CAREER PROFILE

Experienced Land Use and Development Planner with expertise in land development,
growth management, and built infrastructure planning. Strong background in land
use planning, assessing environmental impacts, administering and interpreting r
egulatory programs, and forging new collaborative partnerships to protect and pr
eserve public resources.
*Education: Dual degrees in Architecture Design and Urban and Regional Planning.
*Experience: More than 8 years of combined professional experience in planning,
advising, and coordinating the use of land and related resources for both the pu
blic and private sectors.
*Analytical skills: spatial relations; conceptualization, research, planning, an
d design.
*Technical skills: Experience and knowledge administering local, state, and fede
ral laws pertaining to land use and protection of natural and cultural resources
.
*Communication skills: Expertise in consensus building, stakeholder engagement,
public negotiations, and working with a wide variety of audiences on key governm
ental programs and initiatives.
*Organization skills: Excel at managing and prioritizing task for multiple concu
rrent and competing projects.
*Leadership skills: Skilled at leading and coordinating project teams and consul
tants across various professional and technical backgrounds.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Land Use and Development Planner, City of Annapolis 08/2009 to 03/2010
Department of Planning and Zoning Annapolis, MD
*Served as a staff liaison to local, county, and state governmental agencies, ou
tside interest groups, and the general public concerning all matters related to
development review and regulation for a coastal community of 36,000 residents.
*Responsible for the approval, denial or conditional approval of land developmen
t activities requiring environmental impact analysis near sensitive riparian are
as and tidal wetlands of the Chesapeake Bay.
*Conducted site investigations, administered guidelines, gathered field data, an
d prepared key documentation on projects to ensure compliance with local, county
, and state laws.
*Supervised and coordinated interagency reviews and participated in short and lo
ng range planning studies needed to make important decisions pertaining to land
use, infrastructure improvements, adequate public facilities, and capital improv
ement projects.
*Formulated, promoted, and administered local government plans and policies affe
cting land use, zoning, public utilities, community facilities, housing, transpo
rtation, and the environment.
*Responsible for the analysis and collation of permit information into succinct
reports for inter-agency reviews.
*Provided leadership and technical guidance on assigned projects to assess the f
easibility of project proposals and identified necessary changes where needed.
*Represented the Department in meetings with community leaders, environmental re
gulators, state legislative bodies, and local business organizations on key proj
ects identified for the municipality.
Project Design Architect, Development Design Group, Inc. 09/2005 to 08/2009
Urban Design and Master Planning Sector Baltimore, MD
*Developed architectural design ideas, researched land use scenarios, prepared s
ite studies, conveyed technical knowledge, formulated project specifications, ad
ministered and coordinated architectural drawings through all phases of project
development.
*Managed and oversaw all project related activities including project phasing, s
cheduling, and coordination between consultants and client specific communicatio
n.
*Provided leadership and technical guidance to project teams and outside consult
ants to ensure successful delivery and implementation of projects. Worked closel
y with development teams and regulatory agencies at all levels of production to
ensure adherence to domestic and international building codes.
*Analyzed, synthesized, and communicated information effectively with a wide ran
ge of consultants including project investors, contractors, construction manager
s, and industry representatives.
*Principle designer for one of the first multipurpose sports stadium and retail
complexes to be awarded LEED certification in Istanbul, Turkey.
*Project lead for one of sixteen founding projects on six continents which have
been listed for support from the United State Green Building Council (USGBC) and
Clinton Climate Initiative's Climate Positive Development Program.
Staff Architect, Morris Architects, Inc. 05/2003 to 08/2009
Entertainment and Hospitality Sector Orlando, FL
*Research, evaluated, and designed cutting edge architectural solutions for chal
lenging, high- profile hospitality and entertainment projects for such prestigio
us clients as Disney, Universal Studios, Hard Rock, and Westgate Resort Properti
es.
*Effectively communicated and provided feedback to upper level management on iss
ues pertaining to architectural design services including materials encompassing
concept design, schematic design, design development, and construction document
s.
*Served as the principle resource for dealing with challenging technical issues
and communicating technical concepts to others in a way that builds understandin
g.
*Took the initiative to market and promote the company's recognition by submitti
ng selected projects to national award submissions including the American Instit
ute of Architects (AIA) and the International Association of Amusement Parks and
Attractions (IAAPA). Devoted personal time to pursue this initiative in additio
n to individual job assignments and duties within the company.
