Local Economic Development

Meeta Goel

Senior Social & Planning Expert

Based in India

Meeta is a Social and Planning Expert at INI Design Studio, with 18+ years of experience of working on tourism master plans, development plans, social impact assessments, and vulnerability assessments. Meeta’s professional experience is diverse, from pursuing research on urban vulnerability to mapping frameworks for equitable development. A GSTC accredited professional in Sustainable Tourism, Meeta engages with government departments, NGOs, SPVs, and PPP entities for the identification of contextual and resilient interventions in urban and tourism landscapes. In her diverse career span, she has worked closely with experts in the international climate regime and sustainable development. Meeta's perspective has evolved to understand the user behaviour and their relationship with space and their surroundings. As a geographer, Meeta believes in creating sustainable and equitable designs and frameworks for communities so that they can thrive in safer environments.

Raúl Oliván Cortés

Based in Spain

Director of Hexagonal, a laboratory, foundation, and consultancy specialized in public and social innovation. He founded LAAAB (2018–2023) and Zaragoza Activa (2010–2017). He is the creator of the Hexagonal Innovation Model (HIP), commissioned by the Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government. He advises institutions and organizations across Europe, Latin America, and Africa, helping strengthen systemic transformation processes through innovation labs and communities. He holds a Master’s degree in Philosophy, a BA in Advertising and Public Relations, and a Diploma in Social Work. Alumni of the United States’ International Visitor Leadership Program. Rockefeller´s Bellagio Center fellow and alumni.

Frank Dhondt

Based in Greece

Nicolas Kersting

Project, Acquisition & Development Manger

Based in Germany

I am Nicolas Kersting, an urban planner and project manager at Superwien Urbanism, working at the intersection of public space, sustainable mobility, and climate-resilient urban development. Over the past years I have supported cities and partners across Latin America, Europe, Central Asia, and Africa—helping shape diagnostics, action plans, and pre-feasibility packages that translate ambitious visions into implementable projects. My work combines technical structuring (from concept to costing and implementation planning) with strong participatory practice. I have designed and facilitated co-creation processes with municipalities, universities, communities, and multidisciplinary expert teams—turning stakeholder insights into street redesigns, green corridors, inclusive public spaces, and nature-based solutions for heat and stormwater challenges. I also support proposal development for donor-funded assignments (including World Bank, ADB, IDB and others), aligning teams, narratives, workplans, and compliance requirements. As a mentor, I support emerging urban professionals in three areas: (1) building a clear professional direction and portfolio, (2) strengthening practical skills in stakeholder engagement, project structuring, and delivery, and (3) navigating international urban-development work with confidence, cultural sensitivity, and realism—without losing purpose.

Didier Vancutsem

Based in Germany

Patricia Gimenez Franco

Senior Urbanist | Architect | International Advisor

Based in Paraguay

Urbanism is about people’s everyday life — and that conviction has shaped my professional journey. I am an architect and senior urbanist with over 20 years of experience across architecture, urban and territorial planning, and geography. I have built an international career working in multicultural and multidisciplinary environments, living and working in different countries, with strong language skills and high geographical mobility. My professional path spans the public and private sectors, advising cities, governments, development projects, and international cooperation programs in Latin America and Europe. My core areas of expertise include urban policy, planning and design; housing, land management; real estate; public space; urban regeneration; urban governance; resilience; capacity building, among others. I have contributed to complex urban initiatives with institutions such as the WB, IDB, UNDP, UN-Habitat, EEAS, the EU, LILP, KRIHS, and Gehl, among others, through projects, advisory roles, workshops, and learning programs. Beyond academic frameworks, my work is grounded in practice and real-world complexity, shaped by governance constraints, institutional dynamics, implementation gaps, and the relational dimension of urban management — understanding not only how cities are planned, but how they actually work. I write to reflect on practice, translate complexity, and share urban knowledge. As a mentor, I support professionals navigating career transitions, international and consulting pathways, and complex decision-making processes, offering clarity, grounded strategic thinking, and a pragmatic understanding of how urban work unfolds in practice. My mentoring approach is reflective and structured, helping mentees work through moments of uncertainty or stagnation by reconnecting skills, experience, and direction. Despite extensive experience, I continue learning from practice, context, and people — because urban work is dynamic, and context matters.

hemalatha M C

Master Planner

Based in India

Policy, Planning and Design professional in the fields of Urban Development, Industrial corridor planning, Smart Cities, Master Planning including Project Management Consultancies and Project Management Units. Experience working in Middle-east, India, Zambia and Nepal. Team mentoring, and Project Structuring. Experience formulating and strategizing projects from inception upto project implementation methods. Supports program management through conducting Techno Economic Feasibility studies, Land suitability/Capability studies and detailed Site assessments. Company representative and Client fronting.

