Bret Austin is a property developer and owner of All Phase Property Solutions in Quincy, IL. As a developer Bret has worked on over fifty projects, both his own buildings and hired by others, renovating historic multi-use buildings in Quincy’s downtown district. Building renovations include external façade improvements, interior commercial and residential buildouts, and other historic preservation consultations. All Phase Property Solutions is a multi-faceted business from property management and real estate agency to construction renovation and rentals, the business handles all real estate needs.

Bret's education and background is in civil and mechanical engineering. Prior to transitioning to All Phase Property Solutions, Bret was a partner of Austin Design Group, Inc., a design firm in the Lost Foam casting industry specializing in CAD/CAM and rapid prototype design, as well as consultation in the Lost Foam market, primarily producing prototype castings found in agricultural machinery.

Bret currently serves as the vice-chair and finance chair of the Adams County Board, is on the Adams County Together Task Force, Riverfront Steering Committee and has served on multiple community boards of directors, including as president of The District, Quincy’s downtown Main Street program.

As Vice President of Urban Development, Dionne plays a key leadership role to expand technical service offerings to neighborhood commercial districts, lead the retention and growth of UrbanMain (UM) and Main Street America (MSA) City Coordinating Programs, the UM Network and designated UM districts. Specifically, Dionne works to build economically vibrant neighborhood commercial districts and community leaders through MSA's UM Main Street Approach. Prior to this role Dionne served as the Director of UrbanMain an initiative developed by MSA four years ago to broaden its offerings and engagement in urban neighborhood commercial districts.

Dionne has over two decades of experience in project coordination in the fields of urban economic development and commercial district revitalization. She has extensive expertise engaging community stakeholders, identifying, and implementing projects in conjunction with community- based organizations, government institutions, and real estate development, as well as supporting capacity building opportunities. Before joining MSA in 2016, Dionne served as Senior Program Officer for Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Chicago where she managed economic development initiatives for the Chicago office, developed and led the award-winning Business District Leadership program and the nationally recognized Smart Communities demonstration. Before LISC Chicago, Dionne served as a Financial Planning Analyst for the City of Chicago’s Department of Community Development where she administered the Tax Increment Finance Interest Subsidy program for developers, rehabilitation grant programs to eligible Chicagoan residents and small business owners.

Latonya has been in leadership for over 25 years. She leads with excellence, compassion, humor, and a servant's heart. She enjoys coaching and developing both individuals and teams. Latonya has a unique way of delivering content and capturing people’s attention.

Her gentle approach of asking deep thought-provoking questions assists in helping uncover what is blocking or stopping individuals from becoming the best version of their authentic self.

Latonya is a trailblazer; she launched a Diversity & Inclusion Academy in her prior role at recognized nonprofit organization.

Topics included The Business Bottom Line, Conscious Inclusion, Personality Differences, Biases, and much more. Many businesses participated in the academy and began to initiate diversity and inclusion plans within their organizations. She has been instrumental in initiating and affecting change in the community.

Latonya has taught various leadership competencies to leaders, including communication, political and business acumen, conflict management and more. She currently holds a certification for Diversity & Inclusion from Cornell University. In addition, she is enrolled in a graduate program at Quincy University, pursuing a Master of Science in Education Counseling.

Her passion for helping people drives her as she serves on multiple boards, volunteers, and is a trusted advisor to many.

Travis Brown is the Chief Business Development Officer. After graduating from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville with a degree in Mass Communication, he began a successful career with the Boy Scouts of America. After 8 years he moved back to his hometown of Quincy, IL to become the Executive Director for the Historic Quincy Business District. Under Travis’ leadership, the organization grew membership by over 40%, increased revenue, strengthened community relations, went through a rebranding campaign and saw many advances in technology and innovation.

Upon leaving The District he began working for a marketing firm and in January opened The Relish Jar with his coworkers.

