Water and Planning Network

Background

Over the last several years, APA's Water Working Group has been working to identify the needs and priorities of and provide resources to planners who are focused on water issues in their communities. As the Water Working Group sunsets in 2017, its members are forming an Interest Group — the Water and Planning Network.

The Water and Planning Network was officially launched at the 2017 National Planning Conference, where the work of the Water Working Group transitioned to the Water and Planning Network.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Water and Planning Network (WPN) is to provide a professional forum for the interdisciplinary exchange of ideas and planning methods and will operate as a communications and information sharing network to connect members to the best planning practices that reflect current research, science, policy and technology regarding the protection, management and use of water resources and utilities.

Water is essential to life and the natural environment. It should be a central organizing element in a healthy and sustainable built environment, making planning for water an inherently interdisciplinary activity. Planners play a key role in shaping the location and form of development and conservation of the natural environment, as well as a natural role as conveners across disciplines.

The WPN will:

• Promote a deeper understanding among planners about water science and engineering, and the ways in which land use, land development, and urban design significantly affect the health and integrity of the water environment.
• Provide opportunities for planners to improve core skills, toolsets, and methods in order to manage water more sustainably and more equitably.
• Create better and more frequent connections and engagement between planners, design professionals, and water professionals by establishing new mechanisms for interdisciplinary interaction.
• Advance planning methods and interactions that support an integrated approach to water management, known as "One Water" management.

Steering Committee

The Steering Committee serves as the Executive Committee for the Water and Planning Network. The committee provides opportunities for members to actively engage with the WPN. Steering Committee members shape activities, outreach, education, and content that help build connections between planners and water professionals and provide planners with opportunities to improve their skillsets related to water.

The committee is responsible for identifying and implementing activities that will help advance the goals of WPN, including planning an annual get together at the National Planning Conference.

The members of the Steering Committee have a wide range of backgrounds and represent planners and water professionals working in many different fields of water management. Below are background summaries for the Steering Committee. Please reach out to the Water + Planning Network should you have questions we may be able to help you with.

Steering Committee Members

Co-Chairs

Bill Cesanek is the Co-Chair of the APA Water and Planning Network, serving since its inception in 2017. He is also a technical practice leader for sustainable environmental & infrastructure planning at CDM Smith, with more than 35 years of experience. Bill is a primary author of the APA Planning Advisory Service report “Planners and Water”. He was also an adjunct professor in the Rutgers University Graduate School of Planning & Public Policy, teaching sustainable infrastructure planning from 2012 to 2026.

Mary Ann Dickinson is the Co-Chair of the APA Water and Planning Network, serving since its inception in 2017. She was the founder and President/CEO for 15 years of the Alliance for Water Efficiency, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the efficient and sustainable use of water in the United States and Canada. Headquartered in Chicago, the Alliance works with over 520 water utilities, water conservation professionals in business and industry, planners, regulators, and consumers. In 2014 the Alliance won the U.S. Water Prize in the non-profit category for its work. She now heads up a consulting firm as the CEO of Dickinson Associates, where she also works closely with the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.

Committee Members

Corinne Anderson is the Data Visualization and Water Education Coordinator in the Water Supply Planning section for the Colorado Water Conservation Board. In this role, Corinne develops planning documents that steer state water policy and practice, reviews grant applications, and pursues collaborations with local organizations to enhance workforce development and public education on water topics. She is intent on pursuing a path to finding a better integration of land use and water supply planning, loves thinking about how to disrupt outdated systems in the water industry, and is always looking for innovative strategies to tackle the big water challenges facing the American southwest. Before changing careers at the age of 30, Corinne worked as a journalist for six years in Denver, Colorado, publishing more than 500 articles on topics ranging from immersive art trends to voter-friendly ballot guides. Corinne earned a BA in Environmental Studies from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and a Master of Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Colorado, Denver.

Kristen Keener Busby, AICP is the Director of Water Planning and Impact with the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, where she leads initiatives that help communities integrate land use and water planning and translate planning into practical action. Her work focuses on building community capacity, advancing implementation, and developing collaborative approaches to complex land and water challenges. Kristen has more than 25 years of planning and policy experience spanning sustainability, community development, infrastructure, natural resources, and smart growth. She is passionate about building strategic partnerships and helping communities navigate growth, water constraints, and an uncertain future. Kristen received a Bachelor of Science in Public and Environmental Affairs from Indiana University and a Master of Environmental and Urban Planning from Arizona State University.

