IEDC Staff
You may contact the IEDC at the following address and telephone/fax
numbers:
IEDC 734 15th Street NW / Suite 900 Washington, DC 20005 Telephone:
(202) 223-7800 Fax: (202) 2234745
Payments should be addressed to:
IEDC P.O. Box 759219 Baltimore, MD 21275-9219
Individual staff may be contacted directly at their corresponding
telephone numbers and email addresses.
IEDC Staff Biographies and Contact Information
Comprised of recognized leaders in economic development and professionals
skilled in association management, our staff dedicates itself to supporting the
endeavors of our members and advancing the profession and discipline of economic
development as a whole.
» Executive » Knowledge Management and Development » Meetings » Marketing and
Business Development » Advisory Services and
Research » Finance and Administration
Executive
Jeff Finkle, CEcD President/CEO Email: cziegler@iedconline.org
Jeffrey A. Finkle has been a leader in economic development
for more than 20 years. In 2001 he became the President and CEO of the
International Economic Development Council (IEDC) following the merger of the
Council for Urban Economic Development (CUED) with the American Economic
Development Council (AEDC). Managing a $5 million annual budget and staff of 30,
his keen ability to leverage resources and follow a vision have been
instrumental in transforming IEDC into the largest economic development
membership organization in the U.S.
Finkle served for 15 years as President and CEO of CUED prior to the merger,
taking the reigns of the organization at a time it was facing tremendous
financial and organizational challenges. A strong and compassionate leader, he
steered the organization through this tumultuous period and oversaw the vast
expansion of the organization’s influence. Before assuming leadership of CUED,
he was U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Deputy Assistant
Secretary of Community Planning and Development for Program Management from 1984
to 1986, directing programs with budgets totaling over $3 billion, including the
Community Development Block Grant and the Urban Development Action Grant
Program.
Finkle has successfully established multi-lateral partnerships with regional
and national economic development organizations throughout the world and
currently sits on the Consultative Committee of World Association of Investment
Promotion Agencies (WAIPA). He has contributed to projects in China, Europe,
Latin America, and Oceania as an expert on community revitalization strategies,
development financing, and economic development programs. He is an author of
numerous articles, keynote speaker and advisor and has been called upon by
Congressional Committees for his expertise.
A native of Ohio, he maintains a long-standing relationship with Ohio
University’s Voinovich School for Leadership and Public Affairs and serves on
the School’s Institute for Local Government Administration and Rural Development
Advising Committee, where he regularly participates in programs of direct
benefit to Appalachia Ohio. He is additionally a member of the Arlington
Virginia Economic Development Commission and served on the BRAC Task Force with
the Commission in 2005, dealing with issues that directly impacted 4 million
square feet of Arlington office space and 17,000 jobs. He continues to sit on
the Executive Committee of the Commission.
In 1989, Finkle founded the Bollinger Foundation, a non-profit
organization to provide financial assistance for the education and support of
children who have lost one or more parent who worked in the field of economic
development. Under his leadership the foundation has awarded approximately
$500,000 in grants to families in need. The Bollinger Open, a golf tournament
and primary fundraising event, is held annually at Andrews Airforce Base Golf
Course. Finkle is also President and CEO of the Association of Defense Communities
(ADC), a membership organization assisting in the conversion of military
communities. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in communications in 1976
from Ohio University in Athens and pursued graduate studies in business
administration at Ohio State University. Finkle holds a certification in the
field of economic development and has appeared on national news programs such as
CNBC Power Lunch, CBS Sunday Morning, and The Journal Report on PBS. He has
additionally been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and the
Washington Post, as well as many local papers nationwide.
Corie Ziegler Executive Assistant to the CEO Email: cziegler@iedconline.org
Corie came to IEDC in 2004 with over 20 years of experience working for top
level executives. She worked for 7 years at a major corporation in Philadelphia
in the corporate law and corporate secretary’s office. In Charleston, South
Carolina she worked for 5 years as a legal assistant and administrator for a law
firm. She then spent 12 years working for the executive director of a local
redevelopment authority charged with privatizing a closed naval facility. She
has worked extensively with multiple boards and committees. Corie attended the
University of Pennsylvania and Charleston Southern University. She is currently
enrolled in Strayer University, completing a Bachelor’s degree in International
Business. She has several years of volunteer experience with Big Brother Big
Sisters where she chaired a task force and served as president of the board,
Hotline (a crisis intervention service), and was a court appointed Guardian ad
Litem.
