The traditional practice of urban design and environmental planning still looks at resiliency only after the fact and the current climate change adaptation conversations are primarily focused on how cities can recover from disaster.
Most recently I served as the Director of Watershed Resilience at the Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA). In 2008 I formulated the Blue Cities initiative at CRWA which promotes water-centric planning and design with the goal of restoring the natural hydrology in our cities. Building on my professional design experience and expertise in community based planning, public education and advocacy, I effectively engaged with communities within and beyond the Charles' watershed to create unconventional planning frameworks and design solutions for addressing complex environmental challenges. Collaborating with watershed scientists, engineers and landscape architects, I successfully implemented numerous environmental restoration projects at a variety of scales. My design practice is heavily grounded in an understanding of watershed science and engineering and I have always advocated for environmental solutions that improve the quality of life for our communities while restoring the ecological health of our land and water resources.
Education
Emerging Leaders Academy | May 2018 Foundation for Metrowest, Natick
Loeb Fellowship | Aug 2017 Harvard University, Graduate School of Design, Cambridge
Master in Architecture and Urban Design | December 2000 Washington University, St. Louis
M.Phil, Environment & Development | August 1999 University of Cambridge, U.K.
Bachelor of Architecture | May 1996
TVB School of Habitat Studies, India
Civic Activities
Commissioner, Brookline Conservation Commission
December 2014-present
Member, Brookline Zoning By-law Committee
September 2017-present
Advisory Board, Biodiversity for a Livable Climate
January 2016-present
Member, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions
October 2020-present
Co-Chair, Brookline Open Space Plan Committee
September 2015-October 2018
Senior Fellow, Earthos Institute
September 2017-February 2018
Member, I-90 Allston Interchange Project Task Force
September 2015-October 2020
Member, New Charles River Basin Citizen Advisory Committee December 2005-October 2016
Awards Recognition
Harvard Allston Partnership Award for supporting neighborhood improvement projects and educational programs serving the North Allston/ North Brighton Community
(March 2019, June 2014, March 2019, March 2020)
Connect Kendall Open Space Design Competition
(Richard Burke Associates, May 2015)
American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC / MA) Engineering Excellence Award for Boston Porous Alley Demonstration Project (VHB, March 2015)
Livable Streets Alliance and BSA Urban Design Committee Award for Best Presentation and Most Implementable Short Term Plan for Boston Greenway Links Charrette (June 2014)
Boston Society of Landscape Architects Merit Award for Waltham Watch Factory Project (Richard Burke Associates, May 2014)
Boston Preservation Alliance 2012 Preservation Achievement Award for Peabody Square Reconstruction, Neighborhood Restoration Effort (Nitsch Engineering and CRJA, October 2012)