Smart Growth America Staff List & Responsibilities (Alphabetical by first name)
David Goldberg, Communications Director
dgoldberg@smartgrowthamerica.org, 202-412-7930 (cell) (David is based in GA)
Responsibilities: Oversees communications work for Smart Growth America, including
pitching media stories, writing media materials, and directing SGA’s overall
communications strategy. Conducts messaging and other communications workshops
for partners and serves as Communications head for the T4America campaign.
Issues: Framing, Messaging, Communications Strategy
Projects: T4America
Elisa Oritz, State Campaign Director
eortiz@smartgrowthamerica.org, 202-207-3355 x118
Responsibilities: Manages the state stimulus campaign, organizes weekly calls,
coordinates state strategy, and helps distribute resources. Maintains the SGA Coalition
and is organizing the upcoming state smart growth policy campaign. Coordinates work
among the various SGA campaigns and state partners.
Issues: Campus and grassroots organizing, non-profit management
Projects: State Stimulus Campaign, State Smart Growth Policy Campaign
Elizabeth Schilling, SGLI Interim Director
eschilling@smartgrowthamerica.org, 202-207-3355 x41
Responsibilities: Oversee SGLI and Governors Institute on Community Design while
Tamar is out on maternity leave. Directs the Land Use and Water Project.
Issues: State smart growth policy
Projects: Governors Institute; Land use and water
Geoff Anderson, President and CEO
ganderson@smartgrowthamerica.org, 202-207-3355 x13, 202-425-9052 (cell)
Responsibilities: Oversee SGA’s strategic direction, fundraising, and program; serve as
co-chair of the T4America campaign with Shelley Poticha of Reconnecting America.
Projects: T4America
Ilana Preuss, Outreach Director for T4America
ipreuss@smartgrowthamerica.org, 202-207-3355 x32
Responsibilities: Oversee the field campaign for Transportation for America. Ilana is
also the former director of the EPA Smart Growth’s program technical assistance
program and has experience in working on local smart growth issues and policy.
Issues: Transportation
Projects: T4America
Jennifer Leonard, National Vacant Properties Campaign Director
jleonard@smartgrowthamerica.org, 202-207-3355 x23, 410-258-4687 (cell)
Responsibilities: Directs the NVPC, which is a joint project of Smart Growth America,
the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, the Metropolitan Institute of Virgina Tech, and
the Genesse Institute, that aims to help states and localities prevent vacant properties
and mitigate the problems associated with them. The Campaign does policy work on
vacant property issues, conducts state and local technical assistance with government
and nonprofits, and provides additional resources through the web site
vacantproperties.org and a bi-monthly newsletter. Additionally, Jen organizes a Vacant
Properties conference every 18 months, with the next one scheduled for Louisville,
Kentucky on May 31-June 3, 2009.
Issues: Vacant properties and related issues (Land banking, shrinking cities, tax
foreclosure, mortgage foreclosure, etc.), Brownfields, Affordable Housing
Projects: National Vacant Properties Campaign
Kate Rube, Policy Director
krube@smartgrowthamerica.org, 202-207-3355 x14, 202-236-8713 (cell)
Responsibilities: Oversees SGA’s federal policy work and works with T4America
legislative team to advocate for smart growth and transportation reform on Capitol Hill.
Issues: Climate, transportation, property fairness, other general federal policy.
Projects: Property fairness/Takings initiatives, Climate, T4America, Restoring Prosperity
Mara D’Angelo, Policy Analyst
mdangelo@smartgrowthamerica.org, 202-207-3355 x22
Responsibilities: Assists with the administration of the National Vacant Properties
Campaign, including gathering information and resources, tracking relevant
initiatives/policies, and updating the NVPC website. Works on the soon to be completed
Restoring Prosperity project with Kate. Currently assisting with SGA’s state policy work.