Meghan Cole has been the Executive Director for Carbondale Main Street since 2007. Prior to that, while she earned her Bachelor’s at Millikin University, she worked with the Downtown Decatur Council in Decatur, Illinois. She is passionate about people, placemaking and community development. She enjoys Southern Illinois with her husband, two boys and her tortoise, “Flash”.

Janna Groharing had been Executive Director of Sterling Main Street since 2013. She earned her bachelors degree from Illinois State University. Having returned to her hometown following college, and logging more than 20 years in the hospitality industry since then, organizing and event planning is in her blood.

Rosie Drumgoole is currently the Chief Program Officer at Chicago Cares. A dynamic and charismatic leader, Rosie has been in the volunteer engagement world for well over a decade. Rosie currently leads the programs team which mobilizes volunteers and catalyzes change by promoting diverse civic engagement and equips civic leaders-young and old while helping local communities, nonprofits, and corporations alike meet their strategic goals and priorities. As an executive leader Rosie has helped the organization navigate its way through the COVID-19 crisis while continuing to diversify its programmatic impact and volunteer base.

Rosie is an alumnus of the Allstate Foundation’s Executive Leadership Program’s class of 2021, and the American Express Leadership Academy class of 2016. Rosie currently serves on the board of Directors of Deborah’s Place as board secretary. Deborah’s Place mission is to support women who have experienced homelessness in Chicago. She also serves as a proxy board member for the Serve Illinois Commission.

Rosie has a passion for public speaking and facilitation and has previously presented at the Illinois Governor’s Conference on Aging, the Illinois Conference on Volunteer Administration, the National Conference on Volunteer Service, The Indiana Conference for Domestic Violence Service Providers, as well as numerous local and national volunteer engagement and leadership development workshops and speaking engagements.

Aly Grady is Acting Deputy Director for the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity’s Regional Economic Development Team. With this position, Aly works with local governments, community partners, businesses, and other entities to serve the needs and promote economic development across the state of Illinois.

Aly has been working in state government for over 20 years and brings her knowledge and experience into this role to further the mission of DCEO. That mission is to support and maintain a strong economic environment for those served – taxpayers, employers, workers, and communities – by actively recruiting and growing businesses, maintaining a 21st-century workforce, enhancing innovation, and brining jobs and investment to underserved communities throughout Illinois. Aly is a Central Illinois native having grown up in Mattoon and living for over 25 years in the Springfield area.

Hilary Greenberg is president of Greenberg Development Services- a North Carolina planning and economic development firm that works with local governments and downtown organizations involved with commercial revitalization. In addition to conducting downtown assessments, market analyses and business recruitment plans, the company also conducts customized economic development training programs for downtown volunteers. Prior to establishing GDS in 1986, Ms. Greenberg was the director for one of the earliest Main Street programs in the country. Ms. Greenberg began her career as a city planner in Grand Rapids, Michigan and holds a Master of Regional Planning degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Donna Ann Harris is the principal of Heritage Consulting Inc., a Philadelphia-based Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) consulting firm that aids non-profit organizations and government agencies nationwide in the following practice areas: downtown and commercial district revitalization, historic preservation, tourism product development, and non-profit management. Prior to starting her firm 18 years ago, Ms. Harris was State Coordinator for the Illinois Main Street program for two years and the Manager of the Illinois suburban Main Street program for four years. During her tenure as State Coordinator, Ms. Harris served 56 Illinois Main Street communities, led a staff of twelve, and managed a budget of over a million dollars. In the past three years Ms. Harris has been working with towns interested in starting Revolving Funds (also called Endangered Properties Programs or Funds) to intervene in the local real estate market to find preservation minded developers to undertake rehab of threatened properties in downtown.

Ms. Harris is nationally known speaker on a wide variety of fundraising techniques used by downtown organizations. She has been speaking and writing about board recruitment, orientation, and training for the National Main Street Center and more than twenty-five state coordinating programs since starting her firm in 2004.

