Mike Lydon | Principal | New York City
Mike is an internationally recognized planner, writer, speaker, and advocate for livable cities. NPR, The New York Times, The Guardian, ABC News, Bloomberg Cities, Salon, Next City, Wired, and Monocle have featured his work, among many other publications. Having delivered more than 250 keynotes, workshops, trainings, and lectures since 2009, Mike has exerted a global influence on how people think about city transformation. In 2018, Mike was named by Planetizen as one of the top 100 most influential urbanists of all-time.
Mike is the creator of the The Open Streets Project and the globally acclaimed Tactical Urbanism: Short-Term Action, Long-Term Change Vol. 1 – 5. With Tony Garcia, Mike is the recipient of the 2017 Seaside Prize and co-author of Tactical Urbanism (Island Press, 2015), named by Planetizen as one of the top planning books of the past decade. Mike collaborated with Andres Duany and Jeff Speck in writing The Smart Growth Manual (McGraw-Hill, 2009).
A founding member of the New England Chapter of the Congress for the New Urbanism, a Board Member for CNU New York, and a steering committee member of the Next Generation of New Urbanists, he remains active in both local and national planning, design, and smart growth advocacy issues. He lectures frequently and leads workshops and trainings on the topics of smart growth, tactical urbanism, public space,and complete streets/active transportation. Before launching the firm in 2009, Mike worked for Smart Growth Vermont, the Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition, and Ann Arbor’s GetDowntown Program. From 2006 – 2009 Lydon worked for DPZ CoDesign, an international leader in the practice of smart growth planning, design, and research techniques.
Mike currently serves on Transportation Alternative’s Executive Committee for the New York City Harbor Ring project, and is an advisor to the Bicycle Coalition of Maine. Mike received a B.A. in American Cultural Studies from Bates College and a Masters in Urban Planning from the University of Michigan. He encourages you to trade four wheels for two.
Email: mike(at)streetplans(dot)org | Twitter: @MikeLydon | Instagram: @mikelydon11 | View Mike’s Lectures + Workshops
Tony Garcia, RA | Principal | South Florida
Tony Garcia, RA is a Co-founder of Street Plans and leads the day-to-day operations of the firm. Considered one of the foremost experts in the field of placemaking and street design of his generation, he is a licensed architect and has delivered hundreds of presentations, lectures, and workshops during his 17-year long career. Having completed over 150,000 of street murals around the country, he is one of the most prolific asphalt art muralists in the world, is the author of the Asphalt Art guide, and serves as the technical advisor for over 30 cities as part of the Bloomberg Asphalt Art Initiative.
Tony is coauthor of the globally acclaimed series Tactical Urbanism: Short-Term Action, Long-Term Change, co-author of Tactical Urbanism, published by Island Press in March 2015, and together with Mike Lydon is the recipient of the 2017 Seaside Prize. In 2018, Tony was awarded the CINTAS Foundation Fellowship for Architecture & Design for contributions to the field of urban design.
Tony is a native Miamian and is regarded as a leading advocate and voice in the development of the city’s growing list of renowned public spaces and trails, first as the managing editor of the transportation blog TransitMiami.com, then as Chairman of the largest bicycle pedestrian advocacy organization in South Florida, Green Mobility Network. As part of this effort he co-founded the Ludlam Trail project, which will result in the addition of over 50 acres of new park space in Miami-Dade County, and helped prototype and build support for the creation of Biscayne Green, a one-mile park in downtown Miami currently under design.
Tony is a former part-time faculty member at the University of Miami School of Architecture, holds a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture and Urban Design from New York University and a Masters in Architecture from the University of Miami.
Email: tony(at)streetplans(dot)org | | Twitter: @atgmiami | View Tony’s Lectures + Workshops
Julie Flynn | Senior Project Director | SF Bay Area
Julie Flynn is an urban planner and designer who brings over a decade of experience spanning both public and private sectors. After initially joining Street Plans in 2013, she spent four years building expertise in active transportation, public space stewardship, and community engagement across the country. During this time, she led research and production for Street Plans’ work on the Public Space Stewardship Guide for the San Francisco Planning Department and helped create the first walk/bike Master Plan for the City of Burlington, VT.
