Lisa Middag is an urban planner who collaborates with communities and artists to support equitable, vibrant, and sustainable public spaces through inclusive placemaking and economic community development. Lisa is Senior Director, Economic Development for the mpls downtown council and Downtown Improvement District. She is responsible for the direction, performance, and growth of our organizations’ economic development program. This work starts with a portfolio of existing projects and initiatives for retail, commercial space activation, supporting women and BIPOC entrepreneurs, real estate, policy advocacy, public space markets, and arts and culture activations. With the 2035 Plan taking shape, a partnership with the City of Minneapolis on implementing the Vibrant Storefronts plan, the post-pandemic reset of the commercial real estate market, and broad support for inclusive economic development strategies, this is a high leverage moment for strategic leadership. The role will include a mixture of directing our own projects, developing collaborative partnerships, and focused advocacy on emerging issues and opportunities that shape economic outcomes for downtown Minneapolis. As a member of the MDC/DID leadership team, this person will be a critical leader for our organizations as we work to apply our values to meet this moment and expand our impact. In 2019, and again in 2021 her work received the International Downtown Association’s prestigious Pinnacle award for events and programming. She previously worked for Hennepin County Community Works and lead an effort to connect the Midtown Greenway bicycle trail to nearby cultural and commercial destinations through wayfinding and placemaking and managed their federal Sustainable Communities grant focused on transit-oriented development. She is a member of the Project for Public Spaces Placemaking Leadership Council and was a Creative Community Leadership Institute fellow. She serves currently as Treasurer for Pollen Midwest, a media arts nonprofit that harnesses the power of narrative change to build towards a society that is free, just, and loving. She serves on the board for Redesign, a CDC that supports equitable development in the Longfellow Community of Minneapolis. She previously served on the Minneapolis Arts Commission and as Treasurer for Springboard for the Arts. She is a Certified Economic Development Finance professional (National Developers Council), a Leadership in Place Management Professional (IDA), and has an MPA in urban and regional planning from the Humphrey School. She spent 10 years as the publications director and studio manager at the Walker Art Center.