For Vice Chair

Pattsi Petrie, AICP

Previously, I was chair of this division for six years. After which, it was time for other division members to step into leadership roles. Those leaders are passing the mantle and I am interested in stepping back into a leadership role as vice-chair. This division is extremely important for the women in the planning profession as a means to form networking mentorships, effect planning policy, be the EMILY's list to infuse women into more influential roles, and build historical foundations for the young women entering the profession so they do not hit the "glass ceiling."

For the next two years, I have two key goals: increase communication among and with division members and second, which builds on the first, increase membership by 10% each year.

Retired now from teaching urban planning courses in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, I am now a member of the Champaign County Board. It is not very often that either a practicing or academic planner serves in an elected office. This recent experience has proved an entirely new perspective as to the importance of planning. This brings me back to the idea that the division ought to become the EMILY's list to move women into significant decision-making roles.