Julie then transitioned to the public sector, serving as Project Manager for the Civic Center Initiative at SF Planning where she led creative projects to revitalize the iconic public spaces around City Hall. She prototyped concepts from the Civic Center Public Realm Plan through near-term interventions, testing ideas that would inform long-range capital improvements. She also managed an innovative workforce development program that engaged people who were formerly incarcerated as public space ambassadors. Later, at SF’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development, she managed planning and COVID-recovery projects that leveraged public-private partnerships to activate downtown spaces.
Back at Street Plans in 2023, Julie brings fresh perspectives on community planning, public space management, and applied Tactical Urbanism methodologies. Julie holds a BA in Urban Studies from Brown University and is an avid studio artist who deeply appreciates art’s role in connecting people to places and each other. In her free time, Julie can be found e-biking her two young kids to parks and playgrounds around the Bay Area, hosting parties, knitting, or exploring trails and greenways.
Email: julie(at)streetplans(dot)org
Dana Wall | Senior Project Director | Central NY
Dana Wall is Street Plans’ Senior Project Director based in Central New York with a background in active transportation, urban design, and public space programming.
At Street Plans, Dana has implemented over 25 Quick-Build projects, and has contributed her design and planning skills to a wide variety of active transportation projects. She authored the City of New Haven’s first Citywide Active Transportation Plan, and is currently managing multiple mobility projects as a part of Street Plans’ on-call engagement with the City of New Haven.
Starting in 2020, Dana managed Street Plans’ Hazelwood Local placemaking and public space programming initiative on behalf of Tishman Speyer at Hazelwood Green, Pittsburgh, PA. She also completed a body of work for Wexford Science + Technology that put forth strategies and principles for a local-first approach to activating the ground-floor environment in six of their “knowledge communities”.
Dana is a frequent contributor to conference panels and workshops about Tactical Urbanism and placemaking at regional, national, and international conferences.
She earned a Master of Urban Planning and a Master of Science in Environmental Planning from the University of Michigan.
Email: dana(at)streetplans(dot)org
Pamela King | Project Director | Miami
Pamela King is a visionary leader who has worked on transformative initiatives for over 100 cities, towns, and developers across the nation. Her collaborative approach have resulted in the implementation and improvement of communities across the country. Often a lead designer of illustrative plans, Pam engages closely with the public to foster the creation of more walkable and sustainable communities and then manages multi-disciplinary teams of professionals, to work out the details.
Beyond project direction, Pam’s expertise extends to co-authoring reports, crafting innovative form-based codes, and meticulously reviewing plans under diverse land development regulations. She has wielded her influence to shape policy recommendations on a myriad of specific plans nationwide. Pam brings her 24 years of experience to Street Plans to lend her expertise in comprehensive planning, form-based codes, and working with the public.
Pam earned a both her Bachelor of Architecture and Master of Architecture degrees from the University of Miami School of Architecture.
Email: pamela(at)streetplans(dot)org
Thomas Isola, PE, PTOE | Project Engineer | New York City
Thomas is a seasoned transportation engineer with ten years of engineering experience working on prominent infrastructure projects in the New York metropolitan area.
At Street Plans, Thomas leads engineering plans including striping and pavement marking plans, from production and project management to public outreach and business development.
Prior to joining Street Plans, Thomas most recently worked as an engineering consultant for WSP in the Hudson Valley. Earlier on in his career, he worked as a structural engineer in New York City, gaining valuable experience in construction administration and designing structural elements of buildings. However, Thomas later transitioned to transportation engineering, where he performed traffic and safety analysis for projects both in New York City and throughout New York State.
Thomas has a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Duke University and a Master of Science in Transportation Engineering and Planning from New York University Tandon School of Engineering.
Email: thomas(at)streetplans(dot)org
John Gonzalez | Project Manager | New York City
John has a background in architecture, urban design, management, and graphic design. He believes that architecture and urban design can transform how people interact and engage with their communities for the better.
At Street Plans, John has helped plan, design, and manage several permanent and semi-permanent infrastructure projects throughout their project lifecycles. He has expertise in developing strategy and operational plans for both long-term and pop-up projects throughout the country, from ideation to completion.
