Discussion: Planning-Based Scholarships and Volunteering Opportunities

Bio: Ms.Bozzo has five years of experience in conducting economic development research, marketing, proposal coordination & writing, and business development. Currently, she is a Business Development Specialist in the Transportation Engineering Services Business Unit as part of US Operations at The Louis Berger Group, Inc.,(LBG). In her role at LBG she develops proposals in response to RFPs throughout the United States. She is focused on researching clients as well as RFPs, technical writing, and revising and updating resumes along with project descriptions. Additionally, Ms.Bozzo is responsible for coordinating the proposal process from start to finish with a team of civil engineers, urban planners, and business development colleagues. Having worked for various economic development firms and agencies within the Commonwealth of Virginia including, Greater Richmond Partnership, Virginia Gateway Region, Prince William County, and Fairfax County is well-versed in industry cluster analysis, national marketing and outreach strategies, and Business Retention & Expansion (BRE) Programs. She is also an alum of Virginia Commonwealth University's Capital Semester Program '07 in which she was a Legislative Intern for Delegate Lynwood Lewis' Jr. and served in University of Oregon's Resource Assistance for Rural Environments(RARE) AmeriCorps Program '09-'10 as a Main Street Manager for the City of Sherwood, Oregon. When not working or researching she enjoys watching Hokie Football,hiking, camping, cooking, playing with her Dachshund, and traveling. She recently transferred from LBG's Washington, DC office to its Kansas City, Missouri location.

Education: Certificate in Basic Economic Development from IEDC in 2011 Master of Urban & Regional Planning from Virginia Commonwealth University in May 2009 BA in Political Science and BA in Interdisciplinary Sciences from Virginia Tech in May 2007 Minors in Philosophy & English

Key Publications: Tourism Action Plan for the State of South Carolina's Upstate Region in Spring 2008 Studio I : Swansboro Neighborhood Revitalization Plan for the City of Richmond, VA in Fall 2008 Studio II : Bon Air Neighborhood Plan for Chesterfield County, VA in Summer 2009

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Bio: Laura Baker is a planning consultant with the firm Michael Baker, Jr., Inc., in Alexandria, Virginia, where she works on a variety of master planning and sustainability projects for clients. In September 2010, Laura took a sabbatical from her previous planning position to pursue independent academic research under the auspices of a Fulbright Student Scholarship to the Republic of Ireland. While at the University College Dublin (UCD) School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Policy (GPEP), Laura investigated the influence of a national planning policy on the local and regional planning system of Ireland. Laura holds a M.U.R.P. from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia.

Education: M.U.R.P, Virginia Commonwealth University B.A. Journalism, The Pennsylvania State University B.A. Women's Studies, The Pennsylvania State University

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Past Assignments: Baker, Laura A., 2012. “Insights from abroad: Strategic spatial planning and policy coordination in the Midland Region and Midland Gateway of Ireland.” Paper presented at the 53rd Annual Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP) Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio, November 1-4. Baker, Laura A., Vlad G and Glenn Larson, 2012. “Ready, Steady, Employment: Post-modern Career Strategies.” Presentation given at the Virginia Chapter American Planning Association State Conference in Wintergreen, Virginia, July 18-20. Baker, Laura A., 2012. “My Fulbright Scholarship: A Year in Éire.” Presentation given at the American Planning Association National Conference in Los Angeles, April 14-17. Baker, Laura A., Kristian Kofoed and Paula Reeves, 2012. “Ready, Steady, Employment: Post-modern Career Strategies.” Presentation given at the American Planning Association National Conference in Los Angeles, April 14-17. Baker, Laura A., 2011. “An exploration of stakeholder perspectives on multi-level governance in strategic spatial planning: A case study of the Midland Gateway and Midland Region of Ireland.” Paper presented at the Association of European Geographic Societies EUGEO Congress 2011 Conference in London, August 29-31. Baker, Laura A., 2011. “An exploration of perspectives on policy coordination from stakeholders in the Midland Gateway and Midland Region.” Paper presented at the University College Dublin School of Geography, Planning and Environmental Policy Graduate Research Symposium in Dublin, April 29.

Bio: Ana Hernandez-Balzac is a planner returning from a two-year tour as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mexico. While in Mexico, she worked with the Mexican federal government in the field of environmental education, applying her knowledge and skills as a planner to a variety of sustainable development efforts, including a national green schools certification program and an international award-winning land planning process. Prior to joining the Peace Corps, Ana worked at peter j. smith & company, inc., a private consulting firm in Buffalo, NY, on comprehensive, waterfront and open space planning projects for various regions and municipalities in the US, Canada and the UAE.

Education: Master of Urban Planning, received in 2007 from the School of Architecture and Planning of the State University of New York at Buffalo. Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies, received in 2005 from the Humanities Faculty of the University of Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras.

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Past Assignments: APA 2012 National Planning Conference in Los Angeles, California. S811 Facilitated Discussion: Planners Working Abroad, April 17, 2012.