Doug Powers, an Air Force veteran graduated with a master’s in urban and regional planning with a keen focus on improving urban placemaking prospects for Michigan land trusts. Knowing his true calling of ‘helping others without the concern of recognition’ prior to joining grad school he decided to work in the local planning office in Battle Creek after serving seven years in the air national guard. Aside from earning four medals and three recognitions in the military, the highlight of his planning intern position was when his endeavor of regulating sign ordinances based on size, marketing quality, and readability instead of content was well received by peers and the local community. At MSU, his research on Michigan Land Trusts emphasized upon utilizing analytical and economic parameters to empower local communities through vacant land strategies, economic development and beautification. While he has focused on urban planning courses with additional emphasis on environmental land-use, he believes in strengthening communities through social integrity, fiscal incentives and equitable policies. Alongside improving research skills at Michigan State, he prioritized community engagement as a vital step to work for and with residents. His experience on SRTS enabled him to engage in all stages of the planning from grant writing to community presentations. The project’s success pivots on enabling and encouraging children including those with disabilities to walk and bike to school. He has worked on twenty projects within his timeframe under the guidance of Dr. Wayne Bayea.Following graduate school, he worked in Elkhart County as a county planner where he worked with code enforcement, reviewed plats, made zoning recommendations attended board meetings, and worked with the local cogs to prepare recommendations for historic preservation regarding right of way improvements and assisted in the county receiving awards for solar regulations. He later worked for the City of East Chicago as the City Planner where he facilitated planning, zoning development agreements, plans, remediation agreements while working with developers, creating/maintaining the departments budgets. Worked with and prepared community engagement including south shore line improvements through the Regional Development Authority by establishing a transit development district.