Vice President of Revitalization Services
202.213.6720
nmiess@mainstreet.org
Norma serves as the Vice President of Main Street America’s revitalization services, leading the delivery of technical assistance that helps communities build, grow, and sustain successful revitalization programs across the country. She is an entrepreneurial, servant leader offering over two decades of direct leadership experience in downtown revitalization and nonprofit management, and an inspiring passion for the value of Main Street in comprehensive community-driven economic development.
Since joining Main Street America (MSA) over fifteen years ago, Norma has played a pivotal role in creating important initiatives that have strengthened the Main Street framework. Driven by high value on partnerships, she led the first-statewide pilot implementation of the “Refresh” Main Street Approach, which helped define the new Transformation Strategy identification process. More recently, she led the development of the new Main Street America Community Accreditation Standards, a holistic framework to guide communities’ revitalization journey.
Her leadership experience as a former Main Street director offers direct understanding of the critical role that Main Street staff and volunteers play in leading successful revitalization. Recognizing people as Main Street’s greatest asset, Norma led the strategic vision and launching of Main Street America Institute, the Center’s core professional development program. She is passionate about bringing local leaders together through inspiring and motivational leadership development training at state-wide and national conferences.
Norma’s personal and professional experience has been focused on building and strengthening communities. Her strong entrepreneurial upbringing offers insightful understanding and respect for the contributions entrepreneurs offer to our local economies. Her extensive community development experience includes leading disaster relief efforts in Latin America and heritage tourism promoting local cultural assets and unique destinations. Norma holds a Bachelor of Science and Language and studied Civil Engineering with an emphasis in Transportation. She uses her educational background to encourage planning and physical improvements that respect communities’ local identity, place-based assets, and unique sense of place.
Norma’s multicultural roots offer perspective on the important role Main Street can serve as a catalytic force for diversity, equity, and inclusion. She helps communities with increasingly changing demographics identify strategies to expand their reach, build inclusive stakeholder engagement, and strengthen organizational structures. Norma led the designation of the first Native American Main Street Community in the country and is leading Main Street America’s efforts to establish an island-wide Main Street program in Puerto Rico. She has also promoted the Main Street approach internationally at conferences in Taiwan, Panama, and Mexico.
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