Alumni Profiles
Watch Alumni share their stories. |
Andrea Bruno graduated from the MUPD program in 2012 and currently works for the St. Clair Superior Development Corporation as their Housing Manager. She managed the redevelopment of four vacant homes under the regionally recognized LoftHome Pilot Project. She also oversees a historic restoration project of a pre-Civil War home. Additionally, she attends Housing Court in efforts of helping residents comply with housing code standards. She is passionate about the revitalization of Cleveland! |
![]() Jason Russell, an Ohio native, received a Master’s degree in Urban Planning and Development at Cleveland State University with a concentration in Neighborhood Development. Through his studies he has become an advocate for social equity and affordable housing. During his time at CSU, Jason served as president of the student chapter of the American Planning Association. Under his leadership, the group has increased membership from about 10 members to 30, while implementing new programs for greater community involvement, including an urban garden project at Jane Addams High School. In 2009, Jason was awarded the American Institute of Certified Planners Outstanding Student Award. Jason completed his undergraduate studies at Lehigh University as a football student-athlete. Jason is committed to Northeast Ohio and revitalization of its older communities. |
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![]() ![]() "As a city planner in Lakewood I serve as Secretary to the Architectural Board of Review, work closely on the city’s housing and entrepreneurship initiatives, along with implementing the city’s bicycle master plan. In December 2011 I graduated from Cleveland State University’s Levin College of Urban Affairs with a Master’s in Urban Planning and Development. Recently, I helped lead a Residential Housing Survey in Lakewood to gain a better understanding of the state of housing in Lakewood, which will play a significant role in the city’s future planning and residential development. Additionally, I co-run Lakewood’s entrepreneurship organization Startup Lakewood, which is geared toward making Lakewood a more appealing place for entrepreneurs to build and grow ideas into legitimate businesses." |
Alumni Bios |
The Environmental Planning classes I took really advanced my knowledge in understanding symbiotic relationships between the built and natural environments. We studied site planning, which is a skill I use when participating in campuswide planning exercises. The Urban Design class taught me the solid principles related to such things as street layout, aesthetics, and hand drawing techniques. In the Division of Capital Planning, we engage the core planning principles taught by the College of Urban Affairs every single day as our office looks to develop the CSU campus.” |
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![]() Chris Dersi Davis is the Executive Director of APA Ohio. Christine Dersi Davis received her Master’s degree in Urban Planning and Development at Cleveland State University with a concentration in Neighborhood Development with a strong interest in regionalism. During her graduate studies, Christine worked as a graduate assistant for the Center for Neighborhood Development at CSU, interned for ParkWorks, a local nonprofit, and served as membership chair of the student chapter of the American Planning Association (APA). She also served a national position with APA as the Region IV Student Representative Council Executive Member and was elected Treasurer/Secretary for the New Urbanism Division of APA. Christine was awarded the Wallace G. Teare Prize, an award presented to a graduating student by the Levin College. Christine completed her undergraduate work at Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania as an Environmental Studies major and attended high school at Saint Joseph Academy on the west side of Cleveland. |
![]() Sheri Dozier joined Cleveland Neighborhood Progress as senior program officer in July 2011. As the Director of Economic Opportunity / Community Financial Centers, she oversees the implementation of asset-building strategies that improve the economic security and advance the economic mobility of Cleveland residents. Dozier earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science at Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio. Sheri went on to graduate school at Cleveland State University, completing a degree in Urban Planning Design and Development. She comes to Neighborhood Progress with infinite professional experience in community development with an emphasis on financial capability, workforce development, community engagement, and integrated service delivery. She has held positions at Ohio City Near West (now Ohio City, Inc.), Greater Cleveland Partnership, Cleveland Housing Network and Famicos Foundation. Sheri is most proud of her work in Ohio City where she assisted in the creation of the Cuyahoga Community Land Trust Program, which created permanently affordable housing for income restricted households. Dozier and her family reside in Shaker Heights, Ohio. |
![]() Julia Ferguson graduated with a Masters of Urban Planning, Design and Development from the Levin College of Urban Affairs in May of 2010 and currently serves as the Sustainability Coordinator for Adams County. She previously worked as the Director of Green Corps at the Cleveland Botanical Garden. During her time at CSU Julia served as Secretary and later Vice President of the American Planning Association Student Chapter, Founder and President of Campus Net Impact, and Co-founder and Steering Committee member of the Campus Sustainability Coalition. Her interests in neighborhood development and sustainable planning initiatives have led her to continue to support programs related to environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable community development and education. |
"As a Strategic Planner and Business Analyst of the team, I provide effective planning of resources, budgeting and cost and benefit analysis for the projects already being designed or for the projects in pipeline. I conduct organizational studies and evaluate industry best practices. Utilizing my knowledge of corporate functions, I design, develop and implement applications in the area of business/planning/information systems, develop methodologies for functional systems, conduct business analysis, interact with clients and handle off-shore management and development strategies." |
![]() Deborah Heinen is currently working as a doctoral fellow at HafenCity University in Hamburg, Germany where she is examining how climate action plans are implemented regionally in the US and in Germany. Through her work experience, she brings a unique organizational development and policy perspective to urban issues. Her semester abroad at Cleveland State University in Fall 2010 turned into a five year stay in Northeast Ohio with wonderful study and work experiences. While getting her Masters in Urban Planning, Design, and Development at the Levin College, she had the opportunity to work with Dr. Zingale and Dr. Liggett as a graduate assistant on several publications about shrinking cities. After graduating from CSU in 2013, she worked for Cuyahoga County Planning Commission on a complete streets toolkit for the 59 communities in the county. She has also worked as a regional planner for the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA), where she helped facilitate moving the 12-county “Vibrant NEO 2040 – Framework Report” from plan to action. In her spare time she volunteered for Heights Bicycle Coalition promoting cycling in the Heights. Her current research interest in climate change mitigation, regional planning, and sustainable transportation funding policy has brought her to Hamburg, Germany. Her time in Cleveland will always be an important part of her life. |
