Associate Director

Alison Medeck serves as Associate Director at BLAEDC, bringing over 20 years of professional experience spanning education, counseling, and economic development. She leads strategic initiatives, builds strong partnerships, and fosters cross-sector collaboration to support business growth and community development in Crow Wing County. Her promotion to Associate Director in 2025 reflects the leadership and innovation she consistently brings to the organization.

In addition to her leadership role, Alison is the lead liaison to the North Central Small Business Development Center (SBDC) satellite site at BLAEDC. She provides one-on-one business consulting, specializing in business planning, start-up support, and marketing strategy, while helping connect entrepreneurs and small businesses to the resources they need to succeed. In 2024, Alison co-founded Entrepreneurs on Tap, a popular North Central SBDC/BLAEDC initiative that brings together small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs to connect, learn, and strengthen the region’s startup ecosystem.

Alison also leads BLAEDC’s Placer.ai program, a location analytics tool launched in 2025 after a two-year pilot. As the internal expert, she provides custom reports, analyzes data, and integrates insights into broader strategic initiatives to help members and communities make more data-informed decisions.

She holds a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology and brings 16+ years of experience in education and counseling, with a strong foundation in communication, training, coaching, and program design. Her wide-ranging experience—including small business ownership, grant administration, stakeholder engagement, and professional development—makes her a valuable asset to both the organization and the community.

Alison is also an active community volunteer. Her involvement over the years includes: Brainerd Lakes Chamber of Commerce Ambassador, Brainerd Service League Member, Board Member with Innovative Schools Project (Sourcewell), Forestview Middle School Counseling Advisory Board, Crow Wing County 4-H Youth Program, Gull Lake Sailing School / Gull Lake Yacht Club.

A Brainerd Lakes Area native, Alison enjoys lake life with her family, traveling, and being involved in her community. She and her husband, Greg, live in the area with their three kids.