Silvia Vargas, FAICP
FAICP Statement
During the course of her outstanding 26-year career, Silvia Vargas’s enduring commitment to social equity and inclusion has empowered disenfranchised populations and inspired individuals to engage in the civic process. Her groundbreaking plans have transformed communities across the U.S and abroad through innovative approaches, actionable outcomes, and leading-edge, user-friendly plan formats. Vargas’s contributions as a planning practitioner, leader, mentor, and volunteer embody dedication to the profession and consistently demonstrate work of the highest caliber that has positively influenced communities and populations and led to successful outcomes. Her extensive volunteer efforts have built on her personal guiding principles of equity and inclusion.
Professional Biography
A Principal Planner at Calvin, Giordano & Associates, Inc., Silvia has been leading planning processes in rural, suburban, and urban communities across the US and abroad for over 30 years. Her work has been recognized with numerous awards and speaking opportunities. While a general practitioner, Silvia's career focus is to help local governments and nonprofits design and execute creative planning processes that engage stakeholders meaningfully and equitably. Silvia serves on the Board of Directors of the American Planning Association (APA). She chaired APA’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee and served on APA’s Welcoming Environment Task Force. Between 2016-2020, Silvia was an AICP Commissioner. During that period, she chaired or co-chaired the College of Fellows and Exam Committees. She has been a member of ULI’s Women’s Leadership Initiative (WLI) and has served as an expert to The American Architectural Foundation's Sustainable Cities and City Managers’ Design Academies. In 2020, Silvia was inducted into the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) College of Fellows for her contributions to the profession. Silvia has a B.A. in Architectural Studies and a Master’s in Urban Planning from the University of Kansas.