Merve Akdag

MSc Architect and Urban Researcher

Based in Turkey

Merve Akdağ is an interdisciplinary designer with a background in architecture (B.Arch, Istanbul Technical University) and a Master’s in City and Architecture from Özyeğin University. She has led teams and developed public strategies as a design professional. As the founding leader of Şehrine Ses Ver, she has initiated award-winning participatory projects, interdisciplinary workshops, and interactive urban panels. Her work is grounded in inclusive design, urban justice, governance, public engagement, and data-driven design. She is committed to authentic thinking and effective coordination in shaping equitable urban environments. Her studies focus on producing innovative content, fostering team & community engagement, and developing and detailing unique artificial programs and collaborations in The Spatial J/U/S/T Art & Design Collective.

Ating Liu

Based in United Kingdom

Ating brings solid expertise and strategic leadership to transport infrastructure and area regeneration projects. She takes a proactive approach in leading teams through complex challenges, securing vital funding and investment, and fostering strong partnerships that deliver transformative outcomes. With over 20 years of experience in this dynamic field, Ating collaborates with partners to identify opportunities, develop funding strategies, ensure successful delivery and benefits realisation, and lead initiatives that drive meaningful, positive change with a lasting impact on communities.

Konstantinos Kourkoutas

Coordinator of a Strategic Research Community of Sustainable and Smart Cities

Based in Spain

City enthusiast working currently as the coordinator of a multidisciplinary strategic research community of more than 30 groups, research centers and institutes in the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona in Spain, impulsing open urban innovation processes, promoting quadriple helix implication and citizen co-creation. Design Thinker, strategic vision and social catalyst. Experience in masterplanning of ecological mixed-use and residential settlements. Involvement with smaller scale urban and architectural design projects, utilizing bioclimatic criteria. Experience in energy performace analysis and calification for residences and tertiary sector buildings. Research experience in territorial,regional and urban studies in European and National Research programs.

Paul Wilson

Based in United Kingdom

Paul Chairs the Advisory Board for Smart Cities World, read by over 1.6m people worldwide, Smart Cities World provides daily news coverage and weekly features about the fast-changing world of urban innovation. Paul is the Founder of GroundedThinking.net. He is also Senior Advisor at Open Agile Smart Cities with 170 city members and an honorary Research Fellow at the University of Bristol’s Smart Internet Lab. Most recently Paul was Chief Business Officer, Connected Places Catapult, the UK’s innovation accelerator for cities, transport, and place leadership. Paul co-hosts the Urban Exchange podcast with the Resilient Cities Network, the Bentley Horizons podcast about the future of infrastructure, and The Living Network podcast with the Smart Internet Lab at the University of Bristol about the future of digital infrastructure. He combines an in-depth understanding of digital technology with a strong understanding of public policy processes, and a concern for nature. Paul draws on 30 years’ international leadership experience in technology and cities. Earlier in his career he was Chief Marketing Officer of $3Bn fintech company SunGard Financial Systems. He then led the development of the first economic growth strategy for the Bristol and Bath City Region as Chief Executive of the West of England LEP, winning £260m of investment from Government. After this he founded the pioneering Smart City Project ‘Bristol Is Open’, winning numerous international Smart City awards, and became a founder and Board member of the UK Government’s UK5G. Paul became telecoms industry association TM Forum’s Smart City International Advisor and then its Chief Marketing Officer, creating the ‘City as a Platform Manifesto’, attracting 300+ signatories from Governments, Companies and Cities worldwide. Paul has lived in London, Hong Kong and Geneva, and worked extensively in America. Today he lives with his family in Bristol, England.

