About The Economic Development Alliance

Supporting Lincoln County’s Economic Vitality for 30 Years

Working every day to support our local business ecosystem.

The Economic Development Alliance of Lincoln County (EDALC) is an independent Oregon 501(c)(6) nonprofit economic development organization. EDALC staff members work every day to attract, support and grow businesses in Lincoln County to ensure community-wide economic well-being and an improved quality of life. EDALC has served Lincoln County for over 30 years and is governed by a local board of directors. We receive our funding from local governmental units, our local business community and grant dollars.

OUR MISSION – To deliver economic development services to facilitate creation, growth and retention of Lincoln County businesses.

OUR VISION – The Economic Development Alliance of Lincoln County leverages information and relationships to enhance an environment for investment in Lincoln County.

View EDALC’s Annual Report Here (PDF)

Paul Schuytema
Paul SchuytemaExecutive Director
I’m a veteran rural economic developer who has the honor of working as the Executive Director of the Economic Development Alliance of Lincoln County.

In the past 25+ years, I’ve worked as an entrepreneur, economic developer, writer, teacher, software developer, computer game designer, concert promoter, musician and creativity trainer. Let’s see what we can build together!

Sarah Buddingh
Sarah BuddinghProject Manager
I was born and raised in Philomath, OR and have enjoyed hunting, fishing and hiking in Lincoln County my entire life.

I graduated with a bachelor’s in economics from Eastern Oregon University, and had the pleasure of interning for the Rural Engagement and Vitality Center. I have a passion for rural economic development and analysis and look forward to collaborating with you!

Leslie Palotas
Leslie PalotasCommunity Connector
I’ve held many professional roles, including strawberry picker, oyster shucker, restaurant server, sea kayak expedition leader, and textile dye artist. My range of work helped me understand how human-need-meeting efforts can improve any work environment and community. In 2014, I chose Lincoln County as my dream community, where I can pursue all my passions in staycation distances.

As Community Connector at EDALC, I aim to listen, understand, and help create mutually beneficial solutions that make living, working, and thriving more accessible and enjoyable for all who are seeking to build community in Lincoln County.

Stacie Keating
Stacie KeatingOrganizational Coordinator
I’m a proud resident of Toledo, Oregon. With a background in application support, relationship management, and project management I like to move quickly, solving problems and making small changes for the better wherever possible.

As the Organizational Coordinator at EDALC I strive to support our small but mighty team by focusing on growing awareness of our mission and the resources/support we provide, event management, project support, and office management. As someone who is naturally inquisitive my goal is always to answer at least as many questions as I ask.

Economic Development Alliance Board of Directors

Robert Cowen
Robert CowenPast President
Dr. Bob Cowen began as Hatfield Marine Science Center’s newest Director in July 2013. Previously, he was the Robert C. Maytag Chair of Ichthyology at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science and the Associate Dean for Research.
Lorna Davis
Lorna DavisBoard of Directors
Lorna Davis works in international marketing for Travel Oregon. She has served as the Manager of the Port of Toledo. Prior to joining the port, she worked at Travel Oregon and was a long standing Director of the Newport Chamber of Commerce.
Bryan Fitzsimmons
Bryan FitzsimmonsBoard of Directors
Bryan has more than 30 years of financial accounting and tax preparation expertise. Formerly with Arthur Young & Co. (now Ernst & Young), Bryan is a member and prior-president of the Lincoln City Rotary Club, a member and past-president of the Lincoln City Chamber of Commerce.
Douglas Holbrook
Douglas HolbrookBoard of Directors
Douglas Holbrook is a lawyer serving Newport in property law, business law and estate planning cases. He is the owning partner of Holbrook & Associates LLC.
Jason Holland
Jason HollandAt Large
Jason is the executive director of Oregon Coast Council for the Arts. He is currently serving as the co-chair of the Coastal Equity and Inclusion Committee as well as Treasurer for the Lincoln County Cultural Coalition. He has worked in non-profit, arts management and community engagement for 20 years.
Kaety Jacobson
Kaety JacobsonEx Officio
Kaety Jacobson was recently elected to her second term on the Lincoln County Board of Commissioners. She holds a master’s degree in Coastal Zone Management and spent fifteen years working as a Sea Grant fisheries extension agent. Her economic development areas of focus are broadband, childcare and housing.
Carrie Lewis
Carrie LewisPresident
Carrie Lewis is the President and CEO or the Oregon Coast Aquarium. She joined the Aquarium staff as Events and Sales Manager and was promoted to Director of Sales and Marketing in 2004. She assumed the duties of President/CEO in September 2010.
Paula Miranda
Paula MirandaBoard of Directors
Paula is the General Manager of the Port of Newport. Previously, Paula spent 12 years as the deputy executive director and real estate and business development manager the Port of Columbia County. Prior to that, Miranda spent five years working at the Port of Portland in the areas of contract administration, property management and tenant negotiation while providing support in many other areas of port development work.
Lesley Ogden M.D.
Lesley Ogden M.D.Secretary
Dr. Ogden serves as the CEO of both the Newport and the Lincoln City Samaritan Critical Access hospitals. She started with Samaritan Health Services as a physician in SNLH’s Emergency Department in 2006.
Gregory Price
Gregory PriceBoard of Directors
Greg has 20 years of business development experience. He has founded and operated successful for-profit and non-profit companies in the renewable energy industry where he developed a first-of-its-kind energy forecasting and reporting program. He created and led the study abroad program focused on entrepreneurship, economics and sustainable development for Portland State University.
Linda Roy
Linda RoyBoard of Directors
Linda Roy is the Broker/Owner of Lincoln City Realty, LLC. She has been in real estate for many years, but has also worked in various other fields.
Birgitte Ryslinge
Birgitte RyslingeBoard of Directors
Dr. Ryslinge is the president of Oregon Coast Community College. Dr. Ryslinge is a dynamic community college leader with fifteen years of community college experience and progressive leadership in academic affairs and instruction, first in California and now in Oregon.
Michael Smith
Michael SmithTreasurer
Michael Smith serves as the Vice President and Business Banking Relationship Manager for the North Oregon Coast for Umpqua Bank. Michael serves on the board of Northwest Coastal Housing and is also active in Newport’s Rotary club.
Majalise Tolan
Majalise TolanVice President
Dr. Majalise Tolan serves as the superintendent of the Lincoln County School District. She currently serves as the President for Coalition of Oregon School Administrators for the FY23-24 year. She is the co-author of “She Leads: The Women’s Guide to a Career in Educational Leadership.”

About This Website

This website was proudly created by the EDALC team in-house. We are using WordPress, with the Avada theme builder, and hosting the site on BlueHost in a standard LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, Php) configuration.

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