Executive Committee

Kirsten Whetstone spent ten years as a City Planner in Fort Collins, Colorado learning and implementing intricacies of the Permit System approach to zoning and community development before moving back to Utah to learn the challenges of resort town planning. Kirsten was a Senior Planner in Park City, Utah for 25 years. Kirsten believes planners are visionaries, problem solvers, historic preservationists, protectors of community character, creative code writers, community engagers and advocates and balancers of varied community interests.

In 2019, Kirsten jumped on an opportunity to refocus on regional, rural town, agriculture preservation, and new urbanism planning for Summit County Community Development, Planning and Design. Kirsten is vice president of the Utah Chapter of the American Planning Association and previously chaired/co-chaired Utah APA Programs Committee and the 2017 Utah APA Fall conference organizing committee.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Stanford University and a master’s in Town and Regional Planning from Utah State University. Kirsten hails from New Mexico, Land of Enchantment, and is an avid trail runner, Nordic skier and traveler who enjoys exploring canyons and mesas of southeastern Utah with her husband, Richard Bullough and son, Garrett.

Experienced City Planner with a demonstrated history of City Planning, including comprehensive plan and zoning code updates. Skilled in urban planning, ArcGIS, urban redevelopment, site planning, etc. Francisco is a strong advocate of maintaining/creating cohesive communities. Member of the American Institute of Certified Planners.

Matt Taylor was elected to the Utah APA Chapter Secretary in 2018 and has served previously as Technology Chair (2009-2011) and Secretary (2007-2009). Matt is passionate about fiscally sustainable land use patterns and growth, urban design, active transportation, and assisting elected leaders in improving governance. He has a BS in City, Rural and Environmental Planning and a Master of Public Administration both from Brigham Young University. With over 17 years of professional experience, he has served Provo City, Taylorsville City, Cottonwood Heights, and now currently serves as Senior Planner with Orem City.

Mike Gottfredson is an eight-year community and regional planner and the Assistant Director Community Development of Duchesne County. His experience is in both the public and private sector. He interned at the Bear River Association of Governments in Logan, UT, and worked as a Regional Planner II for the New River Valley Regional Commission in Radford, VA. Mike returned to Utah to work for Horrocks Engineers as a Planner II in St. George and Pleasant Grove, UT. His planning specialties include community master plan updates, transportation and transit planning, and leveraging GIS in the planning process. He holds a Master of Science in Bioregional Planning and a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from Utah State University. He is a native of Alpine, UT.

Ted Knowlton is Deputy Director at the Wasatch Front Regional Council (WFRC) the metropolitan planning organization for the Salt Lake and Ogden/Layton metropolitan areas.  Ted has focused his career on coordinating local place-making with regional infrastructure planning.  Prior to joining WFRC, he worked with Park City, Fregonese Associates, Envision Utah and The Planning Center (now PlaceWorks).  His experience includes efforts in Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles and Salt Lake City that have garnered two prestigious Daniel Burnham awards from the American Planning Association.  In Utah, he lead the development of Wasatch Choice, the region’s official vision.  Ted has a Masters in Urban and Regional Planning from Portland State University, is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Utah, and is the president of the Utah chapter of the American Planning Association.  Ted is also the Planning Commission chair in North Salt Lake City.

Judi has been the APAUT Chapter Executive Manager since 2010. With a professional background in community planning, Judi now manages the community of planners in Utah. Active in her community, Judi has served as a Utah County Planning Commissioner, Alpine Business Association President, and currently serves as Alpine City Councilwoman. When not planning, you will find Judi with her family skiing or throwing a frisbee for her schnauzer Coco.

Spencer W. Brimley is the Community and Economic Development Director for Clearfield, Utah.  has a Bachelors of Science Degree in Urban Planning, from Arizona State University and a Master’s Degree in Real Estate Development from the University of Utah.  Before joining Clearfield he was a Planner with Salt Lake County. 

As a the Planner and Community Development Director for Clearfield City, Spencer has gained a growing range of experience in current and long planning processes and issues. In his efforts to make project reviews easier and more consistent, Spencer loves to have a process for everything he does to assure him and his staff are focused, efficient and consistent.  Spencer’s extensive experience in development review has allowed him to develop planning objectives and zoning standards with an understanding of how they will impact real projects. Spencer enjoys people and loves to make new friends and to network, especially on the golf course. Spencer is married and has four fun-loving and busy kids.  He is married to the most wonderful woman in the world and is extremely grateful to her for all her love and support that has allowed to find success at every turn.

Sr. Regional Planner at Bear River Association of Governments (BRAG)

BreAnna is a citizen planner with the Planning Commission in North Salt Lake City. Her interest in citizen planning began when she saw the various ways in which citizens and planners interface with a community, and that both are needed for communities to thrive. Empowering citizen planners to excel in their roles and effect change in their communities, through education, training, mentoring and collaboration motivates her to serve on the board of the Utah chapter of the American Planning Association.

Michael Florence works as the planning and economic development director for Lindon City where he enjoys helping this great community realize their planning goals. Previously, Michael was employed with the City of South Salt Lake as their Community and Economic Development Director. He received his Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Utah in 2008 where he graduated with Pi Alpha Alpha honors. His experience includes planning for commercial and residential development, redevelopment, master planning, and economic development. Michael’s personal interests include horseback riding, fly fishing and spending time with his wife and four children.  

Mark McGrath, AICP, is a special projects manager for the City of Taylorsville and an associate instructor at the University of Utah Department of City and Metropolitan Planning. Prior to his appointment at Taylorsville in 2000 he served as the City Planner for the City of Midvale for nine years. Mark is a graduate of the University of Utah and was certified by the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) in 2000.

Susie Petheram, AICP is a Senior Planner and Associate with FFKR in Salt Lake City, Utah. She enjoys working with communities to implement context-sensitive planning standards that promote sustainable development patterns. Susie helps her clients understand the value of their context and culture in planning for sustainable and resilient futures. Her planning projects focus on the analysis, planning, and design of multi-jurisdictional regions, cities, neighborhoods, downtown districts, historic neighborhoods and transit station areas. Susie is a PhD candidate in Metropolitan Planning, Policy, and Design at the University of Utah, where she is studying the relationships between transit and neighborhoods.

Todd Thorne is the Director of Building and Planning for Carbon County with over 10 years of experience working with rural communities in the eastern and central parts of the State. He enjoys working with small town planning commissions to help them solve issues that are unique to rural Utah. He has served as the Southeastern Regional Rep since 2019.