Lightning Talk 1

Presentations Include:

Budgets Are Moral Documents - David Fields
It's easy for people to say they want their community to be safe, equitable, and resilient, and that they love Mom and apple pie too. What's harder is quantifying the dollars to make it come true.

Engagement as Repair: Moving Beyond the Status Quo - Shari Williams
This lightning talk challenges planners to go beyond token engagement. Drawing on Detroit Future City's work, it shows how intentional engagement strategies can lead to reparative outcomes, results that invest in communities, address inequities, and create lasting opportunities to thrive.

Beyond the Buzzwords: What Human-Centered Planning Looks Like? - Lahari Peluri
Too often, City plans read like technical reports instead of community stories. Human-centered planning shifts the focus back to people's daily lives, making plans more relatable, more visual, and more trusted by the communities they serve.

Dare to Build Scenarios: Challenging Planning's Status Quo - Robert Goodspeed
When creating community master plans, practitioners must choose whether to use an existing forecast or undertake scenarios. This talk calls on planners to use scenarios, especially in contexts where forecasts do not describe desirable futures.

No Empty Chairs: Meeting Residents Where They Are - Brittany Simmons
Traditional public meetings often attract only a small, unrepresentative segment of the community, leaving critical voices unheard. For planners committed to equity and building trust, meeting residents wherever they are is critical to inclusive planning efforts.

Breaking the Burnout Cycle: Reclaiming Balance - Jennifer Raitt
Planners face high pressure in public spaces, sometimes, with little support. This talk shares personal insights and strategies to spot burnout early, set boundaries, and foster team cultures that prioritize well-being: a wake-up call to lead with balance and intention.

The Promises and Pitfalls of Data Driven Planning - Rachel Shindman
Data is powerful, and critical to help guide planning decisions. But what happens when data is… not good? When critical analysis is forgotten? 10/10 planners said this would be the best 5 minutes of the conference - that's 100%!

The Hero Gotham Deserves: Planners in the Media - Gabby Hart
Planners often appear in the media as villains blocking development or faceless bureaucrats, yet our mission is to serve the public interest. This session highlights how these portrayals impact our profession and how planners can reclaim the narrative.

Closed Captioning