APA is proud to name the winners of the 2012 National Planning Excellence Awards. Planners and others responsible for the 14 projects selected for outstanding planning and advocacy will be honored during APA's 2012 National Planning Conference in Los Angeles and featured in the April issue of Planning.
Among the winners is Planetizen Interchange blogger Leonardo Vazquez, who was selected for the "Advancing Diversity & Social Change in Honor of Paul Davidoff" award: "Vazquez is the head of three centers at Rutgers University's of Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Policy, where he teaches students how to diagnose problems and create solutions for multi-ethnic communities. He is the author of Leading from the Middle: Strategic Thinking and Planning and Community Development for Professionals and co-editor of the forthcoming Dialogos: Placemaking in Latino Communities. Vazquez played a key role in the conception of APA's Latinos and Planning Division, and is co-founder of the Planners for Ethnic and Cultural Diversity Committee for APA's New York Metro Chapter, which is helping other chapters establish diversity councils."
The 2012 National Planning Awards jury was co-chaired by Marie L. York, FAICP and Ann C. Bagley, FAICP.
