Mentorship
Learning from the Best - Virtual Mentorship Event - Friday, February 14, 2025, 1 PM ET
On Friday, February 14, from 1:00 to 2:15 PM Eastern, the APA Urban Design and Preservation Division and Student Representatives Council will hold a virtual "speed mentoring" event for our Division student members and 2025 APA Student Planning and Design Competition participants. Space is limited, and registration is accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
We're pairing experienced urban design and planning practitioners with small student groups for three rounds of 20-minute conversations about informal topics like professional success, personal anecdotes, industry trends, best practices, and lessons learned. This mutually rewarding event, which lasts one and a half hours, helps the next generation of urban planners and designers learn from recognized leaders without the commitment of traditional mentorship programs.
We've assembled a stellar group of mentors with diverse experience in public and private sector planning.
Meg McMahan, Director of Planning, Minneapolis, MN
Janet Marie Smith, Executive Vice President of Planning and Development, Los Angeles Dodgers and Founder, Canopy Team, Los Angeles, CA
Yogesh Saoji, Principal and Global Planning Leader, DLR Group, New York City, NY
Jason Beske, Principal, Senior Urban Designer, Stantec, Washington, DC
Arash Ghahramani, Urban Designer, City of Frederick, MD
Rachel Smith, Urban Planner, The SmithGroup, Ann Arbor, MI
About the Program
Our division has created a new mentorship program for students and emerging professionals. In February 2024, the Division partnered with the APA Student Representatives Council. It held the pilot "Learning From the Best" virtual event, pairing six experienced urban design professionals with small groups of emerging professionals in a fast-paced virtual mentorship session. Stay tuned for future sessions!
If you have any questions or comments about the program, please contact Marcel Acosta, Immediate Past-Chair.