Staff

Michael Liang
Program Director
michaell@tacomachamber.org

Michael Liang came to Spaceworks in 2018 after a ten-year career as a designer and creative leader with the National Park Service. He provides vision and support to the Spaceworks staff and clients, helping the organization grow and strengthen as a pillar of Tacoma’s creative community. Liang received a B.F.A. in art and design from the University of Michigan, a certificate in natural science illustration from the University of Washington, and an M.S. Ed from Bank Street College of Education. He is passionate about building community through collaboration and helping individuals grow as creative professionals and leaders.

Jennifer English
Training Coordinator
jennifere@tacomachamber.org

Jennifer facilitates the learning and professional development of creative entrepreneurs and artists with plans for long term creative/innovative businesses that benefit Tacoma’s culturally vibrant community. Jennifer is a Spaceworks incubator program graduate from 2014 and is the co-owner of SPUN Clay Arts Studio. She was the Hilltop Business Association Vice President for 5 years and continues to be involved in her community. She attended Cornish College of the Arts, Clover Park Technical College, and the Evergreen State College. She holds a graphic design degree and studied Asian Culture and Art. With a passion for collaboration, creativity, and helping creatives and entrepreneurs ‘get out there’, Jennifer started the Hilltop Art Walk that allows visual artists and musicians to show their work for no fee. Jennifer believes that everyone should have the opportunity to share their passion with the world and tries to limit those barriers that keep people from doing so.

Lucy Gruidl
Communications Coordinator
lucyg@tacomachamber.org

Lucy was an intern with Spaceworks during the summer of 2022. She is a student at the University of Puget Sound just up the hill and is studying Economics and Business Administration. Lucy is excited about collaboration with others and learning about the Tacoma community.

Herschel Wilson
Property and Business Coordinator
herschelw@tacomachamber.org

Herschel Wilson is a graduate of Western Kentucky University, and Indiana University – Purdue University of Indianapolis. After graduating he worked for Lockheed Martin, as well as Lowes Corporate before moving to Washington. In 2019, he opened a pottery studio with his wife called The Painting Panda Pottery Studio. In early 2022 he took on another endeavor to create more activity in downtown Tacoma and launched Energize Tacoma.

Steering Committee

Amy McBride Spaceworks Steering Committee Co-chair
Arts Administrator – City of Tacoma

Amy founded Spaceworks Tacoma in 2009 in partnership with the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber. Working with the Tacoma Arts Commission, Amy currently manages three funding programs for arts organizations and artists, implements public art projects, develops collaborative programming, and formulates policy. Amy came to Tacoma in 1999 after coordinating the arts program for Bellevue College’s extension program. She has presented nationally on issues of public art, temporary art installations, and civic democracy through Americans for the Arts. She holds a BA from the University of Colorado-Boulder in French and Art History. Post-grad work includes a stint in the sculpture department at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco and a certificate in Fundraising Management from the University of Washington. She earned a Masters degree with a focus on Urban Arts from the University of Washington-Tacoma in 2010.

David Schroedel, AICP Spaceworks Steering Committee Co-chair
Metropolitan Development Director, Business Improvement Area Manager, Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber

David provides oversight for a number of Chamber programs such as downtown Tacoma’s Business Improvement Area, Tacoma’s transportation management association Downtown On the Go, and Spaceworks Tacoma. Before joining the Chamber, David operated his own consulting firm, Schroedel Planning Services, where he worked with a variety of public and private clients on development and land use issues. David has also worked as a community planner and community forester in private, public, and non-profit organizations.

Ben Mauk
Real Estate Manager — University of Washington Tacoma

Ben works with the UW Tacoma Campus Planning and Real Estate team to transform UW Tacoma’s 80,000 square feet of retail space into a regional shopping and dining destination. Prior to moving to Tacoma in 2008, Ben earned an MPA from the University of North Carolina School of Government, focusing on identifying new ways to leverage higher education resources for community and economic development. He spent several years working with universities in Appalachia to build campus-community partnerships for job creation. This work resulted in a new business incubator in Tennessee, student-based research services for county economic developers on the North Carolina-Tennessee border, last-mile broadband to underserved areas in southwest Virginia, and other projects.

KC Bitterman

KC brings a diverse set of interests and experience to Spaceworks. After dropping out of art school, and working in skilled trades including cabinetry and scientific glassblowing, she returned to college to get a BA from the University of Hawaii. Since that time she’s focused on working with artists, art spaces and facilities, and social service nonprofits to find the funding that sustains the mission and helps to make the world a more just, equitable, interesting, and beautiful place.

Ryan Spence

Ryan Spence is an entrepreneur, designer, and product developer. He has worked on a variety of projects in the Puget sound region, including being the lead designer and builder for Elevate Climbing Walls and relocating Elevate’s production facility to Tacoma from Seattle. He has designed indoor rock climbing facilities for multiple gyms including Climb Tacoma, The Climbing wall at The University of Puget Sound, The Island Rock Gym, and the Vertical World Gyms in Seattle and Redmond.

Ryan also advocates for public skateparks, participates in the city planning process, and curates The Flashback Scuba Museum. He is a published author and serves on the Board of the Historical Diving Society USA.

Ryan brings his background and experience in design, planning, business, and community development to the Spaceworks team.

JD Elquist

Retail Advocate — Downtown Tacoma Partnership

JD is a creative entrepreneur with 8 years’ experience owning and operating businesses in Downtown Tacoma. He has a history as an event producer, marketer, and promoter with a portfolio that includes fashion shows, pop-up markets, and networking events. He first was connected to Spaceworks as a client in 2011 through his men’s clothing store, Feather & Oar. He later went on to open vintage stores, salons, and barbershops. JD is passionate about cultivating relationships and building community through out-of-the-box ideas and collaboration. He is currently the Retail Advocate for the Downtown Tacoma Partnership.

Past Steering Committee Members

Kevin Grossman
Spaceworks Steering Committee 2013-2018
President and Managing Broker – Grossman Services, Inc.
Alison Bryan
Spaceworks Steering Committee 2015-2016
Owner—The Modern Cottage Company & Spaceworks Alum
Katy Evans
Spaceworks Steering Committee 2010-2015
The Grand Cinema, Assistant Executive Director; Post Defiance, Managing Editor, Operations & Community Partnerships
Ben Ferguson
Spaceworks Steering Committee 2010-2014
Ferguson Architecture, Managing Principal

ʔuk’ʷədiitəb ʔuhigʷətəb čəɫ txʷəl tiiɫ ʔa čəɫ ʔal tə swatxʷixʷtxʷəd ʔə tiiɫ puyaləpabš dxʷəsɫaɫlils gʷəl ʔutxʷəlšucidəbs həlgʷəʔ.
We gratefully acknowledge that we rest on the traditional lands of the Puyallup People where they make their home and speak the Lushootseed language.

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