Downtown Santa Barbara Names New Executive Director

Release Date: May 19,2014

Santa Barbara, CA – The Board of Directors for Downtown Santa Barbara announced today that Maggie Campbell has been appointed as the new Executive Director for the organization in Santa Barbara, California. 

The search for the new leader for Downtown Santa Barbara was national and included candidates from the Santa Barbara region and across the country.  Campbell’s first day on the job will be June 16. 

"Maggie is a national leader and respected visionary in the field of managing and building a Business Improvement District,” said Downtown Santa Barbara Board President Gene McKnight.   “The Board of Directors of the DO could not be happier to have such a veteran and extraordinarily talented professional as our Executive Director."

Campbell has been dedicated to downtown revitalization and development for more than 25 years, and she has a long history in leadership roles with similar efforts in diverse communities such as Downtown St. Louis, Missouri; the renowned Old Pasadena District in Pasadena, California; Arlington, Texas; and the historic West End District in Dallas, Texas.   Most recently, she served as President and CEO of the Partnership for Downtown St. Louis, where she managed the Downtown St. Louis Community Improvement District, a similar entity to the BID in Downtown Santa Barbara.  Early in her career, she was the Special Events Manager for Downtown Fort Worth, Texas, where she was responsible for major special events such as the MAIN ST Fort Worth Arts Festival, the Parade of Lights, and the Fort Worth Fourth.   Maggie is a longtime member of the International Downtown Association and the Urban Land Institute where she is a regular guest speaker at regional and national conferences.

“I am thrilled to be coming back to California, and honored and excited to be joining such a vital organization as Downtown Santa Barbara,” Maggie Campbell said.  “I visited the Downtown area of Santa Barbara for years, and never imagined I would be given the amazing opportunity to live here and make a difference in the community, while managing such a successful downtown organization.”  

Downtown Santa Barbara serves as the champion and advocate for the merchants and property owners of the downtown district in Santa Barbara, California, with more than 1400 members.  The Downtown Organization represents a vibrant, authentic downtown core that celebrates itself as an urban community and an internationally known destination.  It also manages the Downtown Santa Barbara Business Improvement District (BID), providing enhanced services to make Downtown Santa Barbara a cleaner, safer and more vibrant place for visitors, investors, and residents. 

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