Kelly Bielen Administrative Coordinator Email: kbielen@iedconline.org
Kelly serves as the Administrative Coordinator at IEDC. Kelly supports the
Executive Department and in addition, she provides administrative support across
departments on various projects. Before joining IEDC, Kelly facilitated
curriculum for a national youth leadership program and volunteered as the office
coordinator for a local chapter of Habitat for Humanity. Kelly graduated from
Kenyon College and also studied in France with Sweet Briar College. She holds a
B.A. in Modern Languages (French and Spanish).
Knowledge Management and Development
Shari Garmise Vice President, Knowledge Management and
Development Direct line: (202) 942-9471 Email: sgarmise@iedconline.org
Shari Garmise is Vice President for Knowledge Management and Development.
Previously, she was Assistant Professor of Economic Development at the Maxine
Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University. Dr.
Garmise has over 17 years of experience in economic development research,
analysis and policy development in the United States and Europe. She has worked
on various economic development issues including workforce development,
technology-led economic development, entrepreneurship, legislative affairs, and
many others. Last year, Dr. Garmise publishing a book entitled People and the
Competitive Advantage of Place: Building a 21st Century Workforce. In
addition, she has published work in several journals including Local Economy,
Economic Development Journal and Regional and Federal Studies as well as various
book chapters, working papers, and professional reports and policy analyses.
Louise Anderson Senior Associate, Newsletter Direct
line: (828) 350-8855 Email: landerson@iedconline.org
Ms. Anderson is a Senior Associate and Managing Editor for IEDC’s Advisory
Services team. She edits IEDC’s newsletter, Economic Development Now, and
a quarterly magazine, Economic Development America, on contract for the
U.S. Economic Development Administration.
Ms. Anderson formerly coordinated IEDC’s work on brownfields-related projects
with the Environmental Protection Agency. She also worked on numerous state and
local economic development planning projects. Prior to joining IEDC, Ms.
Anderson worked in growth management, historic preservation, public relations
and nonprofit management. She obtained master’s degrees in regional planning
(with a focus on economic development) and public administration from the
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She also holds bachelor of arts
degrees in journalism and English literature from Indiana University at
Bloomington.
Talib Hudson Legislative Affairs Associate Direct line:
(202) 942-9464 Email: thudson@iedconline.org
Talib Hudson serves as the Legislative Affairs Associate, and oversees all
legislative matters impacting members of the International Economic Development
Council (IEDC) and the economic development community as a whole. Mr. Hudson
plays an active role in steering the department, managing legislative projects
and staffing the Public Policy Advisory Committee. In addition to the daily
legislative tasks, he manages the IEDC annual legislative conference in
Washington, D.C., the Federal Economic Development Forum.
Talib Hudson previously served as the Education, Publications, Job Center,
and Clearinghouse Coordinator. Prior to joining IEDC, Mr. Hudson worked in
higher education administration. He earned a B.A. in American Studies with a
minor in Africana Studies from The George Washington University.
Anne Berlin Research Associate Direct line: (202)
942-9481 Email: aberlin@iedconline.org
Anne performs myriad research tasks within the organization in conjunction
with her role as coordinator of the Clearinghouse Information and Research
Service. Anne also manages IEDC’s Economic Recovery Volunteer Program. In
addition to these primary tasks, Anne serves as liaison to IEDC’s international
partner organizations.
Prior to joining IEDC, Ms. Berlin spent 2 years as a cross-cultural
consultant to the German branch of a multinational pharmaceutical conglomerate.
Anne received her M.A. in International Affairs with a regional concentration in
Europe from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. She also holds
a B.A. in French and Psychology from Stetson University.
Dana Rothstein Economic Development Associate Direct
Line: (202) 942-9470 Email: drothstein@iedconline.org
Dana manages the content development of IEDC’s conferences and web seminars.
Her work experience includes logistics management for a professional speaker,
market research and coordination of international trade shows. Dana possesses a
B.A. from the University of Maryland, College Park in Government with
significant coursework international relations, development, french and
economics. In addition to working at IEDC, Dana is a youth group advisor within
the Jewish community.
