The Sessions

Andy Videkovich is the Director of Planning with Planning and Development Services (PDS) of Kenton County, where he has worked for more than 20 years leading both current and long-range planning efforts. He began his career in urban planning after earning his degree from the University of Cincinnati in 2003, starting as a Land Use Planner in South Bend, Indiana. Andy is an AICP-certified planner whose work focuses on community engagement, collaborative problem-solving, and implementing thoughtful, sustainable development strategies that enhance quality of life and support resilient communities. He lives in Cheviot, Ohio and works in Northern Kentucky.

Gracie Kelly is the Director of Government Affairs for the Kentucky League of Cities (KLC), where she oversees the organization’s legislative strategy, directs advocacy efforts before the Kentucky General Assembly and Executive Branch, and builds strategic relationships to advance the interests of Kentucky’s cities. In this role, she manages policy development, coordinates stakeholder engagement, and leads KLC’s work on priority legislation impacting municipal government. Gracie earned her Juris Doctor from Northern Kentucky University’s Salmon P. Chase College of Law, where she also served as a Student Ambassador, Student Mentor, and member of the Diversity Council.

Hal Baillie is the City of Lexington’s Manager of Long-Range Planning, and a certified planner through the American Institute of Certified Planners. He graduated with a Master’s Degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of New Orleans and Master’s degree in Anthropology from the University of Colorado, Boulder. Hal has been working in historic preservation, cultural resource management, and urban planning for over 15 years. Most recently, Hal's work has focused on the implementation of the Imagine Lexington 2045, Lexington's 2023 Comprehensive Plan. His primary goal as an urban planner and resident of Lexington is to support and promote the development of sustainable and equitable communities.

Shawn Dade, AICP is a Senior Planner with Taylor Siefker Williams Design Group, specializing in zoning and policy development, as well as zoning administration. Shawn received his master’s degree from the University of Louisville Department of Urban and Public Affairs. His expertise in crafting policy and ordinance guidelines comes from a background in the private sector, as well as experience in local government at the local, state, and federal level.

Patti Clare has over 40 years’ experience in the fields of urban planning, downtown and corridor revitalization, and economic development.  Ms. Clare retired from government in 2016 after spending over 27 years serving Louisville Metro Government/City of Louisville and the Louisville Downtown Development Corporation.  Ms. Clare’s recent work has been as a planning consultant, focusing is the areas of grant writing and project management.  Over the last decade, Ms. Clare has led teams in winning over $150 million in Federal grants for walkability/livability projects in communities across the southeastern United States. She recently worked with Bluepriont502 (formerly YouthBuild Louisville) on the development of the Smoketown Community Center. Patti recently joined the Oversight Board for the Louisville/Jefferson County Environmental Trust.

John A. Swintosky is a registered Landscape Architect with Louisville Metro Public Works Division of Transportation. His formal education and experience is in engineering, horticulture, and Landscape Architecture. He served as Landscape Architect with Louisville Metro Parks & Recreation for twenty years prior to joining Public Works staff in 2017. Prior to practicing as a Landscape Architect, he worked for over a decade as a horticulturist and landscape manager at historic central Kentucky thoroughbred horse farms. Currently, Swintosky is a lead project manager for many bicycle and pedestrian improvement projects, notably components of the Louisville Loop and the Olmsted Parkways. Another key focus of Swintosky’s career has been upgrading the comprehensive planning and standards for quality maintenance of publicly owned living landscapes, especially Kentucky native plant communities and natural systems.

Heather Housman is the Executive Director of Woods & Waters Land Trust, a nonprofit conservation organization based in Frankfort, Kentucky. She works with landowners, communities, and partners to permanently protect forests, streams, wetlands, and working lands throughout the Lower Kentucky River watershed. Heather holds a B.S. in Natural Resources Conservation and Management and an M.S. in Forest Ecology, and she brings years of experience in land stewardship, conservation planning, and community engagement. Her work focuses on protecting ecologically important landscapes while building connections between people and the natural places that sustain Kentucky’s communities, wildlife, and waterways.

