Candidate Statement: Puja Bhutani, AICP (she/her/hers)
Puja Bhutani, AICP (she/her/hers)
Puja Bhutani, AICP, blends 20+ years of land use and urban design expertise with an unwavering commitment to advancing equitable policies and inclusive placemaking. She brings a unique global perspective having shaped policy and projects across the U.S. and India. As Intel’s Senior Strategic Site Planner, she successfully delivered equitable community benefits and transportation options for multi-billion-dollar capital projects.
Puja has served as OAPA Board Member at Large and DEI Group Co-Chair, leading key initiatives to foster a culture of anti-racism and inclusion, earning OAPA’s 2025 Career/Lifetime Achievement Award. As a Metro Transit Oriented Committee member and Lake Oswego’s Planning Commissioner she championed inclusive engagement and affordable, transit friendly housing.
Puja is excited to leverage her equity-focused policy experience to help address OAPA’s 2025 legislative priorities - affordable housing, equitable transportation systems, and inclusive public engagement. She is committed to mentoring professionals and supporting pro bono planning in underserved communities.
How have your experiences have shaped and guided your path in planning.
My journey began at an Indian architecture school, where I embraced design rooted in social justice and sustainability. My pioneering undergraduate fieldwork, which involved living in remote districts to study traditional building practices, directly informed India’s national housing policy for the rural marginalized communities. This policy foundation compelled me to pursue graduate studies at UC Berkeley, studying under some of the most influential thinkers in planning and urban design, reinforcing my commitment to inclusive policy.
In 2004, I returned to India, driven by the challenge of uncontrolled urban growth and the displacement it caused. This period taught me the vital importance of kinship and belonging for addressing some of the hardest challenges facing the planning profession. My final, most defining shift occurred after moving to Portland in 2007: navigating planning as a racial minority in a predominantly white city catalyzed my leadership in equity-centered planning and design - a focus that defines my work today.
My inclusive planning philosophy is enriched by my love of global travel, the diversity of cultures, places and perspectives; and my creative pursuits include oil painting and cultivating backyard native plant habitats.
Why do you love planning?
I believe that planning has profound potential for engaging diverse voices and forging the partnerships necessary to ensure all policies and practices are built on a foundation of equity and inclusion. I am motivated by the conviction that planning can move beyond the status quo to create fundamentally equitable, vibrant, and sustainable communities for everyone.
What is the biggest challenge in the planning field right now?
I am excited to leverage my experience in equity-focused policy development to help address OAPA’s 2025 legislative priorities that include some of the biggest challenges facing the planning profession currently- affordable housing, equitable climate change action, accessible transportation systems, and inclusive public engagement. I am also committed to mentoring professionals and supporting pro bono planning in underserved communities.
A successful initiative you've worked on that celebrates empowered voices and resulting positive change.
During my service as OAPA DEI Co-chair and Board Member (2019–2023), I successfully advanced key equity initiatives to foster a culture of inclusion and anti-racism. I helped organize critical post-George Floyd listening sessions for OAPA members, including the first listening session dedicated to BIPOC planners and allied professionals, and helped establish the first BIPOC speakers' stipend. I implemented foundational equity training for the Board, significantly increasing organizational capacity and awareness.
Your favorite OAPA resource(s), and favorite book about planning?
Among OAPA resources, I value the Racial Justice Resource Guide and Glossary, a comprehensive library of nearly 200 items created by the DEI Group to foster a shared language and deepen understanding of equitable planning. My favorite book is Richard Rothstein’s “The Color of Law”, which was transformational in my understanding of the history of racial segregation in the United States, and how government policies, rather than individual prejudices, created and maintained racial segregation in America.