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Carlo is Senior Vice President, Planning and Design of CreateTO (Retired). He is a Registered Professional Planner with extensive experience in municipal land use planning. Carlo teaches at Toronto Metropolitan University and is a member of both the Canadian Institute of Planners and the Ontario Professional Planners Institute. Carlo received his Bachelor of Environmental Studies from the University of Waterloo and his Masters of Environmental Studies from York University.
Karen, Ph.D., is Director of the School of Cities and Professor of Geography and Planning at the University of Toronto. Her books include Planning Sustainable Cities and Regions: Towards More Equitable Development (which won the John Friedmann Book Award) and Transit-Oriented Displacement or Community Dividends? Understanding the Effects of Smarter Growth on Communities. In 2015, Karen founded the Urban Displacement Project and in 2022, the Downtown Recovery Project. Karen received the 2023 Regional Studies Association’s Sir Peter Hall Award for Lifetime Contribution to the Field, and is a Professor Emerita of City and Regional Planning at the University of California, Berkeley.
Jamie is a managing partner with Watson & Associates Economists Ltd. (Watson), specializing in land use planning and land economics. During his career, he has worked primarily with public sector clients on a variety of projects. Over the past 25 years with Watson, Jamie has been a key player in developing the firm’s expertise in several core areas, including demographics, growth management, employment lands needs, economic impact analysis, housing, real estate market analysis and municipal finance. In addition to his technical expertise, Jamie has an extensive background in the policy and legislative framework surrounding land use planning and municipal finance matters.
Melissa is the Director of Development Services for the Town of Gravenhurst. She has been with the Town for five years, and spent the first 15 years of her career with the District of Muskoka. Melissa is a member of the Governance and Public Relations Committee of OPPI and also volunteers her time with CIP. Melissa is dedicated to the growth and development of the future of our profession by not only mentoring candidate members but also teaching introductory planning courses to those new to the field. In her spare time you can find her in her garden or paddling on one of Muskoka's gorgeous lakes.
Luisa is an Associate Professor of Planning and the Director of the City Institute at York University. She teaches courses on community planning, housing and urban governance. Her current and recent funded projects examine (1) the private construction of government-sponsored low-cost housing in the form of mass-produced apartment towers at the urban fringes of three Colombian cities; (2) emergency housing planning in Toronto and neighbourhood opposition to the siting of new shelter facilities; and (3) postsecondary students’ access to affordable housing in Toronto and the impact of large student concentrations in near-campus rental markets.
Keisha St. Louis-McBurnie is a planner, researcher and writer practicing in Toronto, Ontario. Her work focuses on understanding and documenting neighbourhood change in diverse and equity-deserving communities across the Greater Toronto Area, and explores alternative, value-driven approaches to community planning. She is currently a Lead Strategist at Monumental and holds a Master of Science in Planning from the University of Toronto. In 2020, Keisha served on OPPI’s Anti-Black Racism in Planning Task Force and is a founding member of the Black Planners and Urbanists Association (BPUA). As an author of leading research and a Sessional Instructor in the University’s Daniels Faculty, Keisha demonstrates exceptional thought leadership.
Krishon Walker is a Planner with the City of Ottawa, working within the Economic Development Services team. He leads the City’s High Economic Impact Projects Program, supporting initiatives aligned with Ottawa’s economic strategy and city-building goals. His portfolio includes projects like Lansdowne 2.0, Nokia Canada’s Campus redevelopment, uOttawa’s Advanced Medical Research Centre and the Hard Rock Casino and Hotel. Prior to joining the City, Krishon worked in the accounting and finance sectors. He is a Registered Professional Planner (OPPI), Full Member of the Canadian Institute of Planners, and a certified Project Management Professional (PMP).