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2008-07-01T12:56:00.000-07:00

PennPraxis
Consultant for the 2009 Regional Infrastructure Charrette
(May 2009 - Present)

PROJECT MANAGEMENT: Coordinating a multi-day roundtable discussion and design charrette with local, regional, and national officials to identify an economic strategy for strengthening the Philadelphia metropolitan region.

Office of City Councilmember Reynolds Brown (District At-Large)
Policy Fellow
(September 2008 - March 2009)

POLICY DEVELOPMENT: Provided policy analysis and developed strategies that support legislation requiring capital construction projects in Philadelphia to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards. Wrote and advanced legislation that will align the city’s real estate tax abatement program with Green Building standards. Investigated methods in which the city can create a bid preference in the city’s procurement process for companies that demonstrate a high level of environmental responsibility.

COMMUNICATIONS: Built and strengthened relationships with the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, local and regional nongovernmental organizations, academic institutions, and the private sector. Organized speaking opportunities, helped write the councilwoman’s public talking points, arranged tours of green buildings, and provided general instruction to staff around urban sustainability techniques and technologies.

10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania
Southeast PA Metropolitan Development Network
(June 2008 - August 2008)

Translating sustainable land use and urban growth management principles into sound policy and effective programs at the regional and local level through program development, policy research, and outreach.

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT: Developed the framework for the “Community Zoning Information Campaign,” a program to educate and empower citizen's groups to negotiate zoning and development decisions from a position of strength. Conducted interviews with over a dozen leaders from community associations and CDCs to better understand how they each envision an inclusive zoning and development process.

POLICY ANALYSIS: Advised the Southeastern Pennsylvania First Suburbs Project on a regional water infrastructure policy platform, which advocated for creating integrated water resource authorities.

STRATEGIC PLANNING: Contributed to 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania's Strategic Plan.

Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission
Department of Smart Growth
(January 2008-May 2008)

Assisted with research and writing of policy reports and plans related to the redevelopment of regional Brownfields as well as municipal parking ordinances in the Philadelphia Metropolitan area.

Great Works Symposium "The Next Philadelphia" at Drexel University
Policy Workshop Instructor
(June 2008-August 2008)

Facilitating Drexel University students in researching, writing, and presenting a policy paper on education reform in Philadelphia.

EDUCATION

University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (2009)
Master of City & Regional Planning
Land Use, Transportation, and Environmental Planning

Rhodes College, Memphis, TN (2006)
Bachelor of Arts cum laude, History with Honors
American Urban South, Corporate & Consumer History, American Architectural History

ORGANIZATIONS

Delaware Valley Green Building Council (Policy Subcommittee);
Institute of Green Professionals (Chair of the Young Professionals Committee, Strategic Planning Committee); Cedar Park Neighbors (Zoning Committee); and American Planning Association.

SKILLS

PLANNING & POLICY DEVELOPMENT

Land Use + Site Planning
Ordinance Writing
Urban Environmental Policy Development
Regional Growth Management
Visioning and Comprehensive Planning
Public Forum Facilitation
Research, Writing, and Report Layout

TECHNICAL

Adobe Creative Suite (In-Design, Illustrator, Photoshop)
GIS (Vector & Raster)
CommunityViz
Google Sketchup, Google Earth
Urban Simulation & Development Impact Modeling (Index, Repast, Places-3)

Jeffrey Austin Knowles

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