What makes you passionate about planning?

Ultimately planning is meant to make communities better places for the people who live there, and I am always excited about that.  I would say that every few years there is a different facet of planning that I become passionate about, and right now I am especially excited about the connection between urban design and people’s well-being, including their mental wellness, sense of belonging, and ability to navigate through the city.  I am also always interested in ways that we can practically retain and enhance trees and vegetation in urban areas.  This is something that is getting more challengingvwith climate change—trees that once did well in our communities are not guaranteed to do so as our summers get drier and winters wetter.

Tell us about a project you are working on and why it excites you.

I am currently working on a book about Building Sustainable Communities, that will be published in 2027.  While designed as a textbook for senior undergraduate and graduate students, I hope it will have something for everyone.  It is under contract with Routledge.

I have also worked on some great recent City Studio projects with my students.  These include: 1) having students do a short visual preferences survey on ideas for confronting the urban heat island effect on one of Vancouver's hottest city streets during the summer; and 2) having students research important details (design, amenities, safety and security) to support purpose built affordable housing at Skytrain stations along the Broadway corridor.  The support we have had from both the City of Vancouver and  our City Studio liaison has been incredible!

What do you think the most important challenge will be for planners in the future?

I am by no means anti-regulation.  Still, the sum total of all the regulations we have in place now is starting to become overwhelming, making it harder for people to solve problems and live their lives.  In response, we all need to think about how to ensure livability and ecological health while also making it easier for folks to do the right thing.  Often we create these regulations in isolation, and we need to do more to think holistically about how they impact people in combination with other regulations.  At the same time, we are facing a lot of polarization, which creates a very challenging context for making any kind of change, so grappling with this is also crucial.

What are you most excited about at your planning school?

Our students.  No question.  I am so impressed with how thoughtful they all are, and how many interesting experiences they are already bringing into the program.  I also love the culture at SFU, where students and my fellow instructors alike genuinely care about making the world a better place.

Please tell us about a place or plan that has been influential to you.

I worked at the City of Richmond at an early stage in my planning career and was deeply influenced by the amazing colleagues I had, especially those who thought systematically about growth management and urban design.  I see good things continuing to happen there even today, which makes me happy.  I have never worked in Squamish, but I see some amazing work happening in promoting affordable housing, and there are some very appealing new multi-family buildings now in the community.  Outside of British Columbia, my most recent inspirations have come from France.  The Clichy Batignolles redevelopment around and including Parc Martin Kuther King is just amazing.  I have also been super impressed with some of the transit-oriented development work in Toulouse, and their amazing gondola which could be a great inspiration for us here at SFU.That was more than one place—but as a typical planner, I am very passionate about places!

What makes you passionate about planning?

My passion for planning stems from a curiosity about the relationship between people, place, and space. I’m drawn to planning because it offers a way to work alongside communities and find practical solutions that support both people and the environment. What excites me most is the opportunity to help shape places that are accessible, resilient, and responsive to the people who call them home.

Tell us about a project you’re working on and why it excites you?

I’m currently working on a project about how land-based learning supports food knowledge and cultural continuity on BC’s Sunshine Coast. I’m exploring how activities like growing food, cooking, and saving seeds help people share knowledge across generations. This project excites me because it showcases how these everyday practices carry stories and knowledge that connect people to their culture, community, and the land – while also asking how we can support the spaces and community initiatives that make this learning possible.

What do you think the most important challenge will be for planners in the future?

I think one of the most important challenges will be managing competing demands for land while ensuring communities can meet their needs over the long term. Through my work in food systems, I’ve become particularly interested in how land access affects people’s ability to grow food, share knowledge, and maintain cultural traditions. Supporting local food production and spaces for community learning can help communities prepare for environmental and social change. Planners need to consider these needs alongside the built environment and environmental protection.  For me, the challenge is making decisions that address urgent needs today while protecting the land future generations will depend on.

What are you most excited about at your planning school?

What excites me most about SFU’s REM program is its interdisciplinary approach and how much I learn from the research happening around me. My professors and peers are doing incredible work, and hearing about their projects introduces me to questions and perspectives I might never have considered otherwise. I love how these different backgrounds and interests come together to broaden my understanding of planning, in addition to the opportunities that allow me to connect with communities.

Please tell us about a place or plan that has been influential to you?

Southlands in Tsawwassen has been influential to me because it shows how food systems can be integrated with neighbourhood design. Its combination of homes, farmland, and community spaces brings agriculture into everyday community life. I’m drawn to the opportunities this creates for people to connect with local growers and the land they live on. It has encouraged me to think more broadly about how planning can support housing while also making room for food production, learning, and a stronger sense of place