Community Spotlight: Women Leaders Series — Week One

Each week this Women's History Month, Main Street America is spotlighting the stories of women leaders in local and coordinating Main Street programs. Women have played a critical role in the Main Street movement from the beginning, and many programs today are led by thoughtful and dedicated women who are making real change in their communities. Although they come from a variety of backgrounds and experiences, each of these women are passionate about community preservation and economic revitalization, and we hope their stories inspire your work as well!

Olivia Manning, Founder and Executive Director – Downtown Bernardsville (NJ)

Olivia entered the Main Street movement gradually. Through her marketing and events background, she became involved with revitalization efforts in Bernardsville. Her research on that subject brought her to the Main Street America website, and she quickly saw the impact our approach would have in her community. She began advocating for Main Street membership, which they achieved in 2021. It was a powerful moment for Olivia: “I was beside myself with excitement and the community was excited right alongside me!” She urges Main Street directors to collaborate with local government. “Understanding your community, the people within it that help make decisions, and how to connect the right individuals together is a key aspect of being successful at this role,” she said. Most of all, she encourages other women to get involved, find mentors and partners, and be persistent in achieving their goals. As she said, “girl, you’ve got this!”

Jenny Cerny Boulware, Manager – Main Street South Carolina

While completing a graduate degree in public history, Jenny interned with South Carolina’s Main Street architect office and fell in love with the movement. She especially enjoyed “the interaction with local programs, the design work, and the Main Street camaraderie.” She worked as the executive director of Main Street Laurens for six years before leaving to work in academia. When the state level position opened, she leapt at the opportunity. Jenny says that “patience, creativity, perseverance, and enthusiasm” are key qualities for Main Street directors. She encourages people to seek diverse input and to always acknowledge the help you receive along the way. “Main Street truly takes a village. Beyond most other priceless, invaluable elements of Main Street work is the collective, purposeful action we all undertake - locally, statewide, regionally, nationally - to harness the greatness of our downtowns and our people,” she said.

Jamie Hale, Executive Director - Tahlequah Main Street Association (OK)

“To tell you the truth, what my perception of a Main Street leader was and what it is now are two totally different things," said Jamie on her career progression. "The thrill of planning community events is what brought me to Main Street. The historical preservation, community outreach and relationships are why I fell in love.” Born and raised in Tahlequah, Jamie is dedicated to preserving and improving the community that has given her family so much. Her advice for others pursing this career is to “celebrate the victories, no matter how small, and hang in there just a little while longer.” She also emphasizes that change takes time. The first two years of her work as executive director were slow and full of set-backs, but by year three, she found her stride. “We will continue to celebrate the small victories, just as much as the big ones, because we have learned, as a team, that the small victories are where we find the magic,” she said.

Ann Finchum, Executive Director – Auburn Main Street (IN)

Ann has had many roles in Auburn and Indiana Main Street, including serving on the Auburn Board of Directors and being named Indiana Main Street Volunteer of the Year. In 2021, she took the executive director position at Auburn Main Street. She says that communication is a crucial tool to balance the complex workload: “it never stops, and you must keep people engaged in order to keep them involved.” She also urges executive directors to facilitate coordination between the different levels of their organization. Her experience across many roles has taught her that everyone, from volunteers to staff to board members, plays a part in improving the district.

Mara Salcido, Executive Director – Lovington Main Street, NM

After studying abroad and traveling through developing communities, Mara began to see the struggles within her own community. “I was shocked to recognize for the first time that my community was also afflicted with very real problems and issues,” she said. This realization kickstarted her passion for community development to save retail, dining, and personal services businesses in Lovington. She dropped out of her environmental grad school program, started volunteering with Lovington Main Street, and worked her way up. She deeply believes in the value of this work: “through grassroots movements and organizations we can ensure a quality of life for everyone.” She encourages other women interested in the field to “think outside the box, develop connections and networks, and always be yourself.”