Fellows of the American Institute of Certified Planners

Fellows of AICP are honored in recognition of the achievements of the planner as an individual, elevating the Fellow before the public and the profession as a model planner who has made significant contributions to planning and society. Fellowship is granted to planners who have been members of AICP and have achieved excellence in professional practice, teaching and mentoring, research, public and community service, and leadership. Those chosen become members of the College of Fellows.

The College of Fellows is concerned with mentoring and future advancement of the profession of planning. As outstanding professionals in the field of planning, Fellows of AICP will address student organizations, state APA conferences, and professional development programs.

Learn more about becoming FAICP here.

Federal Planning Division Fellows of AICP

Celeste Boccieri – Werner, FAICP

Celeste Werner is a passionate industry leader and standard-bearer as a trusted partner in delivering cutting-edge solutions that exceed community goals. Having served in both the public and private sectors for 35 years, she has in-depth expertise in community, military, and compatibility planning. She has successfully executed award-winning projects for municipal, state, federal, and military clients in 40-plus states, hundreds of communities, Europe, Africa, and Guam. Werner is a nationally recognized public facilitator with a focus on conflict resolution, collaboration, and partnerships. Her work promotes sustainable development and resilient communities, enhances quality of life, and improves community-civilian relationships.

Mark L. Gillem, FAICP

Mark is an award-winning educator and practitioner who has advanced the field of sustainable urbanism by moving federal planning away from low density, automobile-oriented development to patterns that are socially, environmentally and economically sustainable. Through his teaching and service, he has helped educate planners around the world in academic courses, international training workshops, conferences, and professional continuing education programs. Through his research and publications, which includes authoring several federal planning policies on master planning, he has set a new direction for federal planning. Finally, through his own participatory practice, he has prepared model comprehensive plans for cities, towns, and federal installations.  Inducted 2018.

Daniel S. Pava, FAICP

Dan Pava has been a collaboration catalyst his entire professional career. For 35 years, participatory planning has been his key approach in preparing municipal, regional and federal installations plans; to improve state planning legislation; and working with community stakeholders. Mr. Pava has worked with others to ensure a great learning experience at APA NM and Western Planners planning workshops; hosting Chinese mayors on NM historic preservation; leading an award-winning trails management program LANL; and serving as a Santa Fe Planning Commissioner. Dan’s collaborative approach has resulted in better community projects; and highly successful APA NM and Western Planners conferences.  Inducted 2018.

Andrea Wohlfeld Kuhn, FAICP

In her senior leadership positions at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. General Services Administration, and the Navy, Andrea Wohlfeld Kuhn has successfully integrated sustainability into the fabric of Federal planning. Her strong sense of social justice fueled the creation of Federal environmental justice training materials, new methodologies to assess impacts, and local neighborhood improvements for low- and moderate-income residents. She perfected Federal planning policies for real property and asset management, resulting in program innovations and improvements. Employing a dynamic teaching style, she has educated a diverse audience in planning, from entry-level civilians to high ranking military officers. Inducted 2014.

Joel Putterman, FAICP

Joel Putterman combines integrated interdisciplinary planning approaches and visually effective communication of complex planning information to ensure the highest and best use of federal land and facilities for the Department of Defense, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Joel’s transformation plans and implementation development guidelines have promoted innovative, financially feasible and sustainable programs for the Air Force, Kennedy Space Center, Fort Bliss Expansion, and CDC campuses nationwide. For seventeen years, his astute pro bono community advocacy and planning development advisory services helped formulate a walkable, town-center, transit station oriented vision plan for Brookhaven, Georgia. Inducted 2014.

Gary Anderson, FAICP

Creating and developing a new profit center for federal planning within an existing, general purpose A/E consulting firm, Gary Anderson built a team that became one of the premier providers of defense‐related planning services in the United States. The group made use of some of the first relational database mapping applications for defense clients, and won national recognition through APA Federal Planning Division awards for projects including a comprehensive plan for Otis Air National Guard Base. Anderson also is prominent in education related to planning and real estate, lecturing and developing curricula at universities in the United States and abroad. Inducted 2012.