Bernadette Gordyn

Sustainable Urban Development Specialist

Based in Spain

Bernadette Gordyn is an urban planner and architect from Buenos Aires, Argentina, currently based in Barcelona, Spain. She holds a degree in Architecture from the University of Buenos Aires, a European Master's in Urbanism from UPC Barcelona and KU Leuven, a postgraduate degree in Cities and Urban Policies from Di Tella University, and a Public Policy Analysis Certificate from UCL. With over thirteen years of experience in sustainable territorial and urban development, Bernadette has worked across Latin America, West Africa, and Europe. Since 2019, she has served as Urban Development Consultant with the World Bank, supporting operations in West Africa and Latin America. Her work encompasses project management of loans and technical advisory services, policy dialogue with governments, research and data analysis, and technical publications. She has contributed to projects in Argentina, Mexico, Costa Rica, Uruguay, Panama, Togo and Angola, focusing on slum upgrading, housing, urban regeneration, transit-oriented development, climate resilience, and territorial planning. From 2016 to 2019, Bernadette worked with UN-Habitat's Mexico Country Office, where she coordinated programs on housing, the SDGs, and urban prosperity indicators, helping local governments to localize global agendas. Earlier in her career, she advised local governments in Argentina and Colombia on strategic planning and urban development. Bernadette has co-authored numerous publications with the World Bank and UN-Habitat and has taught urban planning at the University of Buenos Aires. She is fluent in Spanish, English, French, and Catalan. Her work is characterized by a commitment to inclusive and sustainable cities, participatory processes, and evidence-based decision-making that translates global frameworks into local realities.

amaia celaya alvarez

Based in Spain

Think about the real needs, propose from the knowledge, and achieve them through passion. Architect, Master Urban Planner, and Master NOHA - International Cooperation and Humanitarian Action-. I’m a tireless reader, still with many things to discover, and a learnaholic. I grew up in a small town in the sunny and windy desert landscape of Bardenas Reales, Spain. I worry about how we're inhabiting the world and leaving people in the midst of their difficulties. I like seeing how good proposals make people live better within buildings and cities. I’m into resilience, sustainability, accountability, networking, urban planning, architecture, knowledge, sun, and bathing in every sea. I believe in hard work, I wish to be happy doing things that fill my soul, and I trust people. Barcelona Resilience Advisor since 2025 / UNOPS urban migration expert since 2024 / URBACT validated expert since 2023 / UN-IOM advisor since 2022 / Master Director Design for Resilience ELISAVA since 2021 / EU-UIA and EUI expert since 2020 / ISO-TC 292 Security and resilience expert since 2018 / UN-Habitat normative and operations coordinator on Resilience since 2016 / EU-H2020 expert since 2015 / SYLFF Fellow since 2014 / LEED Green Associate since 2012 / Project manager of Brand-quality certified ISO 9001 - and ECODESIGN - ISO 14006 - since 2011 / Eco-design consultant at BCD, ICAEN and Construction 21 since 2010 / Co-founder of abar architects 2005.

Sam Austin

Senior Land Use Planner

Based in Canada

Sam Austin is a community planner with professional experience across Australia and Canada, working in municipal government and consultancy roles on land use policy, strategic planning, and community engagement. He has led and contributed to projects for local, regional, and state level governments, giving him a comparative perspective on how different planning systems respond to shared urban challenges. Sam is currently a Senior Land Use Planner with the City of New Westminster in British Columbia. Alongside his professional practice, he is an active public communicator on planning and city-making, contributing through media commentary, policy submissions, public speaking, and social media. His work focuses on issues affecting younger generations, including housing affordability, the night-time economy, and building more resilient and climate-ready cities.

