Staff & Board

President

Jamie Schriner - W.K. Kellogg Foundation

Jamie Schriner is an Old Town commercial property owner and resident. She has been an active volunteer for the OTCA for 25 years and served as the Executive Director for nearly five years. Jamie has helped to create and manage a number of Old Town events including most recently Old Town Krampusnacht. You will often see Jamie and her partner Shawn planting flowers, cleaning the sidewalks and alleys and walking their three ill-behaved dogs in the neighborhood. Jamie works for the Kellogg Foundation where she manages a $40 million budget dedicated to community economic development activities. Prior to joining the Foundation, Jamie ran a statewide nonprofit and worked for the Michigan Main Street program.  

Vice President

Karen Stefl – Render Studios

Karen Stefl has been a business owner in Old Town since 1999 and has served as Chair of the Promo Committee, managed Chalk of the Town for its first seven years, as well as a Director and past President of the Board of Directors for twelve years. In 2020, she and her husband also became property owners in the district by buying a commercial building.

Karen Stefl is a producer and director with a flair for strategy and storytelling. A Michigan State University alumna with 25 years of professional experience, she specializes in short and long form narrative for corporations, small businesses, and nonprofits. Nationally recognized for producing effective and creative commercials and videos, Karen focuses on comprehensive communication strategies that engage audiences, create an emotional impact and inspire action.

Karen is inspired by people; their motivations, desires, independence, resiliency, and how despite it all we intensely depend on each other. All humans are more alike than different, and she admires that. In her free time, she enjoys all that Pure Michigan has to offer with her husband and kids: great hiking, water, and snow!

Secretary

Brianna Wilson – Cinnaire

Brianna is the Manager of Equity Analysis at Cinnaire Corporation, where she leads her team in the analysis of potential equity investments of over $1 billion dollars annually to finance affordable housing and community development projects throughout the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic.

Prior to joining Cinnaire in 2021, Brianna has had over five years of experience in the financial services industry, holding several roles in local and corporate banking institutions as well as leading an armored cash logistics office servicing over 10 states.

Since her move to Lansing in 2016, Brianna has been involved in the Old Town Commercial Association; volunteering at events as well as participating in both the Organization and Promotions Committee. She recently became Chair of the Org/Promo Committee early 2023. She became an official resident of Old Town in 2021.

Brianna earned a bachelor's degree in English Language and Literature from Central Michigan University.

Brianna's personal life vision is to continually strive for personal growth and foster an environment that encourages all to be their authentic selves.

Treasurer

Eric Hanna – Michigan Community Capital

Eric Hanna is the President and CEO of Michigan Community Capital (MCC), a community development corporation covering the State of Michigan. MCC provides real estate redevelopment services, real estate loans, New Market Tax Credits and property insurance to workforce and affordable housing projects as well as downtown redevelopment projects across the State. MCC recently redeveloped Old Town’s Temple Building and relocated its headquarters there. Mr. Hanna has a diverse career which includes experience in consumer and commercial banking, economic and community development at the MEDC, and non-profit administration. He has written numerous programs in legislation and administrative policy, is experienced with advocacy, and has led the turnaround of three non-profits in the housing and community development finance space in the last 10 years. He comes from a low-income background and community in southern Indiana and has a BS in Public Affairs from Indiana University and an MBA in Finance and Accounting from the University of Liverpool, UK.

Executive at Large

Katheren Palmer – BASF

Bio coming soon!

Beth Herendeen – Twiggies

Beth is the owner of Twiggies, an Old Town retail store, and has a long career as an event planner and florist. Her background and knowledge is an asset to the OTCA Board. She has had similar roles in the Dewitt community.

Curtis Simmons– Old Soul Arbor Care

Curtis is the proud owner of Old Soul Arbor, a Lansing-based professional arboriculture service. As a Lansing, Michigan native, he has been a longstanding supporter of Old Town. Alongside his wife Brittany, owner of Where the Wild Things Bloom, he’s deeply rooted in the local community. When he’s not scaling trees, Curtis enjoys channeling his creativity into art, embarking on hikes, and exploring new destinations through travel.

