As a qualified urban planner with 15 years’ experience in engagement leadership positions, I’ve worked on significant and complex projects to enhance our built environment and address major issues that affect us all. While I'm originally from Chicago, I'm a proud Southwest Sydney resident keen on creating places out here where people want to live, work and gather. I lead planning projects with a stakeholder and community engagement mindset because I believe a place becomes more than a physical presence when it reflects the needs of people and those impacted. I help complex and high-profile projects achieve this by ensuring stakeholders and the community come to a common understanding to be reflected in the final outcome. I’m passionate about understanding and using community sentiment to shape and inform policy and influence how people interact with places. Though my public and private sector experience, I've worked on projects in the transport, water, aviation and building industries from business case stage through to planning and construction. I’m a skilled facilitator and negotiator known for helping multiple and influential stakeholders work efficiently together to reach a common goal.