association
MDA, TIF, DDA Reporting
2:30 PM
Adjourn
SPEAKERS
Amy Miller, Program Officer, Main Street America, Chicago
Miller is responsible for delivering and expanding the reach of Main Street America’s technical assistance and consulting services to the network of Coordinating Programs, communities, and other partners across the U.S.
She is experienced in building community, developing and implementing strategic plans, volunteer management, and creating award winning community engagement strategies. She values community participation and is skilled at developing public and private partnerships and building the toolbox that helps the private sector be successful.
Miller understands the creativity, patience and persistence that economic development in the context of historic preservation requires. Her collaborative work includes the planning and implementing a $4 million park expansion in the heart of downtown with public art and a diverse accessibilities playground.
With a master’s in public administration, she has successfully led capital campaigns, managed multimillion dollar infrastructure projects, led downtown revitalization programs, and implemented community priorities in economic development and historic preservation. She has a track record of turning community ideas into tangible results and is a recognized leader in her field and has received multiple awards for her contributions to downtown development, communications, and historic preservation.
Dana Walker, Director, Michigan Downtown Association (MDA), Grand Haven, Michigan
Since 2019, Walker has been the MDA director and is responsible for managing all aspects of the state-wide, non-profit organization. She enjoys helping its 230 members with all things related to downtowns. Prior to 2019, she assisted a Main Street program with promotions and sponsorships and was the director of the Imlay City, MI, Downtown Development Authority.
Before working for municipalities, Walker owned her own gift shop in a downtown. She is a graduate of Michigan State University with a degree in history education and was an educator for 11 years. She is affectionately called the “Herder of the Cat Herders”.
Cost: No Charge | By Invitation Only | Registration Required
QUESTIONS? Contact Annaka Norris, Oakland County: norrisa@oakgov.com | (248) 858-5447
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