The decision to go into private practice and start a private consultancy came as much of a surprise to me as to anyone else. I honestly never saw myself as someone who would start their own business. I enjoy being part of an effective and dynamic team, and that’s hard to do when one is self-employed.

Sometimes life takes us in unexpected directions. Conversations with colleagues working in the planning field has led me to believe that I can have a positive impact on the discourse about a wide range of topics, from transit operations to urban design to goods movement policy. I’ve been working in the field for over 17 years, and before entering the workforce I was actively involved in advocacy and discussions about urban and transportation issues.

Through my travels and research, I’ve learned about and witnessed the wide range of approaches to urban planning, transportation planning, transit operations, urban design, architecture, public engagement, civil engineering, and environmental planning around the world. And I’ve concluded that there are fantastic solutions out there which are creative, equitable, receptive, functional, and often downright beautiful.

I want to help people to understand the world of possibilities which exist out there. So many of the problems faced by a city or organization have already been faced by another city or organization out there in the world. If we can learn from existing solutions and emulate them when feasible, we can give professionals and the public more time to focus on other issues.

Of course, deciding that one approach is better than another shouldn’t be left to personal preference or, worse yet, just vibes. Too often, such things are dependent upon individual personalities and arbitrary choices. With the right analytical tools, practitioners can assure that all decisions are evidence-based and defendable.

In the coming months, I plan to make regular posts on this blog which highlight examples of good projects, policies, and programs around the world. I hope that by showing what’s possible, I can play a small role in improving the discourse around urban and transportation planning and inspire people so they can create better cities, environments, and transportation networks.

In the meantime, if you think I could be a good addition to your project team or are looking for someone to find the right case studies for your project, please don’t hesitate to send me a message via the contact page.