Deborah Turcott, Principal, built ORIANA solutions to provide strategic thought partnership, coaching, and consulting services to organizations, companies, and leaders who endeavor to create impact in their communities. After 25 years of executive experience in the non-profit, public, and corporate sectors, Deb’s inspiring style and design-to-implementation mindset helps clients across the country solve, build, launch, and activate change. Crediting her career success to Main Street, Deb has direct experience as a local Main Street Executive Director and state coordinator before going on to regional and national level leadership roles in multiple sectors. Deb travels the country speaking to other leaders about complex topics, mixing a fun, authentic approach with practical and applicable techniques. When not speaking, Deb partners with her multi-disciplinary team of smarty-pants and seasoned leaders at ORIANA solutions to solve business and community problems for their clients.

Karon Majeel Hatchett has served the Missouri Arts Council for the past three years as a Community Development Specialist celebrating local creative districts, arts councils, and creative placemaking.  She engages communities across the state, assisting them with their grant awards while finding “hidden gems” to add to Missouri’s roster of local arts councils and creative districts.  Prior to joining the Missouri Arts Council, Karon worked for several years in the St. Louis metropolitan area with various nonprofit organizations as a convener and organizer. Karon also served as an elections administrator and corporate communications consultant in Colorado before coming home to St. Louis in 2011.  Karon expresses her own creativity as a playwright and actor.

Coming soon.

Dr. Steven Stovall is a seventh-generation Texan and international traveler with numerous entrepreneurial and teaching awards over his career.

Steven’s professional career includes his current work as a college professor at Southeast Missouri State University, entrepreneur, author, board member of Old Town Cape in Cape Girardeau, and advisory board member for Missouri Main Street Connection as well as a former corporate executive of a Fortune 500 company,

As a professor at Southeast Missouri State University, he specializes in entrepreneurship, start-ups, management, human resource management, and marketing.  With a wealth of real-world business experience from starting eight companies, including Austin’s Casual Eatery & Bar in Wilmington, Ohio, equips the next generation of entrepreneurs.

As Senior Program Officer for Economic Vitality, Joi travels across the U.S. providing technical services to Main Street organizations in metro and rural areas. She’s no stranger to the joys and pains of board leaders and draws from experiences across the nation as well as her state-wide leadership as Director of Illinois Main Street Programs and on-the-ground leadership as Executive Director for Batavia MainStreet. Joi brings a passion for structure and strategic planning to board support, including as a partner to our Missouri Main Street staff on progress visits for designated Communities!

Lindsey Ewigman is the Executive Director of the Downtown Marceline Foundation and a small business owner in downtown Marceline, Missouri. As a business owner, Lindsey understands firsthand the vital role that a thriving Main Street plays in supporting local businesses, creating memorable community experiences, and strengthening small towns. Through community partnerships, event development, grant writing, and volunteer engagement, she works to preserve Marceline’s historic character while creating opportunities for future growth. She is passionate about helping small communities leverage their unique assets to create vibrant, sustainable downtowns and is committed to fostering community pride through placemaking, preservation, and grassroots leadership.

David Burton has been a community development specialist with the University of Missouri Extension since 2001. He is headquartered in Springfield and creates educational programs focused on leadership, rural heritage, and becoming an engaged neighbor. He also teaches sessions in MU Extension’s annual Neighborhood Leadership Academy, Build Your Board, and Homegrown programs, helps plan the Creating Entrepreneurial Communities Conference, and is leading the new Mo Neighborhoods Conference.

Christina Carver is the Director of the Community Solutions Division for the Missouri Department of Economic Development (DED), where she manages state and federal resources, including CDBG, NAP, YOP, and the Missouri Community Service Commission. These resources help foster sustainable local growth across Missouri.

With a five-year tenure at DED and four-years on the MMSC  board, Christina brings a wealth of public sector leadership to the role. This is backed by over two decades of private sector experience in distribution operations and Total Quality Management (TQM). She holds a Master’s in Business Management and a Bachelor’s in Human Services from Columbia College of Missouri. A long-time Jefferson City resident, Christina is a devoted spouse of 34 years, parent of four, and grandmother of five.

Stephen Foutes is a lifelong Missourian hailing from Bowling Green. He is the current Director of the Missouri Division of Tourism (MDT) with decades of experience in communications through a variety of roles, including newspaper reporter and editor, communications team, and marketing director.

