By Elizabeth “Libby” Tyler, FAICP, Director, February 23, 2026
The year 2026 is kicking off with great success! I am writing these notes from downtown Brooklyn, where Rob and I are babysitting two of our grandsons—Remy, who is two, and Monty (no relation to Monte Rey), who is just four months. While one might expect Remy to aspire to become a city planner, he has a strong desire to become a scuba diver. I guess that could be more exciting in some ways!
The Northern Board started the year off with a wonderful annual retreat at the City Hall in Martinez, compliments of our host Michael Cass, who has now officially rotated off the Board after many years of service. Martinez is a very active place, as we discovered at the standing-room-only happy hour at Del Cielo Brewing Co. downtown. Among the excellent outcomes of our retreat was the establishment of a new section committee that will further advance our shared commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion while also addressing pressing issues affecting planners and the communities we serve. The team will examine how recent federal actions may affect planners’ emotional well-being, their professional responsibilities, and their ethical obligations as members of the profession. We are calling this group Northern’s “Diversity+” Committee. Our Administrative Director, Adrienne Mau, AICP, has agreed to help organize the effort. Would you like to be a part of this? If so, please reach out to Adrienne at admin@norcalapa.org.
I would also like to extend a special welcome to Diana Benitez, who has begun her position as our newly elected Treasurer. Diana has jumped right in, preparing a preliminary 2026 budget and getting onboarded with the Chapter’s bookkeeper, Laura Dee, and our previous Treasurer, Justin Meek, AICP. Many thanks to all these folks for helping to make the transition smooth.
Looking ahead to upcoming events in 2026, our Awards Director, Carlina Rose, has issued a call for 2026 award submissions, due March 1. Visit the awards page on our website, which includes a helpful video on preparing a submission (https://norcalapa.org/programs/awards)
We are also making headway on our upcoming “Lunch and Learn” webinars being put together by Professional Development Director Martin Reyes, AICP, along with the rest of the Board’s Professional Development POD. And we are planning a joint member appreciation celebration in collaboration with the Association for Environmental Professionals (AEP).
As always, we have plenty of opportunities for you to help us with Northern activities as a member of our Board. Currently, we are looking for a Planning for Health coordinator, an Events Co-director, a Young and Emerging Planners Co-director, a Diversity director, and associate editors. If you are interested, please reach out to Director-Elect Jeff Bond, AICP, at director-elect@norcalapa.org.
Once again, if you ever have any questions, concerns, or suggestions for Northern, I would love to hear from you! Drop me a line at director@norcalapa.org.