Intern Architect, SCMH Associate Architects, Inc. 05/2002 to 08/2002
Institutional Sector Lakeland, FL
*Conducted site investigations and field reports, prepared architectural plans,
analyzed sketches, photographs, notes, and other important data to determine bes
t approaches for solving complex technical issues related to architectural desig
n and site planning for institutional projects.
*Coordinated input from senior level designers and firm partners to translate in
to construction documents.
*Key resource for conceptualizing and integrating design ideas into coherent sol
utions to meet client objectives. Illustrated and communicated ideas utilizing c
omputer modeling and other graphic software.
EDUCATION
Masters of Urban and Regional Planning
Virginia Tech, Department of Urban Affairs and Planning
Alexandria, VA US - National Capital Region
Area of Concentration: Land Use and Physical Development Planning
Dissertation: Losing Ground: A Green Infrastructure Approach for the Protection
and Restoration of Wild North Atlantic Salmon Habitat across Maine's Riverine La
ndscape.
48 Credit Hour Program
Completed 07/06/2009
GPA: 3.82 out of 4.0; while working full-time
Honors: Magna cum Laude, The National Scholars Honor Society
Activities: Capital Area Student Planning Association (CASPA)
Bachelors of Architecture Design
University of Florida, College of Design, Construction and Planning
Gainesville, FL US
120 Credit Hour Program
Completed 05/03/2003
GPA: 3.66 out of 4.0; Graduated Cum Laude
Honors: Recipient of 5 Presidential Fellowship Awards; Golden Key International
Honor Society
Activities: American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS)
Key Academic Accomplishments
*Participated in a grass-roots heritage preservation and planning studio that ex
plored ways to preserve and interpret local African American heritage through th
e built environment.
*Served as a table moderator and event planner for the Eco-City Alexandria Cafe
designed as a public engagement forum to exchange ideas with the public about su
stainability issues and policy direction for the City.
*Develop a comprehensive sustainability charter, a strategic action plan, and ot
her city-wide initiatives for the Eco-City Alexandria campaign. This included de
veloping an inventory of existing city-wide sustainability programs and policies
, identifying best model practices from other municipalities across the country,
facilitating workshops, and managing public outreach and civic engagement activ
ities for the Environmental Policy Commission.
*Conducting a comprehensive review and thorough analysis of the North Old Town A
lexandria 1992 Small Area Plan and subsequent Urban Design Guidelines to identif
y specific land use changes needed to achieve the redevelopment of the 3 communi
ty sites.
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
*American Institute of Architects (AIA)
*American Planning Association (APA)
*Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF)
*Maryland Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA)
*Maryland Coastal Conservation Association (CCA)
*Nature Conservancy
CONTINUING EDUCATION
*HB1141 Summit Watershed Implementation Planning, Chesapeake Bay Foundation (Dec
ember 2009)
*Solar Decathlon, Department of Energy, Washington, D.C. (November 2009)
*The Role of Green Rating Systems in Sustainable Communities, NBM (December 2009
)
*Advanced Skills Training for Planners: Communicating Effectively with the Publi
c, Consultants, and Stakeholders, APA (October 2009).
VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES
*Poplar Island Wetland Restoration, Chesapeake Bay: Worked with volunteer groups
through the Baltimore National Aquarium restoring tidal wetlands necessary for
protecting the Chesapeake Bay water quality and for providing essential wildlife
habitat (June 2009).
*Participate in Canstruction, a national design-build competition held annually
to create giant works of sculptural art, made entirely out of canned foods. At t
he close of the exhibitions all of the canned food used in the structure is dona
ted to local food banks for distribution to emergency feeding programs and homel
ess shelters across the region. Responsibilities include the initial project pla
nning through build-out phase, community outreach, collecting donations, and com
petition setup.
COMPUTER PROFICIENCIES
*Adobe Products: Proficiency using Adobe Creative Suite software including Photo
shop and Acrobat to produce digital presentations and marketing materials needed
for to convey information in a graphical format to a wide variety of audiences.
*ArcGIS: Familiarity with the use of geographic information systems for analyzin
g spatial data with the ability to produce graphical representations of complex
data conveying spatial and technical information to lay persons.
*AutoCAD: Proficiency in computer aided drafting technology and using 3D visuali
zation software to convey ideas. Over 8 plus years of experience using CAD syste
ms to produce 2D and 3D drawing packages.
*Microsoft Office Applications: Proficiency using Word, Excel, Power Point, Outl
ook, and Access to organize and gather data into coherent formats including the
preparation and presentation of detailed reports to a wide variety of users.