He is a past recipient of the Missouri Travel Council’s Division of Tourism Award, an Explore St. Louis All-Star Award, and the Missouri Humanities Council Partner of the Year Award. From 2024-25, he was the first Missourian to serve as Chairman of the Travel South USA Board of Directors in the organization’s 60-year history.

Stephen married his high school sweetheart, Brenda, 26 years ago, and the couple has two amazing daughters, Lily and Sydney.

Taisia Gordon serves as the Director of the Office of Entrepreneurship within the Missouri Department of Economic Development, where she works to strengthen Missouri’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and expand opportunities for entrepreneurs and small businesses across the state.

Prior to joining DED, Taisia owned and operated a small business for nearly two decades.  Her professional experience includes supporting entrepreneurs and small businesses through a Chamber of Commerce, providing consulting services with the Missouri Small Business Development Center, and leading marketing and business development efforts for a Missouri-based engineering firm.

Today, Taisia leads Missouri’s Office of Entrepreneurship, working with entrepreneurs, communities, and resource partners to identify barriers, improve access to support, and advance strategies that foster business creation and growth throughout the state.

As Senior Program Officer for Economic Vitality, Joi travels across the U.S. providing technical services to Main Street organizations in metro and rural areas. She’s no stranger to the joys and pains of board leaders, and draws from experiences across the nation as well as her state-wide leadership as Director of Illinois Main Street Programs and on-the-ground leadership as Executive Director for Batavia MainStreet. Joi brings a passion for structure and strategic planning to board support, including as a partner to our Missouri Main Street staff on progress visits for designated Communities!

Donnie Rodgers serves as Executive Director of Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street in Missouri, leading the organization since 2015. Under his leadership, the district achieved a 72% increase in retail and restaurant sales (from $32M to $55.5M) and maintained 0% first-floor vacancy rates. The American Planning Association recognized Downtown Lee’s Summit as one of America’s Great Neighborhoods in 2019. Rodgers helped lead the addition of 260+ residential units and the $44 million Green Street development. He holds degrees from Kansas State University (Community Development) and Drury University (Architecture), plus the Main Street America Revitalization Professional certification.

Abby is a seasoned urban designer and planner with nearly a decade of experience shaping context-driven, sustainable, and pragmatic solutions. As a proud Midwest native, she is deeply committed to enhancing the economic and social resilience of small- and mid-sized communities through thoughtful urban design and planning strategies. Driven by a belief in the transformative power of grassroots initiatives, Abby emphasizes incremental development, human-scaled design, and the thoughtful design of public spaces to foster vibrant and resilient communities. Her expertise lies in championing bottom-up strategies that empower residents and inspire meaningful change, reflecting her vision of urban design as a catalyst for stronger, more connected communities.

Beyond her project work, Abby actively contributes to the field of urban planning through her advocacy and leadership. She is the founder of Small Developers of KC, an initiative focused on building capacity of local entrepreneurs seeking to improve their own neighborhoods. Abby is also deeply involved in the Kansas City Urban Land Institute, having served as co-chair for their Technical Assistance Panel Program and Young Leader’s Group. She is a member of the Congress for the New Urbanism and host of Strong Towns’ Upzoned podcast.

National award-winning downtown revitalization speaker, Bridgette Kelch, has been working in downtown revitalization for over 25 years. Bridgette has a BS in Historic Preservation, a MA in Nonprofit Administration, and a Graduate Certificate in Charitable Financial Planning. She is the former Executive Director of Downtown Washington, Inc. and current ED of East Central College Foundation. Bridgette is an old school Certified Main Street Manager. Her community, Washington, MO, was named 2012 GAMSA winner and a 2018 Main Street Success Story by the National Main Street Center. She is a founding member of the Missouri Main Street Connection Inc. and currently serves as the incoming president. Bridgette is a lover of history, chai tea lattes and all things cat! She is an avid traveler and has been to 265 of the 420+ National Park sites.

