URP GRADUATE SPOTLIGHT
Fall 2023 | Spring 2024
May 7, 2024
39 MURP students have graduated from the Urban and Regional Planning Department this ’23-’24 academic year. This talented group of students boasts a wide array of backgrounds and interests in the field of planning, making for a diverse and successful graduating class.
The URP Department takes pride in being a part of these students’ academic journeys and is thrilled to see what they accomplish in their future careers. Get to know some of our graduates better below!
Congratulations, Planning Grads!
Camisha Alexis
MURP Campus
Camisha’s planning interests are diverse but rooted in equity. Her goal is to help translate a community’s vision and help to create healthy and happy communities for all. After graduation, she joined the Alachua County Growth Management department in the Long-Range Planning division.
Haley Busch
MURP Online
Haley’s topic of interest within the MURP program has focused on consistency challenges in Florida and impacts on citizens’ ability to engage in the planning process. After graduation, Haley plans to continue working at 1000 Friends of Florida.
Allie Caldwell
MURP Online
Allie is interested in transportation, environmental, and land use planning. Following graduation, she will continue to work at FDOT as a Statewide Transportation Planner and will spend time with her friends, family, and dog.
Yesenia Castañeda
MURP 4+1
Yesenia’s planning topics of interest include affordable housing, community engagement, and community planning. Following graduation, Yesenia plans to travel to Europe to celebrate graduating! After, she will begin an internship with Clarion Associates.
Angie Castrillon
MURP Online
Angie is interested in the cultural context influences on community engagement with Hispanic/Latinx, social justice, equity planning, and sustainable development. After graduation, she will be seeking a role to explore her interests in planning and continue to grow professionally. She looks forward to going on more walks with her dogs, trying new hobbies, and reading on the beach.
Nicole Dufva
MURP Online
Nicole’s planning interests include transportation, public transit, BRT, and trail planning. Post-graduation, she will continue working for an architecture and engineering firm as a transportation planner.
Madison Eichhorn
MURP Campus
In the planning field, Madison is interested in the topics of graduate student housing, environmental planning, community engagement, and landscape architecture. After graduation, she will be moving back to Charlotte, North Carolina to start a full-time position with BGE as a Landscape Designer / Planner. She looks forward to being back in her home city and rejoining a great company!
Brianne Elisme
MURP 4+1
Brianne’s planning interests include community engagement and equity planning. After graduation, she will continue to work as an ADA Planner 1 for Benesch in Tampa. She previously interned in the Tampa office and is excited to continue doing the work she loves on a full-time basis.
Lauren Finn
MURP Online
Lauren’s interest in planning includes active transportation, Safe Routes to Schools, park equity, public health and planning. She just accepted the position of Senior Planner for the City of Lancaster, PA.
Christian Gates
MURP Online
Christian’s planning interests include the topics of form-based code and land use planning. He currently works for the City of Las Vegas as a Planner II. He plans to take a small break before preparing for the AICP exam.
Bryce Grame
MURP Campus
Bryce is interested in transportation, and following graduation, he will complete his PhD in transportation engineering.
Jessica Hays
MURP 4+1
Jessica’s interests include sustainability, housing, and geographic information systems. Following graduation, she traveled for 6 weeks before settling into her new home in Durham, North Carolina. There, she began working as a planner for Inspire Placemaking Collective.
Arielle Hernandez
MURP 4+1
Arielle is interested in housing affordability, transportation planning, and environmental planning. After graduation, Arielle plans to stay in Gainesville for at least two more years. She is currently exploring offers to work as a planner, transit planner, or GIS specialist for the City of Gainesville or Ocala. She looks forward to serving the Alachua county community that supported and inspired her to become a planner!
Wynstan Jaren C. Larsen
MURP Online
Wynstan’s planning interests include aging in place, complete neighborhoods, new urbanism, and growth management. She moved from Texas to Washington almost a year ago, starting a new job as a Senior Planner in local government. As a planner, she is excited to expand her knowledge of planning, especially in a state that has Growth Management practices and how it compares to her previous planning experience. At the same time, she is excited to explore a new city, new places, and enjoy the outdoors.
Jenna Johnston
MURP Campus
Jenna’s planning interests include equity, comprehensive planning, community redevelopment, and community engagement. After graduation, she hopes to pursue a planning career in the public sector.
Haiden Lewis
MURP 4+1
Haiden is interested in transportation planning with a special interest in pedestrian planning. Following graduation, he will move to Baldwin Park in Orlando with his partner Kaylee Hodge and work as a planner at Inspire Placemaking Collective.
Nicolette Lyons
MURP Campus
Nicolette’s planning interests include environmental planning, equitable riverfront redevelopment, planning for resilient neighborhoods, community engagement, GIS, and community planning. After graduation, she plans on working in the private sector. She enjoyed gathering public input and completing policy work as part of her internship experience. In the future, she hopes to get experience writing NEPA documents and working on other aspects of sustainable development projects.
Ariel Medeiros
MURP Online
Ariel is interested in the topics of sustainability and housing. After graduation, she will continue to work for the City of Pullman as an Assistant Planner and will begin studying for the AICP Exam.
Aidan McKibbin-Vaughan
MURP Online
Aidan’s planning interests include resilience, downtown revitalization, equity, and transportation. After graduation, he will continue to work on the private consulting side of planning for Environmental Design & Research, a firm based out of Syracuse, NY. He also plans on studying for his AICP certification.
Brandon Moyer
MURP Campus
Brandy has many planning interests which include, but are not limited to mitigation and resiliency planning, environmental planning, and mid-range planning that incorporates placemaking. Following graduation, she plans to secure a professional position and save for retirement.
Alexander Mumby
MURP Campus
Alexander is interested in transportation planning. He is currently looking for a job in transportation or land use planning, ideally outside of Florida.
Whitney Sousa
MURP 4+1
Whitney is interested in housing, land use, and transportation. After graduation, she plans on living in West Palm Beach, Florida, and will be working full-time for EXP U.S. Services as a Community Planner.
Siying Wu
MURP Campus
Siying’s planning interests include sustainable development, walkable cities, and diversity planning. Upon graduating, she aspires to pursue a career as a community planner, working closely with local governments. Her goal is to collaborate thoughtfully with residents and stakeholders to clearly define and realize their visions for their communities’ future appearance, atmosphere, and functionality.