Christopher Basham, FAICP

Chris Basham is an uncommonly energetic and creative leader in the planning world. His ability to engender an excitement for and value of planning has transformed federal planning clients, products, and processes over the last three decades. He constantly challenges communities to think, to plan for great, forward-thinking things to happen, and to put the framework in place to make it happen. His planning mantra is "Vision, Value, and Voodoo"; and he consistently espouses the almost magical capability of planning to stir men's souls in communities around the world. Chris has set benchmarks in federal planning and for planning fires in community bellies. Inducted 2012.

Maureen Paz De Araujo, FAICP CTP CEP

Over three decades, Maureen Paz de Araujo has held leadership roles at public agencies and in professional practice. The sustainable travel demand models and programs that she has built have been instrumental in building in-house modeling capabilities within local agencies with limited financial and staff resources. Through innovation, Maureen has leveraged basic model functionalities to deliver high impact model applications. She has also had a lasting impact on the practice of long range transportation planning, by applying the known MPO/DOT model, and by crafting and applying a customized planning process to address the unique mission of the National Park Service.

Richard Prosser, FAICP

Richard 'Dick' Prosser's career, now spanning more than five decades, has left a lasting mark on both the physical landscape and the careers of others. He is a consensus builder who leads by example and has mentored numerous young planners. His visionary and collaborative approach to planning has resulted in quality communities and plans that will stand the test of time. Inducted 2008.

Roger Blevins, FAICP

Roger Blevins's pioneering work in military installation and civilian plan development, sustainability, planning assistance teams, technology integration and the application of uniform planning tools set the standard for military planning worldwide. His superb leadership within the Air Force, APA, and its Federal Planning Division has empowered and inspired federal planners. Inducted in 2006.

Byrnes Yamashita, FAICP

Byrnes Yamashita is recognized within military and civilian communities as an innovator in joint and strategic planning. His unique understanding of how installations support military operations has contributed significantly to the U.S. military posture in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Inducted 2006.

Mary Anne Bowie, FAICP

Mary Anne Bowie, a visionary and champion of sustainability exemplifies thinking globally and acting locally with a new model of development that is green and sustainable. She has established standards in eminent domain and contracting for planning services. Her leadership empowers consultant planners to better serve public and private clients. Inducted in 2006.

Helen Lightle, FAICP

Helen Olson Lightle built upon 25 years in the public and private sector when she went to the Department of Defense planning arena 15 years ago. She has elevated the level of worldwide planning services provided to the DoD, and set standards for others to follow. Her leadership has led to the importance and vitality of the Federal Planning Division. Inducted in 2003.

James A. Paulmann, FAICP

Jim Paulmann's contributions to planning have resulted in projects that integrate land use and environmental concerns. The centerpiece of his work is the 10,000-acre Palmer Ranch, which was featured in the book Best Development Practices. His 25 years of experience as a professional public- and private-sector planner, elected government official, and developer have allowed him to create a new standard in environmental and economic balance for sustainable community design that benefits the public, developers, and investors. Inducted 2002.

Jeff Soule, FAICP

Jeff Soule's career has followed a pattern of working to expand the role and presence of planning in public affairs. He has accomplished this in planning for the countryside and resources-based regions, in urban design, in historic preservation, as a citizen volunteer, and, currently, as Policy Director of APA. Inducted 2001.

Carolin Paulette, FAICP

Paulette 'Polly' Carolin has been a champion for the homeless, the poor, and refugees throughout her 20 years of APA leadership. She is most proud of creating partnerships that have resulted in more than 300 refugees from Bosnia, Vietnam, and Iraq finding good homes and jobs with living wages. Inducted 2001.

Philip Clark, FAICP

Building on a foundation of local and regional planning in the public and private sectors, Phil became the recognized leader worldwide for designing, developing, and teaching all aspects of comprehensive planning, including CADD/GIS applications to the U.S. Air Force. His additional experience in environmental restoration ensures an enduring planning legacy. Inducted in 2000.