Tuesday, November 29, 2016

How to Get Involved with the APA National Conference

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Over the course of more than 20 years, Odis Jones has worked for a number of US cities and other urban growth entities, including Public Lighting Authority Detroit. Complementing his professional work in Detroit and beyond, Odis Jones holds a membership with the American Planning Association (APA).

Every year, APA hosts a conference that brings together professionals in the planning sector for more than 100 educational sessions and a product expo. On May 6-9, 2017, the organization’s National Planning Conference will take place at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York City. In preparation for the event, APA has encouraged its members to get involved in a number of ways outside of basic attendance. 

Proposal submissions are one such avenue that guests may pursue to engage more fully with the conference. Whether they are interested in facilitating an educational workshop or want to make a small presentation, APA welcomes forward-thinking ideas in topic areas such as climate change, planning leadership, and zoning.

Those who do not have proposals of their own may instead opt to serve as a session reviewer during the 2017 conference. Volunteers may choose to review submissions within their specific fields of practice or explore new areas of planning. The process takes several months with each topic requiring four hours for proposal analysis and a subsequent conference call.