Ludo Campbell-Reid

Based in Australia

Angela Lopez

Associate - Urban Planner and Designer at ARCADIS | Architect LEED AP BD+C | MSc Cum Laude Urbanism + Technology in Sustainable Development (TISD) Specialization

Based in Mexico

Urban designer & planner committed to make a positive impact on the people around me and my environment: my city, my country and the world. My wish is that my dedication to sustainability and sustainable living at home and at my workplace ‘practicing what I preach’ will inspire others to follow my lead. My goal is to encourage sustainable designs and practices as my way of making a difference in my professional practice. During my years of professional experience in the construction industry I have sought to combine the success of clients with improving the quality of life of people and caring for the environment. With more than 15 years of professional practice, I have had the opportunity to accumulate experience in the design and development of Interior Design, Architectural, and Urban Design & Planning projects, as well as their execution and coordination. I enjoy new challenges, as evidenced by my educational and professional experiences abroad. As a result of my multi-cultural background I am extremely adaptable which has been essential for my professional career. During my role as the Urban Design Team Lead and Sustainability Coordinator for a small practice in Mexico City I was part of an interdisciplinary team of professionals dedicated to the development of Sustainable Master Plan projects in multiple Mexican cities such as Colima, Culiacán, Durango, Mérida, San Luis Potosí and Mexico City. I joined IBI Group (now Arcadis) Mexico City practice in December 2020. Since then I have participated in master planning, urban design, and sustainability & resilience consulting projects in North America and Latin America, mainly in Mexico, Guatemala and Brazil. The Pedestrianization and Parking Management Consultancy for Oaxaca Historic City Center in Mexico was one of my latest projects where I played a key role as the project coordinator between the client (IDB), the beneficiaries (Municipality) and the community involved.

Luciana Renner

Executive Director, Fundación Placemaking

Based in Mexico

Luciana Renner is an architect and urban practitioner with over ten years of experience in participatory urbanism in Spanish-speaking contexts. Her work focuses on transforming public spaces into meaningful places that promote community wellbeing, social cohesion, and everyday urban life, with an emphasis on early childhood, gender equity, older adults, and sport. She is the Executive Director of Fundación Placemaking, a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing collaborative approaches to public space transformation across Spanish-speaking contexts. Since joining the organization in 2019, she has contributed to consolidating its strategic vision, strengthening partnerships with public institutions and international foundations, and scaling programs that combine technical expertise with community participation. Luciana leads LAPIS – Lugares Amigables para la Primera Infancia, a flagship program supported by Fundación FEMSA that promotes early childhood development through play and community participation. The program has been implemented in more than 90 public spaces across 23 states in Mexico and five Latin American countries, adapting to diverse urban and cultural contexts. Her experience includes advising and coordinating initiatives such as Parques México with Fundación Coca-Cola, Pinta tu Cancha with Fundación MetLife, and SHE – Safety, Hygiene and Empowerment with Essity, as well as providing technical assistance on age-friendly public spaces in Costa Rica and participatory budgeting pilots in Yucatán, in collaboration with GIZ and local governments. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), with an academic exchange at Bauhaus University Weimar, and has completed executive training at INSEAD and the American Express Leadership Academy. Luciana is a frequent speaker and educator at international forums and universities, and is the author of the LAPIS Manual.

Salvador Herrera

CEO at Urbanística

Based in Mexico

I am an urban planner with a professional journey spanning over more than two decades at the intersection of law, ethics, governance, and urban design. Trained as a Planner, with a graduate specialization in Urban Management in France and a Master’s degree in Landscape Architecture. My experience bridges public institutions, international organizations, and professional practice. I have held senior roles in municipal planning agencies in Mexico, worked with multilateral institutions such as the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, CAF, and UN-Habitat, and since 2014 I lead Urbanística, a Mexico-based planning firm that develops urban, territorial, housing, mobility, and regulatory strategies across Latin America and beyond. My work covers the full planning cycle: diagnosis, legal and normative design, participatory processes, implementation instruments, and capacity building. Cities, regions, and national governments have relied on my expertise to translate policy goals into actionable spatial and regulatory frameworks. As a mentor to other urban planners, I offer three concrete forms of value. First, professional clarity: guidance on how to build a coherent planning profile that goes beyond technical silos and responds to real institutional constraints. Second, practice-oriented judgment: mentoring planners on how to navigate complex political, legal, and social environments without compromising ethical standards or professional integrity. Third, strategic growth: helping emerging professionals understand how to move between academia, public service, international cooperation, and private practice, and how to translate planning ideas into credible projects, instruments, and careers.

