DSP
STAFF
The Downtown Spokane Partnership is dedicated to the creation of a dynamic, safe, vital, livable and sustainable downtown as the basis of an economically healthy region.
EMILIE CAMERON, LPM
PRESIDENT & CEO
An experienced urban place management executive, Emilie champions initiatives that support a dynamic, vibrant, diverse and sustainable downtown Spokane. As the President & CEO of the Downtown Spokane Partnership (DSP), Emilie works closely with downtown property and business owners, stakeholders, elected officials, and the community on programs focused on growing economic and community vitality for the urban core of Spokane. Leading initiatives and programs to improve downtown daily, including management of the Downtown Spokane Business Improvement District, Emilie is a passionate advocate, cheerleader, and leader for the heart of the Spokane region.
Emilie currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors for Visit Spokane, University District Development Authority and Spokane Police Foundation. She is also a member of the Greater Spokane Incorporated Leadership Council and Washington State University (WSU Spokane) Advisory Council. A recent transplant to the Inland Northwest, Emilie’s prior experience includes leading catalytic downtown projects for the Downtown Sacramento Partnership where she also served on the California Downtown Association (CDA) Board of Directors leading statewide advocacy on behalf of downtowns and urban centers across the state. Prior, Emilie led statewide public affairs campaigns for some of California’s top firms bridging the intersection of policy and politics in California’s capital city. Emilie earned formal certification in Leadership Place Management (LPM) in 2024 from the International Downtown Association (IDA) and is a graduate of IDA’s Emerging Leadership Fellowship program. Emilie is an alumna of the University of California, Davis.
ELISABETH HOOKER
VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING & PROGRAMMING
As Vice President of Marketing & Programming for the Downtown Spokane Partnership, Elisabeth fosters programs, events, and campaigns to highlight the 1,000 plus businesses located within the urban core of the City of Spokane. Elisabeth holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Washington State University and has enjoyed building her career and network in the Inland Northwest.
Prior to joining the DSP in April of 2014, Elisabeth spent a decade at STCU building financial educational curriculum for youth and adults, establishing social media outreach, as well as cultivating community giving, outreach programs and volunteerism.
Alongside serving on multiple committees, Elisabeth has served as Co-President of the Spokane Lilac Festival Association, Chaired the Spokane Arts Fund Board and sat on the boards of the Spokane Scholars Foundation, and Women Helping Women Fund of Spokane. Elisabeth was recognized as a “Rising Star” by the Spokane Journal of Business in 2020.
- Advertising and Communications
- Events and Activations
BRANDON DEWEY
DIRECTOR OF FINANCE & IMPACT
Brandon serves as the Director of Finance & Impact at the Downtown Spokane Partnership, where he leads the organization’s financial strategy, administrative operations, and special initiatives designed to enhance transparency, efficiency, and long-term sustainability. His work focuses on modernizing systems, strengthening internal controls, and aligning resources to maximize organizational impact.
Before joining DSP, Brandon served as Director of Giving and Program Director at the Downtown Missoula Partnership, where he led community development initiatives, fundraising, and grant programs supporting downtown revitalization.
Brandon’s foundation in public service spans more than a decade in local government, where he gained experience in finance, planning, communications, and executive leadership—perspectives that continue to shape his practical and results-driven approach to nonprofit management.
Outside of work, Brandon enjoys exploring downtown Spokane with his partner and their two children, often spending time at Riverfront Park, the Ice Age Playground, and the iconic garbage goat.
- Special Projects
- Planning
KEVIN CAMPBELL
ECONOMIC VITALITY SPECIALIST
Kevin comes to Spokane by way of Anchorage, Alaska, where he was born and he raised. After graduating from Michigan State University with a bachelor’s degree in communications, he returned to Anchorage where he worked for five years as an account executive for a marketing and advertising agency. He is thrilled to be a part of the DSP team and do all he can to make downtown one of the best places to live and play. In his spare time Kevin can be found on the volleyball courts, checking out the latest local brewery, or hiking and running around all of the great outdoors the Inland Northwest has to offer.
- Economic Development
- Ratepayer Relations
- Business and Resource Management
- Communications & Marketing Support
LEAH SCHMIDT
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR
In 2022, Leah earned a Bachelor of Science in Strategic Communications with an emphasis in Public Relations and a minor in Business from the University of Colorado Boulder. After relocating to Spokane from Tacoma, Washington, she worked as a hospitality specialist for a restaurant technology company, where she secured a spot among the Top 10 Rookies of the Year in 2023.
With a background rooted in a family of local business owners, Leah is eager to apply her expertise in Marketing and Communications to support Spokane and its thriving business community. Outside of work, you’ll often find Leah on the ski slopes, camping in the great outdoors, or helping repair fences on her in-laws’ cattle ranch.
- Communications
- Marketing & Promotions
MARIANA REDDER
ACCOUNTING & ADMINISTRATIVE ASSOCIATE
Mari is from Spokane and has a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Eastern Washington University where she learned to speak Spanish fluently, but now seeks more opportunities to practice. Her favorite aspects of working for the DSP include her co-workers and the opportunity to explore and contribute to a variety of facets of downtown Spokane. She particularly enjoys River Park Square, and her favorite event is Hoopfest. In her spare time, she loves discovering quiet spots to take her dogs for walks and swims.
- Office Administration
- Maintaining Member and Ratepayer Databases
- Accounting Assistance
KARIANNE JACKSON
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES COORDINATOR
Karianne is a native of the San Francisco Bay Area and graduate of Mills College in Oakland. Karianne fulfilled challenging roles in homeless housing and online retail before wanderlust took her to the middle of North Dakota where she cultivated a love for rural life and stumbled into a passionate decade of criminal justice reform work and a master’s degree in forensic psychology – which she used while working in prisons to improve conditions and rehabilitative outcomes. After many visits to Spokane with her Gonzaga alumnus husband over the years, Karianne loaded up the horse and donkey and made the move in 2023. When not at the DSP front desk or out on horseback, Karianne can be found gripping the rail at the skate ribbon, shopping her favorite downtown boutiques, or reaching for the brass ring on the Looff Carousel.
- Office Administration
- Clean and Safe Dispatch
- Board and Committee Management