Kurt Mason is a Land Use Planning Consultant with over 40 years of experience in conservation planning, soil and water resource management, and community-based land use initiatives. Recently retired from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) after a distinguished career providing technical and financial assistance to private landowners and communities across Kentucky. Expertise includes water quality protection, soil health, erosion control, flood mitigation, and sustainable land management. Active leader in environmental, agricultural, and community development organizations. Kurt serves as Chair of the Louisville/Jefferson County Environmental Trust Oversight Board.

Christy Noll, originally from Northeast Ohio, serves as the Executive Director of The Boone Conservancy, a land trust dedicated to protecting and preserving the natural landscapes of Northern Kentucky. Before leading the conservancy, Christy spent twenty years working in Greater Cincinnati’s nonprofit sector, including seven years managing the region’s Nonprofit Leadership Institute. Christy joined The Boone Conservancy in 2019, combining her passion for the outdoors with her love of Northern Kentucky. Christy is a strong proponent of collaboration and mission-driven initiatives. Over the past seven years, The Boone Conservancy has expanded and now stewards 2,000 acres in Northern Kentucky. Additionally, Christy serves as Board President of the Kentucky Land Trusts Coalition and Vice Chair of the Ohio River Way Board of Directors. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, kayaking, reading, and painting. She lives in Fort Mitchell with her family and three dogs.

Scudder Wagg is a project manager, transit planner, and President of Jarrett Walker + Associates. Based in the Arlington, Virginia, Scudder has led major transit studies and network redesign projects for JWA including in Miami, Atlanta, Louisville, Memphis, and Richmond, Virginia. Scudder was the primary planning leader on TARC’s recent TARC 2025 System Plan and has been influential in the planning of Broadway All the Way. Over his 20-year career in transportation planning, Scudder has focused on facilitating conversations about the key value choices inherent in transit and transportation planning and helping communities navigate those policy choices through clear and inclusive conversations.

Michael King is a city planner and currently serves as the Assistant Director of Louisville Metro’s Department of Transportation within the city’s Public Works Department. Michael is a lifelong Louisvillian that brings a holistic approach to urban planning and design with a focus on people and the environment. Mike is leading the Broadway All the Way Planning and Design initiative for Louisville Metro and is engaged as a key stakeholder in corridor and transit planning related items throughout the City. Through his work with Metro Government, Michael works to carry out strategic, long- and short-term planning initiatives focused on neighborhoods, multi-modal corridors, brownfields, sustainability and public art. He specializes in collaborating closely with the community as well as cross-departmentally in planning for future growth and development of Louisville. Since receiving his Master of Urban Planning Degree from the University of Louisville, Michael has worked for nearly 20 years in various capacities in Louisville Metro Government. His multi-faceted skillset has allowed him to integrate a holistic planning approach into numerous projects throughout the city

Louis R. Johnson is an award-winning landscape architect and urban designer and serves as the Executive Vice President of Gresham Smith’s Land Planning market. A passionate advocate for projects that can positively reshape urban environments, Louis brings 18 years of experience working across a variety of project types and scales, with a focus on urban design and planning, as well as parks and public spaces. Notable projects in the region include Town Branch Commons in Lexington, Kentucky, Broadway All the Way and TARC 2025, in Louisville, Kentucky. His leadership extends to his roles as the former president of the Kentucky chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects, and as a past board member for the Midwest chapter of the Congress for New Urbanism. 

Robert Monsma is a Transportation Planner/Data Analyst at the Transit Authority of River City where he leads the Passenger Facilities Task Group of the New TARC Network implementation managing bus stops and amenities. In ten years as a planning practitioner, his focus has been on transit planning, multimodal advocacy, data management, data analysis and GIS, and community engagement. Robert holds a Masters in Urban Planning from the University of Louisville.