Ashley is passionate about sustainable and equitable improvements in communities and sees urban planning, design, and intentional real estate development as ways to partner with others and make that happen. Her specialties lie in historic real estate finance, corridor planning, and envisioning new spaces in old buildings. Ashley has been nicknamed the “planitect” by her coworkers for her ability to dip into the design world just enough to be dangerous and then connect that vision to the project feasibility.

As an experienced senior architect, Aaron is responsible for managing projects from the initial client conversations all the way through to on-site problem solving with the contractors. He has a Master of Architecture in traditional architecture and urbanism, and if you ask him, he’ll tell you why that is so cool.

José E. López has written extensively on the political and social reality of Puerto Ricans in the United States while serving as Executive Director of The Puerto Rican Cultural Center Juan Antonio Corretjer in Chicago, which he co-founded in 1973, and he is an adjunct instructor at Northeastern Illinois University, Columbia College and the University of Illinois at Chicago.

In his role as educator/activist, he has been invited to speak at over 50 colleges and universities in the United States, Mexico, Canada, and Puerto Rico as well as in international forums such as the United Nations Decolonization Committee. For over 40 years, he has been a leading member of the Puerto Rican independence movement and is also the editor of “Puerto Rican Nationalism: A Reader”. Presently, he is active in developing new/praxis/theory in community and social empowerment, particularly in the areas of educational reform through the Community as a Campus Initiative, and addressing health inequities through the building of a holistic community of wellness in Chicago’s Greater Humboldt Park communities. He has served on various Boards including Bethany/Advocate Fund Board and the Chicago Public Schools Latino Advisory Committee.

The first Latina Congresswoman from the midwest and the daughter of working-class Guatemalan immigrants, Delia Ramirez is an accomplished legislator, social service director, community leader, and coalition builder who has dedicated her life and career advocating for working families. Delia Ramirez was born in the Belmont Cragin community in Chicago. In 2018, her community drafted Delia to run for State Representative of the 4th House District of Illinois.

Since elected, she has successfully passed legislation expanding medicaid coverage to senior citizens regardless of immigration status, securing over 450 million to build affordable housing, protecting abortion rights, and creating an elected school board in the city of Chicago.

Delia is the co-founder of the Illinois House Progressive Caucus and now serves as Assistant Majority Leader. Delia is a graduate of Northeastern Illinois University and lives in Chicago with her husband Boris and their golden retriever Lola.

Senator Cristina Pacione-Zayas, PhD serves on the Illinois Early Learning Council executive committee, Illinois State Team of the BUILD Initiative, and Title V Needs Assessment Advisory Committee for the State’s federally-mandated Maternal and Child Health Services. Her service in Chicago Public Schools and Enlace Chicago built a track record for leveraging community partnerships, implementing restorative justice practices, and supporting the leadership of young people, parents, and educators.

Senator Paciones-Zayas has served on the Educational Success Committee of Governor J.B. Pritzker’s Transition Team and the Education Committee of Mayor Lori Lightfoot's Transition Team.

Since 2016, Kyle McEwen has served as Executive Director for Mercer County Better Together (MCBT), a nonprofit community and economic development organization devoted to improving the vitality of Mercer County, IL (population 15,500). Kyle has spearheaded a $17 million impact on the Mercer County economy through projects and programs ranging from business technical assistance and legislative advocacy to workforce development and children's literacy. Beyond MCBT, Kyle can be heard on-air at WRMJ Radio in Aledo, broadcasting sporting events or hosting the Alternative County show “The Edge of Country”. Kyle is a 2013 graduate of Monmouth College (IL).

Lisa Merrifield is the sustainable community specialist within University of Illinois Extension’s Community and Economic Development Team. Lisa helps Illinois communities become more sustainable and resilient. She works with University of Illinois faculty, Extension specialists, Extension Educators and community leaders to identify opportunities and approaches that help local governments and organizations address the challenges they face.

Prior to joining Illinois Extension, Lisa served as assistant director for the Illinois Water Resources Center and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant and as the executive director of the Great Lakes Regional Pollution Prevention Roundtable. Lisa has over 20 years of experience working to build sustainability in Illinois and around the Great Lakes. She has a bachelor’s degree in environmental science and a Master’s degree in Urban Planning with a focus on natural resource planning.

