Metropolitan Planning Council

✍️ In this blog post, Senior Director Audrey Wennink explains how MPC helped navigate the winding road to legislative changes for improved traffic safety. 🚗 🚙 Read the blog below and visit Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning "Safe Travel for All" project page linked at the end of the article to see how you can get involved.

In case you missed it, MPC Board Vice Chair Meena Beyers was recently showcased in Crain's Chicago Business "People On The Move" section. 👍 Well-deserved!

Just in case you missed it, we're pleased to share that MPC Board Chair MANNY FLORES was recently recognized in Crain's Chicago Business "People On The Move." 👏

MPC Senior Director Ryan Wilson contributed an opinion piece to Crain's Chicago Business Forum on winter climate changes. In this commentary, Ryan discusses how dry winter months compound the challenge of managing our region’s water resources for the people and ecosystems that depend on them. We invite you to read the full article at the link below:

What can Chicago learn from the German transit experience? 🚆 In this blog, Senior Director Audrey Wennink reflects on her trip to Munich and Berlin where she discovered what it took to build their excellent, integrated regional transit system. Also taking part in the learning tour was Illinois State Representative Eva-Dina Delgado and Erin Aleman, Executive Director of Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning. We invite you to read the full post at the link below:

Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC) is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to shaping a better, bolder, more equitable future for everyone. We are building our Marketing Communications team with two full-time positions. Ideal candidates are creative, detail-oriented and have strong digital media, design and project management skills with experience in marketing, communications, public relations, advertising or a related field. Application deadline is February 17, 2025 at 8:00 am. Find out more and apply here: https://ow.ly/x3Rm50UO8jt

We are pleased to announce that Kate Mackie has joined the MPC team as a Research Assistant supporting the Zoning and Land Use Assessment Project. Skilled in GIS and geospatial analysis, Kate is motivated to continue advancing data-driven, multidisciplinary insights toward sustainable urban solutions in her work at MPC. 🌟 Welcome, Kate! 👏

MPC's Emma Boczek shared her conversation with Chakena D. Perry in a recent blog post. Chakena discussed how her work has evolved since the MPC 2024 "A Vision for Water" 💧 panel event, in which she participated last May during #ChicagoWaterWeek. In this interview, Chakena provides insights about water happenings through the lens of NRDC's work, and also what is being considered with the change in federal administration. 👁️🗨️ Read the blog here: https://lnkd.in/e8M8aPqD

STAFF SPOTLIGHT: Audrey Wennink 🌟🌟 Get to know MPC Senior Director Audrey Wennink (she/her) below! How long have you been at MPC❓ ➡️ Eight years Which team(s) or projects do you support❓ ➡️ Transportation and Equitable Transit-Oriented Development Share any (associate) boards, steering committees, task forces, coalitions, and volunteer roles you take on ❗ ➡️ WTS Advisory Board; I have planned my neighborhood block party for 17 years. Where do you call home❓ ➡️ Lakeview What do you love most about our region❓ ➡️ Chicago is the best big city in America. It is one of few U.S. cities with many walkable neighborhoods and an extensive transit network. I love to take advantage of Chicago’s massive cultural amenities. I also really appreciate the open space provided by the lakefront, river and parks. What’s something that most people don’t know about you❓ ➡️ I love to knit! What keeps you motivated in your work ❓ ➡️ I'm inspired to create walkable places where people can feel like they are part of a community, where they easily can integrate physical activity into their daily lives, where they don’t need to own a car and can spend their money on other things, like at local shops and restaurants, or going on vacation! What's one of your favorite local restaurants or cafes? What do you order there ❓ ➡️ I love the "Bad Boy Buddha" at Crisp – 2940 N Broadway – they have Korean barbeque and Buddha bowls. X @awennink, Bluesky @awennink

We are excited to announce that Emily Bloom-Carlin has joined the MPC team as a Director! Emily will support MPC's Housing and Community Development work. Emily joins MPC with a decade of experience developing housing policy solutions in the Chicago region, most recently at The Preservation Compact and Shriver Center on Poverty Law. 👏 Welcome, Emily!