Issues: Housing/community development (including foreclosures and vacant
properties), brownfields
Projects: National Vacant Properties Campaign; Restoring Prosperity; State Stimulus
Campaign; State Policy Campaign
Governor Parris Glendening, President of the Smart Growth Leadership Institute
pglendening@sgli.org, 202-207-3355 x21
Responsibilities: As a former two-term Governor of Maryland and Chair of the National
Governor’s Association, Governor Glendening now speaks on smart growth and related
issues to audiences around the world. His presentations focus on a number of smart
growth related topics including health and the built environment, transit and transit
oriented development and economic competitiveness and smart growth. As a local
elected official for twenty-three years he works closely with local officials as well as with
governors. Governor Glendening often speaks about the politics and reality of
implementing smart growth and about leadership development.
Paula Offord, Office Manager
pofford@smartgrowthamerica.org, 202-207-3355 x17, 571-213-9752 (cell)
Responsibilities: Oversees administrative and financial management of the SGA office;
organizes Board meetings and other convenings.
Shelly Hazle, State Coordinator, Smart Growth Leadership Institute
shazle@smartgrowthamerica.org, 202-207-3355 x20, 502-593-2994 (cell)
Responsibilities: Works with the Smart Growth Leadership Institute, focusing on the
Governors’ Institute on Community Design to hold smart growth-related workshops for
Governors and their staff.
Issues: State smart growth policy, particularly state administrative policy.
Projects: Governors’ Institute on Community Design
Stefanie Seskin, Complete Streets State Policy Associate
sseskin@completestreets.org, 202-207-3355 x15
Responsibilities: Builds and manages resources for the Complete Streets campaign,
including fact sheets and the website; tracks and assists with the development of
complete street policies on the state and local levels; conducts research with National
Complete Streets Coalition members.
Issues: complete streets
Projects: National Complete Streets Coalition
Stephanie Potts, Policy Analyst
spotts@smartgrowthamerica.org, 202-207-3355 x25, 301-639-7444 (cell)
Responsibilities: Coordinates Smart Growth America’s national coalition members and
the federal policy subcommittee, staffs the National Complete Streets Coalition,
provides federal policy support on climate, transportation, and other issues as needed.
Currently assisting with SGA’s state policy campaign and state stimulus campaign.
Issues: Climate, transportation, complete streets
Projects: National Complete Streets Coalition; Smart Growth and Climate Coalition;
State Stimulus Campaign; State Policy Campaign
Steve Davis, Communications Associate
sdavis@smartgrowthamerica.org, 202-207-3355 x30, 202-510-1634 (cell)
Responsibilities: Coordinates SGA’s online communications, writes newsletters and
web content. Handles strategy for online communication, including the SGA blog and
implementation of new web infrastructure. Coordinates online activity for T4America.
Writes speeches for Governor Glendening’s appearances, and helps generate op-eds
and columns.
Issues and projects: Generally: Stays current on all smart growth-related issues and
projects to keep our coalition and the public informed through the website and
newsletters about our progress and the progress of the smart growth movement at
large.
Projects: T4America, Takings and property fairness.
Tamar Shapiro, Executive Director, Smart Growth Leadership Institute
tshapiro@sgli.org, 202-207-3355 x24
Responsibilities: Directs the Smart Growth Leadership Institute and the Governors’
Institute on Community Design. Manages the Land use and Water project. Focuses on
state policy and governance issues related to growth and development.
Issues: General state smart growth policy, including climate, transportation, and
preservation.
Projects: Governor’s Institute and Smart Growth Leadership Institute; Land Use and
Water project
Will Schroeer, State Policy Director, Smart Growth America
wschroeer@smartgrowthamerica.org 612-928-0788 (Will is based in Minnesota)
Responsibilities: Directs SGA’s state policy work, provides technical advise and
assistance on state policy. Directs SGA’s state stimulus work.
Issues: General state smart growth policy, including climate and transportation
Projects: State Economic Stimulus campaign, State policy campaign