My entire career as a professional registered architect, urban designer, planner and elected official has been focused on creating sustainable, equitable and authentic places for all people, across all generations (or what Gil Penalosa calls, “8 80 Cities.”) If we are to lessen our dependency on fossil fuels, safeguard our watersheds from sprawl, and foster inclusive communities then we must make our streets safe for all users, repurpose and recycle our obsolete, auto-oriented landscapes and intentionally invest in transit and affordable housing. In the process, I have had to hone my strengths in execution, relationship building and strategic thinking and acquire expertise in land use and transportation planning, zoning, and walkable, transit-oriented development. I’ve also had to cross social and economic boundaries in search of workable solutions to wide-ranging problems, from equitable revitalization to food insecurity within our lower income neighborhoods.
SKILLS:
1.) Design & Development: at multiple scales from the street, lot and block to the neighborhood, town, city and region;
2.) Codes & Guidelines: to promote walkable, transit-ready, inclusive neighborhoods;
3.) Comprehensive, Corridor & Master Plans: at the local and regional level;
4.) Policy & Administration: for state and local governments; and
5.) Public Speaking, Professional Development, Writing: on why and how to build sustainable, equitable, authentic communities.
EDUCATION, CERTIFICATIONS, DISTINCTIONS, TEACHING:
• MA Architecture (1986) University of Virginia Charlottesville, VA
• BA in Economics/ Geography (1978) Boston University (Magna cum laude) Boston, MA
• Architectural Registration, No. 7424 (since 1989) Virginia
• Form Based Code Institute (FBCI), completed all three classes, 101,201, and 301 GA, CA and NH
• Woman-Owned and SWaM Certification Number: 665745, Virginia
• Sorensen’s Political Leadership Program (PLP 2015) Charlottesville, VA
DISTINCTIONS:
• American Institute of Architects (AIA), College of Fellows, member (2021)
• American Institute of Architects (AIA) Executive Committee, Vice President for Advocacy VA
• Strategic Investment Area Congress for New Urbanism (CNU) Charter Award (2018) Savannah, GA
• Virginia AIA Award for Lifetime Achievement (2017) Richmond, VA
• Crozet Master Plan CNU Charter Award (2005) Pasadena, CA
• Albemarle County Neighborhood Model CNU Charter Award, as committee chair (2005) Washington, DC
TEACHING: (University of Virginia School of Architecture 2004-2019) Charlottesville, VA
• Practicum in Applied Planning Principles and Best Practices
• Transit-Oriented Development and Walkable Neighborhood Design (a.k.a. Design + Transportation)
• Graphics for Planners
PUBLIC-SPEAKING, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, WRITING:
• Shaping the City for Health, Equity, Community & Place, Charlottesville Albemarle NAACP (2019) Charlottesville, VA
• Form Based Codes & Equity, APA & CNU Conferences (2019) MD & KY
• “Healthy Eating, Active Living (HEAL)” Virginia Municipal League (VML) Conference (2019) Norfolk, VA
• “Shaping the City for Equity & Health”, Weight of the State Conference (2019) Short Pump, VA
• Keynote Addresses: APA Conference (2018) & AIA Conference (2017) VA
• Contributor & Planner: Jane Jacobs Symposium at UVA (2017) Charlottesville, VA
• IMCL Paper and Presenter: Building a Sustainable, Equitable City (2016) Rome, Italy
• CNU Paper and Presenter: Holistic Neighborhood Revitalization (2011) Madison, WI
• IMCL Paper and Presenter: Reimagining Urban Form, Educational Reform (2010) Charleston, SC
PROFESSIONAL WORK EXPERIENCE:
GALVIN ARCHITECTS, Principal (since 1993) & PLACEWORKS COLLABORATIVE, INC, President (2011-2015)
DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT (for the Private Development Sector)
• Old Trail Village Concept Plan (400 acre site plan & code) Crozet, VA
• South Gordonsville Neighborhood Plan Orange County, VA
• King Street Site Development Plan Charlottesville VA
• Bargamin Park & Wayland’s Grant Site Development Plan Crozet, VA
• Storefront Reconstructions at 219 & 413 West Main Street Charlottesville, VA
CODES & DESIGN GUIDELINES (for the Private and Public Sectors)
• Town Architect (responsible for reviewing plans for code compliance) Fauquier County, VA
• Mintbrook Code of Development for Bowman Consulting Fauquier County, VA
• US 29 Corridor Overlay District Design Guidelines Fauquier County, VA
• Old Courthouse Road Design Guidelines Appomattox, VA
• Uptown North Orange Form-Based Code (160 acres) Town of Orange, VA
• Old Trail Village Code of Development (400 acre site plan & code) Crozet, VA
COMPREHENSIVE, CORRIDOR & MASTER PLANS (for the Public Sector)
• Comprehensive Plan for Charlotte Court House Charlotte County, VA
• Mt. Jackson, VA Master Plan (w/Herd Planning) Mt. Jackson, VA
• Places29 Master Plan (w/CD+A from Oakland, CA) Albemarle, VA
