Williston Downtowners Association Employees & Board of Directors
Bre Staal -
President
Bre Staal is the owner of Lilac Lane in Downtown Williston, and has served one full term on the Downtowners board.
She says that one of the reasons her family decided to make Williston their forever home is the community. She said that she has never lived in a place that puts such a priority on events and activities to bring families and neighbors together as Williston does. For Bre, it is important for her to contribute to making sure the wonderful things about Williston get the support needed to keep thriving, which is what inspired her to join the WDA.
Bre says one of her favorite things about downtown is the community of small business owners that are very invested in the well-being of Williston and the people that call it home.
Chuck Wilder -
Vice President
Chuck has been associated with the Downtowners since the very beginning, and has contributed a lot of time and resources to help make the Downtowners what they are today. Chuck is also the owner of Books on Broadway in Downtown Williston.
Chuck is looking forward to helping with events like Art and Wine Walk and the Holiday Stroll this year to help bring people to Downtown Williston.
The community that the Downtown businesses owners have created, and the unique offerings are some of Chuck’s favorite things about downtown.
Kaitlyn Heupel - Secretary
& Treasurer
Kaitlyn is a Mortgage Loan Officer at Major Mortgage. She has served on the board since January 2020.
Kaitlyn got involved in the WDA as she wanted to help drive people Downtown to the heart of Williston through activities and events as well as assist in promoting and supporting businesses in our Downtown district. She is very excited for all of the events the WDA is putting on this year, because they keep getting bigger and better each year!
The atmosphere and everything Downtown has to offer for all ages from the movie theaters, the restaurants, and the shopping, are just a few of the reasons why Kaitlyn loves Downtown Williston!
Angela Skogen -
Board Member
Angela has been involved with the Williston Downtowners Association since the beginning, and even when she has not been on the board, she has been dedicated to the organization. Angela is also the owner of Cooks on Main located in Downtown Williston.
Angela’s pride in Downtown and support of local businesses, and the desire to bring people to the area is what drove her to become a part of the WDA. She is excited to be back on the Board of Directors this year to help plan and be a part of WDA events like Crazy Days and Summer Nights on Main.
Lacey Dixon -
Board Member
Lacey is the co-owner of Fresh Palate and The Empty Bobbin in downtown Williston. She has been with the WDA for years and decided to rejoin the Board of Directors this year.
Lacey always wanted to own a shop downtown, and in 2014 that happened when she and her business partner, Taryn, opened Fresh Palate, then The Empty Bobbin in 2021. Lacey is excited to help with events like the Holiday Stroll and be active in the Downtowners again this year!
In general, she loves being an active part of the community of Williston by volunteering with her church, and supporting other small businesses.
Kari Hauge -
Board Member
Kari has been on the board since 2022, and has served one term with the WDA so far. Kari is also the owner of Exhale Yoga & Wellness.
Kari believes Downtown Williston is the heart of the community, and knows it takes volunteers to put on the events that happen Downtown. Because of that, she decided to become active with the WDA and is grateful to be a part of it. This year, Kari is excited to work with the Board, as well as the community, to make downtown Williston a fun place to hang out.
The art and new projects within the downtown district are Kari’s favorite part of downtown because she says it makes the area feel vibrant and beautiful.
Kari also notes that Main Street Market will have some new updates and changes, so be on the lookout for that soon!
All Seasons Sport About -
Board Member
All Seasons Sport About has been a proud Member of the Williston Downtowners Association, and enjoys supporting and giving to the community of Williston, and we are happy they have joined the WDA Board of Directors this year!
We are excited to have them on committees such as Summer Nights on Main and Art & Wine Walk, and we cannot wait to work with them this year to help highlight Downtown Williston.
Rochelle Villa -
Board Member
This is Rochelle’s first year serving on the Board of Directors, and outside of it, she is a Program Manager for the North Dakota Women’s Business Center.
Her interest in Williston’s vibrant business community is what drew Rochelle to become involved with the WDA. She is excited to learn as much as she can about what the WDA does for the community and how she can contribute while being on the Board of Directors this year.
Rochelle’s favorite part of Downtown Williston is the feeling that everyone is a part of a close knit community that supports each other.
Leah Windnagle -
Board Member
Leah is an Assistant Professor of Business Management at Williston State College, and will be serving her first term with the WDA.
The chance to champion Downtown businesses and assist them in attracting customers, as well as helping future businesses is what drove Leah to want to join the WDA Board. Leah is also very excited to assist with different WDA events this year.
One of Leah’s favorite parts of Downtown is the variety of small businesses available for people to explore and shop at.
Amy Krueger -
Ex-Officio
Amy was appointed to be Williston Downtowners Association Board since it was first created to help bring life to Downtown Williston. She also serves as the Executive Director of the Williston Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Amy has seen the Downtowners evolve from a Retail Committee under the Williston Chamber of Commerce to building the stand alone organization. She believes that having a vibrant active downtown is one of the great attributes that draws visitors and potential community members to a community and is the heart of the community.
Amy says that she hopes that the WDA can start rebuilding more organizationally and start to establish stronger roots for growth moving forward since the pandemic.
Watching Downtown Williston grow and evolve over the last few years is one of Amy’s favorite parts about downtown.
Jenny Neil -
Event Coordinator
Jenny has been with the Downtowners since March 2023. She is currently getting her Bachelor’s Degree’s in Marketing and Communication through UND Online.
Jenny has very fond memories of going to the events the Downtowners put on, and is excited to work for them now to help make an impact on the community! She is very excited to step into her new role and see the ins and outs of the events the WDA puts on each year, as well as meeting business owners downtown, and more people in the community.
Jenny’s favorite aspect of downtown is how walkable it is, especially in the summer, and how there is really something for everyone if they look hard enough.
Sarah Ishadi Sparsha-Event Marketing Intern
Sarah has recently been appointed as an Event Marketing Intern in Summer 2024. She is an international student from Bangladesh & pursuing an MBA at Gonzaga University.
Sarah’s strong passion for developing her creative design skills, event management & branding drew her to be part of the Williston Downtowners Association.
She considers herself grateful to make a difference in the lives of the community during her time in Williston this year. She is especially excited about engaging herself in managing vendor and community relationships and assisting in developing the branding and marketing efforts of the small businesses, that are the heart of this thriving downtown community. She is fascinated with the activities and culture here and aims to uphold the integrity of the community through her small but notable efforts.
She seeks to use her marketing analytics knowledge to help craft various branding strategies and enhance the promotions of the downtown businesses and the WDA.
Sarah is excited to spend her summer being a part of the planning and execution arrangements of the WDA’s community events and enjoying the festivities throughout her summer. So far, her favorite part about Downtown is the calm environment of the district and the interactions she has with various small business owners and board members.