Tiago Mota Saraiva

Based in Portugal

Tiago Mota Saraiva is an architect, urbanist, and founding partner at Ateliermob and Working with the 99% co-op. Over the past two decades, his practice has been deeply engaged with participatory processes, community-led design, and cooperative housing in Portugal. He has advised municipalities and institutions on housing policy and is a vocal advocate for structural public support of collective forms of living. Tiago has taught, published, and curated extensively on architecture, urban politics and territory. Nowadays he is Invited Associated Professor at the Architecture School of Lisbon University.

Nadeem Ahmed

International Urban Development / Urban Planning

Based in Saudi Arabia

International Urban Development professional with over 10 years of experience and a strong background in sustainable urban planning in the UK and global markets, with in-country experience in Nepal, Myanmar, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Most recently in Saudi Arabia, supporting the development of Strategic Urban Plans in Riyadh and Jeddah. Prior to this working on IFI projects (EBRD, World Bank, FCDO), coordinating and delivering strategic urban plans, inclusive economic development, and resilient infrastructure. Demonstrated proficiency in identifying and prioritising green and resilient city actions and supporting their implementation. A chartered member of the Royal Town Planning Institute.

Judy Baker

Based in United States

Judy Baker is currently a Senior Advisor with Cities Alliance, Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University, Advisory Council Member on Latin America at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, and International Consultant working on urban development issues. Until 2023 she was a Global Lead and Lead Economist at the World Bank in the Global Practice for Urban, Resilience and Land. Throughout her 30-year career at the World Bank she was responsible for leading policy dialogue, project management, and analytical work, particularly in East Asia, Africa, Latin America, and South Asia. This work has spanned engagements in over 30 countries and covered topics related to sustainable urbanization and its impacts, affordable housing, service delivery, climate change, local governance, economic development, urban poverty, and monitoring and evaluation. She has led several communities of practice with outreach to global partners from many organizations. She has published six books, as well as produced numerous country and regional reports for the World Bank. She has also been an invited speaker at many international events and guest lecturer at numerous universities. As a mentor, Judy brings extensive experience in recruiting and leading teams, deep analytics and policy guidance on a wide range of urban development issues in many different types of cities, project design, problem solving, partnership building, and career guidance.

Misha Mittal

Based in United Arab Emirates

Misha Mittal is a senior urban strategist and city advisor with over 17 years of experience shaping policies, mega-scale developments, and sustainability-led urban transformation across the UAE, India, and international markets. She currently serves as Senior Manager – City Advisory at Expo City Dubai, where she works closely with mayors, city leaders, multilateral organizations, developers, and technical experts to design and deliver future-ready urban strategies, flagship initiatives, and global partnerships. Her work focuses on translating long-term urban vision into implementable and investable outcomes across land use, mobility, infrastructure, and climate resilience. In parallel, Misha leads the G100 Smart and Sustainable Cities Mission in the UAE as the Country Chair, advancing women-led leadership, city diplomacy, and systems thinking at the intersection of governance, climate action, built-environment, technology and economic resilience. She has led intellectual property development that integrates urban planning, ESG, finance, governance, and communication into structured frameworks and digital metrics and has been a member of several national and emirate-wide task force. A Certified Circular Economy Professional and sought-after speaker, Misha is known for bridging strategy with execution. Her expertise spans climate-conscious real estate, heat and water resilience, circular economy models, and nature-positive urban systems, as well as building effective public–private and international partnerships. As a mentor, she supports mid-career professionals, emerging leaders, and founders in urban planning, sustainability, infrastructure, and real estate, helping them move from technical roles to trusted advisory and leadership positions. Her mentorship is strategic, candid, and grounded in real-world decision-making, focused on navigating complex institutions, leading in ambiguity, and creating meaningful, long-term impact.

Cornelia Dinca

Sustainable & Smart Cities

Based in Netherlands

I am an urbanist, consultant and educator focused on sustainable urban development. I am the founder of Sustainable Amsterdam, a boutique consultancy specialized in transferring Amsterdam and Dutch approaches to sustainable urban development internationally through experiential learning programmes. I have extensive experience working with governmental and semi-governmental partners such as the City of Amsterdam and Amsterdam Smart City, with a strong focus on international collaboration and knowledge exchange. Throughout my work, I have been involved in various mentoring roles, including as mentor city representative in the EU Intelligent Cities Challenge (ICC), supporting other European cities in their urban innovation and sustainability journeys. I have also mentored startups through different EIT and New European Bauhaus programmes. I also support individuals in their career development paths, particularly (young) professionals moving to Amsterdam / the Netherlands who are navigating the local urban and sustainability ecosystem. My mentoring approach combines practical urban experience with reflection, learning and personal guidance in complex sustainability transitions.