Nick Findley is the Co-Chair of Dutchtown Main Streets’ Promotion Committee, a freelance graphic designer and web developer, and a systems analyst for the City of St. Louis Collector of Revenue. He focuses his volunteer efforts on amplifying the Dutchtown neighborhood through brand development, marketing, event coordination, and placemaking to enhance the neighborhood’s image and raise awareness of the people and places that make Dutchtown a destination for creativity and diversity in arts, architecture, recreation, business, housing, and other aspects of neighborhood life. Nick is a lifelong St. Louisan and has lived and volunteered in Dutchtown since 2016.

Raven Powell is a St. Louis native and Dutchtown resident who is passionate about the city’s growth and long-term success. After spending seven years in St. Petersburg, Florida, she returned to St. Louis in 2023 with a renewed perspective on how economic development can shape neighborhoods and a deeper appreciation for thoughtful, community-centered growth. Raven serves as Co-Chair of the Economic Vitality Committee for Dutchtown Main Streets and is especially interested in preserving St. Louis’s historic architecture while helping create opportunities for residents and small businesses. Raven brings over a decade of experience in human resources and compliance, focusing on building effective processes and driving practical solutions. She enjoys applying that experience in meaningful ways beyond the workplace.

Markus Haskins is the co-founder of Marquette Community Day, the largest back-to-school event in South St. Louis, that is held annually at Dutchtown’s Marquette Park since 2017 and serves hundreds of families every year. He helped establish Allies of Marquette Park (AMP), a committee of Dutchtown Main Streets, where he serves on the Board of Directors. Markus and AMP have brought nearly $800,000 in capital improvements and investments to the park, which now attracts over 70,000 visitors annually from all over the St. Louis region. Markus also serves as a Violence Interrupter for Show Me Peace, a violence prevention program that intervenes in conflicts and works with people at risk of becoming involved in violence and criminal activity in Dutchtown.

Phil created his business, Storyville, in 2020. At Storyville, he interviews, writes, takes photos, records and produces videos, hosts podcasts, builds and manages websites, and manages social media accounts. Phil enjoys working in the different communities he visits and letting people tell their own stories while making them feel seen and heard. He believes everyone should sit down with someone they don’t know and ask them, “What is your story?”

Recently, Phil worked with Missouri Main Street Connection to publish “Memories on Main Street,” an anthology of personal stories centered on Missouri’s Main Street.

Gayla Roten has served as State Director for Missouri Main Street Connection, Inc. (MMSC) since November 2007. MMSC is a 501(c)3 nonprofit state-wide program. Gayla has over 28 years of experience in serving Main Street. Her wide range of expertise has come from direct hands-on experience. She was one of the seven founding board members of the Missouri nonprofit state-wide program and was the local program director in Branson, Missouri, for 12 years. Her strengths include organizational development, board and committee development, strategic planning, business development, fundraising strategies, marketing, design, promotions, grant writing, and establishment of taxing districts. She has effectively developed, administered, and raised millions in funds from state, federal, and foundation grant programs. Gayla also provides advocacy and Main Street education to the residents of Missouri, the state legislature, and state executive departments. She strives to serve Main Street Communities with vision, wisdom, and passion and is committed to excelling in serving downtown communities.

National award-winning downtown revitalization speaker, Bridgette Kelch, has been working in downtown revitalization for over 25 years. Bridgette has a BS in Historic Preservation, a MA in Nonprofit Administration, and a Graduate Certificate in Charitable Financial Planning. She is the former Executive Director of Downtown Washington, Inc. and current ED of East Central College Foundation. Bridgette is an old school Certified Main Street Manager. Her community, Washington, MO, was named 2012 GAMSA winner and a 2018 Main Street Success Story by the National Main Street Center. She is a founding member of the Missouri Main Street Connection Inc. and currently serves as the incoming president. Bridgette is a lover of history, chai tea lattes and all things cat! She is an avid traveler and has been to 265 of the 420+ National Park sites.

Steven J. Hoffman, Ph.D. is a professor of history, director of the Bollinger Center for Regional History, and coordinator of the Historic Preservation program at Southeast Missouri State University where he teaches classes in Historic Preservation, Architectural History, and the Built Environment. He is a graduate of the National Main Street Center’s Certification Institute and has given numerous workshops and presentations on Main Street and Historic Preservation topics. He serves on the boards of Missouri Main Street Connection and Old Town Cape, a local Main Street organization. He earned a Master’s degree in Heritage Preservation from Georgia State University and a Ph.D. in History from Carnegie Mellon University.