Reimagining the Economy welcomes Amy Holloway to the team as a practitioner-in-residence. The practitioner-in-residence program is one part of our collaboration with government and non-government practitioners, both in the U.S. and around the world, through events and workshops, communities of practice, and applied research projects.
Holloway has been an economic development strategist for 30 years including 14 years as the President and CEO of Avalanche Consulting and currently as President of Aha! Advisors. In that time, she has won multiple awards for professional excellence and community service, and has worked with over 200 communities across the country on economic and community development strategies.
Economic and community development are far-reaching tasks. “It’s not just business attraction anymore,” says Holloway, “it’s a whole host of topics that impact the health and prosperity of the community.” And the projects require a personal touch. Holloway says her career has “been on the ground rolling up my sleeves and doing work one-to-one with leaders.” She estimates that she's had one-on-one interactions with thousands of leaders around the U.S.
This holistic approach and personal interaction have driven Holloway to think seriously about trust. She's seen communities grow and succeed due to trust among leaders and constituents, while otherwise similar communities stagnate due to distrust and exclusivity. Her takeaway is that “trust is the foundation of strong relationships, and relationships are the foundation for community and economic development. Trust among local leaders is a community’s most valuable asset.”
During her time as a practitioner-in-residence, Holloway will be working on a book about trust and its role in economic and community development. Drawing on research and her personal experience, she is creating a practical guide for policymakers and practitioners – stressing the importance of trust and how it can be built in communities.
Holloway will also be engaging with the Kennedy School community in discussions and events. “I am so looking forward to collaborating with faculty and students at HKS on this topic of trust,” she says, “learning from you all, as well as imparting any wisdom I can share from my last 30 years in the field. It's going to be a fun collaboration, and I think that we both have a lot to learn from each other.”
