Dr. Jess Lucero is the Chair of the Social Work Department at Utah State University where she teaches community practice courses and conducts community-based research on issues related to housing access, affordability, and insecurity. Her work has been published in planning journals like Urban Affairs Review and Housing Studies. She serves on Logan City’s Planning […]
Jake Powell, MSLA, is the GNAR Initiative Lead, Assistant Professor, and Extension Specialist in the Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning Department at Utah State University. He is a native of Utah, and received his Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from Utah State University, and his Master of Science in Landscape Architecture from Penn State University. In […]
Planning experience includes Weber County (3 years), Vernal City / Uintah County (4 years), Community Development Director for St George City 1985 – 2014, planning consultant to various small cities since 2014. Was a member of AICP for approximately 35 years.
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 and the past […]
Cody Lutz joined Envision Utah in 2018 and has worked on research, analysis, stakeholder and public engagement, and land-use modeling for several Envision Utah Projects. He acted as the lead modeler for the Valley Visioning county-wide planning process and managed the visioning and public engagement for the Blueprint Jordan River. Living through nearly 10 years […]
Laura Hanson, AICP was appointed in 2024 to serve as Governor Cox’s Senior Advisor for Long-Range Planning, expanding and elevating her role as State Planning Coordinator within the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget. She has nearly 25 years of experience as a professional planner in both the public and private sectors, and is working towards […]
Ted is the Chief Planner and Deputy Director at the Wasatch Front Regional Council (WFRC), the Metropolitan Planning Organization for greater Salt Lake City, Utah. Ted has dedicated his career to forging strongly supported, coordinated plans among communities, the private sector, and government agencies, aiming to enhance shared quality of life and sustainability. While serving […]
Jake’s emphasis in planning is bringing organizations together for collaboration and consensus-building through providing leadership on difficult projects. Jake has a solid understanding of large master-planned communities, regional planning, site design, buildings, landscape architecture, and urban planning. Jake has a BA in Spanish (USU) and Masters in Landscape Architecture (MLA). Past experience includes regional planning, […]
Wilf Sommerkorn retired in 2019 after a 40-year career which included directing planning in Salt Lake County, Salt Lake City, Davis County, and Centerville City. He was also adjunct professor of urban planning at the University of Utah, where he taught a class in the politics of planning, something every planner should know! Wilf has […]
Steve has been employed with West Valley City for 29 years, assumed the Planning Director position in 2010, and was made the Community Development Director in 2021. Steve began his career in planning as an intern for West Valley, Utah’s second largest city, and worked his way through the ranks. He has been heavily involved […]
Soren Simonsen is the Executive Director of the Jordan River Commission, an Interlocal Agency he worked to establish in 2010. The Commission is comprised of 30 local, regional and state government agencies, together with community partners, working to conserve, preserve, restore and improve the 50-mile Jordan River Parkway in Utah. Soren is a planner, urban designer, […]
Steve Waldrip is a member of the Utah House of Representatives, representing State House District 8, which is comprised of the Ogden Valley and much of the east bench of Ogden, South Ogden, and Harrisville. He lives in Eden in the Ogden Valley with his wife and four sons. He was elected in November 2018, […]
