Welcome Our Newest Staff Members!
Here at Strong Towns, sometimes even we can’t believe how much the organization has changed in the last twelve years. In fact, at first, there was no official organization. We started in 2008 as a blog that founder Chuck Marohn, a planner and engineer, used to reflect on (and sound the alarm over) what he was noticing in his profession: cities and towns going deeper into debt to keep basic services running, while still pursuing costly infrastructure projects that would compound that debt further down the road.
A lot has happened since then. (You can read more about Strong Towns history here.) In particular, we discovered a huge number of kindred spirits—last year, our articles and podcasts reached 1.8 million people—met thousands of you at in-person events, and connected with you across distance on our community site.
Our staff continues to grow too. In fact, we just hired three incredibly talented and brilliant people, and we want to introduce you.
Wanda Dziwura serves as Bookkeeper for Strong Towns. She held a long career in finance, commercial banking and lending in her home state of Michigan where she still resides. Among the most important work she has done is volunteer service for a wide range of community organizations. Financial planning, policy and asset development, creative marketing, and fund development have been part of these contributions. She has a great love for the outdoors and the Great Lakes. One of her favorite activities is sailing with her husband, family, and crew on the Saginaw Bay in Lake Huron near her home in Bay City.
Lauren Fisher, the Communications Associate for Strong Towns, is an actual idealist who loves making things and double-spacing the end of sentences. She lives with her husband, two dogs, cat, and totally-legal number of chickens in a super-awesome neighborhood. She has been gone from her home state for long enough that she might have to turn in her Alaskan Card soon. Lauren has been settling into the American Midwest, where she previously wrote and edited for a hyper-local arts and culture magazine, since 2016. Her experience in the Alaska Bush, downtown living in an up-and-coming Midwestern city, and now residing in a rural Chippewa Valley, Wisconsin community, has provided her with precious insight into the many ways our places can grow stronger. Are you a member of the media and want to talk about Strong Towns? Lauren is the one you’d reach out to.
Alexa Mendieta serves as the Development Associate for Strong Towns. After graduating from the University of Richmond, she worked at Historic St. John’s Church in Richmond, Virginia where Patrick Henry said, “Give me liberty or give me death!” There, she was introduced to the world of nonprofit development and decided to continue the journey! Now, she is excited to be sharing the Strong Towns movement and working to make towns more for the people. Outside of work, she helps run a small, local music venue hosting bands from all across the country and is passionate about helping the DIY community despite her lack of musical talent. Are you interested in strategically supporting the Strong Towns mission? Get in touch with Alexa.
Will you help us welcoming Wanda, Lauren, and Alexa to the Strong Towns staff?