Professional Experience
04/11/2011 to Present
Riverside University Health System-Public Health
Healthy Communities Urban and Regional Planner IV
Under this Senior/Principal level of leadership, I provide land use planning expertise for the Riverside University Health System-Public Health and community partners to improve health outcomes in Riverside County and beyond. In this capacity, I lead a lean team of professionals advancing the Riverside County Health Initiative’s healthy planning goals and managed the multimillion-dollar Building Healthy Communities grant funded by The California Endowment (TCE) in the eastern Coachella Valley site.
Riverside University Health System-Public Health
Healthy Communities Urban and Regional Planner IV
Under this Senior/Principal level of leadership, I provide land use planning expertise for the Riverside University Health System-Public Health and community partners to improve health outcomes in Riverside County and beyond. In this capacity, I lead a lean team of professionals advancing the Riverside County Health Initiative’s healthy planning goals and managed the multimillion-dollar Building Healthy Communities grant funded by The California Endowment (TCE) in the eastern Coachella Valley site.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
Riverside County Health Initiative
Riverside County Health Initiative
- Contributor to the Riverside County General Plan Health Element
- Managed development and deployment of the Healthy Development Checklist
- Working with 28 jurisdictions to adopt a healthy city resolution, a health element into the general plan and a healthy city initiative in collaboration with the Riverside County Health Coalition, the Western Riverside Council of Governments and the Coachella Valley Association of Governments
- Riverside County Healthy City Network Co-Chair
- Organizer of numerous healthy communities planning workshops and trainings
- Managed the Health Impact Assessment for CV Link
- Main proponent for the development of the National Healthy Communities Platform
- Developed Planners4Health California
- City of Palm Desert, Riverside and La Quinta Go Human Advisory Committee
- Healthy San Jacinto Advisory Committee Member
- Building Healthy Communities-Eastern Coachella Valley
- Collaborated with the City of Coachella in the preparation of the General Plan Health and Wellness Element
- Created the award-winning Land Use Planning Awareness Project (LUPA) designed to bring healthy communities knowledge to high school students and community members
- Advocate for a Bus Shelter Program for the eastern Coachella Valley in collaboration with various community health advocates
- Active Transportation Planning (ATP)
- Main author of two successful ATP grant applications for the City of Indio and for the eastern Coachella Valley
- ATP implementation team member
- Riverside County Active Transportation Network C0-Chair
- Souther California Association of Government's Advisor for the Go Human Campaign and the Environmental Justice Working Group
- Conference Organizer, Speaker and Moderator at various national, state, regional and local conferences, and meetings including:
- American Planning Association
- Local Government Commission
- U.S. Green Building Council
- Urban Land Institute
- UCLA Land Use Law Conference
- Southern California Association of Governments
- HEAL City (Riverside)
05/15/2009 to 04/08/2011
United States Marine Corps at MCAGCC (Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center)
Twenty-nine Palms, CA
Contract Community Planner/ Geographic Information Systems Analyst
Provided planning, technical and programmatic support in regards to the "Quality of Life Improvements" and "Basic Facilities Requirements" (BFR's). Duties included implementation and interpretation of the Master Plan, the U.S. Department of the Navy UFC 2-000-05N (Unified Facilities Criteria), Category Codes and Base Exterior Architectural Plan. Coordination with Public Works Branch officials, the Environmental Division, military clients and consultants with respect to site plan implementation, construction and compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
Addendum to the Master Plan-Old Camp Redevelopment Plan
United States Marine Corps at MCAGCC (Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center)
Twenty-nine Palms, CA
Contract Community Planner/ Geographic Information Systems Analyst
Provided planning, technical and programmatic support in regards to the "Quality of Life Improvements" and "Basic Facilities Requirements" (BFR's). Duties included implementation and interpretation of the Master Plan, the U.S. Department of the Navy UFC 2-000-05N (Unified Facilities Criteria), Category Codes and Base Exterior Architectural Plan. Coordination with Public Works Branch officials, the Environmental Division, military clients and consultants with respect to site plan implementation, construction and compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
Addendum to the Master Plan-Old Camp Redevelopment Plan
- Project Manager for the Old Camp Redevelopment Plan (Addendum to the Master Plan) for future long range community services and administrative expansion (five to ten years)
- Prepared DD1391 forms and documentation including cost analysis, justification findings and site plans for six projects within MCAGCC.
08/18/2003 to 01/15/2009
Hogle-Ireland Inc. (Now MIG)
Riverside, CA
Associate Planner
Provided contract services primarily to the County of Riverside Planning Department. Managed over 300 of the most complex land use entitlement projects ranging from multimillion-dollar master planned and commercial centers to code enforcement compliance in Menifee. This area plan is presently incorporated as the City of Menifee (as of October 1, 2008) and encompasses approximately 50 square miles and is the hometown of about 60,000 residents. Additional experience includes entitlement services to private sector clients and project management assignments for the cities of Murrieta and Perris, CA.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
Riverside County Integrated Project—2009 General Plan Update
City of Menifee Transition
County of Riverside Planning Department
Hogle-Ireland Inc. (Now MIG)
Riverside, CA
Associate Planner
Provided contract services primarily to the County of Riverside Planning Department. Managed over 300 of the most complex land use entitlement projects ranging from multimillion-dollar master planned and commercial centers to code enforcement compliance in Menifee. This area plan is presently incorporated as the City of Menifee (as of October 1, 2008) and encompasses approximately 50 square miles and is the hometown of about 60,000 residents. Additional experience includes entitlement services to private sector clients and project management assignments for the cities of Murrieta and Perris, CA.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
Riverside County Integrated Project—2009 General Plan Update
- Successfully persuaded the Planning Department's Advance Planning Team and the Department of Public Health to include an Arts and Culture Section in the Healthy Communiites Element as part of the 2009 General Plan Update.