LAURELINE LHUILLIER

Based in France

I am an architect and urban planner specialized in urban resilience, climate adaptation, and water governance, with over ten years of professional experience across Latin America and Europe. My work lies at the intersection of urban planning, architecture, public policy, and applied research, with a strong focus on how cities can respond to climate and social challenges in systemic, inclusive, and realistic ways. I have worked extensively in Mexico—including Monterrey, Mexico City, and the Caribbean region—on metropolitan resilience strategies, water-related urban systems, and climate-vulnerable territories. These contexts, shaped by water scarcity, flooding, rapid urbanization, and institutional complexity, have deeply influenced my understanding of cities as living systems. Collaborating with local governments, planning agencies, international organizations, and community actors has given me first-hand insight into how urban visions are negotiated, implemented, and constrained in practice. Alongside this, I have contributed to projects and research initiatives in France, Spain, and Ecuador, focusing on resilience frameworks, nature-based solutions, and territorial adaptation. Working across diverse geographies has strengthened my ability to connect scales, disciplines, and stakeholders, while keeping social equity and long-term impact at the center of planning processes. As a mentor, I offer a practice-based, honest, and non-linear perspective on building a career in urban planning. My own trajectory has been shaped by international mobility, interdisciplinary work, uncertainty, and professional reinvention. I support early-career urban planners in clarifying their professional positioning, navigating complex institutional environments, and transforming strong values into coherent and sustainable career paths.

Hassan Elmouelhi

Based in Germany

Jens Aerts

Based in Ethiopia

Experienced in international urban development assignments with a diversity of key actors, I combine technical knowledge and human skills to support multi-stakeholder projects towards sustainable urbanisation, corridor development and green transformation. With a sharp analytical focus, I am good at data analytics, strategic thinking and clear reporting. I have been trained as a Master in Civil Engineering Architecture in Belgium and a Master in Urban Planning in Spain. With my 20 years of experience in practice, policy and research, I have been managing complex projects with cities and municipalities, international institutions, NGOs and project developers in different international contexts. Currently I provide technical assistance to the European Union, World Bank, Cities Alliance and the Global Infrastructure Basel Foundation, focusing on regional development, urban climate resilience and urban mobility. I am regularly asked to provide technical assistance in spatial research, local policy development and innovative urban development practices, to help shape investment programs and planning policies based on principles of sustainability, inclusion and economic feasibility. Nowadays I commute between Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and Brussels, Belgium.

Giselle Sebag

Executive Director | Founder

Based in Spain

I’m Giselle Sebag (MPH, LEED AP)—an architect, urban planner, and public health practitioner focused on improving health by design. I work at the intersection of urban planning, public health, mobility, climate resilience, and equity, helping cities and civil society partners translate evidence into place-based strategies that improve everyday life—how we move, what we breathe, how safe we feel, and how connected we are. I serve as Executive Director of the International Society for Urban Health (ISUH), a global network advancing the field of urban health and strengthening the bridge between evidence and real-world action. I also founded Vital Cities, an evidence-driven advisory practice that partners with city governments, the private sector, and mission-driven organizations to ensure urban investments deliver the greatest possible impact—improving health, quality of life, and economic outcomes. My career has been built in the “in-between spaces” where change is hardest—and most promising: between planning and health, policy and design, infrastructure and community life. I’m especially interested in how practical shifts—safe walking and cycling, public-space activation, access to nature, healthier housing and neighborhoods, and inclusive community life—can transform places and reduce inequities. I’m based in Barcelona and New York and work internationally. What I offer as a mentor: Strategic, practical support for mentees who want to create measurable impact across disciplines. I can help you (1) clarify your direction and refine your professional story, (2) translate research and data into implementable urban strategies, (3) navigate cross-sector stakeholder dynamics, and (4) apply a place-based approach that breaks down silos and builds shared purpose. Bring a real challenge—an initiative that’s stuck, a career crossroads, or a project that needs a sharper strategy—and we’ll work together to move from insight to action.

