DSM Talks - Development Initiatives Shaping Your City
Name:
DSM Talks - Development Initiatives Shaping Your City
Date:
November 12, 2020
Time:
12:00 PM - 1:30 PM CST
Registration:
Register Now
Event Description:
Join us for a speaker session featuring Emily Kessinger, the Director of Capitol Crossroads, and Amber Lynch, the Director of Invest DSM, as they share insights into their careers, and discuss development initiatives shaping the Des Moines metro.
To receive the Zoom link, please register for the event by clicking the "Register" button above.
To receive the Zoom link, please register for the event by clicking the "Register" button above.
Emily Kessinger is currently the Director at Capital Crossroads. Kessinger has 10+ years’ experience in communications, marketing and project management, previously serving as a Business Development Manager at The Weitz Company and The Iowa Center's Women’s Business Center (WBC) Director. She currently serves on the After School Arts Program Board (ASAP) and is a committee member for the Des Moines Pastoral Counseling Center's Women Helping Women event. She is a graduate of the 2019 Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute’s Community Leadership Program. In addition, Emily is a founding partner at Flag of Des Moines and is the founder of Yellow Door DSM. Since 2014, she has consulted remotely for Remoov, a San Francisco based start-up. Emily earned degrees in English (BA) and Organizational Development/Marketing (MBA) from the University of Denver (DU). She lives on the south side of Des Moines with her husband Mason and son, Hughes (18 months).
Amber Lynch is the Executive Director for Invest DSM. Prior to Invest DSM, Amber served as a City Planner with the City of Des Moines for over 10 years. During her time with the City, Amber’s primary role was to work with neighborhoods to develop revitalization plans, and her hands-on experience and commitment to building confidence in the future of Des Moines neighborhoods helped lead to the creation of the Invest DSM model. She has also worked on streetscape projects, numerous regional planning initiatives, and served as the overall project manager for Viva East Bank!, overseeing the implementation of three neighborhood plans and managing a coalition of nearly 30 partner organizations. Amber has served as a board member for the Iowa Chapter of the American Planning Association, is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), and holds a Master’s Degree in Community and Regional Planning from Iowa State University and a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Luther College. She was named as one of the Des Moines Register’s People to Watch in 2020. Amber lives in Des Moines with her husband, Ryan, and their two daughters.