Alumni

Alumni in Planning, Policy, and Design

PPD alumni represent a diverse group of professionals, holding positions in both the private and public sector and bridging the gap between practice and academics. UC Irvine MURP alumni have built a strong reputation among employers throughout Southern California in fields that include transportation, housing, community development, environmental planning, land-use planning and other areas. PPD doctoral students pursue careers in academia, business, government, and research institutions. PPD grad students have taken tenure track jobs at highly regarded research universities and have interned for organizations that include the World Bank, the Orange County Business Council, the Public Policy Institute of California, and the University of California UC-DC program in Washington, D.C.

The following profiles demonstrate the variety of positions held by PPD alumni.

Wallace Walrod, Ph.D. 1999 Ph.D. alumnus Wallace Walrod Wallace Walrod is the managing partner of TCCG Tech Coast Consulting Group, a management consulting, strategic planning, and economic research firm based in Orange County that serves corporate, government, and nonprofit clients. He is also the founding president of the Center for a New Orange County, which plays a key role in shaping Orange County's economic future by leading a targeted countywide effort to design, plan and fund an integrated, cost-effective, state-of-the-art infrastructure system. He was formerly vice president in charge of research and communications at the Orange County Business Council.

Alia Hokuki, MURP 1996 MURP alumna Alia Hokuki Since graduating from UCI, Alia has been actively working as a consulting urban and environmental planner in Southern California, joining EDAW Inc. as an Associate Planner in 1999. In her current role, she has been able to capitalize on EDAW's global practice for providing developmental assistance back to her native Afghanistan. On a recent trip to Kabul, Alia provided pro bono services to the Afghanistan Ministry of Urban Development and Housing, creating housing typologies and work scopes to characterize the informal housing which comprise 70-80% of Kabul's urban fabric. Alia has been active in various professional organizations, raising awareness of humanitarian and developmental issues in Afghanistan.

Wendy Beattie, MURP 2004 MURP alumna Wendy Beattie Wendy Beattie is a community planner for Downtown Solutions, a division of Civic Solutions in San Juan Capistrano. As a community planner, she works to create public spaces and built environments that are safe, attractive and comfortable. At Downtown Solutions, her focus is on downtown revitalization. Beattie's recent experience includes designing safe pedestrian routes, visioning, zoning, revitalization and redevelopment projects. She co-authored the November 2003 National American Planning Association magazine article "How to Turn Alleys into Allies" with Al Zelinka, principal planner at RBF Consulting's Urban Design Studio.

Diane Nguyen, MURP 1995 MURP alumna Diane Nguyen Diane L. Nguyen, AICP, is the senior regional planner for the San Joaquin Council of Governments. Diane directs a staff of regional planners and oversees the Transportation Planning and Funding Division. She is responsible for monitoring over 200 federal transportation projects. Diane has allocated hundreds of millions in state and federal transportation funds to a diverse array of projects, ranging from bike lanes to $90-million highway improvements. Diane also prepares long-range, transportation corridor studies that identify the critically needed transportation improvements on state highways or major arterials over a 20-year period. Integral in her work is the development of transportation policy and innovative financing strategies.

Dave Peterson, MURP 1997 MURP alumnus Dave Peterson Dave Peterson is a management analyst with the Field Services Department, City of Santa Clarita. In this position, he helps to oversee public transit, facilities (such as public buildings, signage, and street trees) and environmental services (including solid waster, storm water, sustainable development, and green buildings). Dave administers all the day-to-day operations of the department, including all the work of the field services department, the department budget, and monitoring how the department works and communicates with other departments in the city.

George Avila, MURP 2002 MURP alumnus George Avila George Avila (MURP 2002) is the community program coordinator for the St. Joseph Health System (SJHS). In this position, George provides technical assistance for 15 hospitals located in California and Texas. Working for a nonprofit health care system, he is involved in addressing the medical needs of the community, and also in preventing illness and improving the quality of life of the communities served. As part of his job, George evaluates policies to address the needs of the poor and under-served in the communities served by SJHS. Recently, he conducted a system-wide assessment to study existing programs to treat limited English proficient patients at SJHS Hospitals. Recommendations from this report will be implemented system-wide.

Roxanne Ezzet-Lofstrom, Ph.D. 2002 Ph.D. alumna Roxanne Ezzet-Lofstrom Alumni Roxanne Ezzet-Lofstrom (Ph.D. 2002) is an assistant professor of economics, geography and political economy at the University of Texas at Dallas. Her research focuses on urban growth and the impact of development on quality of life. Dr. Ezzet-Lofstrom is currently conducting research on compensating differentials in land and labor markets, how homeowners and renters value their environment, the effect of homeowner associations on housing prices, and the extent to which high-skilled labor crowds out low-skilled workers from residing in desirable urban locations. Dr. Ezzet-Lofstrom was the recipient of the Urban Affairs Association and Sage Publications' 2002 Emerging Scholar Award, recognizing work that exemplifies commitment to research on significant urban issues.

Stacy Harwood, MURP 1994 MURP alumna Stacy Harwood Stacy Anne Harwood (MURP 1994) completed a Ph.D. in urban planning at the University of Southern California, and is now an assistant professor in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Professor Harwood's research explores participatory approaches to community development, diversity and the urban planning process, particularly in immigrant communities, and feminist analysis of the planning process.

Doug Jackson, MURP 1999 MURP alumnus Doug Jackson Doug Jackson (MURP 1999) is putting the experience and training he gained at UCI to work in California's Central Valley. As programs manager at the Great Valley Center in Modesto, Doug works with a variety of efforts to provide information, resources, and leadership development opportunities to communities in the 19-county region as they plan for the future. Some ongoing and recent projects include a scenario planning effort?the Valley Futures project, the State of the Great Central Valley Indicators series, the CATAPULT Youth Leadership program, and the Housing the Next 10 Million design competition and educational effort.

Kelly M. Koldus, MURP 2004 MURP aluma Kelly Koldus Kelly M. Koldus is currently employed by the city of Irvine, where she is an associate planner on the project entitlement team within the community development department. Her work includes the new village of Woodbury and several projects in Irvine Spectrum. Kelly's professional report, "Affordable Housing in Mountain Resort Towns: Policy Recommendations for June Lake, Mono County, CA," focused on the impacts of tourism on local populations. She intends to remain in the public sector, perhaps planning for state or national parks.