The Downtown Oklahoma City Partnership, a nonprofit created in 2000 to manage and market Oklahoma City’s Business Improvement District, recently welcomed its new executive director, Jennifer Nakayama.
With extensive experience in advocating for businesses and community stakeholders, placemaking, research, planning, landscaping and homeless outreach, Jennifer, who previously served as the executive director for the Waikiki Business Improvement District in Hawaii, has had her boots on the ground in Oklahoma City since her arrival into the Sooner State. She’s excited to help downtown Oklahoma City reach its full potential and The Alliance for Economic Development of Oklahoma City is looking forward to partnering with her.
As organizations with similar interests, DOKC and The Alliance for Economic Development of Oklahoma City have enjoyed collaborating on projects focused on strengthening Oklahoma City’s urban core for over a decade. Recent findings from the Brookings Institution and other studies conducted to determine how cities can recover from the economic downturn caused by COVID 19 show a correlation between a thriving downtown and an economically strong surrounding city, something our own city leaders have been aware of and supporting for decades. These findings affirm the significance of our partnership and strengthen our commitment to downtown Oklahoma City’s continued revitalization.
DOKC’s annual Starlight Supper fundraiser benefits the organization’s mission of creating a vibrant, diverse and thriving downtown community. This year’s event will take place on May 11 and will allow guests to enjoy dishes from downtown’s best chefs, adult beverages, dessert, live music and camaraderie outdoors and under a canopy of sparkling lights. Visit DOCK’s website to purchase tickets and to discover the venue for this year’s supper. The Starlight Supper is a great opportunity to meet Jennifer and the entire staff of DOKC.
Jennifer was selected from over 50 candidates in a nationwide search to lead DOKC. Her past experience and passion has led her to Oklahoma City with a vision to promote unity among businesses, residents and visitors by creating quality public spaces and downtown vibrancy. This community-building work will pay dividends to Oklahoma City over the long term. The staff at The Alliance for Economic Development of Oklahoma City looks forward to continuing working with DOKC Inc. and their incredible team as we build and improve the city we love.
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