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THE JURY

Doug Farr, Jury Chair, Architect at Farr Associates

Doug Farr is the founding principal of Farr Associates, an architecture and planning firm regarded by many as one of the most sustainable design practices in the country. Having a mission to design sustainble human environments, Farr Associate’s unique niche is in applying the principles of green building at the scale of the neighborhood and in designing green buildings exclusively for urban contexts.

Colleen Carey, Developer at The Cornerstone Group in Bloomington, MN and Trustee of Urban Land Institute

Ms. Carey is the president and founder of The Cornerstone Group, a real estate company whose mission is to create great places for people to live, work and play. The Cornerstone Group focuses on transformative redevelopment projects; they have special expertise in mixed use developments and affordable housing and a strong emphasis on sustainable design, providing consulting services to clients as well as working on development projects of their own.

Chris Koos, Mayor of the Town of Normal, IL

Chris Koos began his term as Mayor of the Town of Normal on February 17, 2003 and was elected in April of 2005. He was elected to his first term on the Normal Town Council in April of 2000. Mr. Koos has long been active in the community. His civic activities included serving as Chairman of the Town of Normal Historic Preservation Commission for eight years.

Mike Lydon, Principal of Street Plan Collaborative

Mike Lydon is a founding Principal of The Street Plans Collaborative. Before launching the firm in 2009, Lydon worked for Duany Plater-Zyberk and Company (DPZ), an international leader in the practice of smart growth planning, design, and research techniques. Mike received a B.A. in American Cultural Studies from Bates College and a Masters in Urban Planning from the University of Michigan.

Jason McLennan, Director of Cascadia Green Building Council and Director of Living Futures Institute

Considered one of the most influential individuals in the green building movement today, Jason F. McLennan’s work has made a strong impact on the shape and direction of green building in the United States and Canada and he is a much sought after presenter and consultant on a wide variety of green building and sustainability topics around the world.

Shelley Poticha, Director for Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities, Department of Housing and Urban Development

A well-respected expert in growth management and urban policy, Poticha is responsible for advancing housing and communities that promote affordable, livable and sustainable living environments. She also provides technical and policy support for energy, green building, and integrated housing and transportation programs at HUD and around the nation.

Vanessa September, Architect and Board of Directors at Project for Public Spaces

Vanessa September is a Professional Architect with the South African Council for Architects and Planners. She serves on the Board of Project for Public Spaces NY. She is engaged by the UN Habitat to provide technical support to the City Council of Nairobi in the implementation of public spaces in the city centre and Kibera, the largest slum settlement in Africa. She is currently working on place making projects in Nairobi Kenya.

Rick Bernhardt, Executive Director of the Metro Planning Department

Rick grew up in Nashville and graduated from Glencliff High School. He began his professional planning career here before advancing to a number of other planning opportunities. Over his 30 years of service, Rick has focused on proactive, community-based planning. He has concentrated efforts on issues of affordable housing, neighborhood planning, urban design, sustainability, New Urbanism, linking transportation, and land use built on a foundation of meaningful community participation.

Vivian Fei Tsen, Chairperson of Chinatown Community Development Center and a Board member on the Executive Committees of SPUR

Vivian Fei Tsen is an urban planner who has worked in the nonprofit, public and private realms. Ms. Tsen currently manages several real estate partnerships that hold a portfolio of commercial and residential properties. For over 23 years she was the president of Tsen & Associates, a real estate finance and development consulting firm. She is a Board member on the Executive Committees of SPUR and Greenbelt Alliance.