What have you been up to since you finished the MURP program?
I have been working as a consultant for Ricondo & Associates, which is an aviation consulting firm. We work with airports to solve unique and challenging problems and help plan for the future.

How did you become interested in your field?
I more or less "fell" into this particular niche of planning after attending a CU Denver sponsored networking event. I ended up walking away with an internship that led to a job offer as soon as I finished my degree. As an avid traveler, I always had an interest in aviation, and am glad I attended the networking event that led me to my current firm.

What do you find most rewarding about your career?
As a consultant, I enjoy working with a diverse array of clients who all have unique challenges to be solved. I think the same goes for "traditional" planning, whereby each community has unique challenges that cannot be solved with a cookie-cutter approach. Working where I am now provides great experience in problem solving, which I can apply to other areas of planning if /when I shift my career focus.

In what ways has your MURP degree had an impact on your career and who you are today?
My foray into planning marked a departure from my prior career path in the financial industry. Therefore, the MURP degree was instrumental in helping me break into the planning field by introducing me to great people, helping me learn key planning concepts, gain planning related skills, and discover what part of planning I want to focus on.

What would you say to a prospective student that is considering CU Denver's MURP program?
Do not hesitate. If you have passion for working in the community, helping communities plan for the future, upending the status quo, and engaging in local politics, then planning is definitely for you. Denver is a fantastic laboratory for honing one's planning education and the CU Denver program does a great job of providing the necessary tools to help students figure out where they belong in the planning world.

Published: July 2021