STACVA National Advisory Team

The national Advisory Team which supports the Small Town America Civic Volunteer Award program collectively brings decades of experience understanding the value of public service volunteers to the communities they serve. This impressive group of leaders has and will continue to provide input on the execution of the program and the recognition of deserving winners of the award.

Patrice Frey President & CEO Main Street America

Patrice Frey is President and CEO of Main Street America, where she oversees the Center’s work, offering technical assistance, research, advocacy, and education and training opportunities for Main Street’s network of approximately 1,800 members.

Based in Chicago, Illinois, the Main Street America is a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and has participated in the renewal of more than 2,000 older commercial districts during its 30- year history. Before joining Main Street America in May 2013, Patrice serviced as the Director of Sustainability at the National Trust for Historic Preservation, where she oversaw the National Trust’s efforts to promote the reuse and greening of older and historic buildings.

Prior to joining the National Trust, Patrice worked for several years in the field of community development and urban research. She is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania's program in historic preservation, where she received a master's degree in preservation planning and a certificate in real estate design and development through the Penn School of Design and Wharton Business School.

Steve Hirsch, Board Chair, National Volunteer Fire Council

Steve Hirsch is the Board Chair of the National Volunteer Fire Council. He also serves as the training officer for Sheridan County Fire District # 1, Thomas County Fire District #4, and Grinnell Fire Department, all of which are 100% volunteer fire departments. Additionally, Steve is the first vice chair of the Kansas State Firefighters Association, after serving as secretary from 2000-2018. His father started a rural fire district in north central Kansas in 1963, the year after he was born, so he grew up in the fire service.

Steve is also the county attorney in Decatur County in northwest Kansas. He has a private law practice and serves as city attorney for 18 cities in Norton, Phillips, Graham, Mitchell, Rawlins, Decatur, Sheridan, Thomas, and Gove counties. He is a graduate of Kansas State University and Washburn School of Law.

Natalye Paquin, President & CEO, Points of Light

Natalye Paquin is the president and chief executive officer of Points of Light. She is a visionary and results-oriented leader with a strong track record of performance and transformation in turnaround and high-paced organizations. Prior to joining Points of Light in 2017, Natalye served as chief transformation officer at Girl Scouts of the USA, where she was responsible for strategy integration and was the key face and spokesperson for aligning and unifying the Girl Scouts federation of 112 councils around the strategy. Natalye also served five years as chief executive officer of the Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania, the state’s largest girl-serving organization and among the largest Girl Scouts councils in the nation.

She began her career in the nonprofit sector as chief operating officer of the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, after having been a volunteer, helping the center think through its education and new audience development programs. Ms. Paquin earned a juris doctor from DePaul University College of Law and an undergraduate degree from Florida A&M University.

Neil Sheridan, Executive Director, Michigan Townships Association • Secretary/Treasurer, National Association of Towns and Townships

Neil Sheridan is the Executive Director of the Michigan Townships Association, which represents nearly all 1240 townships covering over 97% of Michigan’s land and serving more than half of the state's residents. Neil has an extensive background in government leadership, public policy, non-profit service, teaching and corporate management. He is a member of the board of directors of the National Association of Towns and Townships, and serves as NATaT's Secretary/Treasurer. Mr. Sheridan received a BA from Drew University, an MBA from New York University and an MS from Kettering University. Neil had his first small town job at age 13, raking the beach. He was a Deputy Mayor in a 300,000 resident city and later on the planning commission for his 3,000 resident township. Along the way, he met many small town heroes, and looks forward to meeting more through the Small Town America Civic Volunteer Award program.

Brian Namey, Chief Public Affairs Officer, National Association of Counties

Brian Namey is the Chief Public Affairs Officer of the National Association of Counties (NACo), a position he has held since 2015. Prior to that, he served as the Association’s Director of Communications. Before joining NACo, he was the Communications Director at the National Network to End Domestic Violence (2009-2011) and a communications advisor for non-profit and private-sector efforts against domestic and sexual violence. Brian previously served as Press Secretary for the Democratic Governors Association (2004-2009). He earned his MSc from the University of Oxford and his BA from Carnegie Mellon University.

Bart Russell, Founder & CEO, Barton Russell Group

Bart Russell is Chair of the STACVA's National Advisory Team. Bart has spent more than 30 years serving as the country’s most prominent small town America advocate and spokesperson. During that time he served as the founding CEO of the National Association of Towns and Townships, President of the National Center for Small Communities and Executive Director of the Council of Small Towns. He founded the Barton Russell Group (www.BartonRussell.com) in 1994. Since then, senior consultants with extensive experience in the business, philanthropic, local-state government and academic arenas have become members of the firm. BRG has built or consulted on major national award and grant programs including the Best Small Towns in America, the American Hometown Leaders Award, the $ 1/4 billion Small Town Economic Assistance Program and the America's Best Communities contest. These public-private partnerships have spotlighted and supported extraordinary local government leaders and small communities nationwide.