- Participated as advisor to the Healthy Communities Element committee providing resources and pro-active language as the basis for program development and implementation.
City of Menifee Transition
- Provided project management support to the City of Menifee Planning Department resulting in a smooth transition from the County of Riverside's jurisdiction.
- Delivered the first recommendation for approval to the newly-formed City Council for an 87,462 square foot commercial development.
County of Riverside Planning Department
- Represented the Planning Department as the Area Planner for the Sun City/Menifee Valley Area Plan serving as liaison between various public agencies and other parties (individuals, community groups, Native American tribes, sections, divisions, departments and regional or state agencies) to review and to discuss various technical or legal aspects of projects, many of which were controversial or politically sensitive.
- Managed over 300 entitlement applications for the most technically challenging general plan amendments, specific plans, specific plan amendments, zoning changes, conditional use permits, public use permits, variances, plot plan approvals, subdivision approvals, final site of development and CEQA compliance. Applicants and projects included:
- K. Hovnanian: A master-planned community of active adults (age-restricted living) on 354 acres to include single and multi-family residential uses, a business-park and open space areas for parks, greenbelts, roadways, natural open space, and flood control facilities.
- Pac Ten Partners: The Junction at Menifee: A life-style commercial center featuring Costco and the Home Depot on 54 acres. The development included numerous pedestrian oriented features such as paseos, wide sidewalks, open plazas, water features, public art and historical architecture.
- Successfully negotiated with applicants and their consultants the integration of meaningful urban design features that promote sense of community, sense of place, sense of belonging and sense of pride without compromising cost and/or functionality. Site specific design elements included the incorporation of public spaces such as parks and plazas; appropriate and in-demand uses such as child care centers and elements to enhance community value through the provision of public art, climate appropriate landscaping and innovative architecture.
- Provided expertise to evaluate the environmental impact level of significance on more than 250 projects in accordance to Federal, State and local mandates.
- Recommended legislative actions for over 50 cases before the Planning Commission. Each case required the preparation of a staff report, an environmental assessment (EA), conditions of approval, a mitigation plan and a public hearing presentation.
- Redesigned the Final Site of Development guidelines, resulting in a cost and time effective plan check process.
- Assisted the Planning Director in the creation of a Public Art program as part of the implementation strategy of the Context Sensitive Design Guidelines.
- Trained and mentored six entry-level planners.
08/02/2001 to 07/15/2003
Western Riverside Council of Governments
Riverside, CA
Staff Analyst/Solid Waste Coordinator
Program management assistance and technical expertise to the WRCOG's member organization to ensure that members met their waste diversion requirements as mandated per AB939 of 1989. The Cleanest County in the West Campaign was the umbrella covering the Litter Abatement Program, the Reduce, Reuse, Recycling Program, the Used Motor Oil Recycling Program and the Household Hazardous Waste Disposal Program. Community outreach was the core of the program's social marketing implementation strategy. Monitored and evaluated program activities and budget expenditures.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
Cleanest County in the West Campaign
Western Riverside Council of Governments
Riverside, CA
Staff Analyst/Solid Waste Coordinator
Program management assistance and technical expertise to the WRCOG's member organization to ensure that members met their waste diversion requirements as mandated per AB939 of 1989. The Cleanest County in the West Campaign was the umbrella covering the Litter Abatement Program, the Reduce, Reuse, Recycling Program, the Used Motor Oil Recycling Program and the Household Hazardous Waste Disposal Program. Community outreach was the core of the program's social marketing implementation strategy. Monitored and evaluated program activities and budget expenditures.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
Cleanest County in the West Campaign
- Large venue events. Attended large venue events throughout Western Riverside County. Direct interaction with community members promoting sustainable practices through the distribution of promotional recycling-content materials and literature.
- School assemblies. Conducted assemblies at public elementary educational institutions
- Designed and implemented interactive, fun and memorable presentations custom-made for different age groups.
- Clean up events. Organized and led community clean up events in blighted areas.
- Used motor oil recycling and household hazardous waste program. Designed a bilingual media campaign, which included development of bilingual materials such as brochures, radio and television ads, newspaper press releases and promotional materials. Promoted and provided technical support to over 50 used motor oil collection centers in the region.
08/30/2000 to 04/30/2001
Planning and Environmental Solutions LLC
Temecula, CA
Planning Intern
Conducted research that included the collection and analysis of data from Environmental Impact Reports and Environmental Assessments. The goal was to evaluate significant cumulative impacts on air quality, biological resources, water supply, traffic and transit; as well as growth inducement aspects of suburban development in the southwest region of Riverside County.
Planning and Environmental Solutions LLC
Temecula, CA
Planning Intern
Conducted research that included the collection and analysis of data from Environmental Impact Reports and Environmental Assessments. The goal was to evaluate significant cumulative impacts on air quality, biological resources, water supply, traffic and transit; as well as growth inducement aspects of suburban development in the southwest region of Riverside County.