• Comprehensive Plan with Visualizations of “Place-types” Nelson County, VA
RENAISSANCE PLANNING GROUP & DESIGN RESOURCE CENTER (UVA) (Senior Urban Designer 2000-2008)
CODES & DESIGN GUIDELINES (for the Public Sector)
• Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Design Guidelines, Birmingham, Al
• Office Park Redevelopment Plan and Design Guidelines Maitland, FL
• US 27 Regional Corridor Study and Design Guidelines Marion County, FL
COMPREHENSIVE, CORRIDOR & MASTER PLANS (for the Public Sector)
• Crozet Master Plan & “Place-type” Guidelines (won the 2005 CNU Charter Award) Crozet, VA
• Light Rail Station Area and TOD Planning and Design, Orlando, FL
• Transit Oriented Development Plan and TOD Guidelines Deseret, FL
• Redevelopment Plan for an aging shopping center Boca Raton, FL
• Eastern Planning Initiative (EPI) for the Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission Charlottesville, VA
CHARLOTTESVILLE HOUSING IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (1991-1993) Charlottesville, VA
DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT (for the Private Non-Profit Development Sector)
• Venable Green Infill Housing Development (Four 1200 SF single family homes for low income residents)
• Page Street Infill Development (Two 1200 SF single family homes for low income residents)
JOHNSON, CRAVEN & GIBSON & VMDO ARCHITECTS (1986-1991)
DESIGN (for the Private Non-Profit Institutional Sectors)
• Project architect and manager for residential and institutional projects Charlottesville, VA
• Shenandoah National Park Lodge at Big Meadows Luray, VA
• Minor Hall Feasibility Study, University of Virginia and Campus Study, Mary Washington Virginia
• Clark School remodeling and addition, Charlottesville City Schools Charlottesville, VA
ALL CITY MANAGEMENT CORPORATION (1981-1983)
ADMINISTRATION: Property manager of 200+ subsidized apartment units in Boston, MA Brookline, MA
CPR, Inc. & MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS (1978-1981) Boston, MA
POLICY & ADMINISTRATION
• Managed the Fidelis Way Feasibility Study for the Boston Housing Authority
• Managed a state-wide Rental Assistance Program
ELECTED OFFICIAL WORK EXPERIENCE:
2012-2020 CHARLOTTESVILLE CITY COUNCIL –Initiatives championed while a Councilor, Charlottesville, VA
COMPREHENSIVE, CORRIDOR & MASTER PLANS
• Strategic Investment Area (SIA) Plan- Community revitalization plan for an economically depressed part of the city
(patterned after the Obama Choice Neighborhood Program) with an implementation strategy inclusive of a form
based code with height bonuses for affordable housing and a synthetic tax increment finance (TIF) district to
earmark added tax revenue from redevelopment into the Charlottesville Affordable Housing Fund (CAHF).
• Hydraulic Urban Development Area and Regional Transportation Improvement Plan- Regional land use and
transportation plan to repurpose an aging shopping center into a mixed use, mixed income center along US 29.
• New Hill Community Development Corporation-Initiative within the Starr Hill neighborhood of Charlottesville, led by
a group of African-American professionals spearheading equitable and sustainable revitalization.
• Cherry Avenue Small Area Plan- Community-driven revitalization and anti-displacement plan for the principal
corridor of a historically African American neighborhood.
• West Main, Belmont Bridge and Avon Street Improvement Plans-Multi-modal transportation infrastructure plans,
inclusive of; more tree canopy, wider sidewalks, dedicated bike lanes, more bus stops and shelters and street
lights. These projects have received combinations of both Virginia Revenue-Sharing and Smart Scale funds.
CODES & DESIGN GUIDELINES
• Form Based Code for the SIA Plan Phase 1-New zoning district that requires developers to build: affordable units
on-site for households making 50% and 60% of the AMI in exchange for height; streets designed for walking,
cycling and taking the bus; smaller blocks with no minimum lot sizes, no maximum density limits and smaller
setbacks thereby increasing site capacity; and transition zones that respect adjacent neighborhood scale.
• Streets that Work (STW) and the Standards and Design Manual (SADM)- Multi-modal street policy and standards.
POLICY & ADMINISTRATION
• Downtown Job Center, Growing Opportunity and GED programs- Adult education and job training programs
focused on empowering low income city residents without college degrees or high school diplomas.
• Food Equity Initiative –Expands access to affordable, healthy food to low wealth residents.
2008-2012 CHARLOTTESVILLE SCHOOL BOARD – Initiatives championed while a member, Charlottesville, VA
POLICY & ADMINISTRATION
• High School Urban Design Studio
• Choice Neighborhood Grant application (that evolved into the SIA Plan)
• Management Efficiency Study & Campus Reconfiguration Plan with an early childhood development center
