Just back from the International Downtown Association Conference: three reflections from Vanessa Olson
Pictured: Shelonda Stokes, Taylor Schaffer, Vanessa Olson, and Kenyetta Hairston-Bridges
1) What did you learn at IDA this year?
With more than 1,300 people in Toronto, it felt like one of IDA’s biggest conferences yet. The energy was great, and the level of participation from across the U.S., Europe, and Canada was especially encouraging.
I didn’t see any seismic shifts in the industry, but the focus was firmly on the future—and that’s encouraging. After several years of crisis management, recovery, and simply keeping downtowns moving, there's space to be visionary again.
There was a real emphasis on achievements, transformation, and—most importantly—hard conversations about long-term changes we need to make our downtowns more resilient.
2) Was there anything that surprised you?
Two presentations really stood out for me. Leslie Woo gave a master talk and spoke about "Chinese lettuce grannies" as a symbol for those grassroots, foundational pillars of a community that exist everywhere, even if they show up differently in each city. She was hilarious, incredibly authentic, and easily captivated the room.
Some of the most thought-provoking insights came from an astronaut. Many people working in Business Improvement Districts love what they do, but so many of these organizations are doing too much with too little and struggling operationally. Michael Foreman, a retired NASA astronaut, shared universal leadership lessons for running high-performing teams under pressure that felt incredibly relevant. It made me reflect on a bigger question: people love the work in this industry, how do we ensure their organizations are run well enough that they love going to work, too?
3) Did you come home excited to try something new or think about a challenge differently?
Yes! The biggest takeaway for me this year was around team leadership and how to build successful teams. Two key moments tied this together. On the panel I moderated on strategic planning, Kenyetta Hairston‑Bridges, the CEO of the Tampa Downtown Partnership, shared three keys to leading teams through transition: consistency, transparency, and clear expectations.
Michael Foreman, the retired NASA astronaut, shared key messages for organizational dynamics relevant to any industry drawn from his experience in both space missions and as a local Mayor:
1. Data over ego: Decisions must be rooted in facts, not status.
2. Psychological safety: High-performing teams are the ones where problems surface quickly because people feel safe enough to speak up.
3. Simplicity in complexity: When things get complicated, simplify down to what matters most. Clarity aligns people and accelerates decision-making.
