About Jen Marks

Jen received her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies with a minor in Business from the University of Oregon.  As a student, Jennifer interned with Nearby Nature to create outdoor classrooms for day camps to provide environmental education to students.  After attaining her Bachelor’s degree, Jennifer became an Environmental Education Intern with Audubon Society of Portland, where she assisted in planning environmental education programs for local schools. Jennifer hopes that the RARE AmeriCorps Program will help her develop her community building skills and build a foundation for future professional growth.

About Sandy Main Street

Sandy Main Street is participating in the Oregon Main Street Program at the “Transforming Downtown” level.  As such, Sandy Main Street is committed to downtown revitalization using the Main Street Four-Point Approach, and is working incrementally to implement the main street program.

Jen is placed with Sandy Main Street where she will coordinate and manage an array of activities leading to further development of the downtown area, including filling vacant stores, recruiting businesses, counseling property owners, and developing and expanding existing events.  Jen will spend the majority of her time developing processes, procedures and methods for helping new businesses relocate in Sandy.  Additionally, she will work with Main Street’s Promotion Committee on a local restaurant promotion plan; plan and execute a visioning process for downtown Sandy; and help manage the organization’s master database of properties, businesses, vacancies, etc.