Leadership/Staff

About Us
Introducing Smart Growth America

Meet our team

Smart Growth America’s diverse staff of leaders works collaboratively to advance our mission through an interdisciplinary approach. Our team’s expertise includes topic areas such as housing, zoning, land use, climate, complete streets, economic development, transportation, and more.  

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Calvin Gladney

Calvin Gladney

President and CEO
He/Him
Leadership
Abigail Araya

Abigail Araya

Communications Manager
She/Her
Leadership
Jamise Brown

Jamise Brown

Grants and Contracts Manager
She/Her
Leadership
Eric Cova

Eric Cova

Director of Communications
He/Him
Leadership
Rachel Ellis

Rachel Ellis

Communications Associate
She/Her
Leadership
Nobué King

Nobué King

Senior Executive Assistant
She/Her
Leadership
Isaac Mintz

Isaac Mintz

Vice President of Finance and Administration
He/Him
Leadership
Jeran Wiebke

Jeran Wiebke

Office Manager
He/Him
Leadership
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Marla Bilonick

The National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders
She/Her
Board Members
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Susan D. Daggett

Rocky Mountain Land Use Institute
She/Her
Board Members
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Camille Manning Broome

Center for Planning Excellence
She/Her
Board Members
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Danielle Arigoni

National Housing Trust
She/Her
Board Members
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Madeline Fraser Cook

Board Chair. Local Initiatives Support Corporation
She/Her
Board Members
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Emeka Moneme

Hayat Brown LLC
He/Him
Board Members
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Jeremy Madsen

Build It Green
He/Him
Board Members
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André Leroux

Massachusetts Institute for a New Commonwealth
He/Him
Board Members
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Peter Kasabach

New Jersey Future
He/Him
Board Members
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Patrice Frey

National Main Street Center
She/Her
Board Members
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Shalini Vajjhala

re:focus partners
He/Him
Board Members
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Stewart Schwartz

Coalition for Smarter Growth
He/Him
Board Members
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Peter Park

Peter J. Park, LLC
He/Him
Board Members
Heidi Simon

Heidi Simon

Director, Thriving Communities
She/Her
Staff
The Hon. John Robert Smith

The Hon. John Robert Smith

Senior Policy Advisor
He/Him
Staff
Corrigan Salerno

Corrigan Salerno

Policy Associate, Transportation for America
He/Him
Staff
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Ashok Gupta

Natural Resources Defense Council
He/Him
Department
Dustin Robertson

Dustin Robertson

Program Manager, Thriving Communities
He/Him
Staff
Elisa Ramirez

Elisa Ramirez

Policy & Outreach Associate, Transportation for America
She/Her
Staff
Chris Rall

Chris Rall

Outreach Director, Transportation for America
He/Him
Staff
Benito Pérez

Benito Pérez

Policy Director, Transportation for America
He/Him
Staff
Mehr Mukhtar

Mehr Mukhtar

Policy Associate, Transportation for America
She/Her
Staff
Chris McCahill

Chris McCahill

Director, State Smart Transportation Initiative
He/Him
Staff
Jaibin Mathew

Jaibin Mathew

Policy Associate, Transportation for America
He/Him
Staff
Marian Liou

Marian Liou

Director, Arts and Culture
She/Her
Staff
Megan Link

Megan Link

Senior Associate, State Smart Transportation Initiative
She/Her
Staff
Raveena John

Raveena John

Senior Program Associate, Thriving Communities
She/Her
Staff
Steve Davis

Steve Davis

Assistant Vice President, Transportation Strategy
He/Him
Staff
Courtney Cole

Courtney Cole

Program Associate, Thriving Communities
She/Her
Staff
Beth Osborne

Beth Osborne

Director, Transportation for America
She/Her
Staff
Jamie Zouras

Jamie Zouras

Senior Program Manager, Land Use and Development
She/Her
Staff
Megan Wright

Megan Wright

Senior Associate, Economic Development
She/Her
Staff
Justin Franklin Thornton

Justin Franklin Thornton

Senior Associate, Land Use and Development
He/Him
Staff
Toccarra Nicole Thomas

Toccarra Nicole Thomas

Director, Land Use and Development
She/Her
Staff
Michael Rodriguez

Michael Rodriguez

Director of Research, Land Use and Development
He/Him
Staff
Joseph Mendonca

Joseph Mendonca

Climate Program Associate, Land Use and Development
He/Him
Staff
Jeri Mintzer

Jeri Mintzer

Assistant Vice President, Economic Development
She/Her
Staff
Sam Gordon

Sam Gordon

Program Manager, Land Use and Development
He/Him
Staff
Katharine Burgess

Katharine Burgess

Vice President, Land Use and Development
She/Her
Staff
Samantha Carr

Samantha Carr

Intern, Land Use and Development
She/Her
Interns
Sam Packman

Sam Packman

Designation
He/Him
Interns
London Weier

London Weier

Intern, Transportation and Thriving Communities
She/Her
Interns
Join the movement

Smart Growth America isn’t just an idea — it’s a movement that’s only as strong as the community behind it.

We’ve laid the foundation, but it’s you who helps bring our vision to life. If you believe in creating vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable communities, now is your chance to be part of something transformative.

Become a smart growth advocate
Browse careers

With a diverse range of career opportunities, we offer a dynamic and inclusive work environment where you can make a meaningful impact. Whether you’re passionate about transportation, land use, economic development, or policy advocacy, Smart Growth America is the place to grow your career and shape the future of our communities.