Dear Colleagues:

The APA New York Metro Chapter’s Young Planners Group (YPG) invites professional planners to participate in the third round of its Mentorship Program kicking off in early February 2012. We are seeking both mentors and mentees interested in gaining valuable career advice, skill development, and networking opportunities. YPG will use a survey to pair participants with like interests and communication preferences, and we will provide materials to help ensure the experience is professionally and personally rewarding for mentors and mentees alike.

Who can participate?

Professional planners of all experience levels are encouraged to participate. Interested mentors should have five or more years of professional planning experience while interested mentees should have less than four years of professional planning experience. This round of the program is open solely to professional planners who have already completed graduate school.

What are the program benefits?

Mentors gain the opportunity to:

• give back to the profession by supporting new planners
• expand their professional networks
• connect with the experiences of younger professionals
• hone their leadership skills
• increase their involvement in the APA New York Metro Chapter

Mentees gain the opportunity to:

• discuss career goals with experienced professionals
• confer on professional development and long- and short-term professional goals
• discover what experienced and senior-level planners deal with on a day-to-day basis
• understand different subfields within the planning profession
• expand their professional networks

What is the time commitment?

• The program will kickoff at a meet-and-greet in early February 2012 (date/time TBD)
• We request that participants commit to the program for five months.
• Participants have the option of corresponding via phone, email, or in person, but we recommend meeting at least once a month for the duration of the program.

Who will I be mentoring? Who will be my mentor?

• The YPG developed a brief survey that will help us form mentoring partnerships based on mutual interests and communication preferences. (If you are prompted with “Safe Mode Preference,” click “Do Not Use Safe Mode” to access the survey.)
  • Mentor Survey: www.misterpoll.com/polls/543688
  • Mentee Survey: www.misterpoll.com/polls/543689
• We also require that you send a copy of your updated resume to ypgmentorship@gmail.com to aid with placement.
• The surveys will be available online through January 20, 2012, and we will notify participants of their pairings in late January in advance of our kick-off event.

Please feel free to contact the Mentorship Subcommittee at ypgmentorship@gmail.com with any questions about the program or the application process. The success of last year’s program was due in large part to the dedication and energy of the participants, and we look forward to working with you to ensure another productive and enjoyable mentoring program for New York area planners.

Best Regards,

Mentorship Subcommittee, Young Planners Group, APA New York Metro Chapter

Andrew Murray, Subcommittee Chair
Michael Davis
Cherry Mui
James Rather
Maxwell Sokol

Do You Have An Idea For a Webcast?

APA-NY Metro Chapter is a member of the Planning Webcast Series, a co-op comprised of APA Chapters and Divisions that provides cost-free webcasts to a national audience. The Series is currently soliciting topics for the 2012 calendar year. If you or your organization have a topic that can reach a national audience (i.e, Mobile Populations; Strategies for Aging Communities; Public Art; Ethics; Law), please contact our co-VP’s of Professional Development James Rausse, AICP at jrausseaicp@gmail.com and Tina Lund, AICP at tlundaicp@gmail.com.

Position Statement
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Recent Actions by HUD concerning Westchester County

The NY Metro Chapter of the American Planning Association is a professional, educational, and advocacy organization representing over 1,300 practicing planners and policy makers in New York City and its surrounding suburbs. We are part of a national association with a membership of 41,000 professionals and students who are engaged in programs and projects related to the physical, social and economic environment. In our role as a professional advocacy organization, we offer insights and recommendations on policy matters affecting issues such as housing, transportation and the environment. ...More

2011 NY Metro Chapter Award Winners

Lawrence M. Orton Award for leadership in city and regional planning
Eddie Bautista

Andrew Haswell Green Award To recognize individuals who have made outstanding contributions for a period of at least 15 years. *formerly the Distinguished Service Award
Gene Murphy

Meritorious Service or Achievement Award to recognize work of unusual merit or achievement
“The Suburban Design Manual” - Orange County Planning Department; Regional Plan Association; and
Lincoln Institute of Land Policy

Paul Davidoff Award for leadership in housing and equal opportunity
Eva Hanhardt

Journalism Award for print, broadcast or web-based work
Kenneth Jackson

William H. Whyte Award to an individual, plan, or project that is distinguished by creativity in the field of planning
“Brooklyn Bridge Park” - Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation

Robert Ponte Award to an individual who, through economic planning and development, has made a significant contribution to the vitality of the New York area
Ira Hirschman, Ph.D.

Robert C. Weinberg Award to outstanding students at the four planning schools in New York
Danil Nagy, Columbia University
Brian Paul, Hunter College
Sally Smith Greenspan, NYU
Sabrina Terry, Pratt Institute

Floyd Lapp Award for service to the New York Metro Chapter, selected by the Chapter President
James Rausse, AICP
Tina Lund, AICP
Bonnie Harken