B&A Launches into New Era with Key Staffing Acquisitions
Following completion of a recent senior management transition, the creation of a new strategic management team and the adoption of a three (3) year strategic plan, B&A is pleased to share the following announcements on service area growth / diversification initiatives and recent hirings, as we seek to continue to deliver exceptional value to our clients from land acquisition to planning approval.
“After a year of significant transition, we are excited by the nature and breadth of expertise afforded by all of these hiring announcements to support the ongoing growth and evolution of B&A and our continued desire to provide exceptional value from project inception to implementation. Each individual brings a tremendous skill set and a client-centric focus to our team which accompanied by shared values, will continue to propel B&A and our client success forward. We look forward to providing a more fulsome update and further news in the months to come.” – Kathy Oberg
Geoff Dyer, Associate
Strategic Lead – Master Planning & Urban Design
Start Date: August 20, 2018
Geoff will be joining B&A in the capacity of Strategic Lead, Master Planning & Urban Design. He will work closely with our clients and the design team in the creation of award-winning and compelling master planning and urban design projects.
Geoff joins B&A as an accomplished urban designer, most recently serving as the CEO and Director of Design for the Downtown Development Authority in Lafayette, Louisiana (the regional hub for Cajun and Creole culture). Geoff was previously the Principal and Director of Design for Placemakers LLC and Owner, Principal of Placemakers Canada Inc. where he ran a successful Calgary, Alberta-based urban design firm, focused exclusively on the design and implementation of walkable, mixed-use urbanism. Geoff has completed over 100 projects in 18 U.S. States and 4 Canadian Provinces over the course of a decade. In his role as the CEO of the Lafayette DDA, he led their membership-based non-profit organization and continued to fulfill his other role as Director of Design by building and implementing an ambitious downtown redevelopment plan. He is a regular educator, lecturer, and writer on the subject of sustainable urbanism, urban design, and alternative land use regulations and development standards – particularly, form-based codes and the SmartCode. Geoff holds a Masters in Environmental Design (Urban Design) from the University of Calgary, is a Knight Fellow in Community Building from the University of Miami, is accredited by the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU-A), and is a member of the New Urban Guild.
Marissa Koop, Associate
Strategic Lead – Environmental Planning
Start Date: Fall 2018
Marissa will be joining B&A in the capacity of Strategic Lead, Environmental Planning. She will work closely to define and support the initiation and growth of our environmental planning service area and continue to provide her environmental expertise, analytical, and communication skills on a wide range of planning initiatives.
Marissa is an accomplished Environmental Planner who specializes in incorporating wetlands and other natural features into the built environment. Marissa has worked extensively with regulatory agencies and developers throughout Western Canada on new and progressive ways to ensure regulatory compliance while promoting sustainable development. Her ongoing volunteer involvement with industry and academia delivers relevancy and innovation in her project work.
Marissa brings an understanding of policy, sustainability, and environmental conditions to her project work in order to achieve a balance between conservation of natural resources and project needs. In combination with her knowledge of the planning, approval, and design process, Marissa is able to provide analytical assessment tools and strategic input to her clients for a wide variety of applications.
Martha McClary
Communications and Engagement Specialist
Start Date: September 12, 2018
B&A is pleased to welcome back Martha McClary who after a maternity leave, will be returning to B&A in the capacity of Communications and Engagement Specialist to support the ongoing growth and development of this key service area.
Martha has seven years of hands-on experience working with stakeholders across Alberta including rural municipalities, landowners, and NGO’s. Her most recent roles include Community Innovation Manager at Connect First Credit Union and Community Affairs Advisor at Cenovus Energy. Her projects of note include successfully developing and implementing research-based engagement programs with over 30 municipalities across Saskatchewan and Alberta. She has a strong reputation as a relationship builder and communicator with demonstrated expertise in navigating complex stakeholder issues relative to business needs. Martha brings a diverse toolkit of engagement tactics to B&A including effective facilitation, workshops, open houses and small format events focusing on collaboration and fostering strong relationships.
Asia Walker
Community Planner
Start Date: May 7, 2018
Asia joined B&A less than one month ago and has already proven to be a strong asset to the team in her role as a Community Planner, where she is providing her planning and multi-provincial expertise on a number of diverse projects.
With a background in urban, rural and regional planning, Asia has managed a wide breadth of planning projects and led interdisciplinary teams in both municipal and consulting planning capacities. Asia’s project background has crossed provincial boundaries into British Columbia and she has gained invaluable experience working in Canada’s National Parks through her role as a Graduate Planner with the Town of Banff. Asia also possesses a niche area of expertise in heritage planning and development, with a background in heritage policy writing and a comprehensive knowledge of both provincial and federal heritage policy and legislation.
Andrew Dickinson
GIS Analyst
Start Date: July 9, 2018
Andrew will be joining B&A in the capacity of GIS Analyst supporting the continued growth and importance of GIS in the day-to-day delivery of a wide range of planning initiatives within our increasingly diverse client sector.
Andrew is an accomplished GIS specialist with over seven years of experience in the definition and application of GIS, supporting diverse assignments ranging from pipeline planning, environmental assessment and community planning and development initiatives. With a complimentary background in Ecology and a wide range of software and programming expertise, Andrew will play an integral role in the development of superior mapping products and technical analysis in support our B&A’s diverse project portfolio.
