Our Purpose
Fostering Community Development
At Downtown Alive – Holly Springs, our purpose is to nurture and support the development of our vibrant community in our downtown. We believe in creating an environment where businesses thrive, residents connect, and the spirit of Holly Springs is celebrated every day.
Our Vision
Our village district is the vibrant hub where thriving businesses and residents connect to share in the spirit of the heart of Holly Springs
Our Mission
Design activities, host events, and create opportunities that make it easy and attractive for residents to support local businesses.
Our Aims
- Enhance the awareness and identity of Holly Springs downtown as a destination
- Drive engagement & increase activity in the village district
- Motivate memorable experiences and improve support to local business
Our Board of Directors
Chris Harol
President
Meet Chris Harol
Chris is a passionate entrepreneur and community advocate who has immersed himself in its growth and vitality, driven by a deep-seated commitment to see downtown thrive.
His journey began with the establishment of The Block on Main, a dynamic hub featuring retail, dining, and office spaces, and continued with the creation of Nightingale Rooftop Restaurant and Bar.
Chris’s extensive experience as a real estate developer and small business owner underscores his dedication to fostering a vibrant downtown community. His leadership is anchored in a vision that prioritizes inclusivity, celebrates local businesses, and promotes meaningful connections among residents.
Ryan Monteleone
Vice President
Meet Ryan Monteleone
Coming Soon
Jacob Williams
Secretary
Meet Jacob Williams
Jacob and his family moved here in 2017, and were not sure “why” at the time Holly Springs was pulling them, but they knew they wanted to lean into the local community, learn about its history, and be present!
Jacob has enjoyed mentoring cohorts with the Launch Holly Springs program and helping small businesses thrive. He is dedicated to seeing our unique community continuously cultivate curiosity and celebrate the present and past culture of Holly Springs, its people, and its places. As an innovator and motivational entrepreneur, he has been building organizations for over 20 years and is excited to contribute to outcomes for Downtown Alive that have a lasting and sustainable impact!
Most mornings, you can find Jacob on the 2-mile Bass Lake Trail, its “pocket beauty,” its diversity of life and activity as well as its energy and serenity is a fantastic representation of how he sees and feels about Holly Springs.
Michelle Sosnowski
Treasurer
Meet Michelle Sosnowski
Michelle is a 1987 graduate of The University of Akron with a bachelor’s degree in Accounting. Michelle has over 30 years of experience in both national and local CPA firms located in Michigan, Texas, Ohio and North Carolina. She specializes in small business accounting and tax and individual income tax preparation and planning. Michelle is also a Certified QuickBooks Pro Advisor. She is certified by the North Carolina State Board of Public Accountancy and lives in Holly Springs with her husband, Jamie.
Dave Karls
Board Member
Meet Dave Karls
Dave Karls has lived in North Carolina since 1992, and in the Holly Springs area for over 25 years. He has watched it grow from under 10 thousand residents to over 50 thousand, and has been a partner in a downtown business here since 2019.
A vibrant downtown is the heart of every community, and Dave thought it was important to have an organization focused on supporting the continued growth and development of a thriving village district in Holly Springs.
Will Ulmer
Board Member
Meet Will Ulmer
Will is a lifelong resident of North Carolina having grown up in Raleigh. Upon the birth of his first daughter, he and his wife (Caitlin) set their eyes on finding a community that would provide their growing family the space to thrive and were captivated by all that Holly Springs had to offer.
For the 6 years that Will and his family have lived in Holly Springs they have witnessed the tremendous growth of the community and have become avid fans of all that Downtown Holly Springs has to offer. Their weekends are often not complete without visiting Fresh or JT’s Creamery and are still on a mission to identify what flavor is “Blue Milk.”
Professionally, Will has been in the Contingent Workforce industry for 15 years and has been recognized for his unique and innovative approach to developing employment pathways within fortune 500 and start up organizations.
Will’s passion lies in connecting with people and developing meaningful relationships. He was motivated to join the Downtown Alive board in order to tap into this passion and be part of the evolution that we are all witnessing with Downtown Holly Springs growth and development
Sarah Larson
Board Member
Meet Sarah Larson
Sarah has always had an appreciation for downtown districts as they represent the heart and soul of a community. In college she interned for a downtown association and later became the program manager for the same downtown association.
As a family they have called Holly Springs home since 2014. They love the parks, greenways, recreation activities, farmer’s market, concerts and Salamander baseball games!
Sarah truly enjosy bringing people together and being involved in our community!
Daniel Weaver
Board Member
Meet Daniel Weaver
Coming Soon
Our Team Members & Partners
Jessika Schweinsberg
Team Member
Meet Jessika Schweinsberg
Jessika loves making ideas happen. Professionally, that’s led her to digital marketing, where she works with fellow marketers to turn ideas into engaging programs through market research, content creation, web marketing, social media advertising, events, and anything else she can think of to drive outcomes that matter to people!
Her drive and passionate purpose led her to serve Downtown Alive as our first employee! She has lived in the area since 2022 and is eager to get to know the community. You’ll find her family at the Holly Springs Farmers Market every week, followed by a visit to Womble Park.
Greg Farries
Director of Website Design
Meet Greg Farries
Coming Soon
Amber Foster Smith
Photography
Meet Amber Foster Smith
Amber is a multi-passionate entrepreneur who has called Holly Springs home with her family since 2008. Ever since they first put down roots here, she knew there was something special about this little town.
When it came to finding a place to call home for her businesses, she knew it had to be in the Downtown Village District of Holly Springs, first with her photography business, Amber Foster Smith Photography, in Mims Town Square, and then to a new shared studio and event space, Studio 557, in The Block on Main. Downtown Holly Springs has always felt like home, so jumping in to support Downtown Alive and all of the small businesses that call Main Street home felt like the perfect fit.
Amber also loves spending time giving back to the Holly Springs community through organizations like Pride of Holly Springs, mentoring with Launch Holly Springs, and as an ambassador with the Holly Springs Chamber of Commerce.
Our Committee Members
Open
Events Committee Leader
Meet Our Events Committee Leader
Coming Soon…
Open
Members & Sponsors Committee Leader
Meet Our Members & Sponsors Committee Leader
Coming Soon…
Open
Community Relations Committee Leader
Meet Community Relations Committee Leader
Coming Soon…
Official event photographer of Downtown Holly Springs, Amber Foster Smith Photography.