Metrics for Planning Healthy Communities
By Anna Ricklin, AICP, Sagar Shah, PhD, AICP
Inside this "Metrics for Planning Healthy Communities" report is a set of Healthy Planning Metrics that can be used to assess, measure, monitor, and report progress toward healthy planning goals.
Key built environment indicators and policies are identified for five healthy communities domains to promote health and measure health inequities.
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About the Authors
Anna Ricklin, AICP
Anna Ricklin, AICP is a passionate advocate for healthy communities and is the first Health in All Policies Manager for the Fairfax County. In that role, she acts as a health ambassador across county agencies, promoting the integration of public health objectives into county plans, policies, and building projects. Formerly, Anna oversaw applied research and place-based initiatives to advance healthy planning practice at the American Planning Association, and began her career at the Baltimore City Department of Transportation. Anna has a background in health impact assessment, active transportation planning, and cross-sector collaboration, as well as recent work establishing metrics for healthy planning. Anna holds a Master of Health Sciences from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and lives in Falls Church, VA.
Sagar Shah, PhD, AICP
Sagar Shah, Senior Manager of Knowledge and Career Programs at the American Planning Association, is a prominent advocate for health equity in planning. He collaborates with foundations and federal agencies to shape planning practices and is an active member of APA’s Foresight Team, focusing on emerging technologies like AI. Sagar leads APA's 'Upskill Planners' initiative, equipping professionals for a dynamic future. He shares his expertise on national and international stages and contributes to the field through published research and book chapters. Sagar holds a PhD in Regional Development Planning and a Master’s in Planning.