Elka Gotfryd

Project Associate, Project for Public Spaces

Elka Gotfryd is a core member of the Southwest Airlines Heart of the Community team, currently working in Indianapolis and Minneapolis. She is also conducting research on placemaking as a tool for conflict resolution, with a focus on case studies from the Middle East. Elka brings to the table a multidisciplinary approach and skillset that includes urban planning, project management, GIS analysis and cartography, research and data analysis, and civic engagement and advocacy. Elka has gathered diverse professional experience in both the private and public sectors, relating to various areas in the physical realm including transportation systems, design and management of public space, economics, preservation, and even nature reserves.
 
Before joining the PPS team, Elka worked as the community planner for Old City and Downtown Jerusalem, where she was responsible for representing local communities vis-à-vis City Hall and the Local and Regional Planning Councils. Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, yet having studied and worked in this politically charged milieu, Elka is an advocate of sensitive and context-specific solutions for cities and public spaces. She is passionate about the power of place as a common denominator – whether in regions of ethno-national conflict, between different stakeholders, or among diverse communities.

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