![]() Michelle Johnson is a Senior Planner and Project Manager with Environmental Design Group, a planning, landscape architecture, engineering and design firm located in Akron and Cleveland. Ms. Johnson has a Masters Degree in Urban Planning, Design and Development from Cleveland State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Urban and Regional Planning and a Minor in Landscape Architecture from Miami University. Ms. Johnson’s prior work experience includes Continuing Planning & Sustainability Team Manager and Transportation Planner for NOACA, Planner and GIS Specialist positions for Butler County, Ohio, Planner for the New York City Department of City Planning, and private Planning Consultant in Cleveland, Ohio. Ms. Johnson has served on the APA Cleveland (American Planning Association) Executive Board since 2006, currently as the Vice-Director of programming, and is an active member of WTS (Women in Transportation Seminar). She lives next to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park with her husband Dan and two rescue dogs, Madison and Buddy. |
Hands-on learning is the predominant feature of the curriculum at the Levin College. Professors involve students in finding solutions to real problems faced by local agencies and governments. |
![]() Ann Klavora, AICP, is Principal Planner for the City of Shaker Heights, where she is project manager for long-term planning projects, primary grant writer and staff to the Landmark Commission. Prior to joining Shaker Heights, Ms. Klavora worked for the Summit County (Ohio) Planning Commission and D. B. Hartt, Inc., Planning and Development Consultants. She has been active in the American Planning Association (APA) for over 15 years, currently serving as President of the American Planning Association (APA) Ohio Board of Trustees and Immediate Past Director of the APA Cleveland Section. Ms. Klavora received a Master of Urban Planning, Design and Development degree from the Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University, and a bachelor's degree from the Miami University (OH) School of Interdisciplinary Studies. |
Kelly La Rosa - The Nord Center Supervisor for Residential and Housing Service
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![]() Richey Piiparinen (MUPDD, '12) is the Director of the Center for Population Dynamics at the Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University. His research on economic restructuring, demographics, and psychosocial trends have been featured in numerous national media outlets, including NPR's Morning Edition, the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, the Atlantic, Forbes, and the Globe and Mail. His op-eds and essays have appeared in Cleveland Magazine, the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Crain's Cleveland, the Daily Beast, and the Atlantic. Richey is co-editor of Rust Belt Chic: A Cleveland Anthology. He was selected as one of Cleveland Magazine's "Most Interesting People" in 2014 and is a member of "Crain's 40 Under 40" class for 2015. Richey is a Cleveland native and resides in the city.
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![]() Arthur earned a master’s degree in Urban Planning and Development from Cleveland State University in 2013. He also earned a master’s degree in Urban Design from the Kent State University’s Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative in 2013. Arthur is an urban designer and planner for the City of Cleveland Planning Commission under the Urban Design & Infrastructure section of the department. In his role Arthur coordinates all streetscape related projects, is the project manager for all Transportation for Livable Communities Initiatives [TLCI] within the city, and adds design support for all citywide, large-scale projects and initiatives. Arthur also serves as the administrator for both the Mayor’s Infrastructure and Streetscape Committee and the Downtown Flats Design Review Committee. Arthur is a part-time instructor at the Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University where he teaches an undergraduate Urban Studies course. Arthur received his bachelor’s degree in Architecture from Kent State University and serves on the Executive Committee of the Cleveland Section of the American Planning Association. |
![]() Khrys Shefton is a 2013 graduate of the (MUPD) program with a specialization in Real Estate Development and Finance. She is currently working as the Housing Development Manager for Famicos Foundation, a local community development corporation which serves the Glenville neighborhood in Cleveland, OH. While attending CSU Khrys was able to hold an internship with Neighborhood Progress, Inc. (now Cleveland Neighborhood Progress) as well as participate in Urban Land Institute’s Gerald D. Hines’ Development Competition. She currently serves on the executive team for the Cleveland Young Professional Senate, as well as having a seat on the Southeast Regional Design Review committee for the City of Cleveland, displaying her passion for the city not only through her day to day work but in her personal commitments. Shefton holds degrees from Xavier University in Information Systems as well as a Master of Business Administration with a focus in entrepreneurship from Baldwin-Wallace University. Before beginning her career in urban planning she worked for 11 years for Key Bank as a project and functional manager in information technology. While at Key she also obtained a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification. |
Jeffrey Sugalski - Director, Real Estate Development at Burten, Bell, Carr Development, Inc. Hands-on learning is the predominant feature of the curriculum at the Levin College. Professors involve students in finding solutions to real problems faced by local agencies and governments." |
Karl’s interests include filmmaking and computer graphics. He is using these skills and his knowledge of urban planning to create a computer generated model of downtown Cleveland as it appeared in the 1890’s. Once complete, this model can be used to better understand the life cycle of urban centers and how they change over time. He hopes to eventually publish a coffee table book on the subject. |
![]() Hasani Wheat received a Master's degree in Urban Planning and Development at the Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs along with a Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Systems. During his time at Levin College, Hasani served as the Secretary of the student chapter of the American Planning Association, where he ran the social media outlets such as Twitter, Facebook and the CSU/APA website among other various responsibilities and interned at Policy Matters Ohio.In 2011, Hasani was awarded the Ohio APA Cleveland Section Scholarship. A long time resident of the Lee-Miles neighborhood in Cleveland, Hasani completed his undergraduate studies at Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, OH as a History, Urban Studies, and Geography triple major. |