PRESS ROOM

For news, story ideas or expertise on topics such as smart growth, comprehensive planning, conservation planning and transit-oriented development, contact one of the leaders of the Campaign for Sensible Growth, listed below.

MarySue Barrett
President, Metropolitan Planning Council, Campaign for Sensible Growth Co-Chair
Ronald Thomas, AICP
Executive Director, Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission, Campaign for Sensible Growth Co-Chair
Scott L. Goldstein, AICP
Vice President, Policy and Planning, Metropolitan Planning Council

MarySue Barrett
President
(312) 863-6001
msbarrett@metroplanning.org

Barrett is a member of the Illinois Growth Task Force and sits on the advisory board of Illinois Issues. Barrett also co-chairs the Campaign for Sensible Growth.

Prior to joining MPC in 1996, Barrett had 10 years of experience in public policy and local government, including serving as Mayor Richard M. Daley's chief of policy, and supervising the City of Chicago's federal, state and local legislative divisions.

Ronald Thomas, AICP
Executive Director, Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission
(312) 454-0400, ext. 799
rthomas@nipc.org

Ron Thomas has an extensive background as a planner guiding community-building and place-making to create healthy sustainable regions, cities and neighborhoods, especially through communication technologies and participatory management practices. He has focused NIPC's efforts in carrying out its mandate to create a comprehensive plan for the six counties and communities of northeastern Illinois. This Common Ground initiative is developing as a national model of community based regional planning, utilizing leading edge computer and communication technology. Prior to joining NIPC, Thomas has been a leader in approaches to civic renewal, engaging local government, civic and nonprofit organizations with diverse citizen voices. He has directed major planning projects - in communities ranging in size from rural towns to large urban areas - across the United States and internationally, in cities such as Houston; Savannah, Ga., Seattle; Richmond, Va.; Albuquerque, N.M.; Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles. Thomas has worked on a broad range of public issues, including land use, community development, economic development, governance, arts, environment, housing and transportation. He has also worked extensively in organizations in all sectors in helping form shared vision, mission and purpose, and bring people together from conflict to consensus.

Scott L. Goldstein, AICP
Vice President, Policy and Planning
(312) 863-6003
sgoldstein@metroplanning.org

Goldstein has managed MPC's regional development program since 1995 and has overseen policy coordination for MPC since 1999. In early 1998 he organized the Campaign for Sensible Growth. He led the strategy for the drafting and eventual passage of the Local Planning Technical Assistance Act in 2002, the first major planning legislation in Illinois since the 1920s. Goldstein serves as Public Policy Committee Chair for the Urban Land Institute Chicago, and is a member of the City of Chicago Mayor's Council of Technology Advisors and the Loyola University Center for Information Management and Technology Board.