Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak plans to nominate Samantha McGinnis as the next director of the Church Street Marketplace in Burlington, according to a Monday press release.
The City Council plans to discuss the appointment at a meeting on Monday night and, if confirmed, McGinnis will start the new role on July 1. McGinnis has worked with Burlington since 2019 and is currently the assistant director of downtown projects and programs for the Department of Business and Workforce Development.
“I believe Samantha’s skills and experience make her the right person to steward the Church Street Marketplace into the future,” Mulvaney-Stanak said in the release.
McGinnis holds a bachelor’s degree in community and international development from the University of Vermont and a certificate from the Institute of Nonprofit Management and Leadership with Boston University‘s School of Management. She has led efforts to hold over 100 events and public programs at Church Street Marketplace and City Hall Park, including the launch of the winter market during the COVID-19 pandemic.
If confirmed for the position, McGinnis will succeed Kara Alnasrawi, who currently serves as director of the Church Street Marketplace and the Department of Business and Workforce Development. Alnasrawi will soon assume a new role as director of the Community and Economic Development Office. These changes are part of a broader restructuring plan to help close the city’s $8 million budget gap ahead of the 2026 fiscal year.
“After nearly six years on the marketplace team, I understand the importance and complexity of this role,” McGinnis said in the release. “I’m committed to honoring its historic legacy while guiding its future as Burlington and our downtown continue to evolve.”
McGinnis and Mulvaney-Stanak could not be reached for further comment on Monday.
