APA/LeadershipPlenty is designed and taught by professionals with extensive experience in urban planning, community development and leadership development.

Trainer:

Leonardo Vazquez, AICP/PP, APA/LeadershipPlenty Director: He is an Instructor at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. Previously, he was a Managerof Online Communication at the Robert J. Milano Graduate School at New School University and a co-chair of the APA's Planners for Ethnic and Cultural Diversity Committee. He is also a community planning and nonprofit management consultant . He is the author of Lagging Behind: Ethnic Diversity of the Planning Profession in the APA Metro New York Chapter. He created and edited the Milano Nonprofit Management Knowledge Hub and the Milano MiX: Management Information Exchange, two knowledge sharing sites for nonprofit managers.

At Bloustein, Leo teaches History and Theory of Planning. As an adjunct instructor at Milano Graduate School, he has taught City Planning, Community Development, Managerial Communications and Managing with Emerging Technologies. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from Northwestern University, and Master of Planning and Master of Public Administration degrees from the University of Southern California.

Contributors:

Jennifer Price, Associate Director, APA/LeadershipPlenty (New York): Jennifer recently obtained her Masters Degree in Organizational Change Management with Milano Graduate School. She has professional experience in cross-cultural training and has worked for organizations such as Berlitz Cross-Cultural and Prudential Global Workforce Development Group. Working with Leo and Karen, Jennifer helped to customize the LeadershipPlenty curriculum for community development and planning professionals.

Enrique Garcia-Bejar, Principal, Bejar Consulting Group
Enrique Garcia-Bejar consults APA/LeadershipPlenty coaches and is designing a training program for APA/LeadershipPlenty Coaches. He provides diversity, leadership and career coaches to a variety of clients, from executives to major health organizations. He is a Lecturer at New York University, where he teaches Designing and Implementing Career-Related Workshops.

Karen Phillips, New York City Planning Commissioner: Karen is a member of the New York City Planning Commission and former CEO of Abyssinian Development Corporation, a Harlem-based CDC that she founded. Karen holds an M.L.A. from the Graduate School of Design, Harvard University and is currently on the JPMorganChase Community Advisory Board and was recently appointed by NYC Mayor Bloomberg as his representative to the board of the Studio Museum in Harlem. She is also a member of the Abyssinian Baptist Church and a resident of Harlem.

Leonard Garcia-Duran, Director, Staten Island Office, New York City Department of City Planning
Leonard Garcia-Duran is an experienced manager and planner. Before joining City Planning, he was the Planning Manager for the Central Dallas Association handling urban design and community outreach issues for the city's downtown business group. He majored in business at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School and did his graduate work in community and regional planning at the University of Texas in Austin.

John Phillips, Independent Consultant
John is an urban planner and architect with many years of public service in senior administrative positions, primarily with the New York City Department of City Planning -- first as Deputy Director of the Manhattan Office and then as Director of the Bronx Office. In those positions he was responsible for long range land use planning, as well as major neighborhood revitalization and preservation initiatives. Professionally and personally, he has been actively involved in community change through public participation, including service as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Micronesia and as an advocacy planner in Harlem. Now retired from public service, he applies his skills to organizations whose missions can be advanced by his experience and background.