David Such – Struk Studio

A first generation American, David is a fraternal twin and sixth of twelve children born to British immigrant parents. Early on David developed a love and a lifelong passion for art and parlayed that love into a career, starting in film and videography. That career and exploration lasted forty plus years, starting with a video production company called Such Video and culminating in a partnership at Render Studios, a creative video production and post production company located in Lansing’s Old Town. David and the team at Render Studios created and produced countless award winning visual communication products for a myriad of clients, throughout Michigan and the country. David retired as the Director of Photography, for Render Studios, in January of 2020.

David’s passion for arts is not just limited to images captured by cameras. Since the year 2000, David has been quietly painting and sculpting. 

In 2008 David created Old Town ScrapFest, an annual art sculpture competition and auction, creating public art from donated scrap metal. The two day festival, held yearly in the streets of Old Town, has brought thousands of visitors to appreciate and purchase original art pieces, raising thousands of dollars for artists while shining a light on public art as well as kick starting several art careers for some of its artists. 

Retirement did not suit David for long. To further his passion for the Arts, in 2022 he and a business partner bought and renovated a 3000 sq ft old building on Turner Street, adjacent to Old Town. In July of 2023,  Struk Studio opened, featuring sculpture and wall art from community artists including sculptures of ScrapFest artists.  struk.studio

Mike Fischer – MP Properties

I grew up in the small tourist town of Frankenmuth, MI. I served in the U.S. Navy during the first Gulf war as a Medic and with Naval special forces, till the end of 1990 and then Navy reserves till 1995. I was accepted to MSU in 1991 and moved to the area to study Building & Construction mgmt. I worked as a Trauma Tech/medic at the Sparrow hospital E.R. while in college.  I started my construction company, Michael Fischer Bldrs in 1996 out of East Lansing. I bought my building in Old Town in 2006. I moved my offices & expanded my business, adding the specialty design/remodeling showroom Dreammaker B&K in 2008. I still general contract & design select projects, but decided to get out of the everyday rat race in 2020, closing my showroom in 2021. I have two great kids, Madison- 20, Jake- 16. I moved from Grand Ledge to Old Town in 2021. I also have my real estate investment and mgmt. company, MP Properties of Mi.. My properties at 1236, 1238 Turner St., house my businesses, Blue Owl coffee, and Grave Danger collectibles, along with my residence and 4 other loft apartments. Old Town is my home, I want to help. I’m hoping, whatever my life experiences & almost 30yrs in business can provide to Old Towns vitality and positive growth, then that’s what I’d like to offer. The Old Town atmosphere, architecture, quaintness, diversity, charm and opportunities for startup & long-term businesses, along with its unique social interaction, activities & community, is what drew me to the area almost 20 yrs ago. A lot has changed, mostly positive. I would like to help maintain the for-mentioned benefits, remembering what makes the old town district- Old Town. Making sure that as the area continues to grow, it provides a vibrant and attractive community that has multiple options for ALL peoples and businesses, keeping EVERYONE saying- I LOVE OLD TOWN! - Mike Fischer

Rick Woods – Fish Ladder Tattoo Company

Rick officially moved to Lansing about two years ago to be a tattoo artist and settled in the Old Town community. He moved to join the Fish Ladder Tattoo Company as a tattoo artist. Prior to joining FLTC, Rick successfully managed two tattoo shops in Ypsilanti and Hamtramck.  Alongside being a tattoo artist, Rick also tours with his death metal band, “See You Next Tuesday” and has traveled all over the continental US, Canada, and Mexico.

Summer Schriner – Bad Annie's Sweary Goods & Grace Boutique of Old Town

Bio coming soon!

Executive Director

Samantha Benson

Samantha brings a wealth of experience, passion, and commitment to her role as the Executive Director of the OTCA. She jumped into the position in September 2023 following six years as an Executive Assistant at Gillespie Group, a Lansing-based real estate developer, and five years as a volunteer with the Old Town Commercial Association.

Volunteer & Communications Specialist; AmeriCorps Member

Tia Barrera