Steering Committee
Cassi Zimmerman, Assistant Economic Developer at Saginaw Future, has a bachelor’s degree in Urban Planning and Development from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. Working with Saginaw Future has educated her on the many economic assists and limitations of Saginaw. Some of the most threatening are the outstandingly low average household income and the number of unoccupied buildings in the primary commercial core of the City, which this project can help to combat. Through Saginaw Future, Cassi manages the Saginaw Downtown Development Authority, which focuses on economic development and quality of life specifically in downtown and Old Town. Though she has only lived in Saginaw for 2 years, she loves the City and has a passion for community development.
Dawn Goodrow Hillier is a pioneer in the redevelopment of Downtown Saginaw. She is the owner of Dawn of a New Day Coffeehouse, which has been located in Downtown Saginaw for 16 years. As a lifetime Saginaw resident, Dawn has spent her career supporting many Saginaw organizations and initiatives that benefit her neighbors including, The Temple Theater, The Ezekiel Project, Downtown Development Authority, Downtown Saginaw Association, Art and Enrichment Commission and Pit and Balcony Community Theater, Saginaw Celebrates Summer Calendar
and other community art projects. A trailblazer in Downtown Saginaw, she is a member of the Saginaw Choral Society and a champion of arts and culture initiatives. Jamie Forbes, Director of External Affairs at STARS (Saginaw Transit Authority Regional Services), has a bachelor’s degree from Belmont University in Nashville in Business Administration. She has been investing her time in community initiatives and social justice issues in Saginaw, for 10 years. She was in the inaugural class of the Henry Marsh Institute of Pubic Policy, now housed at SVSU, and is currently on the advisory board of this program. She is a member of the 2015-16 class of Leadership Saginaw and 2017 class of Great Lakes Bay Leaders Institute. She was chosen by Mlive as Saginawian of the year in 2017 and received the Save Our STARS award in 2018. She was honored to serve on Saginaw City Council from 2018 to 2020.
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