Montana Association of Planners 2022 Annual Conference

Mark Fenton

Mark Fenton is a national public health, planning, and transportation consultant, an adjunct associate professor at Tufts University’s Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, and former host of the “America’s Walking” series on PBS television. He’s author of numerous books including the best selling “Complete Guide to Walking for Health, Weight Loss, and Fitness” (Lyons Press, 2nd edition 2008). He was a developer of the University of North Carolina’s Safe Routes to School clearinghouse, and facilitator for the walkable community workshop series of the National Center for Bicycling and Walking; he now provides technical training and community planning as an independent consultant. Mark was a member of the United States national racewalking team from 1986 to 1991, and competed in the 1984 and 1988 Olympic Trials in the 50-kilometer (31-mile) racewalk.

He studied biomechanics at the Massachusetts Institute Technology, was a researcher at the Olympic Training Center’s Sports Science Laboratory in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and manager of Reebok’s Human Performance Laboratory. Mark has research publications and articles related to exercise science, physical activity promotion, and community level interventions. He’s a vocal advocate for non-motorized transportation, a frequent consultant on bicycle and pedestrian community plans, and recognized authority on public health issues and the need for community, environmental, and public-policy initiatives to encourage more walking, bicycling, and transit use.

Keynote Presentation from YEP! Youth Engagement Planning Team

Corrin Hoegen Wendell, AICP

Executive Director

Corrin Hoegen Wendell, AICP, is the Director of Community Development & Planning for the City of Little Canada, Chair of the APA Women & Planning Division, and the Founder and Executive Director of YEP! Youth Engagement Planning, a non-profit organization that teaches youth about urban planning.

A practicing planner with over 15 years of extensive experience providing planning, architectural, and research services, Corrin’s specialties include regional planning, land use, zoning administration, community engagement, and urban design. Corrin holds a Bachelor of Science in Architecture and a Masters of City and Regional Planning from the Ohio State University.

Corrin is passionate about giving back to the planning community and serves in various capacities for the APA Minnesota Chapter, an AICP (CPE) Certified Planning Exam Contributor, APA NPC Session Proposal Reviewer and Presenter, AICP Planning Accreditation Board (PAB) Site Visitor, Peer Reviewer for the Journal of Planning Education and Research, APA Divisions Council EDI Committee Task Force Chair, APA Equity CM Task Force, and a mentor to planning students and young professionals.

Anna Laybourn, AICP

Director of Collaboration

Anna is a Principal at Design Workshop, an urban design, planning, and landscape architecture firm with offices in Aspen, Colorado, and five other cities. Anna’s diverse experiences in community, regional, and land planning is united by a focus on people and the planet. She forges application of natural and social sciences for projects such as parks and open space master plans, transportation infrastructure urban design, resilient neighborhood plans, and development proposals.

Anna specializes in establishing innovative processes for public engagement and has a reputation for her commitment to building equity for underserved populations through participatory design shaping physical environments. The power of youth to share a different perspective, envision possibilities, and be champions of change is a force she seeks to instill in the profession and communities. On this topic, she has been a featured speaker at the Cornell Institute for Healthy Futures summit and received honors such as an Award of Excellence in Research from the American Society of Landscape Architecture.

Anna currently serves as Vice-Chair of APA’s Small Town and Rural Division, Board of APA Colorado and Awards Program Chair, and Mountain Town and Resort Planner Summit Committee. Degrees include Master of City and Regional Planning from the Ohio State University and Bachelor of Science in Environmental Design from the University of Minnesota. Anna’s projects have been honored with more than 30 awards..

Jessica Garrow, AICP

Director of Youth in Planning

Jessica currently serves as Chair of APA’s Small Town and Rural Planning Division and is a member of APA’s Legislative and Policy Committee and the Women and Planning Division. Jessica has presented at state and national planning conferences on affordable housing regulations, the sharing economy, comprehensive planning, and transportation mitigation.

For 13 years, Jessica worked as a planner for the City of Aspen, CO, including as the Community Development Director. It was there that she became passionate about mentorship and ensuring youth are engaged in shaping the places they live. To that end, all the planning efforts she led during her tenure had an element focused on engaging youth – from pre-school to high school. As the lead planner on the 2012 Aspen Area Community Plan, Jessica focused on ensuring an equity element, that included ensuring quality childcare and education opportunities for people of all ages, which was a key part of the plan.

Jessica is an avid hiker, skier, and outdoor enthusiast. She enjoys being outdoors and reading with her 6-year old daughter and her husband of 10 years. When not outdoors or working, she is a fiber artist and runs a small business, Hazel Mountain Studios.