VOLUNTEER AND INTERN PROFILES

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Volunteer and Intern Coordinator, Transportation Policy Intern
Lori Armstrong-Mathieu has been volunteering and interning with SPUR since November 2006. Originally from Vancouver, British Columbia, she moved to San Francisco with her husband who started a new job here. She first learned about SPUR on www.volunteermatch.org, where she saw a listing for the 2006 Silver SPUR Awards. After spending two days volunteering, she learned about SPUR and developed a keen interest in the organization’s work. Since then, Lori has been working at SPUR on a full-time basis. She has served in a variety of important roles including coordinating volunteer and intern services, conducting research for SPUR’s ongoing work on the Market-Octavia Neighborhood Plan, and organizing the Urbanist library. Her internship has been rewarding; learning about American politics, spending time at City Hall, and meeting public service figures have encouraged a new passion in Lori. Her research for SPUR policy papers motivated her to take GIS courses at City College. She has also learned a great deal about American colleges and universities while managing other interns. Although Lori is not a paid staff member, she feels proud to contribute to her new community through the work of SPUR. She will undoubtedly draw upon her experiences here long after she returns to Canada this summer. Lori says about her experience, “My experience at SPUR has been engaging, challenging and rewarding. The opportunities afforded to me by this organization have been life changing. The staff and board members have treated me like a part of the SPUR family.”

Transportation Policy Intern
Geoffrey Danker interned for Dave Snyder, Transportation Policy Director, for 10 months during his Senior year at Cal and has earned a B.S. in environmental economics and policy from UC Berkeley and also received a minor in public policy from the Richard and Rhoda Goldman School of Public Policy. “My research concerning the Geary and Van Ness BRTs, the Market-Octavia parking study, and MUNI reform were instrumental in finding my first job. My new boss at LSA Associates was extremely impressed with my work at SPUR and claimed seeing it on my resume allowed me to stand out from a large pile of applicants.” Geoffrey plans on being an active member of SPUR and the Young Urbanists for many years to come and looks forward to their substantial contribution to open-minded city planning throughout San Francisco.

Transportation Policy Intern
Linda Meckel, part of SPUR’s Young Urbanists, has a bachelor’s degree in anthropology and zoology from the University of Washington. She is a First Masters of City Planning Candidate at the University of Pennsylvania, specializing in Transportation Planning. Currently, she is researching several topics involving intercity transportation, growth management, and sustainable development. In her spare time she plays water polo, makes jewelry and travels whenever possible. Linda says, “I have talked about my work at SPUR with every potential employer, and SPUR’s well known reputation always interests professionals in the field. The hands on experience goes a long way!”

Economic and Good Governance Policy intern
Lisa Bell joins SPUR as an intern in economic policy. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in economics at MIT, and is a graduate student at the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley, pursuing a master’s degree in public policy. Before joining SPUR in January she worked at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., researching national savings trends and labor policy. Lisa is excited to get involved with the urban policy and planning community of her new home, and is very grateful to have the opportunity to work with the policy analysts and volunteers at SPUR.

Policy Intern
James Rogers is a senior at San Francisco State University working on a bachelor’s degree in geography with an emphasis on land-use planning. As a former longtime resident of Fremont, James has become an avid advocate for curbing urban sprawl. James says the opportunity to intern at SPUR is very exciting for him, and he hopes to use the experience as a platform for advancing his education in smart growth and public policy. In addition to griping about bad development, in his spare time he enjoys biking, cooking, going to the gym and hanging out at the beach.

Development Intern
Mary-Alice McDevitt has joined SPUR for six months as a development intern and will be helping with Silver SPUR 2007. She has traveled from England to gain practical experience in event organizing and development, having completed a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in human- rights law.

Development Intern
Dhivya Balasubramanian completed a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s in tourism development. Her research interests include sustainable development, ecotourism and planning. She is pursuing a master’s degree in urban and regional planning at San Jose State University to gain more specialized knowledge in environmental sustainability, land-use planning and urban design. Dhivya is excited about joining SPUR as an intern, as it provides her with an opportunity to interact with and learn from people who are actively engaged in the causes about which she is passionate. “The sterling reputation of SPUR coupled with a helping hand from the staff have helped me in getting introductions to a number of key players in the private and public sectors of the planning industry, thus opening up new avenues for my career”