Since stepping into her role as executive director of Downtown Wichita, Heather Schroeder has made community engagement a top priority.

From walking her daily downtown commute to sharing her bold vision with audiences across the city, Heather is on a mission to champion a thriving, people-centered urban core.

Over the past year, Heather has spoken about downtown to more than 20 community organizations and civic groups, in addition to meeting with business leaders and engaging in conversations about downtown’s future.

While her journey from Syracuse to Wichita is compelling in itself (yes, she chose Wichita over Stockholm), it’s her passion for placemaking and her ability to connect that have made her a fresh and energizing voice in the region’s revitalization efforts.

Community Engagement

Heather’s community engagement tour began at the Wichita Business Journal’s 2024 ICT Summit, where she laid out her vision for the future of downtown. At the Wichita Independent Business Association’s Women’s (WIBA) Luncheon, she shared how her first impressions of Wichita’s cultural richness and development momentum were powerful enough to inspire a cross-country move.

On the WBJ’s BizTalk podcast, Heather dove into both the big picture and the day-to-day, from the Downtown Wichita Action Plan (Action Plan) to parking.

She’s brought downtown updates to the current class of Leadership Wichita, fielded questions from the Delano Business Association and city advisory boards, and met with real estate professionals through the Brokers and Owners Management Association and the Realtors of South Central Kansas.

She also presented on regional downtown plans at the Greater Wichita Partnership’s first Investor Meeting of 2025. She shared how intentional planning helps drive economic development opportunities and encourages workforce retention and attraction.

Downtown’s Next Chapter

Heather views downtown Wichita for what it is: the strong, beating heart of the city. She also sees what it can become: an even more vibrant destination where people want to advance their careers, make a home, visit attractions and be part of its future.

Her message is clear: the community has already laid the foundation, with $2 billion in downtown investment over the past decade. Now, the focus is on building upon that momentum.

The progress includes major projects like the Wichita Biomedical Campus℠, Exploration Place’s upcoming Destination Playscape and the mixed-use investment around the ballpark.

As Downtown Wichita elicits community input to map out the next decade of growth through the Action Plan, Heather is calling on the community to invest in itself, just as she is investing in her new city.

Follow Downtown Wichita’s progress and learn how to get involved at downtownwichita.org.