Ellen Gamson Email and Phone Number

As Executive Director of the non-profit Mount Vernon Downtown Assocation (MVDA), I develop annual, mid-range and long-term strategic plans for the MVDA, in conjunction with the Board of Directors. I create and administer the annual budget, which has more than doubled during my tenure. I spearhead all fundraising efforts, and successfully doubled the organization’s annual revenue in my first 5 years. I identified a significant gap between organization’s accomplishments and goals, and community awareness of them. I responded by reorganizing the staffing structure and creating an outreach position. I recruited, hired and supervise the organization’s first staff position dedicated exclusively to marketing and community engagement. Under my leadership, the MVDA has been repositioned and rebranded, along with its associated major annual events. I have sole oversight of the small staff; including hiring, directing work plans, establishing priorities, goals, timelines and accountability processes, annual performance reviews, and problem resolution. I have the primary responsibility for creating and fostering collaborative community partnerships with city, county and other local and regional organizations, leveraging our limited resources and increasing the number of cooperative projects, promotions and events. My leadership has sustained and grown the MVDA's organizational capacity during multiple periods of crisis: I-5 Bridge collapse, flood wall construction project disruption, major power utility project disruption, and the current pandemic.