Diego Garcia Fernandez

Based in Mexico

Diego García es Arquitecto y Urbanista con más de 16 años de experiencia, principalmente en los campos de planificación urbana, placemaking, diseño urbano y arquitectónico, desarrollo orientado al transporte público (DOT), gestión de proyectos, regulaciones urbanas y arquitectónicas. Diego posee una Maestría en Urbanismo de la Universidad Politécnica de Cataluña (Barcelona TECH) y es egresado de la Facultad de Arquitectura de la UNAM. Entre los proyectos relevantes en los que Diego ha participado se encuentran 4 planes maestros para plantaciones de café cerca de Antigua Guatemala, cada uno abarcando más de 70 hectáreas, tres planes maestros en el área sur de la Zona Metropolitana de Guatemala, que cubren más de 1,000 hectáreas, 2 proyectos de mejora urbana con enfoque en el Desarrollo Orientado al Transporte Público (DOT) en Belo HoDiego García is an Architect and Urban Planner with over 16 years of experience specializing in urban and architectural design, placemaking, transit‑oriented development (TOD), master planning, project management, and urban regulations. He currently leads the Urban Planning & Architecture practice for Arcadis in Mexico, where he has grown the team from 1 to 21 professionals and driven significant business development and project delivery. Diego holds a Master in Urban Planning from UPC / Barcelona TECH (ETSAB, DUOT Barcelona) and an Architecture degree from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). Among Diego’s notable projects are strategic master plans for coffee farms near Antigua Guatemala, covering more than 100 hectares, and several large‑scale urban master plans in the Guatemala City metropolitan area exceeding 1,000 hectares. He has contributed to innovative TOD initiatives in cities such as Belo Horizonterizonte y Río de Janeiro, un estudio de pre-factibilidad para el teleférico de Chapultepec.

Betty Chemier

Director at ReURBE

Based in Panama

Hi, I’m Betty—a self-made urban professional from Panama City. I started the journey that led me here because there was no park in my neighborhood, so I decided to build one. Together with my neighbors, we planned it, raised funds, and built and planted the park we had been dreaming of. That was my first real experience with participatory planning, co-design, and tactical urbanism (I only learned those terms after we finished). That project changed my life. I leaned into learning—taking courses with Gehl, Project for Public Spaces, and participating in design charrettes at Harvard—then came back home and founded a social enterprise, ReURBE. With my team, I’ve led projects across the country focused on creating more livable, inclusive, and meaningful places. Later, I joined the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Accelerator Labs network, where for three years I helped test and scale practical solutions for challenges that shape our cities—disaster risk reduction, circular economy, waste management, and more—using systems thinking, experimentation, and a “learn fast” mindset. I’m now back in my own practice with ReURBE, working with clients on projects that mix place activation with sustainability strategy—turning big goals into real-world pilots, partnerships, and measurable impact for the territories and people they serve. If you’re a young professional who wants a mentor to help you navigate participatory processes, design projects with communities, structure experiments, or bridge urban practice with sustainability and systems thinking, I’d love to support your growth.

Oliver Lah

Based in Germany

Oliver Lah coordinates the Urban Urban Living Lab Center, a UN-Habitat Collaborating Center co-hosted by Technical University Berlin, Wuppertal Institute for Climate Environment and Energy and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is the director of the Urban Electric Mobility Initiative and an Adjunct Professor at the Blekinge Institute of Technology (BTH). Prior to that Oliver worked with UN-Habitat, UN Environment, UNDP, OECD/ITF and GIZ on urban mobility and climate change issues. He was a lead author for the Fifth IPCC Assessment Report, was a member of the Habitat III Policy Unit on Urban Services and Technology and worked at the Ministry of Transport of New Zealand and the Minister of State to the German Federal Chancellor. Oliver holds a Bachelor of Art in History from Humboldt University, a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Political Science and a Master of Environmental Studies from Victoria University of Wellington and a PhD in Urban Ecology from Technical University Berlin.

