Olympia Downtown Alliance Names Quillan Halverson Operations Supervisor

The Olympia Downtown Alliance is just that. An alliance of civic and business leaders, shop owners, restaurateurs, and dedicated souls who believe in advocacy, economic development, imagemaking, and keeping the heart of our city clean, safe, and healthy. They recently welcomed Quillan Halverson to their team as Operations Supervisor and this Washington native, who grew up right here in Olympia, jumped in with both feet.

Halverson started the role in March 2024 after working through the ranks. He began in a maintenance position then became a downtown guide. But this isn’t Halverson’s first time working for community betterment.

Before joining the Olympia Downtown Alliance, he spent two years in the Washington Conservation Corps in the greater Kitsap County area. Halverson’s service initially included trail building and maintenance, noxious weed abatement, and community service during their annual events. He then moved up to an assistant supervisor role, which proved a natural catalyst to his current position.

As Operations Supervisor, Halverson oversees both the guide and maintenance programs. “This includes bringing in folks that are passionate about our downtown, and making sure that Guides and our maintenance worker are properly equipped for their roles,” he explains. “Alongside supervising the members in these positions, I also communicate with Clean Team, OPD, and Crisis Response weekly on the state of downtown, and what projects or focuses each entity is acting on. I am also coordinating with Clean Team to enact our graffiti abatement program and helping to organize efforts in that direction.”

With experience in multiple roles at the Alliance, Halverson appreciates the opportunity to learn how intertwined they are within the community. “My time as a guide allowed me to network with folks in the downtown area, business owners, and unhoused community members alike. Seeing the needs and desires of different people in our community become more harmonious was a gratifying experience. In my time as a maintenance worker, I saw firsthand the impact on people when the flower baskets are being tended to, and the appreciation they shared with me. Being in my position now as Operations Supervisor, I am afforded the time and resources to address and recognize these facets which make our downtown so beloved and integral to the Olympia experience.”

Experience also equals guidance, especially when training new downtown guides. The operations team helps guides both know about services offered but also understand the capabilities and nuances of these services. They’ve even taken new guides to a sister organization in Seattle for information and inspiration from a similarly minded civic organization.

Blending scope and vision is job one for Halverson. Especially since the Alliance has both forward-facing and business-owner aspects of its daily duties. Halverson says that visitors, whether tourists or local shoppers, may not know about the Alliance’s micro-grant program for beautification projects, the LoveOly brand which elevates local businesses, and their support of the arts with the LoveOly artist spotlight program.

When folks know the Alliance’s true scope, says Halverson, “our value is proved to me every day by the feedback and conversations that arise organically from the community we serve. Being a non-profit, we are directly responsible for putting the input from folks contributing, straight back into our community. Being at the front of one aspect of that effort, I’m very pleased to see results from the time that the community has invested in us.”

Todd Cutts, Executive Director of the Olympia Downtown Alliance, has high praise for Halverson’s new appointment. “We’re very pleased with the job that Quillan is doing as our operations supervisor. He brings an earnest desire to support our awesome downtown. We find him to trustworthy, dependable, intuitive, and just plain fun to have around!”

Outside of work, Halverson enjoys spending time with family and writing, especially poetry and short stories. “I’ve had the good fortune to be a part of a very talented group of artists for over a decade who have always provided the perfect environment for growing as a thinker.” This alliance of the creative arts with hands-on service is what makes Halverson a great fit at the Olympia Downtown Alliance.