Chris Girdwood Education and Economic Development
Associate Direct Line: (202) 639-9104 Email: cgirdwood@iedconline.org
Chris interviews, recruits and manages IEDC Training Course instructors. In
addition to this, on a daily basis he performs economic development research and
assists in writing course manuals and professional publications.
Prior to joining IEDC, Mr. Girdwood spent two years working for the U.S.
Department of Defense. He proudly supported the war-fighter in Operation Iraqi
Freedom and Enduring Freedom. Chris has received degrees from the University of
Michigan, Michigan State University and Kellogg Community College. He has a deep
interest in learning new languages and is currently studying Arabic.
Meetings
Chanise Reese Director of Meetings Direct line: (202) 942-9482
Email: creese@iedconline.org
Chanise D. Reese is a Certified Meeting Professional. She has been in the
meeting planning profession for over 12 years. Prior to joining IEDC, Chanise
held various position with the Society of Research Administrations (SRA),
National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA), American
Urological Association (AUA), U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and Georgetown
University Medical Center.
She is a member of the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA)
and American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). Chanise also serves as a
mentor in the Big Brother Big Sister program.
Chanise is a native of Washington, DC. She attended the University of the
District of Columbia and Howard University, and is currently attending Trinity
University.
Earnestine Jones Registrar/Conference Coordinator
Direct line: (202) 942-9463 Email: ejones@iedconline.org
Ms. Jones serves two important roles at IEDC: Conference Registrar and
Membership Manager. As Conference Registrar, she provides assistance in all
aspects of conference planning, execution, and follow-up, including managing all
conference registration and billing concerns. As the Membership Manager, she
works closely with the Membership Director in promoting membership and
maintaining the organization's membership records, including disseminating
information to members and potential members, preparing membership activity
reports, and overseeing membership dues. In addition, Ms. Jones maintains the
IEDC database and is responsible for coordinating office services and related
activities. She also supervises the staff person holding similar
responsibilities with NAID/ADC.
Prior to joining IEDC, Ms. Jones was the Manager of Marketing and Sales for
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of the National Capital Area. Ms. Jones attended
Strayer College.
Marketing and Member Services
Jill Frick Estavillo Vice President, Marketing and Business
Development Direct line: (202) 942-9454 Email: jfrick@iedconline.org
Jill has more than 15 years of experience in economic development and
downtown management. Prior to joining IEDC, Jill held various positions with the
International Downtown Association. She also previously served as the first
Executive Director of the Georgetown Partnership, a start-up business
improvement district in Washington, DC. Jill also served as the General Manager
of the Washington, DC office of Flexcar, an innovative concept in transportation
called carsharing and a public-private partnership with the Washington
Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. Jill has previously held positions as the
Executive Director of Corning Intown Promotions, a special events, marketing and
public space management organization in Corning, New York and as a Public
Relations Assistant for Alfred Technology Resources, a business incubator
project and partnership between Alfred University and Corning Incorporated. Jill
received a Bachelors in Science in Journalism from the E. W. Scripps School of
Journalism at Ohio University.
Mary Helen Cobb Director of Membership and
Development Direct line: (202) 942-9460 Email: mcobb@iedconline.org
Mary Helen is responsible for assessing, identifying, and developing critical
membership alliances to IEDC. She brings with her 20+ years of experience in the
legislative, marketing, and business development fields.
Prior to joining IEDC, Ms. Cobb was Vice President of Client Relations for
the Corporate Registry. Her responsibilities included collaborating on the
business plan, developing and executing marketing alliance strategies with
Fortune 500 companies, banking institutions, federal and local governments, and
the non-profit sector. Ms. Cobb owned and operated a successful novelty and
manufacturing business, consulted in real estate and land acquisition
development, and was a heath-care lobbyist.
Ms. Cobb received a B.A. in Communications and Public Affairs and Government
from Mount Vernon College in Washington, D.C. in 1981. She received a Paralegal
certificate from Georgetown University in 1983.
