Candidate Statement: Casandra Brown

As an early career public sector planner in Southern Oregon, I bring a fresh and regionally diverse perspective to the at-large member position. My aspiration to join the OAPA Board comes from my desire to help develop and advance planning goals, policies, and best practices to shape an inclusive and vibrant Oregon.

While my interests in planning are vast, I am particularly passionate about climate change mitigation and resiliency, improving opportunities for accessible multi-modal transportation, and advancing community values through placemaking.

As an undergraduate studying the intersection of social and environmental justice at Western Washington University, I developed an interest in how policies shape the space around us, but did not consider the field of planning until serving as a Tacoma Transportation Commissioner in 2017. I soon after returned to school with an interest in economic development which blossomed into a passion for all-things planning. I graduated with a Master's degree in Urban Planning from the University of Washington in 2020 and have been working with the City of Medford since 2021.

Why do I love planning? I love planning because it’s where so many big picture challenges collide. It’s an exciting and diverse field focussed on advancing public interests and positive community outcomes.

What is the biggest challenge in the planing field right now? I think climate change is the biggest challenge in the planning field right now. It intersects with almost every land use policy decision across all scales of development, providing a lot of opportunity for creating more equitable and resilient places.

Favorite podcast about planning? I would recommend season one of “Nice Try!” While not exactly about the planning field, the podcast explores movements pursuing utopia and why they failed.