Main Spotlight: Learning from Local Leadership at Main Street America

Main Street America has a wealth of local experience represented on our staff. As the national organization for a locally-driven movement, we are proud to have former and current Main Street volunteers, board members, and staff on our team, and their local experience plays a crucial role in the services and resources we provide. To learn more, I spoke with some of our staff about what they loved about working at a local program, the challenges they faced in their communities, and how those experiences shape their current roles:

Alicia Gallo: Outreach Coordinator, Programs and Communications Manager, and Interim Executive Director, Richmond Main Street Initiative (California)

Maggie Gillespie: Main Street Program Coordinator, Downtown San Marcos (Texas); Main Street Program Manager, Buda Main Street Program (Texas)

Luke Hallowell: Executive Director, Downtown Pasco Development Authority (Washington)

Kathy LaPlante: Executive Director, Chippewa Falls Main Street (Wisconsin)

Amy Miller: Main Street Manager, Elgin Main Street (Texas)

Erik Reader: Design Committee Member and Board Member, Pekin Main Street (Illinois); Executive Director, Downtown Rock Island (Illinois)

Bethany Rogers: Executive Director, Heart of Danville (Kentucky); Executive Director of Development and Lending, NewTown Macon (Georgia)

Jonathan Stone: Executive Director, Downtown Oregon City Association (Oregon)

Lisa Mullins Thompson: Director, Department of Main Street, Paducah Renaissance Alliance (Kentucky); Executive Director, Annapolis Partnership (Maryland)

Marcela Uribe: Executive Director, Laredo Main Street (Texas)

Matt Wagner: Executive Director, Sheboygan Falls Main Street (Wisconsin); Executive Director, Downtown Racine Corporation (Wisconsin)

Finding Main Street

Main Streeters come to this work from a variety of backgrounds, and the stories we heard from our staff were no exception. For Maggie, it was love at first sight: ​“I worked in the office of community relations at the local university, and one of the key program areas for the university was to strengthen the town and gown relationship,” she said. ​“This was my first exposure to a Main Street program, and I fell in love.”

Matt found his way into economic development after college. ​“My first job out of college was doing business organizing in Milwaukee,” he shared. ​“Someone from the Department of City Development told me about Main Street and an opening in Sheboygan Falls and thought it might be a good move for me.” He was immediately drawn into the unique nature of Main Street work. ​“I was struck by the amazing individuals I would be able to work with as they were so committed to the community,” he said.

Kathy first heard about Main Street while working as a retailer in downtown Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. She and other business leaders agreed that the city needed a Main Street organization, but she didn’t start working there until years later. ​“I needed a job and this one interested me, though I anticipated that I might only stick with it for two years, as it could be frustrating working with all the different business owners,” she said.

Alicia was working in a college bookstore when she heard about an opportunity with the Richmond Main Street Initiative through the Bay Area Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) AmeriCorps Vista program. ​“A lot of my interests and strengths aligned really well with the work of Main Street,” she said. ​“At the end of my placement, the executive director asked if I would like to join the team, and I said yes because I had fallen in love with the work and developed a deep sense of connection to the community.”

Finding Success on Main Street

Every day is different when you’re working at a Main Street organization, and that creates opportunities for growth, excitement, and connection. ​“You gain experience in everything from real estate development, entrepreneurship, placemaking, marketing, and sometimes you’ll throw an event and invite the whole town to it,” said Erik. Alicia offered a similar reflection, sharing, ​“I loved that the work was incremental and iterative — there was always an opportunity to try new things and improve.”

Community engagement was at the heart of the experience for many of our local leaders. ​“I loved the people and sense of connection with the place,” said Luke. ​“I enjoyed seeing people celebrate their place and feel that they had the power to change it and make it their place.” 

Lisa was motivated by the tangible impact of her work. ​“A new façade, a safer crosswalk, a busier farmers’ market,” she said. ​“These quality-of-life improvements translated into a deeper sense of community pride.” 

“I loved walking down the street with a handful of balloons,” shared Maggie. ​“If you were driving by, you knew that something fun and exciting was about to happen.” She also enjoyed supporting businesses and bringing people together. ​“It was extra special when I would see those connections come to fruition, and new relationships or a support network would form,” she said.

Some of our staff members are also Great American Main Street Awards (GAMSA) winners, with a legacy that stretches back to the creation of the award program. Sheboygan Falls was one of the first GAMSA winners in 1995, during Matt’s tenure as executive director. The recognition of their hard work had a lasting impact on each of them. ​“It was especially rewarding winning GAMSA in 1996, which led me to my job as the first director of the New Hampshire Main Street Center,” said Kathy. Jonathan also remembers his GAMSA win as a highlight of his time at the Downtown Oregon City Association, saying, ​“It was an incredible honor to be recognized with a GAMSA in 2018 because of our impact and creativity.”

Navigating Challenges

Trust is crucial for a Main Street leader, and fostering those relationships can be difficult. ​“I took over after a financial scandal and had to rebuild community trust,” said Luke. ​“I dealt with employees who had been impacted by the scandal and had trust issues in the aftermath as well.” Marcela faced similar challenges: ​“There is desynchrony between the city government, building owners, business owners, and residents,” she said. ​“It is hard to start a project or initiative without consensus.” 

Passion and dedication attract many to Main Street roles, but they can also make the work difficult. ​“Challenges sometimes emerged from the high standard that I set for myself, which, let’s be honest, ultimately led to my burnout,” said Jonathan. Bethany also struggled with burnout. ​“I was not prepared for the emotional investment needed to be an effective Main Street manager,” she said. ​“It was emotionally exhausting work, and I did not prioritize self-care as part of the job.”

As an executive director, Kathy sometimes struggled to complete the requirements to be a designated Main Street program. ​“I sympathize with our current executive directors when they complain about having to do them,” she shared. ​“But the reinvestment stats were so key to our ability to tell the story of our success. Success begets success.”

From Local to National

An understanding of the unique challenges at the local level helps our staff provide the necessary resources and support for Main Street leaders. ​“I think a lot about how my work will empower local directors, and that experience helps me connect with the challenges that local directors face,” said Luke. Amy agreed, saying, ​“I think about how much is required of programs at the local level. Managers and their volunteers need tools and information that will help them get more done with limited resources.”

“I came into this industry with no prior knowledge or experience,” shared Erik. ​“I’m mindful that it might be someone else’s first time in this environment, and that can be like drinking from a firehose.”

Alicia says her local experience taught her skills that help guide her work today. ​“Learning how to be flexible and to be open to different perspectives was an incredible learning experience, and is something that I’ve carried through to my current role,” she said. ​“Whether I’m developing a marketing campaign or creating content, I always think about Main Street leaders and how to center their needs.”

Matt has been in the Main Street world for many years, but he still finds that the work surprises and excites him. ​“I get inspired seeing all the new things that communities are doing as they continue to innovate around the Main Street Approach,” he said.

For many of the staff we spoke to, their local experience was their introduction to the Main Street Movement, sparking a lifelong passion for this work. ​“I can definitely say a big part of my inspiration in this work is to help Main Street managers be more effective and impactful and to help them find more reward and even more fun in such an important, but challenging role,” said Bethany. ​“I know that working together, change can happen in your downtown.” Lisa agreed, sharing, ​“My local experiences — both the successes and the scars — anchor my national work in empathy, realism, and a deep commitment to outcomes that truly matter at the street level.”

Downtown Decorations, a Main Street America Allied Member, is this quarter’s Main Spotlight advertiser. For more information about what they do to support Main Street organizations, click here.