I clearly remember the day that I received a call from MIT faculty notifying me of my acceptance into the Master of City Planning (MCP) program. I could not believe that a department within the illustrious MIT (and I do not say that facetiously), the epitomic bastion of computer geeks, rocket scientists and the like selected me for its MCP program. Moreover, the path that led me to that moment was somewhat accidental. My interest in urban planning, though earnest and fervent today, was not grounded in even the slightest exposure to urban planning or urban design in my pre-MIT life.
I clearly remember the day that I received a call from MIT faculty notifying me of my acceptance into the Master of City Planning (MCP) program. I could not believe that a department within the illustrious MIT (and I do not say that facetiously), the epitomic bastion of computer geeks, rocket scientists and the like selected me for its MCP program. Moreover, the path that led me to that moment was somewhat accidental. My interest in urban planning, though earnest and fervent today, was not grounded in even the slightest exposure to urban planning or urban design in my pre-MIT life.
I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Chicago. Graduating in 1998, I spent the next ten years in a number of different positions, but my most significant experience was in financial services. I worked in Information Technology Training at Morgan Stanley in New York City between 2001 and 2006, and specifically as a Training Specialist for four of the five years I was there. My group focused on curriculum development and management for programmers in the firm; my myriad responsibilities included reporting, logistics management, marketing and some client relationship and curriculum management. At the end of 2006, I moved to Baltimore, where I held a number of temporary assignments, some good and some not so good. I always planned to pursue a graduate education; however, the dearth of job opportunities, given my experience, made the pursuit of an advanced degree urgent.
I heavily pursued business school in previous years. In my last pursuit (there were a couple), I was advised to try to get into business school via a "backdoor" method, applying to one school – public policy school in particular – and applying to business school once I was there. Why public policy school? My personal advisor, a graduate of public policy school and my husband, thought my chances of getting into a public policy program were good. With this advice and a new fire in my belly, I started to research public policy schools and stumbled upon a Master of Public Policy/Urban Planning program at that other school in Cambridge. I became intrigued and even excited by the topics covered in its urban planning program and about urban planning in general.
As a native of Brooklyn, New York, I observed how previously unpopular neighborhoods in Brooklyn went through urban revitalization and in the process, lost affordable housing along with the people who needed it. I debated with friends and colleagues about the similar fates of neighborhoods, such as Harlem and the Lower East Side in Manhattan. These processes of urban renewal and the shrinkage of affordable housing were fascinating, and I found a basis for study of these phenomena in urban planning programs. As they say, the rest is history.
As a new convert, I look forward to developing the vocabulary of and knowledge base about urban planning and planning theory, and housing and community development. I also look forward to developing technical skills, such as finance that will be very useful in housing development. However, the most valuable aspects of my experience at MIT, will be the discourse I will have with classmates and faculty, and the practical experience I will gain doing work with organizations in the field. This will give me the basis from which I can confidently challenge, influence and lead as an urban planner.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie
