Mitchell Silver, FAICP 
Special Advisor
McAdams
Mitchell is a special advisor with McAdams, a land planning and design company. He provides advisory services in urban planning, parks, and public space planning. He is an award-winning planner with over 40 years of experience and is internationally recognized for his leadership and contributions to contemporary planning issues. He is a prolific public speaker specializing in urban planning, placemaking, and implementation strategies. Before joining McAdams, Mitchell served as the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation commissioner, Chief Planning Officer in Raleigh, NC, and president of the American Planning Association and the American Institute of Certified Planners. Mitchell is one of the nation’s most celebrated urban thinkers. He was selected to Planetizen’s (PLAN-NET-TI-ZEN) list of the 100 Most Influential Urbanists in the world. In addition, he has been honored as one of the top 100 City Innovators in the world by UBM Future Cities, and the Urban Times named him one of the top international thought leaders of the built environment. Mitchell is an honorary Fellow of the Planning Institute of Australia. He teaches urban planning at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Session(s):
Ethics Cases of the Year »
2025 APA UT Fall Conference, October 9, 2025 3:00 pmMitchell J. Silver challenges planners to see ethics not as abstract rules but as a compass and rudder guiding daily practice. Drawing on the AICP Code of Ethics, allied professions, and his own reflections, Silver emphasizes that planners must be their values—living them, rather than merely citing them. This engaging session invites planners to reconnect with the core purpose of their work: advancing the public good with integrity and clarity.
A Way Forward: Urban Design Roles, Tools, and Imaginations »
2025 APA UT Fall Conference, October 9, 2025 1:45 pmUrban design practice is changing rapidly, and planners are part of that shift. This session explores the expanding definition of the “urban designer” to include planners, policymakers, data scientists, and community advocates. Panelists will share how they’re integrating regenerative design, DEI commitments, and emerging technologies to harness the power of public imagination in shaping future-ready cities. Participants will reflect on their roles as “indirect designers” and consider how their work informs the design of the city, whether through zoning, infrastructure investment, or community engagement. It’s time to embrace design as a shared responsibility—and a powerful tool for change.
From Plan to Action: Implementation Strategies for Planners »
2025 APA UT Fall Conference, October 9, 2025 11:30 amPlanning and implementation should be seamless. Too often, plans fall short because of implementation strategies that overpromise and underdeliver, neglect agency buy-in, lack staff and funding resources, priorities change due to new political leadership, unrealistic timelines, and transformative projects are not vetted to ensure there is adequate infrastructure to execute the idea. This session will provide insights and tips on developing an implementation strategy to transition from planning to action.
Keynote: Planning with Purpose »
2025 APA UT Fall Conference, October 9, 2025 9:00 amWhat is our purpose as planners? Emerging trends and the convergence of global disruptions, such as political polarization, policy, and legislative mandates, have altered how we plan, design, and build places. What does our Code of Ethics tell us about our purpose, values, and principles as planners? What is the value of planning? Join me as I share my reflections on how to plan with purpose and how planners need to be at the forefront of managing growth and change.
= Keynote