Steve Epting is the national lead for healthy watersheds protection and watershed-based planning in the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Water. Steve’s work centers on promoting watershed-based approaches to protect and restore waterbodies from the impacts of nonpoint source pollution. He works across and beyond Clean Water Act programs to advance the protection of healthy waters and watersheds, for example by strengthening coordination between clean water programs, land conservation organizations, and land use planners. Prior to his current role, Steve served as the EPA’s national Tribal coordinator for the Clean Water Act Section 319 national nonpoint source program. Steve received a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from Muhlenberg College and a Master of Science in Watersheds Sciences from the University of Maryland. He works at EPA headquarters in Washington, DC.

Danielle Gallet is Founding Principal of Waterwell, LLC a planning and strategy firm in the water sector. She is a water resource strategist, urban planner, and educator who combines her expertise in the water, planning, business, and arts industries to equitably and holistically address today's complex water challenges. Danielle is also an Adjunct Instructor at the University of Illinois at Chicago where she teaches a planning course titled Water and the Built Environment. She is the former Director of Water Resources for the Metropolitan Planning Council in Chicago. As an original member of APA's National Water Working Group, she happily joined the Water and Planning Network as a Steering Committee member in 2021. Danielle has a BA in Business Management and an MA in Urban Planning and Policy.

Brett Gracely, P.E. is the Water Planning Practice Leader for Plummer. He has extensive environmental and water resources engineering and management experience in Colorado, Arizona, and California. His project expertise includes groundwater and surface water hydrology & hydraulics, water supply development, water rights engineering, environmental permitting, planning, and assessment, and integrated resource planning and modeling.

Jim Holway retired in 2024 after serving as the founding Director of the Babbitt Center for Land and Water Policy for 7 years. Jim now lives along the Animas River of Durango, CO with his wife and his son and his fiancée. He’s now utilizing their senior water rights to irrigate an orchard and restore grasslands for grazing their sheep and “guard” llamas. Jim worked for over 35 years at the intersection of water and land policy and his work experience included 12 years at the Arizona Department of Water Resources, most of that as the Assistant Director in charge of water management; a professor of practice at AZ State University; and an elected member of the Central Arizona Water Conservation District Board for 12 years. Jim earned his Ph.D. in Regional Planning from the University of North Carolina and was an active member of APA and an FAICP prior to his retirement.

Paul Lander has a PhD in Geography, a Masters of Landscape Architecture, and is LEED-AP certified. Paul has been engaged in resource-conservation work for more than 40 years, with a particular focus on urban landscapes and water systems. He is active in the professional associations of the American Water Resources Association, the Alliance for Water Efficiency, and the American Planning Association. He is also currently Associate Professor Adjunct of the Department of Geography, and Faculty of the Masters of the Environment Program, both at the University of Colorado Boulder, where he teaches about sustainable systems.

Valerie Miller, PhD, AICP is the Senior Director of Community Infrastructure for Communities Unlimited. She has over 18 years of experience in planning, research, and project management for local and state government. Valerie's focus is on drought and flooding issues and has developed short-term and long-term strategy plans. She enjoys working on projects involving multiple stakeholder groups and complex, and large-scale visioning, cross-functional collaboration, and strategy management and implementation. Valerie specializes in bringing people together and writing effective policy, while ensuring the character of the community is kept. She also forecasts potential hazards that could impact communities to better prevent long-term damage. Valerie has a Bachelor Landscape Architecture & Urban Planning, M.S., Water Management & Hydrologic Science, and Ph.D., Public Administration.

Kyle Mucha, AICP is a planning consultant with McKenna - a planning, design and building firm - located in Michigan & Ohio and is their Kalamazoo Office Lead. Kyle works with Village's, Township's and larger municipalities providing professional planning support, as well as leading strategic projects such as master plans, parks & recreation plans and zoning ordinances. Kyle has experience working both in the public and private sectors as it relates to community development, utilities, and recreation. Kyle was appointed as Chair of the Michigan Chapter of Planners in Private Practice (PIPPs) in October 2026. Kyle holds a Master's in Geography (Regional Planning) from Western Michigan University and a Bachelor of Science from Grand Valley State University.