Jim joined Main Street America as Illinois Main Street State Coordinator in September 2022. A native Iowan, Jim brings 20 years of nonprofit leadership, serving as executive director, vice president and in senior administration roles. For 14 years, he served as the Historic Valley Junction Foundation Executive Director in West Des Moines, Iowa, a leading national Main Street district and 2012 Great American Main Street Award (GAMSA) winning community. His experience also includes leadership with the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, CSPS Hall and other organizations, primarily focused on community development, downtown revitalization, tourism, arts, and culture. A Certified Main Street Manager (CMSM), Jim also has a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from the University of Illinois at Chicago. He loves local, Dolly Parton, and Dairy Queen.

Lisa Mullins Thompson serves as a Senior Program Officer for Revitalization Services. She works closely with the Vice President of Revitalization Services and the Chief Program Officer to refine existing field services work and develop and deliver new cutting-edge technical assistance and programming in-person to clients, at conferences, and via MSA’s other professional development channels.

Lisa brings to MSA a broad professional background in historic preservation, strategic planning, public relations, small business and economic development in both the private and public sector. Prior to joining MSA, Lisa most recent employment was with the Kentucky Heritage Council, where she served as a Historic Preservation Coordinator and as a Resource Specialist for the Kentucky Main Street Program. Lisa previously worked for the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and as Executive Director of two Main Street programs in Annapolis, MD and Paducah, KY. Lisa has been connected to Main Street throughout her personal and professional journey as the owner of a downtown retail businesses, restoring old homes, and rehabilitating downtown commercial buildings and as a former volunteer leader for the Heart of Danville, her hometown Main Street program.

Lisa earned her bachelor's degree in Behavioral Science from the University of Maryland. She also has earned the Main Street America Revitalization Professional (MSARP) credential and is a Historic Real Estate Development Finance Professional (HREDFP). When she’s not helping new businesses or reimagining new uses for old buildings, Lisa can be found in her kitchen whipping up a French classic with ingredients from her backyard garden in Central Kentucky.

Frankye Payne is a Chicago native with over eleven years of experience in architecture, community development and urban planning. She functions in a wide range of project leadership and management capacities for communities within the City of Chicago. Many of these projects are from grassroots organizations and nonprofits. In this brief time, she has spent most of her career as a community advocate and brings a unique perspective to City challenges as the Director of Chicago Main Streets. Frankye advocates for support and equality in Chicago's underserved communities with the goal of increased development as well as political and economic growth. She holds a bachelor's degree in Urban and Regional Planning and Community Development as well as a master's degree in Architectural Engineering. Frankye is dedicated to improving the neighborhoods through programs and best practices to see communities thrive.

Impactful grassroots advocacy and political engagement are crucial tools to foster the revitalization of commercial corridors and neighborhood business districts. This session will offer strategies for formulating policies, building coalitions and consensus, and engaging policymakers. The session will provide insight on navigating the political process on various levels with a laser focus on enacting policies to revitalize commercial corridors. This session will include an interactive discussion on these topics, wherein presenters and the audience can share best practices and discuss impactful advocacy. While strategies will focus on neighborhood business districts in urban communities, many should be applicable in various settings.

Pam Schallhorn is a U of I Extension Specialist in Community & Economic Development. From 2010 to 2014, she was a member of the initial steering committee of the Rockford City Market where her work included providing entrepreneurial training and opportunities to low income minority and women owned businesses. She is an authority on the ‘creative economy’ and its impact on under-served populations and has presented on the topic at both state and national conferences. Before coming to Extension, she was a commercial lender for over two decades and was the Director of the SBDC in Rockford, IL. She has earned a master’s degree in political studies and a bachelor’s in finance.

