LACDC NEWS RELEASE
Los Alamos Commerce & Development Corporation (LACDC), a private non-profit 501(c)(6) economic and community development organization, announced Tuesday that it has recently hired two new staff members, Jacquelyn Connolly and Sam McRae. Connolly will serve as Director of Los Alamos MainStreet, and McRae joins the Los Alamos Chamber of Commerce as Member Services Manager.
After relocating to White Rock in 2018 with her husband and three children, Connolly joined several boards and organizations to learn more about the community and get involved locally. A former curator for Denver International Airport, University of Colorado at Denver, as well as an independent arts and project management consultant, Connolly’s experience as an arts administrator has brought together artists, community, businesses, and local government. Organizing events, exhibitions and public art projects are her specialty.
Currently, she is a member of the Art in Public Places Board for Los Alamos, Canyon Vista Pool Association, and 505 Swing. When not working, she can be found hiking and camping with her family, reading, or swing dancing!
In her MainStreet role, previously served by now-LACDC Executive Director Lauren McDaniel, Connolly will support local businesses in the Los Alamos and White Rock districts, and lead the coordination of many downtown events such as the Holiday Lights Parade, Fair and Rodeo Parade, Trick-or-Treat on MainStreet and Halloweekend, and Los Alamos ScienceFest. Connolly will also coordinate technical service request assistance through the state MainStreet coordinating program, which invests in local business assistance – from design work, to training and research, façade improvements and historical preservation, and much more. In addition, she will be involved in the White Rock Metropolitan Redevelopment Area (MRA) Plan to help revitalize downtown White Rock; the second cohort of the Los Alamos Retail Accelerator program; and more efforts to revitalize our downtowns. She looks forward to continuing the beloved events and work of the MainStreet program as well as growing the many opportunities for placemaking and support for the local community.
In her role as Chamber Member Services Manager, McRae will assist Los Alamos Chamber of Commerce Director Ryn Herrmann on providing support to Chamber businesses, including regular networking events, business forums, business assistance and advocacy, and much more. This includes running special promotions and events, including Los Alamos ChamberFest in June, the Chamber Business Awards and Small Business Saturday activities.
McRae moved to Los Alamos from the small town of Bremen, Georgia with her husband, son, daughter, and pup in the summer of 2021. Due to her early employment at Bathtub Row Brewing Co-op and the North Road Inn, she was introduced to pillars of the community and new experiences. She is active in her church, Trinity on the Hill, and is passionate about making connections with others, the community, and the environment. She is also an avid reader, writer, vegetarian, and fan of Doctor Who.
About Los Alamos Commerce & Development Corporation (LACDC)
Los Alamos Commerce & Development Corporation (LACDC) is a private, not-for-profit economic and community development organization that manages the Los Alamos Chamber of Commerce, Los Alamos MainStreet, Los Alamos Creative District, projectY cowork Los Alamos, Discover Los Alamos, Los Alamos Small Business Center, Los Alamos Research Park and the Lab-Embedded Entrepreneur Program (New Mexico LEEP).