Prior to joining Street Plans, John worked closely with the director of the Center for Urban and Community Design of the University of Miami and the Office of Resilience in Miami Dade County.
John holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree with a minor in Industrial Engineering from the University of Miami. He also received the Ferguson and Shamamian Award for Excellence in Classical Design.
Email: john(at)streetplans(dot)org
Bette Maloy | Project Manager | Atlanta
Bette has over 10 years of experience in urban design, project management, and landscape design, spanning the public and private sectors.
At Street Plans, Bette has been working on Outdoor Dining Guidelines for the Village of Bronxville, NY, and public space, transportation, and master planning for the City of Senoia in Georgia.
Prior to Street Plans, Bette was an urban designer and project manager at the Atlanta City Studio, the City of Atlanta’s urban design studio in their Department of City Planning. In her work with the City of Atlanta, Bette led a team of designers across multiple public space projects. One of Bette’s most recent and favorite projects she managed while with the City of Atlanta was the reconstruction of the Broad Street Boardwalk, a large-scale investment that permanently transformed a Downtown Atlanta street into a vibrant, pedestrian-only gathering space.
Bette holds a Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture from West Virginia University and will soon hold professional licensure for Landscape Architecture in the state of Georgia. Bette is a member of the national and local Georgia chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architecture.
Email: bette(at)streetplans(dot)org
Cassiopea McDonald | Project Manager | New York City
Cassiopea brings over a decade of architectural design, programming, and project management expertise. Her work emphasizes the transformative potential of the built environment to enhance occupants’ physiological and emotional well-being, and prioritizes community resiliency, spatial equity, and a healing-centered approach.
Prior to joining Street Plans, she worked at Jensen Architects and ENVELOPE architecture + design in the San Francisco Bay Area. During her tenure, she spearheaded numerous community co-design initiatives in diverse neighborhoods, collaborating closely with city officials, community groups, and non-profit organizations. Additionally, she served as the Program Director for PROXY, orchestrating events at a variety of scales in partnership with community stakeholders.
Cassiopea holds a Bachelor of Architecture from the California College of the Arts and a Community Health Worker Certificate from the Community College of San Francisco, underscoring her multidisciplinary approach to fostering healthier, more inclusive built environments.
Email: cassiopea(at)streetplans(dot)org
Nikki Martin | Community Events Manager | Pittsburgh
Nikki Martin is an award winning advocate for neighborhood revitalization and community development. For 15 years, Nikki has developed and implemented initiatives, programs, and events for organizations in the public, private, arts, and nonprofit sectors.
Prior to joining Street Plans, Nikki worked as Events Manager at the Sandler Center for Performing Arts in Virginia Beach, Events Coordinator at the Virginia Beach Convention Center, and was the Coordinator of Main Street and ON TRAC programs for the State of West Virginia Development Office.
Nikki earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications from West Virginia State University and a Revitalization Professional credential from Main Street America Institute – the highest credential offered by the organization. She is currently working with the community of Hazelwood, Pennsylvania to foster resident engagement and local partnerships through public events.
Email: nikki(at)streetplans(dot)org
Amalia Tomey | Project Designer | South Florida
With a strong background in urban, architectural and interior design, she brings ten years of experience to the table, leveraging her creativity and philanthropy to meet the needs of any project.
Prior to Street Plans, she held similar roles in international and national companies. Her role in the Department of Architectural Design and Urban Planning in the Office of the Historic Preservation in the City of Havana had a significant influence on her passion for urban design. She worked on multiple revitalization and historic preservation projects in Old Havana, transforming the city into a pedestrian and bicycle-friendly hub.
As a student, she won a National Design Award for her work in urban infill projects and her proposal for the Ludlam Trail Development has been featured in academic publications. Her strong focus on sustainability and resilient design distinguish all her projects and led her to participate as part of a selected team of 3 Graduate Student from FIU, in an international workshop at Keio University, Japan, on SUGI Food-Energy-Water Nexus Projects and CRUNCH (Carbon Resilient Urban Nexus Choices), led by Professor Thomas Spiegelhalter.
Amalia currently serves as the Vice President of Tau Sigma Delta, the national honor society that recognizes intellectual development among architecture and design majors. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Design and a she is currently pursuing a Masters in Architecture at Florida International University.
