Austen Edwards (he/him/his)

Senior Policy Analyst
Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning

Austen Edwards is a senior policy analyst with the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, where he specializes in regional planning, economic development, industrial policy, and municipal finance. He was a primary author of ON TO 2050, northeastern Illinois’ current comprehensive plan, and is managing development of The Century Plan — a new vision to inspire and organize swing-for-the-fences action on regional issues across transportation, the economy, and the environment. In 2022, he led a joint effort with the Brookings Institution to broker the Greater Chicagoland Economic Partnership, which united seven counties and the City of Chicago around a common economic strategy. Prior to CMAP, Austen conducted field research in rural India, interned with the UN Development Programme in Switzerland, and worked in business technology consulting in Washington, D.C. He earned a master’s degree in public policy from Duke University and his bachelor’s degrees from Georgia Tech.

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Presentation(s):

• Navigating Uncertainty: Strategic Foresight for Action-Oriented Planning

  Thursday, May 28, 2026
  1:30 PM - 2:15 PM CT