NEBRASKA CITY – The new director of Nebraska City Area Economic Development dreamed of international business as a student at Nebraska City High School and helping connect young people with careers in her early professional life, now she is taking those dreams and experiences into a deep dive for community development.

Lisa Walker: “I really want to invest in the local economy. I really want to invest in workforce development. This is where I want to be and no place better than in my home town.”

Walker is a former career services director at the University of North Georgia and former continuing education director at Iowa Western Community College.

At Iowa Western she met with the region's economic developers to help connect community college strategies with the needs of key manufacturers.

She steps into the Nebraska City job at time when economic development is celebrating more day care availability and breaking ground on workforce housing.  She says continuing that momentum and seeing some economic development projects that are already in play come to fruition will be signs of success in the years ahead.

She also seeks the opportunity to work with local schools for workforce development.

Walker: “I see the benefit of this community and of the small town and all the connections here, hence why I chose to come back. But there are a lot of talented individuals who say ‘well there’s nothing here for me, I’m going to go.’ I want to help retain those individuals.”

Walker is equipped by her childhood experiences growing up as Lisa Beeman with Arbor Day and AppleJack and by opportunities like playing Marion Paroo in Nebraska City High School’s production of The Music Man in 1995. She calls Nebraska City a great place for her and her husband to raise their own daughter, who is a sixth grader.

Walker: “I think this community is a great place to grow, to raise a family. Are there enough quality jobs to be able to afford that for the families here and those thinking about moving back? That’s something we need to work on.”

She said the economic development mission is for all of Otoe County and she comes in after the consolidated rural water district announced it will not accept any new hookups because it is reaching its distribution capacity.

Walker: “My job is really to develop, to bring in new, and when you hear somebody say we can’t develop because there’s no water, there’s issues with the pipes etc., etc. that makes me a bit nervous. But again we just need to keep having the conversations and figuring out how we can fix the problem and come up with solutions to not just say we’re done. You know, we can’t just be done.”

Walker said she has been kindly welcomed back to the community and is confident in the city leadership.