Vicki Thompson
Hometown:
Wisconsin
Vicki is excited at the opportunity to work with multiple communities in Alaska to develop their vision and plans for the long-term future they want to create for their communities.
Vicki has studied International Business, Management, and Global Economic Development. She obtained her masters in Economic Development while living and working in inner-city Philadelphia. She has managed a rural economic development corporation, been a part of entrepreneurship training, workforce development, and small business development. Vicki has led and managed multiple facets of operations, administration, and finance for small to multi-national companies, including work for a land development company involved in the infrastructure development of a rural community. Vicki has a breadth of business and community development experience balancing business and community needs.
Vicki also has traveled and volunteered extensively internationally, working with community development organizations, observing and researching the effects of aid and economic development programs.
ERC Project
Project Title:
Economic Development Support for Disadvantaged Rural Alaska Communities
Host Community or Region:
Alaska
Host Organization:
Alaska Municipal League, in collaboration with City & Borough of Yakutat
Rural and remote communities in Alaska lack capacity – human capital or financial resources – to improve or expand services that benefit residents, coupled with limited tax bases and high infrastructure costs. Furthermore, there is a lack of regional planning – and in some regions a lack of economic development authorities – limiting communities’ abilities to access funding, resources, or knowledge to implement plans. For this project, the ERC Fellow will provide direct support for various disadvantaged rural Alaskan communities, increase coordination among areas lacking regional development plans, advance local planning efforts via technical assistance, and connect communities and municipalities to state and federal opportunities to unlock resources and funding. This project provides a unique opportunity for public sector innovation, capacity building, and knowledge sharing among Alaskan municipalities while dovetailing their priorities to support remote communities with the help of an ERC Fellow.
Interested in supporting this project or learning more? Contact the ERC program team here.
