I'm an aspiring urban planner who cares about creating places that nurture social connectedness and enrich lives.

With an academic background in psychology and economics, I am deeply interested in understanding human behavior—especially how the built environment shapes well-being and social connectedness.

What features of cities foster or hinder social connections? How can planners leverage this understanding to build more connected and inclusive communities?

These questions drive my passion for planning in practice and research. In my Master’s Project, I am exploring transportation-related barriers to social connectedness among older adults in North Carolina.

As a graduate student at UNC-Chapel Hill, I specialize in transportation but am interested in all realms of planning—housing, land use, economic development, and beyond.

My coursework has allowed me to pursue various projects, ranging from a group report on a North Carolina workforce development program for biopharma manufacturing to a case study on the development of Guadalajara’s transit system.

As a transportation planning intern at the Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization, I have gained hands-on experience developing plans and engaging directly with the community.

I bring a versatile skill set to planning, combining creativity with analytical proficiency. My experience with graphic design allows me to communicate complex ideas visually, while my qualitative and quantitative skills enable me to analyze data, identify trends, and develop evidence-based solutions.

My values

Purposeful Engagement

Public engagement isn't a checkbox—it's the focal point of the planning process. It should be genuine, inclusive, and mutually beneficial, making community members feel heard and valued. I advocate for combining traditional methods like surveys and events with novel or casual strategies, such as utilizing social media input and organizing pop-up events in areas with high foot traffic.

Immersive Design & Storytelling

I believe that design and storytelling are as essential to plans as their text content. Data visualization, infographics, images, and overall formatting are overlooked components of plans that shape their stories. For example, using images of community members with permission is more powerful to the reader than using stock images to fill space.

Approachable Writing

Many planning documents struggle with wordiness, confusing jargon, and unclear acronyms. It’s important that all planning documents and communications are concise, to the point, and use plain language.