Payne Schoen is passionate about helping his clients unlock their full potential. Whether it’s a senior leader for a fortune 100 company or an entrepreneur scaling their business into the multiple 8 figures. He is uniquely qualified to come alongside his clients, as a guide, to navigate the obstacles and opportunities and think into the possibilities. With over a decade of operational leadership experience, combined with studying under world-renowned coaches and leadership experts, Payne is the ideal outside advisor. Through 1-on-1 coaching his clients gain clarity of vision, accelerate goal achievement, and overcome self-sabotaging behaviors. His customized corporate training programs focus on trust, communication, and diversity of expertise and experience essential to develop high-performing teams.

“It’s rare to have your giftedness, passion, life purpose, and profession all align. With great opportunity comes great responsibility to help and serve others.”

Jackie Swihart serves as a Program Officer for Revitalization Services. She is responsible for delivering and expanding the reach of our technical assistance and consulting services to our network of Coordinating Programs, communities, and other partners across the country.

Jackie is a former educator and public servant with a passion for people, place, and history. Prior to joining Main Street America, Jackie served as a Deputy Director for the State of Indiana Archives and Records Administration. As part of the executive team, Jackie provided leadership to three agency divisions: the State’s Imaging and Microfilm Lab, Records Center, and Forms Management. During her tenure, Jackie effectively strengthened teams, staff, and strategy through an individualistic yet collaborative approach.

Previously, Jackie worked for the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs as the Indiana Main Street Coordinator and Historic Renovation Grant Program Manager. As a Coordinator, she successfully organized and led the implementation of rebuilding Indiana’s coordinating program. This process included the development of new program levels and bolstering alignment between local programs, Indiana Main Street, and Main Street America. Jackie also revamped the Historic Renovation Grant Program to be a competitive award that emphasizes partnership, downtown development, and community engagement.

Jackie has a bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education Social Studies from Indiana University South Bend and started her career in Education as a high school teacher. She holds a master’s degree in Public History from Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) and was selected as one of IUPUI’s Elite 50 graduate and professional students. Her academic research focuses on women’s history and has received recognition through the Robert Barrows History Graduate Student Paper Scholarship and the Anne Donchin Women’s Studies Graduate Research Contest. Staying true to her education roots, Jackie has regularly taught at the University of Indianapolis as an Adjunct Professor and considers herself to be a lifelong learner.

As the Program Officer for the UrbanMain Program, Gustavo supports the marketing efforts of the local UrbanMain partner organizations and the small businesses and merchants in the participating UrbanMain neighborhood commercial districts.

Before joining Main Street America (MSA), for the past 17 years Gustavo has worked as a tourism planning and development consultant, collaborating with NGOs, local governments, entrepreneurs, and organized community groups in assessing, planning, developing, and marketing tourism destinations. Gustavo has also taught tourism & hospitality at the undergraduate level in Canada and Honduras.

As Senior Program Officer for Economic Vitality, Joi is primarily responsible for providing comprehensive revitalization technical services related to Economic Vitality for coordinating programs, commercial districts, and other partners across the country. Joi previously served as Senior Program Officer and Director of Illinois Main Street Programs at Main Street America.

Joi is the former Marketing & Communications director for Great River Economic Development Foundation (GREDF), the EDO for Adams County, IL and coordinating organization for the Tri-State Development Summit, a 36-county region of western IL, southeast IA and northeast MO. There she led economic and workforce development solutions.

As a former Batavia, IL MainStreet executive director, her work included leveraging local assets to enhance and redevelop Batavia’s downtown, developing an award-winning program. In 2008, she helped bring the Water Street Studios art center to the Fox Valley region, a 16,000 sq-ft space with 28 artist studios, classes and galleries. Prior to her work with Main Street, Joi worked in music television production, primarily to produce the show Soundstage.

Joi became a certified economic development practitioner (CEcD) with the International Economic Development Council where she now serves on the board. Additionally, she serves on the board of IL Route 66 Byways, Quincy Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Quincy YWCA. She also sits on the Quincy Chamber of Commerce D&I committee and is co-founder of 100 Women Who Care Adams County chapter and collaborator for TEDx Quincy.