Kobi Enwemnwa Certification Associate Direct line: (202)
942-9483 Email: kenwemnwa@iedconline.org
Kobi Enwemnwa serves as Education Programs Associate for the Education
Department at IEDC. Prior to joining IEDC, Mr. Enwemnwa served as an event
coordinator for John Casablancas Career Center in San Diego, CA. Mr. Enwemnwa
graduated with a marketing degree, along with a specialization in international
business, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he served as a
marketing intern for the Wisconsin Union Directorate. In his current position
with IEDC, Mr. Enwemnwa administers all aspects of the certification program and
works closely with other education staff to coordinate IEDC’s professional
development program. Mr. Enwemnwa also works with the certification committee to
further develop and strengthen the certification program.
Phil Goodwin Membership Relations Coordinator Direct
line: (202) 639-9106 Email: pgoodwin@iedconline.org
Sarah McKay Sponsorship Associate Direct line: (202)
942-9485 Email: smckay@iedconline.org
Sarah serves as the Development Associate for the sponsorship component of
the International Economic Development Council, overseeing sales and fulfillment
of sponsorship for all IEDC conferences. She holds a B.A. in Strategic
Communications from The Ohio State University.
Ms. McKay previously served as the Business Manager for ML Architects and
Planners, LLC, where she was the administrative supervisor for all architectural
projects in addition to designing and rebranding marketing materials. Ms. McKay
worked as an environmental volunteer in Australia and completed the
International Business program at the Universidad de Pablo Olvidae in Seville,
Spain.
Paul Cutting Marketing and Awards Program
Coordinator Direct line: (202) 942-9459 Email: pcutting@iedconline.org
Paul Cutting is responsible for coordinating the graphic design and
production of IEDC materials as well as managing the annual Excellence in
Economic Development Awards program. He has two years' experience as an English
tutor at Northern Virginia Community College and has worked with humanitarian
relief and community development programs in Jakarta and Banda Aceh, Indonesia.
He holds a B.A. in Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia.
Erin Way Marketing and Media Relations Coordinator
Direct line: (202) 942-9474 Email: eway@iedconline.org
Erin Way handles the marketing and media relations for the IEDC, including
composing the bi-weekly newsletter “IEDC News.” Prior to joining the IEDC, Erin
worked for the British Embassy in Washington DC, coordinating Foreign &
Commonwealth Office training programs for North America and the Caribbean. She
was also involved in the Internet Communications dept. of Gov. Howard Dean’s
2004 primary campaign. In addition, Erin completed a cultural and linguistics
immersion program focusing on creating cross culture communication with young
adults through T.I.E. volunteer program in San Jose, Costa Rica. Erin has a B.S.
in Communications and Rhetorical Studies from Syracuse University as well as an
M.A. in Political Communications from Leeds University.
Advisory Services and Research
Ed Gilliland, CEcD, AICP Vice President, Senior Director, Advisory
Services Direct line: (202) 942-9461 Email: egilliland@iedconline.org
At IEDC, Ed Gilliland is Vice President, Sr. Director of Advisory Services.
He has seventeen years of economic consulting experience with cities, counties,
quasi-public agencies, and private clients. He specializes in strategic
planning, organizational development, real estate and brownfields development,
commercial revitalization, financial analysis, and program development. Mr.
Gilliland directs IEDC’s work with the EPA on brownfields and smart growth, the
DOC (EDA) on the information dissemination of best practices, and the DOJ on
their Weed and Seed neighborhoods. He also directs work on numerous local
assignments. His capabilities go beyond the consulting and project management
roles. He has facilitated workshops, instructed in real estate, put together
training courses, and managed periodicals. He coauthored IEDC’s books
Targeted Area Redevelopment and Real Estate Redevelopment & Reuse:
An Economic Development Practitioner’s Guide. Mr. Gilliland holds an M.B.A.
from the University of Virginia Darden Graduate School of Business
Administration.
Swati Ghosh Senior Economic Development Associate Direct
line: (202) 942-9477 Email: sghosh@iedconline.org
Swati Ghosh is a Senior Economic Development Associate in the Advisory
Services and Research department at the International Economic Development
Council in Washington, DC. She brings a range of experience from local economic
development in United States to municipal financial creditworthiness and
sustainable financial practices in developing countries. Swati currently manages
IEDC’s Weed and Seed Program under a grant from the Department of Justice that
provides free technical assistance services in Weed and Seed communities around
the country. She also manages the IEDC Intern Program. Swati has broad
experience in developing and organizing education courses on various economic
development topics and helped design a new certification exam for the Certified
Economic Developer (CEcD) Program at IEDC. She has a Masters in Governmental
Administration and Certificate in Public Finance from the University of
Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. She obtained her Bachelors in Urban Planning from
the School of Planning and Architecture in New Delhi, India.
