Monthly Luncheon - Oak Park/Highland Park: An Urban Neighborhood Revitalization Success Story in the Making

The FuseDSM monthly luncheon focuses on providing our members with an opportunity to network with their fellow chamber members while listening to a speaker on various topics applicable to the betterment of their organizations and the community!

At the March monthly luncheon we will hear from Amber Lynch, Director of InvestDSM and Carrie Kruse, Economic Development Administrator with the City of Des Moines, as they share the background story of how planning initiatives and new economic development strategies are helping to dramatically reshape the future of the Oak Park/Highland Park Neighborhood, and you will hear about the development projects currently underway and planned in the near future.


Amber Lynch is the Executive Director for Invest DSM. Prior to Invest DSM, Amber served as a City Planner with the City of Des Moines for over 10 years. During her time with the City, Amber’s primary role was to work with neighborhoods to develop revitalization plans, and her hands-on experience and commitment to building confidence in the future of Des Moines neighborhoods helped lead to the creation of the Invest DSM model in 2019. She has also worked on streetscape projects, numerous regional planning initiatives, and served as the overall project manager for Viva East Bank!, overseeing the implementation of three neighborhood plans and managing a coalition of nearly 30 partner organizations. Amber has served as a board member for the Iowa Chapter of the American Planning Association, is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), and holds a Master’s Degree in Community and Regional Planning from Iowa State University and a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Luther College. She was named as one of the Des Moines Register’s People to Watch in 2020. Amber lives in Des Moines with her husband, Ryan, and their two daughters.


Carrie Kruse is the Economic Development Administrator for the City of Des Moines, and has served in a variety of roles for the City for over 8 years. Carrie is responsible for analyzing financial and market feasibility data on projects under negotiation and making property tax incentive recommendations to the City Council. Carrie works on many of the City’s Urban Renewal Plans and worked to implement the Oak Park – Highland Park Urban Renewal Plan in 2020. Carrie is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and serves as the chair of their Government Performance and Accountability Committee. Carrie is also a member of the Iowa Society of Certified Public Accountants and serves on their Government Auditing and Accounting Committee. Carrie graduated with a bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting from Simpson College and holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Drake University.