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Log CM for AICP

Learning Lab

Upskilling for the Future

(Silver) Foxes in the Henhouse: Age as Superpower

Monday, April 27, 2026

3:00 PM - 4:30 PM CT

Location: HPCC, Room 250A-C

CM: 1.5

Division Endorsement: Women and Planning Division, Latinos and Planning Division

Moderator and Speaker(s)

CD

Caroline Dwyer, AICP (she/her/hers)

Interim Assistant Director
Renaissance Planning Group, Inc.
Durham, North Carolina

Slides

Speaker(s)

Silvia E. Vargas, FAICP (she/her/hers)

Planning Administrator
Calvin, Giordano & Associates, Inc.
South Miami, Florida
Karla Ebenbach, AICP

President
Ebenbach Consulting LLC
Coral Gables, Florida
Karen Wolf, FAICP (she/her/hers)

Immediate Past President, AICP Commission
American Institute of Certified Planners
SEATTLE, Washington
TM

Tippe Morlan, AICP (she/her/hers)

Long Range Planner
City of Saratoga Springs
Lehi, Utah

Seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Due to the interactive nature of learning labs, only those with a seat may participate. Please arrive early to secure your spot!

Have you been told (or just felt) that you are "too old" or "not old enough" for a job, position, or assignment? Do you struggle to connect with (or even understand) your coworkers? Are you holding together a team with an age span of 50+ years? You are not alone! Our workforce currently reflects a whopping six generations, from the Silent Generation to Gen Alpha and everything in between (see APA's 2025 Trend Report for Planners ). Extreme age diversity is challenging, but mega-generational workforces also offer an unprecedented combination of skills, expertise, lived experiences, and perspectives that benefit our teams, planning practice, and the multigenerational communities we serve.

This presentation builds on themes explored at NPC25's "No Spring Chicken: Gendered Ageism in Planning" learning lab, dives deeper into the opportunities and challenges that can manifest in multigenerational workplaces - including age biases (ageism) and the intersectional dynamics of gender and race - and offers tools that reframe age as a benefit, not a burden. Identify and celebrate the skills, expertise, lived experience, and perspectives that YOUR age brings to the table and leave with an actionable implementation plan to maximize and leverage your age-based planning superpowers.

Closed Captioning

Learning Objectives:

Recognize age-based biases (ageism) that may manifest in mega-generational workplaces.
Identify and leverage the unique skills, expertise, lived experiences, and perspectives that each generation brings to a planning team and define age-based planning superpowers.
Design an actionable work plan with next steps to maximize, market, and celebrate age-based planning superpowers.