Carrie Ridgeway Senior Economic Development
Associate Direct line: (202) 942-9489 Email: cridgeway@iedconline.org
Carrie Ridgeway is a Senior Associate in the Advisory Services and Research
Department at IEDC. She is currently working on a UNIDO study on sustainable
economic development in a rapidly developing industrial community in Shandong
Province, P.R. China. The study involves researching best practices and
providing key recommendations for industrial development, eco-industrial
projects, workforce development, and real estate development. She is also
managing a research project on trends in large-scale venues (arenas, convention
centers, performing arts & entertainment centers) as well as serving as the
project manager for IEDC’s Salary Survey.
Her research topics include real estate development, urban redevelopment,
sustainable industrial development, neighborhood development, small town
development, and workforce development. Prior to joining IEDC, she worked as an
associate at Economics Research Associates (ERA) in Washington, D.C. and served
as a consultant on an Asian Development Bank technical assistance project in
mainland China. She obtained a Master’s degree in City and Regional Planning
from UC Berkeley where she specialized in regional economic development and
international development. She has a Bachelor of Sciences in Business
Administration from the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley.
Liz Thorstensen Senior Economic Development Associate
Direct line: (202) 942-9484 Email: ethorstensen@iedconline.org
Elizabeth Thorstensen serves as a Senior Economic Development Associate in
the Advisory Services and Research department. Having worked in public, private
and non-profit settings, Elizabeth brings a wide breadth of experience to IEDC.
Prior to joining IEDC, she worked directly with domestic and international
communities, aiding them in community revitalization efforts and effectual
institutional capacity building strategies. Her background focuses on urban
policy planning as well as effectively integrating public participation into
planning and economic development initiatives.
Currently, Elizabeth works on a wide variety of technical assistance and
research projects related to economic development. Elizabeth is also the project
manager of IEDC’s Accredited Economic Development Organization Program, a means
of recognizing professional excellence in economic development organizations. In
2007, Elizabeth co-authored an IEDC report which researched and documented
lessons learned from the past forty years of economic development. Elizabeth
earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland in Geography and
GIS and holds master’s degrees in Urban Planning and Local Economic Development
from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the London School of
Economics respectively.
Finance and Administration
Sharon Coy-McDavid Senior Director, Finance and Administration
Email: scoy-mcdavid@iedconline.org
Sharon Coy-McDavid serves as the Controller for IEDC and the Chief Financial
Officer for the Association of Defense Communities. In her role as IEDC’s
Controller, she will ensure efficiency, accuracy, and timeliness within the
organizations daily accounting operations. As ADC’s CFO, she will oversee and
manage the accounting function. Ms. Coy-McDavid will be responsible for
providing accurate financial information to each organization’s Board of
Directors and President/CEO.
Sharon Coy-McDavid graduated from Hawaii Pacific University with a B.S.B.A.
in Accounting. Ms. Coy-McDavid brings 10 years of professional experience to
each organization. She has served as an auditor for Reznick, Fedder &
Silverman CPAs. She has managed the monthly close and executive reporting for a
publicly traded telecommunications company. Ms. Coy-McDavid has also served as a
Principal Accountant for America Online where she provided contract review
support for the Shared Services Department. At AOL, her duties included
reviewing and providing the specific payment terms of all Partnership Agreements
as well as the proposed accounting treatment of these bounty and royalty
contracts.
Jason Christian Director of IT Direct line: (202)
942-9456 Email: jchristian@iedconline.org
Jason manages the design and development of IEDC's information technology
infrastructure, including its internal network, databases, and websites, the
last for which he won a WebAward in 2002. He has also developed websites with
partners such as Forbes and the Economic Development Administration.
Prior to joining IEDC, Jason served as Project Manager of Web Design for
FIRSTLINK, where he managed the online integration of the nation's largest
community information services database. He holds a BA in Technical
Communications, with a minor in Japanese, from the Ohio State University.
|