I recently stepped away from my role as CEO at Sasaki to pursue new opportunities. My experiences as a planning and design leader span across many different markets including real estate development, regional planning, community engagement, higher education, and urban agriculture. I am currently seeking a role that will allow me to continue my path as a change maker in a growth-oriented business. My empathetic style of leadership focuses on empowering individuals and connecting them to others to be able to achieve more than they would otherwise be able to on their own.As the CEO of Sasaki I helped guide the strategic evolution of the firm over the past decade. Key efforts included rebranding the firm to elevate the firm's collaborative and inclusive approach to design, renewing the firm's commitment to being active members of the Boston design community, fostering an integrated design approach , establishing a firm-wide research grant program, and adding new expertise around technology, fabrication, and digital design. I also served as Chair of the Sasaki Foundation Advisory Council, which brought together leaders across sectors from Greater Boston to help shape the work of The Hideo Sasaki Foundation. The Foundation connects young people to design mentorship and resources and has awarded $385,000 in grants to groups interested in pursuing focused research initiatives that foster diversity and equity in the design field.As a licensed urban planner, I enjoy working on projects where there are no obvious solutions, and where building consensus requires a mix of visionary design, technical rigor, and creative story telling. Over the past several years, I have also written and presented extensively on the various ways in which urban agriculture and increased access to locally grown food can be used to promote placemaking, stimulate economic development, improve public health, and expand the reach of urban planning and design.