Jennifer Dowdell, ASLA, is the Practice Lead in Landscape Ecology, Planning and Design at Biohabitats Inc., based in the Chesapeake Bay bioregional office in Baltimore, MD. For over 20 years she has applied principles of ecology, landscape architecture, conservation planning, and living infrastructure to projects ranging from greenways to state parks, college campuses, and citywide ecological networks. Her work merges landscape ecology, resilience strategies, and environmental justice in site design and planning. After receiving a BA in History and Creative Nonfiction Writing from Loyola University Maryland, she earned her Masters of Landscape Architecture from the University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources & Environment (now SEAS), where she worked with Joan Nassauer in her Landscape Ecology, Perception, and Design Lab. Jennifer’s writing has been published in the Wilson Quarterly, Landscape Architecture Magazine, PLACES Journal, theEarthIssue #4, The Nature of Cities blog, and the e-quarterly Leaf Litter, and the book The Landscape Approach: From Local Communities to Territorial Systems. Jennifer is the lead author of the Biodiversity chapter of the ASLA Climate and Biodiversity Action Plan: Landscape Architecture 2040. Her experience in writing and advocacy informs her work facilitating dialogue about the social and ecological narratives that engage nature in design.

Matt Gullo, PLA, ASLA, CLARB leads the Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning Department at Luckett & Farley. He focuses on creating functional, aesthetically-engaging, and environmentally-sensitive spaces. His work resolves both technical and design challenges to ensure projects meet budgets, reflect client vision, and provide lasting enjoyment for all users. He holds a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture from Clemson University and a master’s degree in urban planning and policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Tanner Prewitt, PLA, ASLA is a landscape architect and planner at Luckett & Farley in Louisville, where he develops multi-disciplinary master plans across civic, campus, and community projects. His work focuses on creating actionable plans that align design, funding, and phasing to move projects from vision to construction. He holds a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture from Ball State University.

Chris Barkley is Managing Partner at Hodgson Douglas Landscape Architects (HDLA) with offices in Nashville, Tennessee, and Dallas, Texas.  Originally from Knoxville, Tennessee, Chris graduated with honors from the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture with a degree in Landscape Architecture and is a Registered Landscape Architect and LEED Accredited Professional. Prior to joining HDLA, Chris was a landscape architect at MESA Design Group in Dallas, Texas, where he also worked in Madrid, Spain. During his tenure there, Chris collaborated on projects around the world, including Ferrari World Abu Dhabi in the UAE, The Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi, Verde Towers in Dubai, Two Arts Plaza in Dallas, and the Pearl River New Town in Chengdu, China. Chris believes that great design infuses the built environment with nature, art, and technology in a way that encourages human interaction and intrinsic awareness. At the core of his and HDLA's philosophy is a desire to create timeless spaces of simple elegance that utilize a unique design approach seeking authenticity by honoring local history and natural context while also pursuing imaginative and innovative design solutions. Chris has extensive experience working on large-scale parks, gardens, institutional, and mixed-use development projects throughout the United States, with an intentional focus on pedestrian spaces and the public realm. His work on Traditional Neighborhood Developments includes projects such as Stephens Valley, a 930-acre master-planned community surrounded by the Natchez Trace Parkway; Westmoore Landing in Mooresville, Alabama; South Brook, the transformation of the historic Decatur Country Club into an 80-acre mixed-use neighborhood; and Nolensville Town Square. These projects exemplify his commitment to creating walkable, community-centered environments that integrate nature and the built environment. He has received numerous design awards and was named one of Nashville's 40 under 40 in 2023.

