Howdy! I’m Jackie Wolven.
For 18 years — and counting — I've helped real people and real places love where they live, as Main Street Director for Eureka Springs, a marketer, and a builder of things that didn't exist yet. Somewhere along the way the work got bigger: it's not just about loving your town. It's about loving where you are — in your community, in your work, in your life.
That's what I speak about, facilitate, and make art about — still rooted in a Main Street program I run every week in my own town.
I bring 25+ years of experience that runs from boardrooms at the world's largest engineering firm to town halls in small-town Arkansas. I've led downtown revitalization, founded a nonprofit coalition, and built Northwest Arkansas Bloggers, a regional network of digital creators — because building ecosystems where people find each other is just what I do.
Along the way, some wonderful organizations have invested in that work. I'm a National Arts Strategies fellow, a Strong Towns fellow, a Civic Saturday fellow with Citizen University, and a Walking College fellow with America Walks. I hold a Professional Group Facilitation Certification from the Arkansas Public Administration Consortium at UA Little Rock — so when I say I can hold a room, there's paper behind it. Formerly a speaker with AARP, I'm now a member of the Weave Speakers Bureau, amplifying grassroots trust builders nationwide.
My approach is practical, rooted in what already exists, and built on one belief: you don't need to import a solution. You need to see what you already have — and do something bold with it.
Plus, I'm pretty fun.
My Current Keynotes + Sessions
Speaking + Facilitation
I'm currently booking keynotes and working sessions:
Love Where You Are, my signature session on connection to place — discovering the assets your community already has and building the belonging that makes people want to stay.
Designing Conversations That Build Trust Across Difference, practical facilitation tools for leading community conversations that move beyond debate toward relationship.
Rural Resilience Is Built in Relationships, how small towns build civic infrastructure that turns residents into leaders.
From Volunteers to Neighbors, designing relationship-centered service that ends volunteer burnout and builds ownership.
Every session is interactive, practical, and built for real people doing real work.
My Art Practice
The Studio
I'm a working artist, and my creative practice isn't separate from the rest — it's where loving where you are gets practiced daily. Making things with your hands teaches you to see what's already in front of you, work with what you have, and trust the process. The same is true for towns, teams, and lives.
Explore my fine art portfolio, see what's currently on the easel, and find original work available for purchase.
