For SRC Regional Representative Elected from Region V

Saharnaz Mirzazad Barijough

University of Colorado Denver
Master of Urban and Regional Planning, Second semester
Expected to graduate: May 2013
saharnaz.mirzazad@gmail.com

Leadership, Volunteer, and Planning-related Experience

List and describe briefly relevant leadership positions held at the local, regional, state, or national level.

• I have been working as a coordinator and researcher for the "Defining and Measuring Sustainability Indicators for the City of Boulder", a collaborative project between the Land Use Futures Lab at the University of Colorado and the City of Boulder since 2011. The leadership of this project helped me both in establishing a network of interested students and in providing a potential for connecting students in broad concept of sustainability.
• In 2009 and 2010, I was honored to be a member of the planning committee to revitalize low-income neighborhoods in the Tehran metropolitan area. This work taught me to be tolerant of conflicts and to manage uncertain situations that concerned the priority goals of coworkers, in this case different consultants — a critical skill for any leadership position.

List and describe briefly any relevant planning-related volunteer positions held at the local, regional, state, or national level.

As an intern in Urban Planning and Design at the Department of Community Planning and Sustainability in Boulder during 2010 and 2011, I collaborated on updating the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan. My role was to produce maps and data analysis to help staff with updating the comprehensive-plan policies.

Describe your involvement in planning-related activities (community, nonprofit, planning student organizations, etc.)

• I have been a teaching assistant for Planning Methods, Issues in Planning History, and Site Planning courses at the University of Colorado in 2011 and 2012. The most important characteristic of a teaching assistant is being available to respond to questions and guide the students. These responsibilities boost my knowledge and skills in being organized to have enough time and flexibility in my schedule to assist students at unexpected times.
• I am an active member of the APA University of Colorado Green Committee, Sustainability Club, and Strategies for Sustainability Working Group.  I will present at the Student Capstone Project session at the APA Los Angeles conference. This group facilitates networking not only at the university level but also among professional planners interested in sustainability.
• I worked in the planning profession in Iran. I was project coordinator at DACE Real Estate Developer and I worked on community and economic-development projects for Negin-shahr Engineering Consultants. These jobs have helped me gain insight into the importance of integrating academia and professional work.

About APA and Planning

Describe how you have benefited from APA student membership to date

The APA webinars and APA Planner Press have been valuable resources that have put me more in touch with real-world planning debates all over the country. Moreover, the APA introduced me to other planning students and professionals with similar interests — a highly effective way to network. In addition, APA state chapter committees have offered great support by providing complete information about upcoming planning issues in the state of Colorado in my area of interest.

Describe your qualifications for the SRC Regional Representative position

My solid background in the planning profession and my leadership role in the "Defining and Measuring Sustainability Indicators for the City of Boulder" project and as a member of the Planning Committee in Iran enhanced a set of skills that will be highly beneficial in the Student Representative Council. I am especially interested in working with students, and I am aware of the big benefits beyond teamwork. The ability to coordinate people on different schedules, availability, and enthusiasm about sharing knowledge and networking are characteristics that make me a qualified applicant for this position.

How can APA and its student leaders assist planning students as they transition into planning careers?

The American Planning Association plays an important role by providing not only professional connections but also a network of knowledge that helps everyone in the profession to update his or her knowledge. In addition, APA planning job lists and conferences provide special opportunities to connect with professional planners and bridge the gap between the profession and academia. I believe that student leaders can facilitate this process by providing information to fellow students about available resources in the APA and encouraging them to contribute to the urban-planning community.

Why did you choose planning as a career path?

Urban Planning is the merge point for all other professions shaping cities and affecting their inhabitants' lives. The important role of planners as leaders in this context has been an interest since I started my Bachelor's degree in architecture. My passion for urban planning resulted in working on various sustainable community and economic development projects for more than seven years. I believe that urban planning has the capability to strike a balance among forces striving toward sustainable cities.

What have you learned from previous leadership experience?

The core of skills that I gained from my previous experiences is respect for group members' ideas and specific interests, besides keeping constantly in touch with them through various stages of the collaboration. I have also developed adaptability and learned the importance of a leader's ability to motivate and even excite group members.