Mallory Nash will be the next executive director of the Downtown Pullman Association.

Nash recently came to Pullman from Juneau, Alaska, where she spent two years as the Student Engagement and Leadership Manager for the University of Alaska Southeast’s Office of Student Engagement and Leadership. Prior to that, Nash was the Program Manager for Current Young Professionals with the Greater Green Bay Chamber.

Nash begins her new role Monday, July 24 and will be formally introduced during a general membership meeting the same day at 3 p.m. in Paradise Creek Brewery, located at 245 SE Paradise St.

“I care a lot about relationships and being an active member of my community,” Nash said. “I look forward to working together to make Downtown Pullman the best hidden gem on the Palouse.”

Originally from Arkansas, Nash brings a near decade of experience in program management, community engagement, fundraising and sponsorship development, and leadership to the Downtown Pullman Association (DPA).

She earned a Bachelor of Science in Education in 2015 and Master of Education in Higher Education – Student Affairs in 2018, both from the University of Arkansas.

“I am really excited to connect Pullman residents and downtown businesses, providing memory-making experiences for us all,” Nash said.

“In addition to being an economic driver for its city, a thriving downtown is where people come to connect, experience, and engage. The most powerful sense of place is created when you have community involvement in the process. And I’m excited to be a part of it.”

It was during her graduate program that Nash discovered the importance of being an active member of her community, ultimately leading her down a path of public service and relationship building. Nash spent two years as the Student Engagement Graduate Assistant at the University of Arkansas’s Center for Community Engagement.

“Connecting with people is deeply rooted in my core,” Nash said. “I learned … when people come together, they can create lasting positive change. That excited me, and I wanted to find a way to do this full-time.”

The work Nash did with the Current Young Professionals in Green Bay, Wis., turned her interest to downtown areas specifically. She cultivated partnerships with two different downtown associations, developed nearly 100 community partners, raised more than $425,000, and hosted 40+ events per year. Additionally, Nash was responsible for strategic planning, recruitment and marketing, budget monitoring and fund development, and overall program execution.

“Mallory’s experience, skills and natural ability to connect with people make her an ideal executive director for DPA at this critical stage in our development as we pursue a Washington State Main Street Program accreditation,” said Judy Kolde, DPA Board of Directors President. “Her vibrant personality, can-do attitude and fresh perspective will energize our community as we work together to create a thriving downtown for everyone.”

Nash has a proven track record in engaging young professionals to activate the downtown, Kolde said, creating talent pipelines between universities and local businesses and raising funds. “There’s a lot going on in our community, and downtown specifically, and I’m really excited to help amplify those voices and stories to continue building on that momentum,” Nash said.