Claire Dougall
Senior Consultant, Planning, CPG Australia

“As a planner, I love to have a positive influence on the way we grow, shape and manage the spaces and communities we live in”.

Phillip Priest
Manager, Urban Planning & Building Services, Moreland City Council

“I’m very proud of my previous work at the City of Melbourne. Planning achieved a balance between good urban design and heritage requirements with an exclusive mixed-use development for the GPO and the revival of the smaller lane ways. More recently I’m involved at Moreland Council working with clients to ensure developments achieve good outcomes for the community.”

Effie Tangalakis
Team Leader, Statutory Planning, Glen Eira City Council

“Working in Local Government is rewarding as you become involved in shaping communities for today and creating footprints for the future. Local Government provides great work opportunities in dealing with residential, commercial and industrial development.”

Con Tsotsoros
Assistant Director, Planning Systems Management, Department of Planning & Community Development

“I’m especially proud of my work at Silverwoods, Yarrawonga, which comprises 160 hectares, 950 residential lots, championship golf course and tourist precinct along Lake Mulwala. I contributed to the planning of this new development that will provide social, environmental and economic benefits through population growth, tourist and recreational facilities, diverse housing and sustainable water measures.”

Michelle Croughan
Senior Planner, Municipal Association of Victoria

“I’ve been involved in the response to the tragic bushfires earlier this year. I feel privileged to be involved in considering the future role of the planning and building systems in reducing the risk of bushfire and in supporting the fire affected councils.”

Lauren Bradford
Urban and Regional Planner, Aurecon

“I decided to become a planner because I’ve always been very interested in geography, architecture, people and property. Planning combines all of these.Perfect!”.

Kirsty Miller
Manager, City Strategy & Development, Warrnambool City Council

“We live in a ’climate of change’. Planning provides a powerful tool to influence generational change, to live more sustainably.”

Emily Hillebrand
Senior Urban Designer and Planner, Hansen Partnership

“I recently worked in a team of Vietnamese and Australian planners and designers preparing a master plan to design a new urban area of 21,000 hectares surrounding a new international airport in Vietnam. The new city will house 300,000 residents and create major employment opportunities in logistics, export industries and business services which benefit from closeness to the airport. With a range of world-class facilities such as a university, international hospital, convention centre, sports stadium, theme parks and a world class transport system, this place will attract local and international people to live and work, as well as being a tourism destination. Being involved in a project of such scale and complexity was hugely rewarding.”

Meagan Merritt
Senior Planning Officer, City of Melbourne

“I decided to study planning at RMIT because the subjects were similar to what I'd done in year 12: history, politics, geography and environmental studies. The course turned out to be an excellent choice. I received the VPELA Young Professionals Award; the award carried a grant which allowed me to travel to Kenya to work at a community development project called Lavenda Springs. The project provides housing for under privileged school aged children offering education, health services and housing. When I visited the project I assisted the directors in planning, phasing and construction of the village. I was able to incorporate sustainable living principals into this development such as solar energy use, recycled water and construction using recycled materials. Since then I’ve had ongoing involvement in fund raising and providing additional advice and support. Kivuli Village currently consists of 8 homes each housing 6-8 children, we hope that one day we’ll increase this number to 50 homes.”

Peter Sagar
Senior Project Manager, Ringwood Central Activities District, Department of Planning and Community Development

“I became a Planner so that I could be involved in shaping cities, looking beyond an immediate site or space. Planning is great as it intersects across so many different professions and skills: building, development, project management, strategy, financing, environment, politics, urban design and more.”

Craig Czarny
Design Director, Hansen Partnership Pty Ltd

“Planning is a forward looking profession that allows one to act as a visionary and conceive of things the way they should be.”

Jenny Donovan
Urban Designer, Director, David Lock Associates

"I love the challenge of working with different communities to come up with plans that can improve the quality of people's lives, as I believe urban design can achieve, and create places that better meet the needs of the people who live there. I enjoy the creative process and feel honoured to be involved in a profession that places such a significance on social and ecological responsibility. I also enjoy visiting places all over Victoria and beyond, learning about the issues that effect people’s quality of life and designing spaces that are used by a wide range of people."

Marc Basilio
Senior Urban Designer, Hansen Partnership Pty Ltd

“I have always wanted to be involved in the development and construction industry. I became an urban designer because planning and urban design plays an important role, one that can influence the balancing of environmental, social and development issues.”