Community journalist-turned-community builderJack Cullen, 33, is Executive Director of the Rock Island Downtown Alliance, an affiliate of the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce, in Rock Island, Illinois (Quad Cities). At the helm of the organization that manages the City of Rock Island’s Downtown Special Service Area, Jack is working with a diverse group of public and private sector leaders to revitalize the historic urban district. Jack was named to the International Downtown Association’s 2023 Emerging Leader Fellowship Program and the Quad Cities Regional Business Journal’s 2022 Forty under 40 list. Before stepping into the community & economic development and place management industry, Jack worked as a community journalist for a daily newspaper in the Quad Cities, where he was recognized for having "an unstoppable curiosity and a drive to create a sense of place” for readers. Now, he is striving to enhance that sense of place for the community on a broader scale. A native of Madison, Wisconsin, and a graduate of Augustana College, he also serves as a volunteer board member for Common Chord (music); River Action (environment/recreation); Quad Cities Cultural Trust (Arts & Culture); the Augustana College Prison Education Program Advisory Board; and the Augustana College President’s Advisory Council. Jack and his wife, Maria, live with their two children in Rock Island.
Listed skills include Journalism, Storytelling, Social Media, Multimedia, and 15 others.