CANMORE, AB, Canada
Like most, Lauren had no idea what Planning was. She stumbled into the world of Planning as a teenager, through her community activist efforts to save her high school from closing. It was through those efforts that she realized she could be a voice for marginalized groups who were often ignored or left out of the planning process. She went on to graduate from the University of Waterloo’s School of Planning, in Ontario, Canada and set out on a course to become so well versed in planning systems, that she could one day break them down, retool them and build them back up with greater transparency and equity. Over the course of her 18-year career, Lauren has worked in both the U.S. and Canada having done policy writing at the regional level, grant writing for rural municipalities, reviewing development applications, leading land use enforcement and overhauling zoning ordinances older than her; with engagement, education and empowerment always at the heart of those efforts. Having led teams both large and small, she’s mastered how to meet residents, staff and politicians where they’re at and interact with them in an honest and real way, that leaves them feeling heard, empowered, and inspired.
Sunday, April 14, 2024
3:00 PM – 3:45 PM CT