Santa Monica Experience Management Plan

On behalf of the City of Santa Monica and Santa Monica Travel & Tourism, we are pleased to share the updated Santa Monica Experience Management Plan (EMP), our shared roadmap for the long-term stewardship of our resident and visitor experience.

This inclusive and comprehensive Plan is the first of its kind for our community. It represents the hard work and careful deliberation of dozens of stakeholders from throughout our community, including residents, civic leaders, elected officials, non-profit organizations and tourism and hospitality professionals.

Thank you to the City of Santa Monica for their co-sponsorship of the EMP and continued support.

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What is the Experience Management Plan?

The Experience Management Plan (EMP) is a 10-year framework and shared roadmap of ideas, strategies and courses of action we can take to steward and elevate the Santa Monica experience for residents, the workforce, visitors, businesses and more. Its purpose is to serve as a vehicle of influence to guide our actions as a community rather than as disparate entities in order to ensure better communication, avoid replication of efforts and maximize our collective impact to move consistently toward a shared vision for the future.

Why is it important to Santa Monica?

The EMP is an opportunity to take part in proactively shaping the future of Santa Monica. With people from all over the Santa Monica community involved, we will be able to better align our efforts to further our common goals. This will result in enhanced quality of life for Santa Monica residents, a remarkable visitor experience that stands the test of time and a stronger, more resilient local economy.

What goals will be addressed?

To start, we are focusing on starting work on four strategies, though more strategies will come over the next ten years. These four strategies are:

  1. Ensure Santa Monica is a safe and clean place to live and visit,
  2. Highlight and leverage cultural happenings,
  3. Support livability for the Santa Monica community, and
  4. Promote diversity of retail, dining and evening experiences.

How will the plan be implemented?

The plan will be implemented through a collective impact framework. This means that no one entity in the community is responsible for the goals the plan puts forward; the EMP is shared across the entire community to keep efforts in line and reduce strain on any one person, business or group. There are Strategy Committees (overseen by a Governance Committee) that have come together to address how to move forward in bringing our shared vision for the Santa Monica experience to life. The integration of their many different activities and viewpoints will maximize the end result. The plan is flexible and will be updated and adjusted as needed over time.

What is the role of City government?

The City of Santa Monica is a co-sponsor and supporter of the Experience Management Plan, and City employees are included on the EMP committees.

What is Santa Monica Travel & Tourism’s role?

SMTT is acting as the support organization for the EMP by coordinating the committees’ work. They have provided facilitators to support each committee and will help with communicating out the EMP’s progress.

How can you get involved?

If you would like to get involved with the EMP, please email EMP@santamonica.com.

Overview

Committees, Mission Statements & Contacts

Overview of Santa Monica’s five Experience Management Plan committees, their purpose, Chairperson, Vice Chairperson and SMTT Facilitator.

 

Governance Committee

Support the efforts of the other EMP Committees by providing guidance, establishing policies, identifying potential resources, addressing concerns with action items, recommending when to bring in additional Strategies throughout the 10 years of the EMP, communicating the impact of the committees’ efforts and ensuring the committees’ actions adhere to the guiding principles of stewardship, sustainability and DEIA (diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility).

Chairperson: Albin Gielicz
Resident, SMTT Chairman’s Circle

Vice Chairperson: Neil Carrey
Chairman, SMTT Board of Directors

SMTT Facilitator: Elaine Polacheck

Committee to Ensure Santa Monica is a Safe and Clean Place to Live & Visit

Identify current efforts undertaken by the City, local agencies, nonprofits and organizations to address safe & clean issues (including those associated with the unhoused and behavioral health); determine if other efforts and/or resources are needed; ensure that there is common messaging and clear, consistent communication; and provide support and advocacy.

Chairperson: Andrew Thomas
CEO, Downtown Santa Monica

Vice Chairperson: Becky Warren
Resident

SMTT Facilitators: Misti Kerns & Elaine Polacheck

Committee to Support Livability for the Santa Monica Community

Support, coordinate and advocate for the efforts that the City, nonprofits and other organizations are undertaking to ensure that Santa Monica is perceived as a livable community by those who live, work and visit the community in terms of affordability, enhancing the urban tree canopy, sufficient mobility and transportation options, road and pedestrian safety, as well as free and affordable wellness activities and offerings.

Chairperson: Tara Barauskas, Executive Director, Community Corporation of Santa Monica

SMTT Facilitator: Evan Edwards

Committee to Highlight and Leverage Cultural Happenings

Champion and connect current cultural and artistic assets, identify gaps in offerings, support new offerings and make recommendations to help programming become more inclusive and impactful for the greater Santa Monica community.

Chairperson: Jan WIlliamson
Executive Director, 18th Street Arts Center; Member, SMTT Board of Directors

Vice Chairperson: Darlene Evans
Member, SMTT Board of Directors

SMTT Facilitator: Rachel Lozano

Committee to Promote Diversity of Retail, Dining and Evening Experiences

Achieve tangible outcomes that drive improvements for businesses; provide new and diverse experiences for locals and visitors; and enhance the overall Santa Monica experience.

Chairperson: Peter Trinh
Board Member and Business Owner, Downtown Santa Monica

Vice Chairperson: Stephanie Eglin
General Manager, Santa Monica Place

SMTT Facilitator: Mandy Eck

Useful links and Resources