Brian Murphy, PhD is River Network's Healthy Rivers Program Specialist, providing watershed planning technical assistance and capacity support to coalitions, local governments, and other organizations across the Colorado River Basin. Dr. Murphy leads the River Smart Communities program that guides local leaders through integrated planning to ensure their communities and rivers are healthy and resilient into the future. Brian also works closely with community-based organizations across Colorado, emphasizing river values and benefits, nature-based solutions, and land conservation policies. He has worked in the water resources engineering, river science, and stream restoration fields for over 20 years as a licensed professional engineer. Brian holds a BS from Santa Clara University, a MS from Colorado School of Mines, and a PhD from Colorado State University.

Manohar “Manny” Patole is an Industry Assistant Professor at the Center for Urban Science and Progress (CUSP), NYU Tandon School of Engineering. At NYU, he serves on the Climate Initiative Steering Committee and Public Engagement in STEM Working Group and is a Senior Fellow and Faculty-in-Residence with the Alliance for Public Interest Technology. Beyond NYU, he serves on the Board of Directors of the Municipal Art Society of New York, the Advisory Board of the New York Climate Film Festival, and advisory committee of National Community Stabilization Trust’s Middle Neighborhoods Initiative. His research focuses on community-centered data science, participatory governance, public interest technology, AI governance, and equitable urban development. His interdisciplinary educational background spans engineering, law, and urban planning.

David Rouse, FAICP, ASLA is a consultant, educator, and author with 40 years of experience in urban and regional planning and design. He previously was the Managing Director of Research and Advisory Services for the American Planning Association in Washington, DC and before that a principal at Wallace Roberts & Todd in Philadelphia. David's areas of expertise include comprehensive planning; parks and open space planning; green infrastructure; and planning for emerging technologies.

Harpreet Sandhu, AICP has worked in water management and land use planning in both Canada and the United States. Her responsibilities have included leading the development of strategic water management plans and policies in the areas of source water protection, waterways protection, drought management and water security for the City of Calgary as well as salmon recovery along the lower Columbia River in Washington state.

James C. Schwab, FAICP, is an urban planner, consultant, and author who until 2017 was manager of the APA Hazards Planning Center and led the development of numerous Planning Advisory Service Reports and other projects addressing planning needs related to hazard mitigation and disaster recovery. Since leaving APA, he has consulted on projects for various public and nonprofit clients around the nation. His forty years of experience have included teaching courses on disaster planning at the University of Illinois-Chicago and the University of Iowa as well as instructing training courses on disaster recovery for the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He is currently at work on a memoir focused on the rise of disaster and climate resilience as a focus of the planning profession.

Shannon Spurlock is the Founder & Principal at Ochotona LLC, and is a public policy leader with extensive experience advancing water policy, water reuse, stormwater capture, multi-benefit policy integration. She is adept at meaningful stakeholder engagement and delights in supporting diverse groups and communities in identifying their common values and priorities. She has led initiatives involving regulatory reform, community partnerships, and research-to-practice implementation, helping shape sustainable water management solutions for communities, utilities, and public agencies.

Scott Turner, PE, AICP is Vice-President at PARE Corporation in Massachusetts. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners as well as a registered professional engineer in 6 states. He is currently a member of the Water and Planning Network Steering Committee, past Chair of APA's Sustainable Communities Division and local host Committee Chair for the 2021 National Planning Conference in Boston. He has a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Tufts University and a Master of Science in City Planning from the Georgia Institute of Technology. His work focuses on stormwater planning and design, green infrastructure, and resilience.

Scott Williamson, AICP is the Land Use and Water Planner for the Colorado Department of Local Affairs. He convenes and supports collaborative projects of the Colorado Water and Land Use Planning Alliance, works across state agencies to advance implementation of the Colorado Water Plan, and provides technical assistance to local governments. Scott supports implementation of several land use, housing, and strategic growth-related laws passed by the Colorado General Assembly in 2024 and 2025. Scott is an AICP-certified planner with previous roles in both education and planning at Water Education Colorado, Denver Public Schools, the Puget Sound Partnership, and Seattle Public Utilities. Scott earned a BA in Environmental Studies and Biology from St. Olaf College and a Master of Urban Planning degree from the University of Washington.

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