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Dean's Advisory Council Member Recognized

Posted: June 13, 2006, 8:00 am

Washington, D.C. – The American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) has inducted Karen S. Walz, FAICP, of Dallas, Texas, into the elite membership of AICP’s College of Fellows. Walz, who was selected as a Fellow of AICP for individual achievement in the planning profession, was recognized at an April 22 ceremony in San Antonio, Texas, held in conjunction with the American Planning Association’s (APA) National Planning Conference.

Walz is a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council for the UT Arlington School of Architecture.

“The AICP College of Fellows recognizes individuals who’ve made exceptional contributions to the planning profession,” said AICP President Sue Schwartz, FAICP. “The Fellows have devoted their careers to excellence in planning and they set the highest standards for professional planners today,” she added.

Election to the Fellowship may be granted to planners who have been longtime members of AICP and have demonstrated excellence in professional practice, teaching and mentoring, research, community service, leadership, and communication. Altogether, 45 planners from 22 states were inducted into the AICP College of Fellows last month.

All planners who have been certified by AICP use the letters “AICP” after their name. Fellows, however, are designated with the letters “FAICP.” Currently, more than 15,000 practicing urban and rural planners in North America and elsewhere have AICP certification. Of those, less than 350 have attained the status of Fellow.

Walz has been successful in changing communities by changing planning. She has used her urban planning expertise and consensus-building abilities to bring together diverse stakeholders, embrace a broad range of issues and perspectives, and result in innovative solutions for successful and sustainable communities at both the local and regional levels. Examples of these efforts include her work as executive director of the privately-funded Dallas Plan; and several ground-breaking regional plans including Vision North Texas, Truckee Meadows (Nevada), and Kansas City (Missouri and Kansas).

Currently Walz is Principal with Strategic Community Solutions located in Dallas.

AICP is the professional institute of the American Planning Association (APA). For more than 80 years, AICP has promoted professional excellence in the field of planning by setting high standards for competence, education, experience and ethical conduct, and by articulating the future of the planning profession.

Karen Walz

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