David Horwath is the President of Land Innovations, a Brentwood, Tennessee-based development company dedicated to creating town-based communities rooted in Traditional Neighborhood Development principles. His work challenges the conventional patterns of suburban sprawl, instead focusing on walkable, mixed-use environments where multi-generational families can thrive and daily life unfolds beyond the automobile. Under David’s leadership, Land Innovations has delivered transformative projects across the Southeast, including Stephens Valley, a 930-acre community bordering the Natchez Trace Parkway in Middle Tennessee, and South Brook, an 80-acre mixed-use neighborhood in Decatur, Alabama. The firm is currently codeveloping a $2.2 billion, 411-acre mixed-use community at the intersection of Interstates 65 and 565 in Limestone County, Alabama: one of the most ambitious TND projects in the region. Land Innovations is committed to creating communities with soul, places designed for connection, where residents can walk or bike to shops, cafés, and daily needs, and where thoughtful design restores a genuine sense of community. David holds a B.S. Civil Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology, an MBA from Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management, and brings international real estate development experience spanning Brazil, Canada, and military housing projects across the United States. His work is grounded in a deep respect for land heritage and environmental stewardship, often partnering with legacy landowners to ensure developments honor local history while meeting the needs of modern communities. A passionate advocate for new urbanist principles, David frequently speaks on the future of community-centered, mixed-use development. Through storytelling and digital media, he shares a vision for restoring what many towns have lost: connection, character, and a true sense of place.

Greg Littell is the Studio Director of Townwright Studio, a planning and design firm specializing in Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND), infill development, and town architecture. As an experienced Urban Designer with a demonstrated history in the architecture and planning industry, Greg is skilled in Urban Design, Placemaking, Conceptual Architecture, and Form-Based Codes. Greg's passion for creating walkable town centers began during his planning studies at the University of Cincinnati, where he developed a deep commitment to designing inclusive, resilient, and beautiful places for all to live, work, and enjoy. His expertise in form-based codes and new urbanist principles has made him a valuable contributor to Land Innovations' portfolio of community-centered projects, including Nolensville Town Center, South Brook, Stephens Valley, and Westmoore Landing. Beyond his professional practice, Greg is actively involved in advancing the new urbanist movement as a lifetime member of the Congress of the New Urbanism, a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to supporting the next generation of professionals committed to creating walkable, mixed-use communities. His work focuses on eliminating traditional development standards that segment people by income, instead offering integrated communities where diverse housing types and price points create truly inclusive neighborhoods. Greg’s approach to planning emphasizes community design and walkability, focusing on shaping neighborhoods that foster connection, accessibility, and a strong sense of place. He prioritizes thoughtful, human-scaled environments where streets, public spaces, and daily destinations are seamlessly integrated to support active living. His recent work includes leading the design vision for major TND projects in Alabama and Tennessee, where he has helped craft neighborhoods centered on pedestrian-friendly streets, connected block patterns, and vibrant public realms that reflect local character and long-term community value. Through Townwright Studio and his work with Land Innovations, Greg continues to advocate for development patterns that foster community connection, promote walkability, and create enduring value that extends well beyond financial returns.

Donald F. “Trey” Rochford is a Nashville-based real estate developer with more than three decades of experience creating mixed-use communities and traditional neighborhood developments across the Southeast. He serves as Vice President of Administration for The Rochford Companies, a family real estate firm responsible for the development of more than twenty-five communities since 1981. In that role, he oversees development strategy, financial structuring, and operational management across a diverse portfolio that includes residential neighborhoods, multifamily communities, and commercial districts. Rochford’s work often focuses on the intersection between land planning, architecture, and long-term community stewardship. Recent projects include Stephens Valley and Nolensville Town Square in Tennessee, as well as the planned Westmoore Landing community near Huntsville, Alabama—developments designed around walkable environments, integrated open space, and a traditional pattern of neighborhood design. A graduate of Belmont University, Rochford is a Tennessee real estate broker, Alabama qualifying broker, retired CPA, and licensed private pilot. Through both his professional work and his writing on housing and community design, Rochford advocates for development patterns that restore the historic relationship between land planning, livable neighborhoods, and attainable housing.