On October 19, APA Los Angeles gathered more than 50 women working in planning in LA for a conversation around the professional growth of women in planning and the changing roles of women in our communities.

The evening’s panel featured some of Los Angeles’ foremost female leaders in the field, who shared thoughts on their careers and experiences. The candid discussion was complemented by opportunities for networking with refreshments provided by our hosts, Melendrez.

Moderator Melani Smith, Principal at Melendrez, led a conversation with Amy Bodek, Director of Community Development, City of Long Beach; Deborah Murphy, Founder, Los Angeles Walks;  and Katherine Perez-Estolano, Partner, ELP Advisors, each of whom have decades of experience in public, private or non-profit planning in Los Angeles. After sharing their thoughts and experiences – which include working together – the panelists answered questions from an engaged, standing-room-only audience.

Thank you to our participants and to our hosts, Melendrez, for making this a successful and thought-provoking event. We hope to host another conversation around women in planning  in the spring!