Mayra Madriz

Based in Mexico

I'm an urban strategist with a background in psychology and a deep love for nature. My way of making change is to craft and implement plans to make neighborhoods green, vibrant, and social. I was raised in Caracas, a tropical dream city that devolved into a dystopia, held together by its people's resilience and an incredibly strong social infrastructure. The experience of my homeland has shaped my professional practice as a sustainability consultant working on ambitious master planning projects and later as a Director at Gehl - a leading planning and urban design studio based in Copenhagen. To date, I have led placemaking initiatives in 30 cities and 10 countries. My work spans a wide range of contexts, from informal settlements in Latin America to corporate campuses in Silicon Valley. I'm now starting a private practice focusing on eco-districts and corporate social responsibility for real estate projects in Latin America. I'm also a co-founder of an agro-tourism project in the Paria Peninsula in Venezuela. Outside work, I'm a mother, an avid cyclist, a student of radical theology, and a music enthusiast.

Joann Johani

Vice President, Sector & Enabler Development

Based in Malaysia

I am a strategic planning and urban development professional with over 15 years of experience in delivering large-scale, infrastructure-led economic development projects, particularly within the energy and industrial sectors. My work sits at the intersection of planning, policy, and investment, with a strong focus on translating long-term strategies into implementable outcomes within complex, multi-stakeholder environments. A significant part of my career has been shaped by my involvement in the Pengerang Integrated Petroleum Complex (PIPC), one of Southeast Asia’s largest energy / downstream oil and gas developments. I was involved from the early stages of conceptual planning during my time with the Johor State Economic Planning Unit and later continued this journey within Johor Petroleum Development Corporation (JPDC), where I contributed to the development, coordination and execution of key planning frameworks, including the PIPC Master Plan 2.0 and PIPC Strategic Plan. My role extended beyond technical planning. I was deeply involved in stakeholder coordination, land acquisition strategy, and community resettlement planning areas that required not only technical understanding but also empathy, negotiation, and the ability to balance competing interests. These experiences shaped my perspective that development is never purely technical; it is inherently human, political, and often imperfect. Over the years, I have worked across multiple dimensions of planning, including macroeconomic analysis, spatial planning, infrastructure and utilities strategy, housing and social infrastructure planning, as well as investment facilitation. This has given me a holistic understanding of how large-scale developments evolve from visioning and planning to execution and long-term positioning. Currently, I serve as Vice President, Sector & Enabler Development at the Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA), where I am involved in shaping sectoral strategies and enabling ecosystems within the Johor–Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ). One of the most valuable lessons I have learned is that real-world planning rarely follows a linear path. While academic frameworks provide structure, the reality on the ground involves navigating institutional constraints, shifting policies, market volatility, and diverse stakeholder expectations. Often, the biggest challenges are not technical but relational. Aligning different agencies, managing expectations, and building trust can be far more complex than developing the plan itself. As a mentor, I aim to bridge this gap between theory and practice. I am particularly passionate about supporting young professionals and early-career practitioners in understanding how planning concepts translate into real-world decision-making. I can offer guidance in areas such as urban and regional planning, economic development strategy, infrastructure planning, stakeholder management, and navigating large, multi-agency environments. I also recognise that career journeys are rarely straightforward. I have experienced transitions, institutional changes, and moments of uncertainty including navigating organisational restructuring and shifts in mandate. These experiences have taught me resilience, adaptability, and the importance of staying grounded in one’s core skills and values. As a mentor, I am open to sharing these experiences honestly to help others better prepare for the realities of professional life. Beyond technical guidance, I see mentorship as a space for reflection and growth. I aim to create an environment where mentees feel comfortable asking questions, exploring different perspectives, and building confidence in their own voice. I believe that good mentorship is not about providing all the answers but about helping others think critically, make informed decisions, and develop their own approach to challenges. I am particularly interested in mentoring individuals who are navigating careers in planning, development, sustainability, and economic policy, especially those who aspire to work on large-scale or transformative projects. I also welcome mentees who are still exploring their direction, as I believe early exposure to real-world insights can be incredibly valuable. Ultimately, my goal as a mentor is to support others in becoming not only competent professionals but also thoughtful practitioners, individuals who understand the broader impact of their work and who are able to navigate complexity with both technical skill and human sensitivity.