Santa Fe, N.M. – Today, New Mexico MainStreet (NMMS) announced it has awarded certification to three Executive Directors. Certification is awarded to affiliated NMMS Executive Directors who complete training on the Main Street Four-Point Approach™, fundraising and grantwriting. Training courses are led by NMMS’s Revitalization Specialists, experts in their professional field, and include topics such as nonprofit management, volunteer & small business development, the creative economy, property redevelopment, historic preservation, building improvements, urban planning, placemaking, event management, branding, media relations and communications.
“Throughout the certification process, these Directors showed dedication to improving their downtown MainStreet district, which is the heart and economic center of the community. I congratulate them on their achievement and commitment to revitalizing New Mexico’s downtowns,” Economic Development Department Cabinet Secretary Alicia J. Keyes said.
“New Mexico MainStreet districts have a significant impact on community revitalization & economic development efforts that improve the quality of life for everyone. By achieving certification, these Directors are empowered to continue their challenging and rewarding work of supporting their local economy and helping their district thrive,” NMMS Director Daniel Gutierrez said.
The following executive directors have been awarded certification:
- Kat Davis, Carlsbad MainStreet
- Chelsea Evans, Deming Luna County MainStreet
- Valerie Osbourn, Nob Hill MainStreet
The benefits of achieving certification include recognition of their professional development, building transferrable skills for their career, and educational scholarship opportunities, when available.
“I am honored to serve in the role of Executive Director for Carlsbad MainStreet. The training and support provided by the New Mexico MainStreet Program and the New Mexico Economic Development Department allows me to feel confident that I will succeed in this position and continue to fulfil our organization’s mission,” Carlsbad MainStreet Executive Director Kat David said.
“Thank you so much for the opportunity to take a deeper dive into the different elements that make up MainStreet. I’m excited to have this certification under my belt, and to begin implementing learned practices in my community,” Deming Luna County MainStreet Executive Director Chelsea Evans said.
“I am honored and pleased to have received my Executive Director Certification for Nob Hill MainStreet. With all of the support and training that I have received from New Mexico MainStreet, I feel that I am better able to serve my community. I am committed to doing everything that I can to make Nob Hill MainStreet a vibrant place to live, work and visit,” Nob Hill MainStreet Executive Director Valerie Osbourn said.
“Achieving the Certified Executive Director designation is among the hallmarks of local staff readiness to lead the district’s revitalization efforts. It marks the completion of a comprehensive training and skills development process that provides Executive Directors with the knowledge and skills to implement the Main Street Four Point Approach™ and enhances their ability to lead a community’s revitalization goals and strategies. Their work is so important in helping New Mexico recover from the impacts of the pandemic on small businesses, particularly in rural communities. Completing the certification program solidifies their roles as Economic Developers; we congratulate the 2022 cohort of Certified MainStreet Directors,” NMMS Revitalization Specialist Eduardo Martinez said.
The Main Street Four-Point Approach™, developed by Main Street America, is a framework for community revitalization and centers on Transformation Strategies organized around the Four Points of Design, Economic Vitality, Organization and Promotion.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 23, 2022
Contact: Jessica Mraz
(505) 365-3998
info@nmmainstreet.org
About New Mexico MainStreet (NMMS):
NMMS develops local capacity to engage people, rebuild places and grow the entrepreneurial, creative & business environment resulting in economically thriving downtowns, greater business & employment opportunities, and a higher quality of life. NMMS was founded in 1984 and currently serves 30 affiliated MainStreet Districts, 12 affiliated Arts & Cultural Districts, 6 Frontier & Native American Community projects, 4 Urban Neighborhood Commercial Corridor projects, and 9 Historic Theaters.
Learn more at nmmainstreet.org. NMMS is a program of the New Mexico Economic Development Department.