President’s Message – How are you showing up?

How are you showing up?

GPA is volunteer-led and volunteer-driven. If you are not yet active, consider how much your professional network and skills contribute to your life and work. Eric Bosman, AICP, GPA Past President, recently shared this: 

My involvement in GPA has created a tremendous network and kinship with planners across the State of Georgia that has enabled me to stay current on planning and technology trends, identify helpful resources, discuss ideas and opportunities with colleagues, and be energized by leaders and emerging leaders in our profession.

Your personal support of GPA is one of the best ways to engage planners and planning officials outside of your current organization. And, collaboration promotes good planning.

Here are some ways to engage:

• Help a committee. Chapter Services is looking for volunteers to help with communications, something all of us should be focused on.
• Contact your representatives and share why GPA’s policy priorities are important to you as a constituent and planning expert with long-term vision and policy solutions.
• Gather local colleagues to discuss if your community should host a spring conference focused on small towns and rural centers.
• Vote! Check your inbox for your APA ballot. Didn’t get your ballot? Now it’s a great time to login to planning.org to verify your email address (and make sure you paid your dues!). If you’ve changed jobs recently, did you update APA?
• Learn more about how zoning reform is a critical tool to boost housing supply. GPA just wrapped an inspiring visit to Chamblee with seven General Assembly members and DCA’s Deputy Commissioner Philip Gilman. At the fall conference, John Maximuk, Planning and Development Director for the City of Chamblee, will join me to share how the city is ahead of much of the state investing in mixed use redevelopment and housing supply thanks to forward-thinking plans and policy action. I hope to see you at our Placemaking as Resilience session. 
• Bring a colleague with you to the fall conference. See you in Savannah very soon!
• Read this Forbes article for an overview of national housing success stories.
• Follow #ItTakesAPlanner for more!

Whitney Shephard, PE
GPA President