Alma’s background and professional experience in economic and community development are the prefect combination of characteristics to lead LEDC.
Born and raised in Los Angeles CA to immigrant parents from Mexico, Alma grew up bilingual and bicultural. Alma went to high school in East Los Angeles and went on to attend UCLA. Alma originally thought she would pursue a career in medicine. But she kept thinking about how her mother helped Latino families find housing, employment and other services in Southern California. Her focus eventually turned to female day laborers in her native Los Angeles, and she ended up earning her bachelor’s in Chicano/a studies from UCLA. Later, she earned her master’s from MIT’s Masters in City Planning program with an emphasis in housing, community and economic development. Her final thesis explored the social networks of immigrant Dominican women and how they obtained housing, daycare, and employment in Roxbury MA. She worked for Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation and Roxbury Community Development Corporation in microenterprise development and technical assistance before serving as the Downtown Manager for the City of Framingham, MA, where she oversaw the commercial revitalization efforts for the downtown. Alma later moved to Oregon, where she lived for 21 years working for the cities of Portland, Beaverton, and Milwaukie in economic policy and planning management and community development director roles.
Alma’s passion for improving lives grew into a steadfast commitment to economic development and social justice, which is evident throughout her career. Most recently, Alma served as community and economic development director for the City of Golden Valley. Prior to this role, Alma built a successful track record in economic development in leadership roles in Oregon and Massachusetts. Alma is married to her high school sweetheart and is mother to two children. Additionally, Flores invests time in her community by serving as a member of the board of Move Minnesota and REACH CDC.
