Joel Mills is Senior Director of the Architect Foundation’s Communities by Design program. The program has catalyzed billions of dollars in sustainable development across the United States, helping to create some of the most vibrant places in America today. Joel’s 29-year career has been focused on strengthening civic capacity, public processes, and civic institutions. This work has helped millions of people participate in democratic processes, visioning efforts, and community planning initiatives. He has delivered presentations, training content, workshops, and public processes in over a dozen countries across 5 continents. 

In the United States, Joel has provided consultative services to hundreds of communities, leading participatory processes on the ground in over 100 communities across 38 states. His work has been featured in over 1,000 media stories. Joel has served on dozens of expert working groups, boards, juries, and panels focused on civic discourse and participation, sustainability, and democracy. He was a founding Board Member of the International Association for Public Participation’s United States Chapter. He has spoken at numerous international conferences concerning democratic urbanism and the role of democracy in urban success, including serving as the Co-Convener of the Remaking Cities Congress in 2013. Joel is an Academician of the Academy of Urbanism in London, UK. He is the author of numerous articles on the relationship between democracy, civic capacity and community.

Erin Simmons is Senior Director of Design Assistance for Communities by Design, a program of the Architects Foundation. For more than 18 years, Erin has provided technical assistance to hundreds of communities around the world, leading democratic planning processes and training workshops focused on empowering citizens to create equitable, sustainable, and resilient communities. Her work has been featured in hundreds of news articles and publications, and she has spoken extensively as a subject matter expert on the topics of participatory planning, sustainability, and community revitalization. 

Prior to her work with Communities by Design, Erin worked as historic preservationist and architectural historian for an environmental and engineering firm, where she practiced preservation planning, created historic district design guidelines and zoning ordinances, and conducted historic resource surveys. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Florida State University and a Master’s degree in Historic Preservation from the University of Georgia. Erin is an Academician of the Academy of Urbanism in London, UK.

JoAnne Fiebe is Division Director at Fairfax County’s Department of Economic Initiatives, with more than 20 years of experience in urban design, community revitalization, and place-led economic development. She currently leads efforts to advance public-private partnerships and previously helped transform some of the county’s mixed-use revitalization districts into sustainable, walkable, and economically vibrant communities. Her work includes repositioning county property for redevelopment, shaping policies and design guidelines, guiding long-range planning, and engaging communities through charrettes. She contributed to major initiatives such as the Mosaic District and the Richmond Highway Bus Rapid Transit project.

Outside of local government, JoAnne has worked as a residential and mixed-use developer, a researcher at the Center for Urban Transportation Research in Tampa, and co-founder of a non-profit, The Urban Charrette. She is also the prior owner of two businesses: a food truck and Harvest Solar, a solar installation company. JoAnne holds a Bachelors in Architecture from the University of Miami and a Masters in Urban and Community Design from the University of South Florida, where she also teaches as an adjunct faculty member. She is a member of the George Washington chapter of Lambda Alpha International and the Congress for New Urbanism. 

Taryn Sabia’s career in architecture and urban design is anchored by a passion to involve citizens in actively shaping the built environment. Her diverse background in architecture, urban design, education, and community engagement has provided a deep understanding of the importance of context-based design, mobility, resiliency, and culture of place, and how these elements inform the design of an urban framework. Professor Sabia is the Assistant Dean for Research in the College of Design, Art & Performance at the University of South Florida’s School of Architecture and Community Design and the Director of the Florida Center for Community Design and Research (FCCDR).

As a Research Associate Professor, she teaches graduate courses and studios on urban design policy, climate change and sustainability, urban form, urban transportation systems, and citizen involvement in urbanism. Her research is committed to the merging of design and civics, with focus on climate change adaptation, transit modes and public space. She has extensive experience building partnerships between community members, organizations, and government leaders, Professor Sabia has served as a Principal Investigator on more than 30 projects and advised numerous elected officials and local governments. 

Professor Sabia is a co-founder of the Tampa based non-profit, urban design collaborative, Urban Charrette, Inc. The organization is dedicated to educating community leaders and young professionals about sustainable urban design and empowering citizens to make their neighborhoods and cities better places to live. Professor Sabia has worked professionally in the field of architecture on projects related to mixed-use development, historic preservation, and downtown façade redevelopment programs. She has planned and facilitated over 150 public charrettes and workshops and has authored several articles about community engagement and urban design including a publication in the National Civic Review.

Professor Sabia led the Southeast Regional Mayor's Institute for City Design program in 2014 and 2017. She has presented numerous times at national and regional conferences and serves with professional organizations, such as the American Institute of Architects' Regional and Urban Design Leadership Group leading initiatives for the Active City Conference in 2017 and the Future of Urban Design Education Symposia.

Professor Sabia earned a Master of Urban and Community Design from the University of South Florida and a Master of Architecture from Rhode Island School of Design, where she was a Graduate Fellow for City-State: RISD's Urban Design Lab and served as a Senate Fellow to the Senior Policy Advisor for the Rhode Island Senate. She holds a Master's of Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a Bachelor's Degree in Visual Art from Eckerd College. 

Amber Egofske is an associate and architect at Alliiance, located in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  She focuses her work in the public studio where she thrives in multidisciplinary teams to create innovative and collaborative design solutions. Recent projects include Park visitor centers, a public service center, and interior renovation projects on buildings with historic character.  As an MDT volunteer, her enthusiasm lies in uncovering place-based discoveries that highlight the unique qualities of each community. Amber is also one of the current co-chairs of the Minnesota Design Team. 

