Dear CAMS Community

Left to right: Amanda Elliott; Wall Mural (Courtesy: City of Eureka).

CAMS Connection | Fall 2024
By: Amanda Elliott, Senior Program Officer and Director of California Programs, Main Street America

Hello CAMS Family,

Hard work really does pay off!

The CAMS Conference in Eureka was a huge success thanks to a team effort from the CAMS board of directors, our Communications Consultant Brooke Fox, and, of course, Eureka Main Street. I am extremely proud we were able to deliver three days of educational sessions, networking, and professional development for a range of Main Street practitioners and economic development professionals.  A broad selection of educational sessions were presented which focused on housing challenges, economic development trends, placemaking, public art and advocacy. Eureka Main Street and the City of Eureka were fantastic hosts and went above and beyond to make the conference experience a welcoming one.

I’m proud that over the past five years, we’ve been able to build our network to serve 30+ California communities by offering technical assistance, networking opportunities, grants and other resources to build and sustain our local programs and small businesses. My work as Senior Program Officer and Director of California Programs has been incredible. It has inspired me to expand my role at Main Street America. I’m excited to announce that I have accepted the role of Vice President of Field Services at Main Street America.  In my new role, I am responsible for managing all program officers and field services staff and consultants. I will also manage time utilization of staff on balance with contracts in collaboration with the Chief Programs Officer to ensure that team members are well onboarded, trained, and accountable to clear deliverables. 

Obviously, this is a big role and I’m excited to take on new challenges. I will be transitioning to this new role over the next several months.  In the interim, I will be working closely with the CAMS board, our Communications Consultant and my MSA colleagues to ensure that CAMS members continue to receive high quality service. 

Big thanks to you all for your support of California Main Street and our work with Main Street America. We look forward to continuing to provide quality services and resources to keep the network going strong!   

In partnership, 

Amanda Elliott 
Vice President of Field Services