Email: amalia(at)streetplans(dot)org
Catalina Ruiz Luzio | Project Designer | South Florida
Catalina Ruiz Luzio is Street Plans’ Project Designer with a background in architecture, urbanism, and digital representation.
Prior to Street Plans, Catalina worked at Cure & Penabad and contributed to a variety of projects including industrial design, multifamily housing and Leon Krier’s New Urbanism master plan for Cayala City, Guatemala. While obtaining her degree, she lived and studied in Italy, Colombia, Cuba and Mexico. The opportunity to live, learn and design within communities of all sizes instilled in her the importance of community-based design and sense of place.
Most recently, she served as Junior Project Manager in Northwest Arkansas and worked on placemaking and community outreach projects including a collaboration with Thaden school for a pedestrian pilot project in Bentonville, AR.
Catalina holds a Bachelors of Architecture degree with a minor in Fine Arts from the University of Miami. She has received multiple Design Excellence Awards, and was co-awarded the Ferguson & Shamamian Award for Excellence in Classical Design along with Street Plans’ Project Manager, John Gonzalez.
Email: catalina(at)streetplans(dot)org
Veronica Rivas Plaza | Senior Project Designer | New York City
Veronica has a background in architecture, urban design, placemaking, and sustainability with over 8 years of experience. She advocates for creating more walkable and bicycle friendly communities to improve quality of life for all.
At Street plans, Veronica has been working on the design, plan, and execution of multiple tactical urbanism projects. Some of her current work includes the streetscape improvement plan for the Meatpacking District in NYC and the placemaking efforts to activate open spaces at Lincoln Heights and Richardson Dwellings Housing Projects in Washington, DC.
In 2022, she was featured as a panelist at the Transportation Alternatives Vision Zero Cities situating the 15-minute city. She also joined the Forefront Fellowship at the Urban Design Forum (UDF) where she currently serves on UDF’s Forefront Fund Advisory Committee.
Veronica holds a degree in Architecture from The City College of New York and a Master of Science from the Urbanism Studies Programme at KTH, Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden.
Email: veronica(at)streetplans(dot)org
April Samide | Operations Manager | New York City
April has a diverse management background with experience in startups, nonprofits, and investment banking. April began her relationship with Street Plans as a volunteer on the JC Walks Pedestrian Enhancement Plan in 2017 in all six wards of Jersey City, NJ.
Prior to joining Street Plans, April forged an extensive career in operations in a variety of industries. She was the Regional Organizing Director for the city of Detroit with the Michigan Democratic Party for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, as well as Chief of Staff in the formative years for Eat Just, Inc., a food technology company based in San Francisco, CA.
April has studied Communications, Urban Design, and Architecture in both San Francisco and New York City and holds certificates in Neighborhood Revitalization Strategies from NeighborWorks. She is an active supporting member of CNU, League of American Bicyclists, Transportation Alternatives, Urban Design Forum, and the Van Alen Institute. In her spare time, she loves to lend a helping hand to street artists working on various murals and community mutual aid efforts.
Email: april(at)streetplans(dot)org
Alex Lipnik | Marketing Director | Chicago
Alex is a seasoned business development, communications, and marketing lead with more than a decade of experience in professional services, and early-stage and high-growth startups. He has also founded multiple endeavors of his own.
Prior to Street Plans, Alex most recently ran partnerships and public relations for a venture-backed fintech company.
At Street Plans, Alex is in charge of implementing overall brand and marketing strategy.
Alex received a B.A. in Communications & Marketing from the University of Michigan and his M.Sc. from the Pratt Institute’s Graduate Center for Planning & the Environment. He also holds an MBA. Alex enjoys working with the Street Plans team, and its clients and partners, on public realm projects that positively impact people’s lives both nationally and internationally.
Email: alex(at)streetplans(dot)org
Angie Rendon | Intern | New York City
Angie Rendon is a student at NYU Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service earning her Master’s degree in Urban Planning. As an intern at Street Plans, she is eager to work on placemaking projects, contribute to various research projects, and learn more about Tactical Urbanism.
Prior to joining Street Plans, Angie has held various internship positions such as
Angie holds a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy from from New York University.
Email: angie(at)streetplans(dot)org