Richard Baker is a seasoned leader in economic and community development with over two decades of experience revitalizing organizations, managing strategic initiatives, and fostering public-private partnerships across the Midwest. He has served in key roles for cities, chambers of commerce, and economic development organizations, driving projects in housing, broadband, tourism, and business incubation. With a BA in Public Relations and certifications in Nonprofit Management and Economic Development, Richard blends creative problem-solving with data-driven planning to enhance local economies and community well-being. His collaborative approach and proven track record make him a trusted catalyst for sustainable growth and civic engagement.  Richard is one of the current co-chairs of the Minnesota Design Team. 

DeeDee LeMier is an Extension Educator specializing in Community Economics, agritourism, and sustainable tourism development in rural areas. DeeDee leverages mobile data and cross-sector partnerships to develop resources and workshops that serve the unique needs of highly seasonal tourism economies. Her work not only contributes to the economic vitality of small communities but also strengthens the bonds among residents and celebrates the distinctive local culture. She is currently serving as a co-chair elect for the Minnesota Design Team. DeeDee holds a Master of Business Administration degree and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Studies from Hamline University.  Outside work, you will find her exploring the outdoors with her family, relaxing by the lake, or playing whist with anyone willing to learn the game.  

Gary Gaston is the CEO of the Nashville Civic Design Center, and serves as Assistant Professor of Practice at the University of Tennessee Knoxville College of Architecture + Design. He received his Bachelor of Architecture from UTK, and a M.Ed. in Community Development and Action from Vanderbilt. Gaston helped lead numerous planning and design efforts for the Civic Design Center during his nearly 20-year tenure, including its visionary The Plan of Nashville: Avenues to a Great City, published in 2005. Gaston served as executive producer of the National Endowment for the Arts funded documentary film Design Your Neighborhood, and co-authored two books, Moving Tennessee Forward: Models for Connecting Communities (2012), and Shaping the Healthy Community: The Nashville Plan, published by Vanderbilt University Press in 2016.  Gaston is a TEDx Nashville Fellow, his talk on “Improving Public Health Through Community Design” can be viewed here. He was named 2022 “Leader of the Year” by the Young Leaders Council. He received the Tau Sigma Delta Honor Society Silver Medal “for extraordinary efforts to advance the field of design in the region” in 2016, and was recognized as a “Next American Vanguard” by Next City Magazine in 2010. Gaston is a native of West Tennessee where serves as the beekeeper for his family farm. He is passionate about preservation and enhancement of public spaces and expanding opportunities for youth through design-based education in public schools. Gaston serves on the Board of Directors of The District and is a member of the Rotary Club of Nashville. 

Wayne Feiden is Director of the Center for Resilient Metro-Regions and Lecturer of Practice at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he focuses on assisting communities in placemaking, resilience, downtown revitalization, housing, economic development, transportation, open space preservation, regulatory streamlining, and community engagement. Previously he was Director of Planning and Sustainability for Northampton. He led that city to earn a LEED for Cities GOLD rating and the nation’s first Five-STAR Communities rating for sustainability.

Wayne's publications include five American Planning Association PAS reports: Strategic Planning, Planning Management, Assessing Sustainability, Planning for On-Site and Decentralized Wastewater Treatment, and Performance Guarantees, as well as other peer-reviewed and research papers. Wayne’s Eisenhower Fellowship to Hungary, Fulbright specialists to South Africa and to New Zealand, German Marshall Fund Fellowship to Europe (2015), State Department Fellowship Exchanges to Indonesia and Malaysia, and Bellagio Residency in Italy all focused on planning and resilience. 

Wayne has a BS in Natural Resources from the University of Michigan and a Master of City and Regional Planning from the University of North Carolina. 

Charles is Partner-in-Charge of Collaborative Planning with communities and stakeholders from all backgrounds and sectors. He leads JTP’s dedicated community planning team, managing and facilitating co-design processes around the UK and internationally that combine both in-person and online activities to ensure that everyone is able to participate. 

Internationally, Charles has co-led a cooperative regional planning Charrette in Auroville, India; community Charrettes as part of the Scottish Government’s Charrette mainstreaming programme in Girvan, Wick and Thurso; several Charrette processes in Sweden, and an international multi-disciplinary team through three Charrette processes to plan an eco-resort in Tanjung Ringitt, Indonesia. Charles’ book entitled ’20/20 Visions: Collaborative Planning and Placemaking’, published by RIBA Publishing was a finalist in the Urban Design Group Book Award 2019. In 2009, he travelled to San Diego to accept the International Association of Public Participation Project of the Year Award 2009 for Scarborough Renaissance. Charles is an Academician of the Academy of Urbanism and a Design Council Expert (Specialist). He has lectured at various universities and spoken at a range of international conferences and seminars including The Academy of Urbanism Quality Life, Beautiful City conference in Hangzhou March 2018, The American Institute of Architects Conference in San Diego in 2018, and the Remaking Cities Congress in Pittsburgh 2013. He has contributed to various publications, including drafting ‘Collaborative Planning for All’, published by Civic Voice in 2015. 

Enhancing people’s experience of public spaces through the strengths of technology and data has been at the heart of Jo’s work for 20+ years. By embracing inclusive participatory practices, such as co-design and community engagement, she hopes to create healthier neighbourhoods for all. 

Jo co-authored the Engagement Overlay to the Royal Institute of British Architects' Plan of Work; providing guidance on engagement across a project's lifecycle, to promote best practice and ensure the most successful and collaborative outcomes.